KFL4065 – Gender, Peace and Conflict
Course content
What are gendered dimensions of peace and conflict? Further, how does gender shape armed conflict, political violence and peacebuilding, and, conversely, how are notions of gender shaped by the same? In this course, the students will learn how research in different scholarly fields analyze and explain peace and conflict from the optics of gender. Central topics include: gender norms, security, peacebuilding, conflict related sexual violence, children born of war, transitional justice and violent extremism. The course also examines how gender dimensions can be integrated and translated into actual policy, as well as how gender mainstreaming can be implemented in policy and practice communities. As part of the course activities, we will have one visit to the Center for Gender, Peace and Security at the Peace Research Institute (PRIO). The students will meet people who work in different policy and practice capacities with gender, peace and conflict issues. These resource people will discuss how they use, and translate, research into policy and practice, which the students, in turn, will be asked to focus on in a mid-term paper based on a thematic topic of choice.
The topics covered in this course may be painful to take in for some. It is therefore important that students prepare well before lectures, so experiences and descriptions linked to war, crimes and violence do not become too overwhelming. The course leaders will be available to discuss any concerns students might have before weekly lectures.
Learning outcome
Knowledge: Having completed the course, the students will have a comprehensive thematic overview of central themes linked to gender, peace and conflict; they will have knowledge of central concepts used in analyzing gender, peace and conflict, as well as of challenges and outcomes linked to different methodological approaches within relevant fields of scholarship. Through these efforts, the students will learn what interdisciplinary scholarship entails; i.e. how gender is conceptualized as a social and political construction within different disciplines, with an emphasis on the social sciences.
Skills: The students will also be able to analyze and identify the relevance of gender in relation to peace and conflict matters; they will be able to discuss the implication of gender analyses to the understandings of peace and conflict; they will be able to work independently and critically with central issues in the research literature; and, finally, they will be able to translate theoretical knowledge into policy and practice.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Prerequisites
Recommended previous knowledge: Previous knowledge in international relations, human rights, political psychology, peace and conflict and/or gender studies will be helpful for MA students interested in taking this course.
Teaching
The course leader, and some visiting lecturers, who are leading specialists on their respective topic, will teach the classes. The students themselves will play an important role in integrating the components of the course through class discussions preceding lecture, which will be organized and led by student groups which will be put together by the course leader. Students are expected to have read the relevant literature prior to each lecture, and to have prepared notes for class discussion on the readings and the day’s topic. For the student discussions, students will take turns in preparing topics for debate and discussion based on the day’s readings. These discussions, and the combination of assignments, will encourage active learning and critical analyses.
Examination
Previous exam assignments and grading guidelines
Writing and passing mid-term paper
Active participation in the assigned student activities
Mandatory attendance at least 7 out of 10 times
Examination
The final exam is a three day take-home exam on a given topic. The assignment must have a length of? 4500 words?+/- 10%.?References and front page in addition. These are in addition to the word requirement.
In order for students to qualify for the final examination, all compulsory activities must be approved.
Language of examination
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.