General provisions

The course is offered within the Master's Programme on International Humanitarian Action, 90 credits. The Course plan was established on 2007-12-17 by the Dean of the Faculty of Theology and is valid from 2008-01-01.

Entry requirements

The course on Conflict, Disaster and Peace-building in Humanitarian Action is only available to students admitted to the NOHA programme.

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of the course are to provide a conceptual and theoretical basis for the analysis of political, social and cultural dimensions in humanitarian disaster situations, with particular emphasis on conflict analysis and conflict resolution. After the course the student is expected to have:

- Understanding about main schools in international relations, and of central conflict theory concepts and approaches

- Understanding about the nature of patterns of armed conflict and humanitarian disaster

- Ability to apply conflict theory and related concepts to concrete conflict and disaster situations

- Understanding about the conditions for planning and early warning systems

- Ability to contribute to the planning process, in particular on the dimensions of conflict and conflict resolution

- Capacity to analyse conditions with respect to emerging conflict, and related disaster consequences

- Awareness of the importance and practice of personal safety measures (physically and mentally)

- Ability to reflect on, and act, with sensitivity in intercultural relations

- Knowledge about critical ethical dilemmas in international humanitarian disaster action

- Ability to analytically and critically contextualise organised violence and armed conflict with regards to historical, social, and cultural processes

- Awareness of the intersection of gender, ethnicity, migration and globalisation on conflict and conflict resolution

- Awareness about the everyday life of war and armed conflict and how it affects local populations

- Ability to independently critically evaluate and interpret relevant information, for example through writing reports and conflict analyses

- Ability to independently and in groups solve problems within specified time frames, and to analyse and present in comprehensive form complex issues relating to conflict and conflict resolution

Content

The module is divided into two parts.

The first part focuses on a) concepts and theories of conflict resolution, peace-making/peace-building with a specific relevance for situations of humanitarian disaster situations; b) an integrative understanding of the relationship between society (weak/strong; conflictual/peaceful), disaster, and peace-building (conflict prevention/humanitarian action/post-agreement peace-building); and c) the conditions and consequences of humanitarian action in conflict situations.

The second module focuses on a) how historical, social, and cultural context affect organised violence and armed conflict; b) actors in armed conflicts, such as regular and irregular forces, political leaders, the media, humanitarian organisations, and civil society; and c) everyday life in war-torn societies. Students will apply the methods and instruments taught in the course in an independent conflict analysis.

Instruction

The course involves lectures, seminars, study visits, written assignments and literature studies.

Assessment

The course is examined through written exams, papers, individual and group presentations.

Grade: VG or G (Distinction or pass) as well as ECTS grades.

Other regulations

Language of instruction is English.

Transitional provisions

Members of a course regulated by a former version of this course plan have the possibility to be examined in accordance with that course plan within two years after the closure of the course. If there are particular reasons, such an examination can take place also later on. Normally no instruction in accordance with former versions of the course plan is given.