Comprehensive Notes on Development Ethics, Email Etiquette, and Global Citizenship
Course Logistics and Email Etiquette
Always use your official university email (uoguelph.ca). If there are issues with your university email, contact your counselor to resolve them. Messages sent outside the approved channels may not receive a timely response. Be mindful and patient when emailing professors or TAs.
Do not ask your professor an obviously avoidable question like: "Did I miss anything really important when you miss a lecture or a tutorial?" This is discouraged because:
TAs, the instructor, and many students attend weekly sessions (e.g., 08:30 on Tuesday).
If you miss content, first check with peers and review course materials.
A good email example (reproduced and recommended):
Clear subject line including course details and tutorial number.
Properly addressed to the professor.
States the issue succinctly and references course materials (course outline, CourseLink).
Demonstrates that the student has checked CourseLink and reviewed relevant materials before emailing.
Student as independent learner: professors and TAs facilitate learning, they do not do the learning for you. You embark on the learning journey and seek help as needed.
Finding information: CourseLink is the primary information hub for the course (announcements, Zoom links, readings, etc.). Peers are the best initial source of information; form a peer learning group.
Before emailing: ask yourself, "Have I checked CourseLink? Have I consulted with fellow students about what I missed?" Be an active learner.
If information remains unclear after checking CourseLink and peers, contact instructors. Check CourseLink frequently, as it is the interface for joining lectures, accessing readings, and announcements.
How to access course content: CourseLink → Content → Assignments → Lectures → Lecture [number]. If interactive features are not working, contact course lead support.
Technical troubleshooting example: If interactive mode doesn’t show the question, try refreshing, ensure you’ve joined the session, and follow posted instructions in CourseLink announcements.
If a student asks about what to do when live lectures don’t work, the instructor emphasizes that the live, in-lecture experience is the intended mode of participation; check CourseLink announcements and follow the provided steps.
Frequency of course updates: check CourseLink at least daily; regular engagement is necessary to access quizzes, updates, and materials.
Course logistics reflections:
Group work is valued; next week includes group presentations in tutorials with TA support.
Quizzes and reflections offer flexibility: you may drop one or two low scores via reflections/lecture quizzes.
Plan time around assignments and due dates; the course content is designed to help you prioritize your studies.
Download today’s lecture slides before the lecture to aid note-taking. Readings are provided electronically via CourseLink.
After each lecture, review the list of key concepts and terms; connect these to global inequality for essay preparation.
Development ethics: two chapters in Haslam et al., Introduction to International Development:
Cultural Development: development is not only economic; it is a cultural process that examines values dominating development and growth.
Ethics of Development: ethics matter in international development; institutions (e.g., university Research Ethics Boards) institutionalize ethics to provide a common framework for research involving humans.
Good intentions are not enough: doing good can cause harm if not critically examined. Before taking action to help others, ask whether the action will genuinely benefit the people involved or could cause unintended harm.
The onus is on the actor to reflect on privilege and responsibility and to ensure intentions translate into beneficial outcomes for those affected, not merely satisfy the helper.
Core conceptual distinctions:
Ethics: moral/philosophical values guiding actions, grounded in relationships with others (family, community, society, global landscape).
Privilege with responsibility: using privileges (funding, influence, resources) carefully to avoid harm and to protect the interests of affected communities.
Institutional ethics: formal processes (e.g., Research Ethics Boards) to ensure ethical standards in research and practice.
Prejudice and racism discussion:
Prejudice involves generalizing about cultures and peoples; ignorance often fuels it, though experience can complicate judgments.
Edward Said’s Orientalism: Western representations create an inappropriate dichotomy of Western superiority and Eastern inferiority, shaping policy, programs, and perceptions of the Global South. Orientalism frames media and policy narratives, influencing how Northern institutions engage with Southern contexts.
Immersion and non-judgmental learning:
Immersion (engaging with other cultures firsthand) is presented as an effective way to learn values and principles.
Avoiding judgment and stereotypes while learning from diverse cultures is essential for ethical global engagement.
The Netherlands anecdote and broader experiences illustrate the difference between superficial exposure and genuine cultural understanding.
Practical habits for ethical learning:
Diversify information sources to avoid single-narrative viewpoints (e.g., Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters; platforms like X for real-time perspectives).
Learn about other countries through literature, film, and cuisine to gain deeper cultural insight (e.g., reading The Kite Runner to understand Afghan history).
Universities have a role in promoting global citizenship and lifelong learning; SDG goals emphasize inclusive education and civic responsibility.
Guard against the influence of misinformation and conspiracy theories; cultivate media literacy and evidence-based reasoning.
Acknowledge personal privilege and consider how it is used to benefit others; avoid perceiving privilege as unproblematic or as a reason to claim superiority.
Capitals of responsibility: the importance of accountability to communities and broader stakeholders, including taxpayers when public funds support research.
Practical reminder: how we communicate (tone, body language, choices of words) can reflect our ethics and values; strive to be compassionate and respectful, especially toward service staff or individuals in subordinate roles.
The course uses a comparative lens (UN vs. World Bank) to illustrate different institutional approaches to ethics and development.
Final takeaway: learning is ongoing; immersion, reflection, and open engagement with diverse perspectives are essential to responsible development work.
Global Citizenship and the Vikas Swaroop Talk
The talk frames the smartphone as a symbol of global interconnectedness:
A device whose supply chain spans multiple countries, highlighting interdependence and global inequality.
The phone acts as a mirror: it reveals how innovation and injustice are intertwined across borders.
Global citizenship as a mindset, not just travel:
It emphasizes awareness, empathy, responsibility, and the view that we are part of a larger human community.
Three commitments of global citizenship: recognize our shared humanity, accept our shared responsibility, and act with courage and empathy across borders.
Six pillars of global citizenship (as presented by the speaker):
1) Cultural respect and sensitivity: no single culture holds all wisdom; approach others with humility and openness, while critically evaluating practices.
2) Global knowledge and awareness: stay informed about global issues (climate, economics, human rights) to guide ethical choices and advocacy.
3) Solidarity and social responsibility: reflect on how actions support or harm others; stand with vulnerable groups and act with social accountability.
4) Critical thinking and problem solving: distinguish evidence-based analysis from propaganda; understand information ecosystems and how to translate insight into practical solutions.
5) Collaboration across borders: work with diverse partners and across linguistic/cultural divides to achieve common humanitarian goals (e.g., vaccine development collaboration during COVID-19).
6) Ethical action and civic engagement: translate knowledge into action; participate in communities and organizations to advance justice and sustainability.Three commitments of global citizenship in practice:
Recognize our shared humanity across borders and cultures.
Accept shared responsibility for global outcomes (justice, sustainability, equality).
Act with courage and empathy, collaborating across divides to address global challenges.
Practical tips for becoming globally aware (actionable steps):
1) Diversify information sources: avoid relying on a single outlet; explore international coverage (e.g., Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters) and cross-check perspectives; analyze discussions on platforms like X for real-time global commentary.
2) Learn about other countries: read authors from different backgrounds, watch documentaries, try world cuisines; example given: reading The Kite Runner to gain insight into Afghan culture and history; note the broader critique of neoliberal emphasis on STEM over liberal arts in education.
3) Promote inclusive education and lifelong learning: SDG 4 emphasizes ensuring learners gain knowledge and skills for global citizenship; universities should inculcate values like civic responsibility, sustainability, and cultural diversity while fostering cross-cultural understanding.Critique of information culture:
Distinguish truth from misinformation in an era of heightened polarization; avoid relying on social media alone (referred to as the phenomenon of graduates from the University of WhatsApp).
Emphasize that higher education should cultivate critical thinking, media literacy, and evidence-based reasoning as antidotes to misinformation.
Workplace and societal relevance:
Employers increasingly value global competencies; soft skills like empathy, critical thinking, and collaboration are highly valued (Google Project Oxygen identified top qualities; STEM expertise ranked last among those eight).
Global citizenship skills enhance employability through cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and a global perspective.
Real-world examples and reflections:
During humanitarian crises (e.g., 2015 refugee surge in Europe, after Turkey/Syria earthquakes in 2023, Ukraine refugees in Canada), ordinary people mobilized to help, illustrating solidarity and civic action.
Use of civil society and citizen responses to crises as evidence of global citizenship in action.
The speaker’s closing message:
Global citizenship is not a luxury or label; it is a necessary responsibility for achieving a more just and sustainable world.
The interconnected world requires empathy, collaboration, and responsible choices in consumer behavior, policy, and personal conduct.
Insights on Ethos, Prejudice, and Power Dynamics
The dialogue underscores the ethical burden of those with privilege to ensure their actions do not harm others, and to respect the agency of communities being engaged.
The critique of colonial and postcolonial narratives emphasizes avoiding paternalism and replacing it with respectful collaboration and mutual learning.
The discussions reflect on real-world consequences of prejudice, stereotyping, and the normalization of unequal power relations in development practice.
Q&A Highlights and Practical Takeaways
Grading and participation in objective vs. subjective questions:
True/false or other objective questions are typically graded for correctness (right/wrong).
Subjective/open-ended questions are often evaluated for participation and quality of engagement.
Navigating migration and policy conversations:
The guest speaker highlighted Canada as an open country for refugees (especially during crises), while noting policy and housing affordability implications in practice.
Personal reflections on cross-cultural immersion:
Diplomacy as a form of global citizenship requires genuine engagement with local communities and an appreciation of diverse cultures, beyond superficial exposure.
Final note on accountability:
Accountability extends to donors, policymakers, and institutions, not just the recipients of aid or benefits.
Key Terms and Concepts (Glossary)
Ethics: moral/philosophical values guiding actions in relation to others.
Development: a cultural process, not only economic growth; includes values, norms, and social outcomes.
Development Ethics: institutionalized frameworks to ensure ethical practice in development work (e.g., Research Ethics Boards).
Privilege with responsibility: using advantages to minimize harm and maximize beneficial outcomes for others.
Orientalism: Edward Said’s concept describing how the West constructs and sustains a narrative of Western superiority over the Orient, shaping policy and perceptions.
Immersion: learning through deep, firsthand engagement with other cultures to gain non-judgmental understanding.
Global Citizenship: a mindset and practice characterized by shared humanity, responsibility, and courageous, empathetic action across borders.
SDG 4: global goal to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.
Project Oxygen (Google): study identifying the eight most important qualities of top employees, with STEM expertise ranked last among them.
The “University of WhatsApp” metaphor: critique of low-quality information ecosystems and the spread of misinformation; emphasis on higher education as a counterbalance.
Six Pillars of Global Citizenship (as presented):
Cultural respect and sensitivity
Global knowledge and awareness
Solidarity and social responsibility
Critical thinking and problem solving
Collaboration across borders
Ethical action and civic engagement