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SP30210: Conflict, security and international development

[Page last updated: 04 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework 100% (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Aims: The unit introduces students to the key contemporary debates on the causes of and possible solutions to the major developmental and security challenges facing the world's poorest countries. In particular, it covers debates on: the utility or futility of international aid to assist poor countries; the 'conflict trap' affecting many under-developed countries; the mainstream 'Liberal Peace' agenda linking security and development; and, contemporary concepts of global governance and global civil society.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this unit students will be able to:
* critically understand the concepts of global governance, conflict, security and under-development;
* critically evaluate mainstream diagnoses of under-development as a consequence of poor governance and the 'conflict trap' and critiques of this orthodoxy;
* critically assess contemporary global trends in the politics of development
* understand the different levels and actors involved in world politics of development and critically
* discuss their contributions to different development approaches.

Skills:
* ability to understand and analyse critically a range of issues in the contemporary world politics of development.
* Ability to make presentations and engage in constructive, critical discussion.
* Ability to write articulately, concisely and persuasively about issues in world politics of development.
* Ability to research independently an issue related to world politics of development.

Content: 1. Global governance, conflict security and development
2. Economic theories of violent conflict
3. The politics of ethnic conflict
4. The regional dimensions of civil war
5. Human security and Liberal Peacebuilding
6. Aid and conditionality
7. Humanitarian and military interventions
8. Conflict resolution and peace settlements
9. Global Civil Society and Transnational Social Movements
10. Framing under-development: representations of development, humanitarianism and conflict
Students will be given the opportunity to make short presentations on topics related to their essays in seminars. Formative feedback will be provided on these.

Programme availability:

SP30210 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Education
  • UHED-AFB12 : BA(Hons) Education with Psychology (Year 3)
  • UHED-AKB12 : BA(Hons) Education with Psychology with Professional Placement (Year 4)
Department of Economics
  • UHES-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Politics (Year 3)
  • UHES-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Politics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHES-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Politics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHES-ACB01 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Politics with Combined Placement and Study Abroad (Year 4)
Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB13 : BA(Hons) French and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB12 : BA(Hons) German and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB16 : BA(Hons) Italian ab initio and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB08 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB05 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and German) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB18 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB06 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB23 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB20 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB17 : BA(Hons) Spanish and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB22 : BSc(Hons) Criminology (Year 3)
  • UHSP-AFB21 : BSc(Hons) International Development with Economics (Year 3)
  • UHSP-AKB21 : BSc(Hons) International Development with Economics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHSP-AFB16 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy (Year 3)
  • UHSP-AKB16 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHSP-AFB05 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences (Year 3)
  • UHSP-AKB05 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHSP-AFB04 : BSc(Hons) Sociology (Year 3)
  • UHSP-AKB04 : BSc(Hons) Sociology with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHSP-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Year 3)
  • UHSP-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy with Year long work placement (Year 4)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.