Conflict, Security and Development in World Politics

Module title	Conflict, Security and Development in World Politics
Module code	POLM084
Academic year	2024/5
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Klejda Mulaj (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	25

Module description

This first required module for MA Conflict, Security and Development (CSD) provides scholarly grounding of the evolving concepts and practices of CSD. Students will have the opportunity to reflect meaningfully upon International Relations’ conceptual frameworks used to interpret security, war and violence of war, the state, humanitarian intervention, issues of transitional justice, aid and development, and peace-building – in general and in the context of some contemporary case studies. The module will provide the necessary intellectual and historical contexts to prepare students for the term 2 requirement which is a work placement module based in an organisation that works on the kinds of activities studied in this module.

Module aims - intentions of the module

By the end of this module you will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the processes by which conflict, security and development have come to occupy, by the 21st century, a single field of international policy-practice directed towards postcolonial and postconflict states. Furthermore, you will analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of these policies and practices in specific post-Cold war cases. Students will exhibit this knowledge in the form of extended essays and group presentations.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate substantive knowledge of the evolution of the concepts of conflict, security and development, their inter-relationships, the context in which they have developed and the major critical positions adopted towards them;
2. Analyse specific historical and contemporary cases of global governance and international intervention in the name of conflict, security and development;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Identify and discuss the key theoretical debates in International Relations regarding the analysis and evaluation of conflict, security and development as fields of global governance in states subject to international intervention;
4. Exercise informed judgement concerning the practical implications of these debates
5. Demonstrate the ability to locate arguments within an historical context
6. Exhibit an understanding of the relationship between context and theory;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

7. Conduct independent research
8. Exercise critical judgment in the form of cogent and persuasive writing
9. Make rigorous and persuasive arguments in the form of a well-designed presentation

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some of the following topics:

1-3. Interpretations of Conflict, Security, and Development

4. Genocide and Crimes against Humanity

5. Nationalism

6. Refugees

7. Foreign Interventions in the post-Cold War Era

8. Building states to build peace. The merger of security and development

9. Pursuits of Justice and Reconciliation

10. Globalization and Conflict and Peace

11. Conclusions and implications

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	278	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	22	11 x 2 hour per week Seminars: Small group work, presentations, discussion
Guided independent study	278	Reading, reflection, essay writing, presentation preparation

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
One essay plan	500 words	1, 2, 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
Essay	85	5000 words	1-8	Written
Presentation	15	20 Minutes	2,4,9	Written/oral
	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
Essay	5000 word essay	1-8	August/September re-assessment period.
Presentation	20 minutes	2, 4, 9	Beginning of Term 2

Re-assessment notes

Re-arranged presentations will be agreed with the Module Convenor

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Library resources:

Danielle Beswick and Paul Jackson, Conflict, Security and Development: An Introduction, Routledge 2011.

Mary Anderson, Do No Harm: How Aid Can Support Peace or War, Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1999.

Michael Barnett and Thomas G. Weiss, Humanitarianism in Question: Politics, Power, Ethics, Cornel University Press, 2008.

Alan Collins, Ed., Contemporary Security Studies, Oxford University Press, 2018 (or previous editions).

David Lake, The Statebuilder’s Dilemma: On the Limits of Foreign Intervention. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2016.

Klejda Mulaj Ed., Postgenocide, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.

Paul D. Williams and Matt McDonald, Eds., Security Studies, Routledge, 2018 (or previous editions).

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages

Key words search

International Relations, Conflict, Security, Development, Global Politics, Global Governance, International Organizations, Peacebuilding

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	Yes
Origin date	30/10/2013
Last revision date	27/08/2020