Dr Marsha Henry GI and Prof Christine Chinkin WPS

This course is available on the MSc in Conflict Studies, MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation, MSc in Gender, Policy and Inequalities, MSc in Human Rights, MSc in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies and MSc in Media, Communication and Development. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course provides a critical examination of peace and security issues affecting women in conflict and postconflict contexts.  In particular, the course focuses on the UN Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, originating in the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) through to subsequent resolutions addressing issues of participation, protection, prevention and peacebuilding, especially in regard to women.  The course examines a range of these issues through a gender and feminist lens. 

Topics include: the socio-legal context of Women, Peace and Security; definitions and scope of gender-based and sexual violence in conflict; the history of Women, Peace and Security laws and policies; sexual violence, combating impunity and addressing accountability; peace processes and women’s participation; gender, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance; women, war and security: civil society and WPS;  and evaluation of a range of different critiques of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

15 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the LT.

Students will have a reading week in Week 6 in line with departmental policy. 

Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the LT.

Buss, D., Lebert, J., Rutherford, B., Sharkey, D., & Aginam, O. (Eds) (2014) Sexual Violence in Conflict and Post-Conflict Societies: International Agendas and African Contexts, Routledge; Cohn, C. (Eds) (2013) Women and Wars, Polity Press; Olonisakin, F., Barnes, K., & Ikpe, E. (Eds) (2010) Women, Peace and Security: Translating Policy into Practice, Routledge; Otto, D. and Heathcote, G. (Eds) (2014) Rethinking Peacekeeping, Gender Equality and Collective Security: An Introduction, Routledge; Global Study on Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing Peace: A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.

Essay (100%, 4000 words) in the ST.

Summative assessment to be submitted in the first week of ST.