Prerequisite courses for this course are: FK101E Peace and Conflict Studies I (passed) and FK102E Peace and Conflict Studies II (passed) or [FK101L Peace and Conflict Studies I (passed) and FK102L Peace and Conflict Studies II (passed)]

The aim of this course, which is a continuation course in the multidisciplinary subject of Peace and Conflict Studies, is to give students both theoretical understanding and professional skills that will enhance their employability.

The course explores cases of local, national and international contexts in which the civil society actors’ engage within military conflicts, peace processes, humanitarian catastrophes and development projects. The course consists of two modules: Civilians in and after the war (7.5hec) and Civil society actors: frameworks and predicaments (7.5hec).

This module offers insights into experience-near perspectives of civilians on organised violence, conflict resolution and the notion of peace. These perspectives are based on ethnographic research concerning the civilians’ understanding and negotiation of normality as well as the modalities of agency both in war- and post-war contexts.

This module explores how civil society actors are limited by – but also influence – political, institutional and other contextual frameworks in their work for peace and against violence. Moreover, results of such efforts are discussed, and relations between theory, policies and practices are problematized.

After finishing the course, the student:

• can demonstrate an understanding of civil society actors’ work, relevant to peace and conflict studies

• can demonstrate in-depth understanding of the conditions of civilians in and after military conflicts

• can demonstrate knowledge of predicaments and possibilities of civil society actors’ work in local, national and international contexts

• can demonstrate an critical understanding of the concept civil society

After finishing the course, the student:

• can demonstrate the ability to independently investigate contexts and modalities of civil society actors’ work by employing the analytical concepts relevant to this field of study

• can demonstrate the ability to carry out an analytical task within given time frames

• can demonstrate a critical and scientific approach to experience-near perspectives on organised violence, conflict resolution and the notion of peace

After finishing the course, the student:

• can show the specialised ability to independently analyse and critically reflect upon civil society actors’ work in local, national and international contexts

• has the specialised ability to independently evaluate own knowledge in relation to the problems taken up in the course

• identify the need for acquiring further competence within the subject.

Lectures, seminars, oral presentations, essays, report writing.

Students’ knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities are examined by means of obligatory written assignments, including an take-home exam essay in the form of an independent problem analysis. Students’ communication and judgment skills are primarily examined through seminar presentations.

Students who do not pass the regular course exams have the minimum of two re-sit opportunities. Re-sits follow the same form as the original exams, apart from re-sits for group work, which take the form of individual written and oral assignments.

A. Stefansson (“Urban Exile…”, pp.39-77)

S. Jansen (“Remembering with a Difference…”, pp.193-208)

E. Helms (“’Politic is a Whore’ …”, pp.235-253)

K. Coles (“Ambivalent Builders…”, pp. 255-272).

AS WELL AS Kolind (“In Search of ‘Decent People’…”, pp. 123-138)

Articles will be added to this list.

or (same content, different subtitle):

Total: 1231 p. Articles may be added.

All students are offered an opportunity to give oral or written feedback at the end of the course. A summary of the results will be made available on the school’s web-pages. The students are also given a possibility to offer feedback for each module.