module specification

This module introduces students in the main issues surrounding political violence in a contemporary world: key definitions, past and present accounts, current theories, and tactics for prevention and solution to political violence in selected settings. This introductory module presents the ethos for the course by challenging students to think critically about different forms of political violence (e.g. such as conventional and civil war, ‘New Wars’, colonial and decolonisation violence, counter-insurgencies, torture and domestic repression, demonstrations and riots, and terror) from a sociological, political, human rights and media perspectives. Ultimately, the module enables critical engagement with government responses and a comparative view of where the UK sits in relation to political violence in other countries.
The content in the module is organised in five sections: political violence – causes and consequences; the politics of naming: ‘New Wars’, genocide and crimes against humanity; Citizenship and war: refugees, Internally Displaced Peoples (DPs), women and children; Political violence and humanitarian intervention; and finally, Political violence: the role of media and social media. Students have the opportunity to return to the content addressed in this module throughout their module choice in the course.

This module aims to:

1. introduce students to the concepts of the radicalisation; its development globally in different settings, e.g. war, civil war, colonial and postcolonial times and its different manifestation including political violence
2. explore the impacts of radicalisation and political violence on governments, society and individuals..
3. explain the different forms of political violence and the political and social policy responses to them
4. provide account of mass media involvement with radicalisation and political violence and use of contemporary communication modes for dissemination and prevention.

Indicative weekly topics:

1. Introduction: political violence – causes and consequences LO 1, LO 3, LO 4
This week outlines the history of modern political violence and provides account of the ways it has been defined and studied. This content will introduce a range of definitional, epistemological and methodological issues on the causes and consequences of contemporary political violence, including: wars; ‘new wars'; genocide and crimes against humanity; insurgency and counter-insurgency; irregular warfare; state and non-state expressions of the radicalisation and its consequences including terrorism; different radicalisation prevention mechanisms including counter-terrorism. This section will also look at the notions of sovereignty, nationalism, citizenship from the perspectives of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in different settings including conflicts, displacements, war, as well as the impact on global politics by the media and social media and other communication modes in contemporary world.

2. The politics of naming: ‘New Wars’, genocide and crimes against humanity LO 1, LO 2, LO 3
This section outlines and encourages students to reflect on the connections and differences among the increasing displays of ‘New Wars’ and ‘Crimes against humanity’ in Contemporary context. This section explains on how ‘New Wars’ are being increasingly fought over identities rather than ideologies, by non-state combatants rather than (or in addition to) regular state armies. Likewise, this section will consider how the 'Crimes against humanity' engages in attacks on the civilian population rather than direct military encounters, and undermines rather than builds the State, among other characteristics. On legal responses we will look closely at policies developed by domestic and international courts and tribunals, e.g. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and United Nations, in punishing international crimes and the development and spread of prevention norms.

3. Citizenship and war: refugees, Internally Displaced Peoples (DPs), vulnerable populations LO 2, LO 3, LO 4
The module considers a range of social discourses and policy responses to vulnerable citizens within political violence normative framework. This section will analyse the polity of the process and enable students to acquire a thorough understanding of the multifaceted character of an evolving global politics by examining different war and conflict frameworks. This section will drawing on the Human Rights perspectives and policy frameworks available to address the situation and legal status for refugees, Internally Displaced Peoples (DPs), vulnerable populations in contemporary global settings. The focus on specific groups and tendencies will also draw attention to the political and policy responses to different expressions of fundamentalism.

4. Political violence and interventions LO 1, LO 2
This section looks at the institutions and mechanisms operating at the international, regional and domestic levels to prevent radicalization and political violence and protect, promote and defend human rights within the frame of political violence. This section explains and encourage students to critically assess the challenges facing human rights defenders and institutions in protecting and promoting human rights in an environment of political violence. This part also looks at the interplay between human rights actors, institutions and activism in the regions aforementioned.

5. Political violence: the role of different communication modes, media and social media LO 1, LO 3, LO 4
This section encourages students to debate on the influence of mainstream media on the perception by political violence. Drawing on specific case studies, this section evaluates the responsibilities of media on the construction of new meanings on ‘radicalisation’, ‘violence’, ‘political violence’, and ‘terrorism’, as well as biased discourses on the east-west and north-south divisions. Students will engage on debating over the influence of social media in the perception of various forms of political violence, such as global terrorism and reprisals in the war on terror. The content for this section will also draw attention to the debate on the role and influence of social media in the perception and prevention of political violence.

This module is core and runs twice per academic year, once in the Autumn term and once in the Spring term. The module is delivered in a block teaching consecutive week all day. The teaching methods will include group work, lectures, guest lecture, workshops, and appraisal of audio-visual material. Recommended reading will be available to support each session. Additional electronic material and lecture notes will be made available via Weblearn.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

LO1. To engage with various debates and different social scientific approaches to radicalisation and political violence in a contemporary context;

LO2. To provide understanding of the significant political and social policy response to this;

LO3. To link trends in UK policy responses to the international context;

LO4. To hone students with an understanding notions of citizenship  and responses to the phenomenon from legal and human rights perspectives

Students will have formative and summative assessments.  The formative assessment will help them to develop the components for the summative assessment gradually and get feedback thought the course.  For the Summative assessment students need to produce an up to 4,000 -4,500 words word coursework analyzing a contemporary relevant event, addressing the LOs of the module. If a student wishes to focus on an issue or debate that is not covered in the list, this must be agreed with the module leader.

Core Text:

De Waal, A. (2015) ‘Advocacy in Conflict: Critical Perspectives in Transnational Activism’, Zed Books.

Jackson, R., et al. (2011) Terrorism: a critical introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Tilly, C. (2003) The Politics of Collective Violence, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-25 ("Varieties of Violence") and 55-80 (Trends, Variations, and Explanations").

Willets, P. (2011) Non-governmental Organizations in World Politics: the Construction of Global Governance, London: Routledge.

Additional readings:
Ball, T. and Dagger, R (2008) Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, 7th ed., Harlow: Longman.

Brooke, Heather (2010) Silent State, London: Heinemann.

Castles, S. (2009) The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, 4th ed., Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Cohen, Nick (2012) You can't read this book, London: 4th Estate.

Dembour, M-B (2010) ‘What are human rights? Four Schools of Thought', Human Rights Quarterly, Vol: 32(1): 1-20.

Gardam, J., Charlesworth, H. (2000) Protection of Women in Armed Conflict, Human Rights Quarterly, 22, pp. 148 – 166.

Geras, N (2012). Crimes against Humanity. Manchester University Press.

Jones, A (2010). Genocide : A Comprehensive Introduction. Routledge.

Lombard, N. & McMillan, L. (2013) (eds) Violence Against Women: Current Theory and Practice in Domestic Abuse, Sexual Violence and Exploitation London: Jessica Kingsley.

Massoud, M. (2013) Rights in a Failed State: Internally Displaced Women in Sudan and Their Lawyers, Berkeley Journal of Law, Gender and Justice, 1(2), pp. 1 – 12.

Schabas, W (2010). Genocide and International Law- the Crime of Crimes. Cambridge University Press.

Subedi, S. (2011) ‘Protection of human rights through the mechanism of UN special rapporteurs' Human Rights Quarterly, Vol.33(1): 201-228.