General provisions

The course syllabus was established by the Departmental Board for Department of Peace and

Conflict Research on 2011-10-14. The course syllabus is valid from 2012-01-01.

Entry requirements

Bachelor of Arts degree with at least 90 credits in peace and conflict studies, or 90 credits in a related relevant discipline and at least 30 credits in peace and conflict studies or equivalent experience.

Learning outcomes

After completion of this course the student is expected to be able to independently and critically:

- distinguish between different normative frameworks on interventions

- distinguish between general theoretical perspectives regarding interventions and the

problems associated with the use of force in world politics

- analyse interventions by the international community

- understand problems of procedures of evaluation of peace support operations

- present state-of-the-art reviews and overviews as well as own work in the subject area -

orally and in writing

- delimit, design and carry out a smaller research paper within specified time frame on a

theme relevant for the course

Content

The course focuses on contemporary efforts of the international community to stop ongoing armed conflicts. Military interventions, economic sanctions are among the tools with which primarily the UN, but also other regional organisations can use to attempt to stop violence. The overriding purpose is to highlight the problems and possibilities of the use of these different means to manage modern conflicts. Throughout the course, the ethics of interventions and their conduct are discussed and problematised. The tensions between the norms of the Westphalian order, the UN charter and new emerging norms of human security and the responsibility to protect are a core aspect in the course. It introduces a set of theoretical tools with which to understand the decision-making of interventions and critically evaluates the utility of peace operations, including mission types ranging from preventive deployment to peace enforcement.

Instruction

The course is taught through lectures, seminars and workshops.

Assessment

The examination consists of:

- a final course memo in the form of a written academic paper of about 5,000 words, in which

the student analyses an intervention applying one or more theories relevant for the course

- weekly written review assignments of the literature

- presenting the final course memo and acting as a discussant of another student's paper in

class

- active presence during lectures, workshops and seminars.

Two retake opportunities are offered every semester the course is given. If the concluding literature

review is handed in after the deadline, without the Examiner first approving the late hand-in, the

delayed paper may influence the grading.

The grading system has three grades: Fail (U), Pass (G), Pass with distinction (VG).