The Ethics and Politics of Humanitarian Intervention
| Module title | The Ethics and Politics of Humanitarian Intervention |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC2012 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Sarah Bulmer (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
This module introduces you to the controversial practice of humanitarian intervention in world politics. Since the 1990s there has been an increasing trend towards Western military intervention in developing states in the name of human rights and acts which ‘shock the conscience of mankind’ (Waltzer). Many questions arise concerning this practice: Does humanitarian intervention work? Is it morally legitimate? Is it legal? Should we be concerned with the increasing legitimacy of military intervention by the West in Third World countries? How does military intervention be understood within wider practices of aid and intervention? Are NGO’s accountable? How are humanitarian interventions represented in the news media and other cultural productions (e.g. film)? In this module you will be introduced to a range of approaches and will be encouraged to analyse contemporary policy and practice.
Assessment in the module is 100% portfolio. The advantage of this method of assessment is that you will be working on your assessed pieces throughout the module and you will receive informal feedback on them during seminars (from the tutor and your peers). Each seminar will have a linked portfolio activity and you will be required to submit three of these pieces in your final portfolio (totally 3,500 words).
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to introduce you to a range of theoretical and practical issues in the study of humanitarian intervention and to enable students to critically analyse contemporary theory, policy and practice. The module begins by examining the key principles and international norms underlying humanitarian action and introduces the dominant theoretical positions (pluralism and solidarism) commonly used to assess the legality and legitimacy of humanitarian intervention. The wider economic and post-colonial context will then be explored with the aim of encouraging a critical reflection on the dominant perspectives, for example by asking what they assume, occlude and the political effects of this. The module then moves on to look at the change in the nature of conflict, the idea of ‘new wars’ and ‘Complex Political Emergencies’ the role of NGOs and the broader principles of humanitarianism, aid and development. Finally the representation of humanitarian emergencies in the news media and other cultural production is considered with the aim of encouraging you to critically analyse these representations.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Discuss, analyse and critically evaluate competing theoretical perspectives in the study of humanitarian intervention in world politics;
- 2. Demonstrate familiarity with the empirical issues addressed;
- 3. Apply theoretical perspectives in order to analyse empirical issues in humanitarian intervention and be aware of the limitations and implications of each perspective;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Grasp and apply a variety of theories found in Politics and International Studies in order to assess and/or critique each theory in its application to specific practices;
- 5. Locate these theories and the debates/questions which surround them in the larger context of the study of Politics, for example contending conceptualisations of sovereignty and rival framings of world politics;
- 6. Identify and engage with an array of case study material, involving web based data, academic journals, news sources and research monographs, in order to develop in-depth knowledge of particular issues;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Engage with challenging literature and articulate complex ideas in written and oral form;
- 8. Use ICT for both research and presentation purposes;
- 9. Facilitate group discussions and debate, to explain and discuss their own ideas and to select material suitable for inclusion in discussion (through student-led seminar discussions).
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Traditional approaches: pluralism and solidarism, legality, legitimacy and sovereignty
- Effectiveness of military intervention: Case Studies
- Moral arguments and the ‘Responsibility to Protect’
- Economic Context: Rethinking sovereignty, responsibility and intervention
- Postcolonial Context: Rethinking humanitarian intervention
- From wars to complex political emergencies
- The politics of aid and humanitarianism
- News media and intervention
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 132 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 11 | Lectures |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 10 | Seminars including group presentations and discussion |
| Independent Guided Study | 44 | Reading and preparing for seminars (around 4 hours per seminar) |
| Independent Guided Study | 85 | Researching and writing assessment portfolio |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 500-1000 words | 1-7, 9 | Written and verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 100 | 3,500 words comprising 4 short essays marked individually before generating an overall average which is the mark awarded for the assessment | 1-7, 9 | Written (also continuous informal during seminars) |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Portfolio | 1-7, 9 | August/September re-assessment period, |
Re-assessment notes
Where you have been referred/ deferred for the portfolio you will submit a portfolio (containing 3 different pieces) in the August/September re-assessment period. . This will constitute 100% of the module.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Bellamy, Alex, Paul Williams and Stuart Griffin, Understanding peacekeeping (Polity Press, 2004)
Chatterjee and Scheid (eds.), Ethics and Foreign Intervention (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2003)
Duffield, M. Global Governance and the New Wars: the merging of development and security (London: Zed Books, 2001)
Hoffman, Stanley, The Ethics and Politics of Humanitarian Intervention (University of Notre Dame Press, 1996)
Holzgrefe, JL and Robert O. Keohane (eds), Humanitarian intervention: ethical, legal, and political dilemmas (Cambridge University Press, 2003).
Orford, Anne. Reading Humanitarian Intervention (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003)
Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty
(ICISS), The Responsibility to Protect, December 2001,
Wheeler, Nicholas, Saving Strangers, Humanitarian intervention in international society. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).
Woodhouse, Tom and Oliver Ramsbotham (eds) Peacekeeping and conflict resolution. (London : Frank Cass, 2000).
Weber, Cynthia. Simulating Sovereignty (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995)Stanley Hoffmann (Author)
Vincent, R. J., Non-Intervention and International Order (Princeton: Princeton University
Press, 1974).
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
www.un.org (United Nations central site)
www.unhcr.ch (United Nations High Commission for Refugees)
www.amnesty.org (Amnesty International)
www.forcedmigration.org (Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University)
www.iom.ch (International Organisation for Migration)
www.usip.org (United Sates Institute of Peace)
www.odi.org.uk (Overseas Development Institute, UK)
http://www.responsibilitytoprotect.org/ (International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect)
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Noam Chomsky on Humanitarian Intervention http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77U1tlAyWVA
Black Gold (2006) Documentary (directed by Francis and Francis)
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 31/10/2011 |
| Last revision date | 20/08/2020 |
