MA Humanitarianism and Conflict Response

This module explores the complex relationship between ideas of security and their gendered and racialized logics. Drawing on contemporary feminist, critical race and postcolonial approaches to studying the world, this module serves to give students a deeper understanding of how security is represented, enacted, legitimated and experienced. Through a critical engagement with the concepts of security, race and gender, the module encourages students to reflect on and question what is ‘known’ about security and to challenge common sense presentations of the practices. By positioning both gender and race as topics of study as well as analytical lenses, the module will show that they are foundational and constitutive of our ideas about security and our responses to insecurity.

1. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of and capacity to critically engage with a range of feminist and postcolonial approaches to the study of security.
2. Consider and show rigorous reflection on the ethical and methodological challenges of researching security from feminist, critical race and postcolonial perspectives.
3. Critically interrogate the gendered and racialized logics through which contemporary security is narrated, legitimized and resisted. 
4. Show understanding of and sensitivity to the ‘everyday’ nature of security practices and their uneven effects on gendered and racialized bodies.
5. Show appropriate understanding of and ability to contribute to debates on security, and its gender and race dynamics, through the development of analytical and presentation skills and independent learning and research skills.

It is possible, though not essential, to include a brief week-by-week breakdown of class topics in this section. It should be stated clearly when these are representative examples only (for example, if some topics are not covered every year).

Please note the outline below is indicative only:

Section 1: Concepts

1. What is security? And who is it for?

2. Considering race and gender

Section 2: Constructing security threats

3. ‘The heart of darkness’: space and race in construction of barbarians, victims and saviours

4. ‘Mothers, monsters, whores’ – women as security object/threats

5. Unseeable threats – rethinking the global health security

6. Feeling security – the ‘pop’ culture turn in security studies

Section 3: Security actors

7. Liberal warriors and humanitarian violence

8. Mercenaries, militaries and rebels – cultural imaginaries of soldiers

9. Can tech save us?

10. Resisting ‘security’ as grassroots security act

The module will be delivered through 10 thematic teaching sessions, which will take the form of 45 minute lecture and a 1-hour seminar-style discussion of key texts, exercises to think through the implications of the topics under discussion. The classes will be supported by Blackboard with all lecture and reading materials shared via the platform.

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

1. Debates about gender and race as socially constructed categories which underpin ideas of security.

2. Issues shaping debates about security and our responses to insecurity.

3. The role of narrative and diverse forms of representation in shaping discourse about security.

4. The historical and spatial dimensions of discourses of insecurity and how these map onto particular gendered and racialized bodies.

1. Identify and evaluate different conceptual and theoretical perspectives.

2. Critically analyse debates about the meanings of and constructions of security, race and gender.

3. Investigate and analyse the role that race and gender have played in contemporary security issues and responses.

4. Develop reflective practice on the ethical implications of the study and practice of security.

5. Show the ability to connect the ‘everyday’ experiences of security and insecurity to broader global discourses through the application of appropriate theoretical lenses

1. Research skills, including planning, prioritisation of tasks, identification and location of primary and secondary sources, evaluation of findings.

2. Essay-writing skills related to the analysis of a specific question, construction of arguments, assessment and deployment of evidence, writing style.

3. Applied analytical skills, built through an understanding of both academic and operational questions gender, race and security.

4. Participation in seminar discussion and presentations in order to aid the research, analysis and presentation skills.

1. Students will have the opportunity to develop interpretation and argumentation skills, both written and oral form, through assessed coursework and seminar presentations.

2. Students will develop research and project management skills throughout the course.

3. The course will foster an ability to move between different disciplinary approaches, promoting flexibility and adaptable working methods.

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Mutua, M. 2001. ‘Savages, Victims, and Saviours: The Metaphor of Human Rights’, Harvard International Law Journal 42(1): 201-245. 

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Stanski, K. 2009. ‘“So These Folks are Aggressive”: An Orientalist Reading of “Afghan Warlords”’, Security Dialogue 40(1): 73-94.

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hooks, bell (2000), Feminist Theory: From Margin to Centre, London: PLuto

Kronswell, Annica and Erica Svedberg (eds.) (2013), Making Gender, Making War: Violence, Military and Peacekeeping Practices, Abingdon: Routledge

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Sylvester, Christine (2013), War as Experience: Contributions from International Relations and Feminist Analysis, Abingdon and New York: Routledge

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Welland, J. 2015. ‘Liberal Warriors and the Violent Colonial Logics of “Partnering and Advising”, International Feminist Journal of Politics 17(2): 289-307.

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