War and its Aftermath: Interventions and Contemporary Conflict
| Module title | War and its Aftermath: Interventions and Contemporary Conflict |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL3168 |
| Academic year | 2022/3 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Klejda Mulaj (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
This module explores effects of political violence in the contemporary setting with particular focus on the various efforts to intervene in armed conflict and seek redress for mass atrocities. In the first half of the course you will focus on the issues that arise during conflict. The module will consider contemporary trends in modern war, the decision to intervene, and how intervention shapes both the war and the post-war period. In the second half of the course you will study the various ways international and local actors have tried to address legacies of war crimes and mass atrocities after weapons have been laid to rest.
There are no pre-requisites for taking this module but you are required to read extensively. Teaching will be interactive and you are expected to take an active role in weekly class discussions.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will introduce you to a broad range of scholarship – primarily in the discipline of International Relations – that addresses conflict and its aftermath. This field of study has expanded exponentially in the post-Cold War period and much of it is based on extensive field research. The module will encourage you to grapple with the more theoretical texts in light of well-researched case studies. Furthermore, it will ask you to consider the efficacy of common policy prescriptions in light of recent scholarship. The module aims to help you develop professional values and engage meaningfully with scholarship focused on issues related to war and post-conflict recovery from an academic and policy perspective.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Identify the major arguments in the fields of comparative politics and international relations regarding conflict and its aftermath
- 2. Evaluate different interpretations about the nature of war and prescriptions for its cessation
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Articulate in-depth knowledge of a subfield of International Relations, and knowledge of contemporary issues in international politics
- 4. Deploy theoretical arguments, concepts, and methods, and apply them to practices and common policy prescriptions in the global arena;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Communicate effectively in writing and speech
- 6. Write well-structured arguments
- 7. Work independently and with peers to achieve common goals
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:
the character of war in the post-Cold War era, terrorism, genocide, actors in war, humanitarian intervention, aid, international criminal tribunals, truth and reconciliation commissions, and state apologies. The first half of the course will address the issues confronted during war (such as the character of fighting, whether or not to intervene, and humanitarian assistance) while the second half of the course will address measures to deal with legacies of mass atrocities in the aftermath of war. Most seminars in the second term will focus on a case study and a cross-cutting thematic issue.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 256 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 44 | Twenty-two seminars of 2 hours each will involve small group discussion of texts and presentations. |
| Guided independent study | 200 | Reading and preparation for tutorials, including preparation of comment papers |
| Guided independent study | 56 | Research and writing of essay |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 500 words | 1-7 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 85 | 0 | 15 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 85 | 4000 words | 1-7 | Written |
| Presentation | 15 | 20 minutes/2000 words | 1-5, 7 | Verbal and written |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment (85%) | Written assignment (4000 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
| Presentation (15%) | 2000 word assignment | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Where required, re-assessment will consist of a written essay (4000 words) which will constitute 85% of the final mark. Where a student is referred / deferred for the scheduled presentation, they will be asked to write a 2000 word assignment in its place, which will constitute 15% of the final mark.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Michael Barnett and Thomas G. Weiss, Humanitarianism in Question: Politics, Power, Ethics, Cornel University Press, 2008.
Elazar Barkan & Alexander Karn eds., Taking Wrongs Seriously: Apologies and Reconciliation , Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2006.
Klejda Mulaj, Ed., Postgenocide: Interdisciplinary Reflections on the Effects of Genocide, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.
David Rieff, A Bed for the Night: Humanitarianism in Crisis, Simon and Shuster, 2003.
Elaine Scarry, The Body in Pain: The Making and Unmaking of the World, New York: Oxford University Press, 1985.
Christine Sylvester, War as Experience: Contributions from International Relations and Feminist Analysis, London: Routledge, 2013.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
International Relations:
The Brookings Institution: http://www.brook.edu/
World Policy Institute: http://www.worldpolicy.org/links/
Council on Foreign Relations: www.cfr.org
International Crisis Group: www.crisisgroup.org
Media
BBC Europe : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/default.stm
Financial Times: http://news.ft.com/world/europe
The Economist: www.economist.co.uk
Media Websites:
New York Times: www.nytimes.com
The Washington Post: www.washingtonpost.com
The Independent: www.independent.co.uk
The Guardian: www.theguardian.com
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 30/01/2012 |
| Last revision date | 07/03/2022 |
