FSS:BSS170 Human Security - Course Information

BSS170 Human Security

Extent and Intensity

2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

PhDr. RNDr. Nikola Hynek, M.A., PgDip Res (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

prof. JUDr. PhDr. Miroslav Mareš, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies

Timetable

Mon 18:00–19:30 U41

Prerequisites

No required prerequisites (bachelor level)

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 34 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

This course aims at achieving three broad objectives. Firstly, it establishes a knowledge pool enabling an understanding of the main concepts, issues and contours of the paradigm of human security. Secondly, it is designed to encourage enrolled students in developing critical thinking and transferable skills. Finally, since the course is organised and taught entirely in English, it intends to improve abilities of students connected to academic writing and oral skills in this language. With regard to the logic of the course organisation, it is divided into two main parts. The course starts with the conceptual part (weeks 1-7) and the second part consists of case studies (weeks 8-13). Although the conceptual part of this course is rooted in the field of security studies with its emphasis on different takes on humanitarian emergencies, it also offers an examination of the development of the human security paradigm in the UN, Canada and Asian countries as well as in providing insights into transformations in state sovereignty and diplomacy. Its second part comprises case studies and offers an interdisciplinary perspective on key issues. Through the set of case studies, we will analyse immediate causes of human insecurity (weapons, environment), tackle the topics of the sociology and psychology of war and post-war reconstruction (child soldiers, the role of women in the latter) as well as investigate institutional outcomes of the human security paradigm. After completing this course, students should be able to bridge relevant concepts with empirical evidence as far as the analysis of the most pressing humanitarian topics in world politics is concerned.

Syllabus

• Week 1. Introduction to the Problématique and the Module Organisation. Week 2. Discourse Matters I.: Pessimistic Inevitability of Human Insecurity and the Re-primitivisation of Man. Week 3. Discourse Matters II.: Human Security (HS) as a Promising Way of Tackling Human Emergencies. Week 4. The Politics of Human Security I.: The United Nations as the Site of Emergence and Development of a New Paradigm. Week 5. The Politics of Human Security II.: The Canadian and Asian Approaches as Alternative Ways of Doing Human Security. Week 6. Humanitarian Intervention and the Norm of State Sovereignty: The Responsibility to Protect?. Week 7. Human Security in Light of Wider Transformations of Diplomacy 8. The Campaign to Ban Antipersonnel Landmines (APLs) & The Issue of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs). Week 9. Environmental Degradation and Resource Conflicts as Threats to Human Security. Week 10. Child Soldiers: Psycho-Social Impact of Exposure to Warfare & The Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts. Week 11. Women in Peacebuilding. Week 12. The Human Security Network (HSN): the Institutionalisation of the Doctrine and its EU dimension. Week 13. The International Criminal Court: Human Rights meet Human Security.

Literature

• The complete list of required reading can be found in the module folder

Assessment methods (in Czech)

Requirements: ATTENDANCE: Each session is split up into a lecture (first 45 minutes) and a seminar (second 45 minutes). Attendance in the lectures is not compulsory, but recommended. However in the seminars attendance is obligatory as students will present their own projects as well as reflect on projects of their classmates. Whether or not you choose to attend lectures, you are expected to prepare for active participation in the seminars by reading the recommended texts, which are accessible in the course electronic folder, in advance, and your individual contributions will be assessed formatively (see below). Your active participation will be supported by chosen teaching methods/ activities (e.g. debates, simulations, problem-solving etc. ASSESSMENT: The following structure of assessment with four equally weighted elements ensures continuous active participation of students during the term and aims to decrease the usual level of stress resulting from one dominant assignment (typically an examination) at the end of the term. The Structure of Assessment: 1. Active involvement (20 %): Your active involvement in discussions is strongly encouraged and will be reflected by 20 % in the composition of your overall mark. 2. Short critiques (20 %): Students are ideally expected to write six one-page long (300-500 words) critiques of the required reading. They can choose any six texts from the reading list. These will be judged on the basis of demonstrated analysis (not a mere description) and your own interpretation of what you see as strong and weak points of selected pieces. Only the three best results out of six will be, however, included in the final mark. Therefore, students can use various strategies in dealing with this assignment. The actual number of submitted critiques will thus vary between three and six (three being the compulsory minimum), according to your preferred strategy. Each critique will be submitted electronically into a special folder to which students will have access from their university account. Each critique must be submitted before the actual session dealing with a chosen topic. 3. Project (30 % = 15 %: oral in-class presentation of preliminary results; 15 %: final report on the same topic): Students are expected to select one theme that arises from or is inspired by and related to the course for the preparation of their own project. The choice of topic must be approved by the course leader. The project consists of an oral presentation of your preliminary findings during the seminar on a given topic (15 minutes, for a PowerPoint presentation contact the course leader in advance) and the submission of the term report (14 – 15 000 characters – i.e. approximately 8 pages long, accepted divergence 10 %) on the same topic by the end of the course (ii). It should be pointed out that a report is written differently from an essay – students should consult books on this topic in the library or consult the course leader. In respect of information sources for the project, students are encouraged to utilise the university pre-paid electronic sources as well as familiarise themselves with so-called “grey literature” (working and discussion papers of various research institutes, international organisations and think-tanks). The report must follow citation standards and include the list of references (in case of confusion, see the departmental standards and/or the course leader). Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and is strictly prohibited. All submitted reports will be scanned through anti-plagiarism software. 4. Examination (30 %): The final written examination will consist of questions from the required reading and lectures. Six questions will be offered and each student will have to select two according to his/her preferences and answer them (i.e. four others will be left unanswered). Questions will be open and the student is expected to give sufficiently detailed, clear, and logically coherent answers, which can contain diagrams and bullet points. The minimal threshold for students to qualify themselves for completing the course is 60 % of the overall mark. Student must complete all four assignments in order to be marked (i.e. all elements need to be over 60 %).

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2006, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2006/BSS170