Peace and Peacebuilding, 15 credits
Contents
The purpose of the course is to prepare the students for a career in the area of peacebuilding. The course will develop knowledge and competencies which will form a basis for professional roles in the field at local, national and international level. The course is also preparatory for postgraduate studies.
The studies include advanced literature studies, exercises, scientific analysis and empirical case studies.
Expected learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course are expected to be able to:
- describe and compare how various theories define, understand and analyze peace and peacebuilding processes in post conflict communities,
- describe and compare institutions and processes for peacebuilidng at local, regional, national and international level
- identify, collect and analyze empirical as well as theoretical material relevant for performing written and oral assignments,
- analyze peace processes in post conflict communities.
To achieve this the student should have:
- insights into existing literature on peace,
- insights into existing literature on peacebuilding,
- ability to independently identify and analyze societal issues in post conflict environments,
- ability to independently identify and analyze scientific problems in peace and conflict studies,
- ability to think critically and constructively about competing scientific perspectives,
- ability to deal with issues on methodology and systematic collection of information.
Required Knowledge
Peace and Conflict Studies 90 credits, including an individual thesis 15 credits, or Political Science 90 credits, including an individual thesis 15 credits, or equivalent. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish Upper Secondary course English 6/level 2. Where the language of instruction is Swedish, applicants must prove proficiency in Swedish to the level required for basic eligibility for higher studies.
Form of instruction
The instruction is given by lectures, literature seminars, and tutoring sessions for writing reports and essays.
The lectures aim to introduce key concepts and theories essential for the understanding of peace and peacebuilding and for studying peace processes in post conflict communities.
Literature seminars are a complement to lectures with the purpose to provide an opportunity for in-depth study into selected aspects of the course literature.
Tutoring for writing reports and essays is given both individually and in group.
Examination modes
The course is examined through participation in seminars and written assignments.
Individual written take-home exam/assignments: The participants of the course are expected to author one long report of about 15-20 pages on peace and peacebuilding in a selected post-conflict area. The written assignment is individual and carry 75 % of the total grade on the course.
Other form of examination: The participants of the course are expected to in groups of 2-3 discuss and propose solutions to current problems in the field of peace and peacebuilding. The work is carried out through seminars and group work and is presented in a report consisting of about 3-5 pages. The group work carry 25 % of the total grade on the course.
Students must acquire at least the grade Pass (G) in every examination.
The course as a whole is graded on the scale: U (Fail), G (Pass) and VG (Pass with Distinction).
Students who have failed an examination can participate in a re-take exam at least 5 times.
The study guide presented at the start of the course offers further guidance on the examination.
General rules regarding examination
A student who does not meet the requirements to pass an examination can, if decided by the course instructor, be given a complementary assignment to reach the requirements to pass the examination. The complementary assignment can be individually modified to the specific requirements that the student has failed to reach, but the assignment must be of corresponding proportion to the original examination.
Ordinarily, the complementary assignment is given at the end of the course or when the grades at the original examination is announced. When the student has been given the complementary assignment, he/she should finish the assignment within ten days (not including weekends and holidays). If the student fail to finish the assignment within the required time, a new complementary assignment can only be given the next time the course is arranged, or during the two weeks of re-take exams the Department arranges every year during week 34 and 35.
If it is not possible to do complementary assignments (if so, it is stated next to each individual examination above), the student is required to do a re-take exam. The first re-take exam should be given two months after the original examination, at the latest, but no sooner than ten days after the grade on the original examination has been given (not including weekends and holidays). If the examination is given during May or June, the first re-take exam should be given no later than three months after the original examination. Two weeks of re-take exams are also arranged every year, which means complementary assignments are treated during this time independently of when the course was given. These weeks are arranged during week 34 and 35.
Students who fail an examination may retake that examination. A student has the right to request a new examiner if he/she fails two sub-course examinations (i.e. an examination and a re-take). In such cases students should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Studierektor). Examination in accordance with the same syllabus as during the original examination can be guaranteed for up to two years after the student's first registration.
The appointed examiner may decide to use other forms of examination if required by particular circumstances.
Transfer of Credits
Students who wish to transfer credits from other Departments or universities (Swedish or foreign) should do so in accordance to the Principal's decision "Tillgodoräknandeordning vid Umeå universitet (Dnr. 545-3317-02)".
The application must be submitted in written form. The request should specify which module or course the request applies to. An official transcript should also be submitted. The transcript must include the following information: where and when the course was given, the discipline and level of the course, total course credits and grade received. A syllabus describing the course and a list of required readings should be submitted with the request. Where applicable, written research papers should also be submitted.
Upon completion of this course, the credits can be transferred to a selective course. However it is always the responsible Department or program that determines the possibility for credit transfers and the extent of the credit transfer. The student should therefore always contact the responsible Department or program before submitting an application for credit transfers.
Other regulations
A written and anonymous course evaluation is given at the end of the course. During the course an oral evaluation is also arranged, and the student can also anonymously submit thoughts and opinions in digital form.
Literature
Barash David P.
Approaches to peace
: a reader in peace studies
Fourth Edition. :
2017 :
x, 310 pages :
ISBN: 9780190637590
Mandatory
Understanding quality peace
: peacebuilding after civil war
Joshi Madhav, Wallensteen Peter
Abingdon, Oxon :
Routledge :
2018. :
xxi, 291 pages :
ISBN: 978-1-138-30767-4
Mandatory
Abboud Samer
Making peace to sustain war: the Astana Process and Syria’s illiberal peace
Taylor & Francis :
2021 :
From peace talks to pandemics: The continuum of feminist peace activism
Anderson J Miriam, Eskandari F Madeline
Oxford Academic :
2023 :
Care and Silence in Women's Everyday Peacebuilding in Myanmar
Blomqvist Linnéa, Olivius Elisabeth, Hedström Jenny
Routledge :
2021 :
Peace with Adjectives
: Conceptual Fragmentation or Conceptual Innovation?
Boulanger Martel Simon Pierre, Jarstad Anna, Olivius Elisabeth, Söderström Johanna, Zahar Marie-Joëlle, Åkebo Malin
Oxford University Press :
2024 :
‘Peacebuilding and Conceptualisations of the Local’
Bräuchler Birgit, Naucke Philipp
Wiley online library :
2017 :
Cárdenas Magda Lorena
Exploring women’s vision (s) of peace: towards feminist peace in Myanmar and Georgia?
Bristol University Press :
2022 :
Cockburn Cynthia
Gender relations as causal in militarization and war: A feminist standpoint
Taylor & Francis :
2010 :
Dixon Alina
Derry girls and the politics of the everyday: theorising for a more youth-inclusive approach to peacebuilding
Taylor & Francis :
2021 :
Doyle Michael W.
Liberal peace
: selected essays
2012 :
243 p. :
ISBN: 0415781752
Friendship, intimacy, and power in research on conflict: implications for feminist ethics
Hedström Jenny, Phyo Zin Mar
Taylor & Francis :
2020 :
Jabri Vivienne
‘War, Government, Politics: A Critical Response to the Hegemony of the Liberal Peace.’
Springer Nature :
2010 :
Illiberal peace? Authoritarian modes of conflict management
Lewis David, Heathershaw John, Megoran Nick
Sage Journals :
2018 :
Mac Ginty Roger
Where is the local? Critical localism and peacebuilding
Taylor & Francis :
2015 :
Mac Ginty Roger
Everyday peace: Bottom-up and local agency in conflict-affected societies
Sage Journals :
2014 :
The Local Turn in Peace Building: a critical agenda for peace
Mac Ginty Roger, Richmond Oliver P
Sage Journals :
2013 :
Marijan Branka
The politics of everyday peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Northern Ireland
Taylor & Francis :
2016 :
Soares de Oliveira Ricardo
Illiberal peacebuilding in Angola
ResearchGate :
2011 :
Piccolino Giulia
Winning wars, building (illiberal) peace? The rise (and possible fall) of a victor’s peace in Rwanda and Sri Lanka
Taylor & Francis :
2015 :
Randazzo Elisa
The paradoxes of the ‘everyday’: scrutinising the local turn in peace building
Taylor & Francis :
2016 :
Illiberal peace-building in Asia: A comparative overview
Smith Claire Q., Waldorf Lars, Venugopal Rajesh, McCarthy Gerard
Taylor & Francis :
2020 :
Smith Claire Q.
Liberal and illiberal peace-building in East Timor and Papua: establishing order in a democratising state
Statsvetenskapliga institutionen :
2020 :
Illiberal peacebuilding in a hybrid regime. Authoritarian strategies for conflict containment in Myanmar
Stokke Kristian, Kham Klo Kwe Moo, Nge Nang K.L., Hvilsom Kvanvik Silje
Science Direct :
2022 :
Lewis David
Contesting liberal peace: Russia's emerging model of conflict management
Oxford Academic :
2022 :
Illiberal Peacebuilding in UN Stabilization Peace Operations and Peace Agreements in the CAR, the DRC and Mali
Rosas Duarte Geraldine, Matheus Souza
Taylor & Francis :
2023 :
Feminist peace or state co-optation? The Women, Peace and Security agenda in Myanmar
Olivius Elisabeth, Hedström Jenny
ResearchGate :
2022 :
Paarlberg-Kvam Kate
What's to come is more complicated
: feminist visions of peace in Colombia
Included in:
International feminist journal of politics
London :
Routledge :
1999- :
21 :
194-223 pages
Sabaratnam Meera
“Avatars of Eurocentrism in the Critique of the Liberal Peace.” 
Sage Journals :
2013 :
Care as everyday peacebuilding
Vaittinen Tiina, Donahoe Amanda, Kunz Rahel, Ómarsdóttir Silja Bára, Roohi Sanam
Included in:
Peacebuilding
2013- :
7 :
194-209 pages
The Extraordinary Relationship between Peacekeeping and Peace
Walter Barbara F., Morje Howard Lise, Page Fortna V.
Cambridge University :
2020 :
Everyday peace: rethinking typologies of social practice and local agency
Ware Anthony, Ware Vicki-Ann
Taylor & Francis :
2021 :
Feminist peace research. In The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Peace and Conflict Studies
Wibben Annick T. R., Donahoe Amanda E.
Springer Nature :
2020 :
Micro-level experiences, understandings and visions of peace in Sri Lanka’s war victory
Åkebo Malin, Thurairajah Tanuja
Routledge :
2023 :
Additional reading: All articles available under “publications" section of the www.varietiesofpeace.net website.
Barash David P.
Approaches to peace : a reader in peace studies
Fourth Edition. : 2017 : x, 310 pages :
ISBN: 9780190637590
Mandatory
Peacebuilding : a field guide
Reychler Luc, Paffenholz Thania
Boulder, Colo. : Lynne Rienner Publishers : 2001 : 573 s. :
ISBN: 1-55587-912-8 (h
Mandatory
Understanding quality peace : peacebuilding after civil war
Joshi Madhav, Wallensteen Peter
Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge : 2018. : xxi, 291 pages :
ISBN: 978-1-138-30767-4
Mandatory
Diehl Paul F.
Peace: A Conceptual Survey
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies : 2019 :
Mandatory
The Peace Scale: Conceptualizing and Operationalizing Non-Rivalry and Peace
P. Klein James, Goertz Gary, F. Diehl Paul
Included in:
Conflict management and peace science [Elektronisk resurs].
Ithaca, N.Y. : World University Division, World Research Center : 25 : pages 67-80 :
Mandatory
Paffenholz Thania
International peacebuilding goes local: analysing Lederach's conflict transformation theory and its ambivalent encounter with 20 years of practice
Included in:
Peacebuilding
2013- : 2 : pages 11-27 :
Mandatory
Gawerc Michelle, I.
Peace-building: Theoretical and concrete perspectives
Included in:
Peace and change.
31 : pages 435-478 :
Mandatory
Additional reading: All articles available under “publications" section of the www.varietiesofpeace.net website.
Barash David P.
Approaches to peace
: a reader in peace studies
Fourth Edition. :
2017 :
x, 310 pages :
ISBN: 9780190637590
Mandatory
Peacebuilding
: a field guide
Reychler Luc, Paffenholz Thania
Boulder, Colo. :
Lynne Rienner Publishers :
2001 :
573 s. :
ISBN: 1-55587-912-8 (h
Mandatory
Understanding quality peace
: peacebuilding after civil war
Joshi Madhav, Wallensteen Peter
Abingdon, Oxon :
Routledge :
2018. :
xxi, 291 pages :
ISBN: 978-1-138-30767-4
Mandatory
Diehl Paul F.
Peace: A Conceptual Survey
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies :
2019 :
Mandatory
The Peace Scale: Conceptualizing and Operationalizing Non-Rivalry and Peace
P. Klein James, Goertz Gary, F. Diehl Paul
Included in:
Conflict management and peace science [Elektronisk resurs].
Ithaca, N.Y. :
World University Division, World Research Center :
25 :
67-80 pages
Mandatory
Paffenholz Thania
International peacebuilding goes local: analysing Lederach's conflict transformation theory and its ambivalent encounter with 20 years of practice
Included in:
Peacebuilding
2013- :
2 :
11-27 pages
Mandatory
Gawerc Michelle, I.
Peace-building: Theoretical and concrete perspectives
Included in:
Peace and change.
31 :
435-478 pages
Mandatory
Additional reading: All articles available under “publications" section of the www.varietiesofpeace.net website.