SOC41170 Conflict, justice and the industries of peace

Academic Year 2023/2024

This module aspires to provide the students with the theoretical and conceptual apparatus on conflict, peace and justice. It provides deeper understanding of the key notions in relation to peace, conflict and justice with the focus on various ‘’peace’’ practices that emerge after wars and violence. The main aim of the module is to critically assess the various global paradigms, such as transitional justice and peacebuilding, to determine their outcomes on the ground. We will be discussing various practices embedded in the current ‘’agenda for peace’’ such as criminal prosecution and legal mechanisms, truth commissions, dialogue groups, memorialization efforts, projects that relate to dealing with the different forms of post-conflict trauma, as well as other economic and social initiatives.
The first part of the module is set to provide sociological definitions of the key concepts such as conflict, genocide, peace, justice, reconciliation and memorialization. After that we will dive deep into various case studies from around the globe, such as Rwanda, South Africa, Canada, Bosnia, Cambodia, Argentina and much more, to assess the peace efforts and their short and long term benefits and disadvantages. The focus will be given to the students’ understanding of the various forms and mechanisms that are currently in place for promoting peace efforts, but also to brainstorm other, unexplored options.
All students need to make an individual presentation during the course of the module (30 %) and to write a final essay on a particular case study (70 %).

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

- Understanding the key concept such as conflict, genocide, peace, justice, reconciliation and memorialization
- Introducing a wide spectrum of practices associated with the transitional justice and peacebuilding mechanisms
- Provide examples of the peace initiatives from various geo-political settings
- Critically assessing the benefits and the shortcomings of the peace initiatives
- Encourage the students to (re)imagine possible - improved or new - solutions for the challenges in the post-conflict settings

Indicative Module Content:

conflict, war, genocide, justice, peace, reconciliation, memorialization, transitional justice, peacebuilding, human rights and nationalism

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

2
Total

2
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The main component of the module is active learning. The students’ active participation in discussions, reading materials and the examples provided is vital for their ability to develop critical skills for the problem-based learning. The students will be encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions (in a respectful way) and help each other what is the best approach when dealing with multifold post- conflict challenges in the globalized world. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: Each student will be asked to write a final essay (approximately 4000 words) based on the case study of their choosing. Further instructions will be given in the class. Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded Yes

70
Presentation: Each student will be asked to make a short 15-20 min presentation on a peace initiative in a geographic region of their choice. Further instructions will be given closer to the date. Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

30

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Spring
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Fri 11:00 - 12:50