MSc/PGDip/PGCert Humanitarian Practice

The study of Humanitarianism and Conflict Response is a multi-disciplinary endeavour, influenced by diverse fields including medicine, public health, anthropology, security studies, peace studies, international development, philosophy and law (amongst many others). This course offers students a broad overview of some of the various avenues, theories and ideas which help us understand and analyse humanitarianism and post conflict response. Each lecture endeavours to present the diversity of humanitarianism and conflict response in both its theory and practice by examining it through a discipline. As such, the course aims to equip the student with a broad and in-depth understanding of how humanitarianism and conflict response has developed, and continues to be shaped, through the disciplines.

The unit aims to:

• Provide knowledge regarding the various strands within humanitarian and post conflict programming that make up its theory and practice. 
   
• For students to become critically competent in understanding the workings of humanitarian and post-conflict programming via each disciplines perspective. 
   
• Deepen students understanding and awareness to the challenges involved in the practice of humanitarianism and post-conflict response.
   
• Contribute to an informed and balanced dialogue on these issues and debates through contributions to the course blog.

Online pre-recorded lectures, asynchronous material and discussion board activities provide students with current information on ethics, human rights and healthcare.

Lectures are offered as multimedia presentations and asynchronous material to widen perspectives and to stimulate thinking. By being asynchronous, students are able to study at their own pace to maximise learning.  

The Online discussion board provides a platform for students to work together to achieve the learning outcomes through reflection, knowledge exchange and experience-sharing among peers. Students are expected to contribute to the discussion forums by responding to questions, providing new information, describing relevant experience or sharing opinions about the topic, and discussing the topic with the support of literature. Students are encouraged to challenge each other in a constructive way, so as to promote intellectual stimulation.  

• Understand and analyse processes of humanitarianism and post conflict programming through a variety of disciplinary lenses 
   
• Compare and contrast different theoretical approaches to the study of humanitarian and post conflict response.
   
• Think critically about the use of the terms ‘humanitarian’ and ‘post conflict’.
   
• Use a variety of sources from various fields of inquiry to shed light on the nuances of humanitarianism and conflict repose programming. 
   
• Develop critical thinking and research skills.

• Understand and analyse processes of humanitarianism and post conflict programming through a variety of disciplinary lenses  

• Synthesize various perspectives to re-think the foundations of HCR. 

• Contribute to an informed, balanced dialogue on these issues through contributions to the course website/blog 

• Apply interdisciplinary approaches to analyse and evaluate humanitarianism and post-conflict response strategies.
   
• Utilize theoretical tools and techniques for effective humanitarian intervention and conflict response.
   
• Develop strategies for effective collaboration and coordination with diverse stakeholders in humanitarian and conflict response efforts.

• Enhance critical thinking and analytical skills to evaluate complex issues and dilemmas in humanitarianism and conflict response.
   
• Foster resilience and adaptability to navigate challenges and uncertainties inherent in humanitarian and conflict contexts.
   
• Cultivate effective communication skills for engaging with diverse individuals and communities affected by humanitarian crises and conflicts.
   
• Develop empathy and cultural sensitivity to work effectively and respectfully across different cultural and social contexts. 

Paris, Roland (2004) At Wars End: Building Peace after Civil Conflict, Cambridge University Press.  

Leaning, Briggs and Chen (2000), Humanitarian Crisis: The Medical and Public Health Response, Harvard University Press.

Richmond, O (2020) Peace in International Relations, Routledge, London.

Duffield, M (2014) Global Governance and the New Wars, Bloomsbury.

Slim, Hugo (2015) Humanitarian Ethics, C. Hurst & Co., London. 

Please note that these units are intensive 8-week short courses, predominately independent-study, with no face-to-face learning