Lecturer:

Classes:                    To be confirmed

Practical/Tutorials         To be confirmed

Consultation:               By Advance Appointment

Course  Description
Analysis of basic sociological concepts and their application to agriculture; the  influence of social     organization  and relationships  on agriculture;  assessment of  agricultural technology and social change; application of sociological perspectives to  salient agricultural  issues in Zimbabwe.

Course objectives
1. To apply basic sociological concepts to the discipline and practice of agriculture
2. To  examine social  relations, rural  institutions and  the rural-urban  or agricultural-industrial interfaces
3. To analyze the processes of rural social change and their impact on agriculture
4. To evaluate different methodological approaches to farming systems  analysis, research and
    development.

Course presentation
By lectures, group work, case studies, field trips, tutorials and reading assignments.

Course assessment
Continuous assessment                   %                 Due date
      Final examination                     70
      Two semester papers                10        August, 15, October 1
      One semester test                     10        September 15
      Group proje                             10        October 15

                                                    100

COURSE OUTLINE

 l.    Introduction
       1.1    Course overview and orientation
       1.2    Definitions and Theoretical perspectives
       1.3    Basic sociological concepts and their application to
                agriculture

 2.   Social Organization in Agrarian Societies
       2.1 Social systems
       2.2 Social stratification
       2.3 Social institutions

 3.   Rural Social change
       3.1 Social change perspectives (models)
       3.2 Determinants of change
       3.3 Innovation and social change

 4.   Zimbabwe's Farming Systems
       4.1 Farming systems concepts and methods
       4.2 Determinants, characteristics and classification
       4.3 Role and contribution of each to the economy
       4.4 Constraints, potential and trends

 5.   Peasant Systems
       5.1 The peasant farm economy
       5.2 Analysis of agricultural household production structures,
             relation and process
       5.3 Issues in peasant systems

 6.   Socio Economic Issues in Agricultural Development Case studies
       from Zimbabwe
       6.1 Institutional Framework of agriculture in Zimbabwe
       6.2 Gender analysis methods in agricultural research and
             development
       6.3 Environmental concerns in agriculture
       6.4 The land question: Population, politics and production
       6.5 Agricultural and extension education in Zimbabwe

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Giddens, A. (1991). Sociology. Policy press in association with Bazel
       Blackwell, UK

Haralambos, Mm. 91980). Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. University
       Tutorial Press. Slough (UK).

Long, N. (1977). An Introduction to the Sociology of Rural Development.
       Tavistock Publications. London.

Low. A (1986). Agricultural Development in Southern  Africa: Farm
       Household Economics and the Food Crisis: Curry, Heimen and
       Phillips.

Chambers, R. (1983). Rural Development: Putting the Last First. Longman.
       London..............(1990). Farmer First.

Ellis, F. (1988). Peasant Economics: Farm Household and Agrarian
       Development. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

Ruthernberg, H. (1980). 3rd Edition. Farming Systems in the Tropics.
       Oxford University Press.-- Oxford.

Cheater, A. P. (1986). Social Anthropology: An alternative Introduction.
       Mambo Press. Gweru.

Mutimba, J. (1986). Extension Through Cooperatives in Zimbabwe. Masters
       Thesis.