The University for Peace - Courses/Lectures Schedule

The overall online MA programme is comprised of a total of 42 credits, consisting of a 36-credit course load, distributed in 15 courses and a 6-credit research project.
These courses can be taken individually, or within the Online MA Programme.

Courses	Credit Weeks	Date
Peace and Conflict Studies	3 credits 9 weeks	5 Sept to 4 Nov. 2011
Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in the Contemporary World	3 credits 9 weeks	5 Sept to 4 Nov. 2011
The Nation State - State Weakness and Intra State War.	2 credits 6 weeks	7 Nov. to 16 Dec. 2011
Gender and Peace Studies	2 credits 6 weeks	7 Nov. to 16 Dec. 2011
Multiculturalism: Contemporary Leadership, Culture and Diversity	3 credits 9 weeks	2 Jan. to 2 March 2012
Research Methods	3 credits 9 weeks	2 Jan. to 2 March 2012
Human Vulnerability and Climate Change	2 credits 6 weeks	5 March to 13 Apr. 2012
Non-Violent Transformation of Conflicts	2 credits 6 weeks	5 March to 13 Apr. 2012
Terrorism, Insurgency and the Media	2 credits 6 weeks	16 Apr. to 25 May 2012
Environment and Peace	2 credits 6 weeks	16 Apr. to 25 May 2012
Peace Education, Theory and Practice	3 credits 9 weeks	28 May to 27 Jul 2012
Media, Peace and Conflict: Reflections on Roles and Functions of the Media	3 credits 9 weeks	28 May to 27 Jul 2012
From Economic Recovery to Sustainable Economic Development	2 credits 6 weeks	30 Jul. to 7 Sept. 2012
Gender Mainstreaming and Peacekeeping Operations	2 credits 6 weeks	30 Jul. to 7 Sept. 2012
Practices of Conflict Management and Peacebuilding	2 credits 6 weeks	10 Sept. to 19 Oct. 2012
Independent Research Project	6 credits	Due date 14 Dec 2012

EXPC-6002: Peace and conflict studies: the foundation course
Course Description
The course in Peace and Conflict Studies is designed to engage online students in an examination of the major contemporary challenges to peace, sources of conflict and violence, and several key nonviolent mechanisms for conflict transformation and prevention. The course is designed to provide a common foundation for UPEACE online students. During the online course, an understanding of the complex and interconnected challenges to peace will be developed, as will an understanding of the need for multi-faceted approaches to meeting these challenges. Students will also engage critically with theories of conflict, and will develop their understanding of the theoretical resources available in the area of conflict studies. The foundation course provides an opportunity to explore connections, sympathies, and synergies between the challenges and approaches identified in all of these areas from a "wide-angle" perspective that will encourage students to continue making such interdisciplinary connections and analyses. An important aspect of the course will also be the introduction to skills integral to the field of peace and conflict studies and to the UPEACE pedagogy at large. These include non-violent communication, appreciative enquiry and dialogue.

EXPC-6003: Human rights and humanitarian law in the contemporary world
Course Description
Rights of Human Beings form one of the most important branches of international law in the contemporary world. The experience of the 'scourge of war' during and in the immediate aftermath of World War II brought about a new international recognition and focus to the rights of human beings. Today, there are several international treaties guaranteeing a wide range of rights to human beings, both in times of peace and in conflicts. These instruments also impose obligations upon States to respect, protect and fulfill those rights. Under the aegis of the United Nations and regional organizations, several bodies have been established to monitor violations of rights of human beings. Despite these efforts, we continue to live in a world where these rights are rampantly abused. The events of 9/11 have also seriously exacerbated the challenges faced by rights protection. Today, like never before, there is an amplified need for students and professionals from all spheres of life to not only understand and mainstream rights of human beings into their activities, but also to be prepared to meet the growing challenges posed by current and emerging global issues.

EXPC-6004: The Nation State-State Weakness and Intra State War
Course Description
Intrastate wars and low intensity armed conflicts have become the most typical form of violent conflict in the post-Cold War era. The course first examines the role of the modern nation state and its weaknesses that lead to an inability to provide its most basic function: security. In this context, the course will further analyse the causes and dynamics of civil wars, its effects on society, regional and international repercussions, and finally the complicated nature of ending them. Among other themes, the course will look at the greed-grievance debate, resource dependence, the transformation of the rentier state, state formation processes, the use of violence, and the depletion and re-creation of social capital.

EXPC-6005: Gender and Peace Studies
Course Description
This course constitutes an advanced seminar in Gender Theories specifically as it applies to violence and conflict creation and resolution. It examines the complex relationships between gender, race, ethnicity, nationalism, religion, militarization and masculinity both in the domestic and the public spheres. The entire focus of the course is in assessing the possibilities of engendering notions of peace, conflict, justice, reconstruction, reparations and pre-post conflict gender arrangements and in challenging discourses and practices which invisibilize, minimize or justify the domination of women worldwide. It intends to give students a theoretical lens from which to examine Gender and Peacebuilding.
The course will then focus on masculinities, including sexual orientation and identity issues, and their relationship to structural oppression, dominance, violence, especially that directed at women, and militarism. Is masculinity intrinsically related to violence? Can violence at home be separated from violence at the war front?
Femininities, including sexual orientation and identity issues, will also be discussed especially according to their traditional relationship to passivity, militarization and victimization. Are women really more peaceful? Does motherhood and maternal thinking make women more peace loving? Discourses about women's agency and women as victims will be critically analysed.

EXPC-6001: Multiculturalism-Contemporary Leadership, Culture and Diversity
Course Description
Our global demographics are changing rapidly, and few places remain in the world that is highly homogenous. In many of today's global-oriented organizations and businesses, leaders will often confront culturally challenging situations. It is imperative to understand and be able to work in environments that are fundamentally different from one's own. The objective of this course is to help build the capacity of the learner to be sensitive and respectful of diversity and to learn how to better manoeuvre within different cultural contexts.

EXPC-6006: Research Methods
Course Description
This course will develop student's theoretical knowledge and applied skills in conducting qualitative, quantitative and participatory research in the fields of peace building and conflict analysis and resolution, with a strong emphasis on gender issues and their cultural implications.

EXPC-6007: Human Vulnerability and Climate Change
Course Description
The course aims at understanding the impact of climate change on the global environment and on human activity. Climate change increases risks to human livelihoods and as such may endanger the security of individuals and groups. This in turn could increase the propensity for conflict within and between states. Components of the course will include a critical examination of the drivers of climate change, largely induced by human activity, and a review of international efforts to limit the magnitude of climate changes, including those concluded in Kyoto and Copenhagen. Consequences of climate change for human health, for economic activity, for resource use and resource availability will also be examined, as will be the options for adapting to climate change. The examination of climate changes will be viewed within the broader context of the current demographic, economic and political global reality. Introductory comments and discussions led by the instructor will be followed by seminars with broad student input. Examining cases from sub-Saharan Africa, including the crisis in Darfur, will allow in-depth analysis of how climate, environment and governance contribute to conflict. The course will conclude with an exploration of future challenges.

EXPC-6008: Nonviolent Transformation of Conflicts
Course Description
Within the general context of gender studies and peace and conflict studies, the course offers elementary knowledge of nonviolent action as a method of pursuing social justice and transformation of conflict. Although the fighting of wars relies on young men in their prime, nonviolent action has no gender exclusions, and women can be as effective as men. An introduction to theories and methods of nonviolent strategic action is broadly connected to both gender and the building of enduring peace. The strategic thinking that underlies the use of nonviolent sanctions is considered, including its fundamental principles and theories of power. Not all conflicts can be mediated or resolved; some require full engagement, yet without bloodshed. In democracies, where the rights of minorities may be ignored, and laws may not provide redress, it is important to have nonviolent methods for seeking fairness and justice.

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EXPC-6009: Terrorism, Insurgency and the Media
Course Description
This course will assess the systemic nature and globalization of insurgencies in terms of the mass communication used by groups to grow, self-sustain, recruit militants, spread their identity and elicit support from their target audience. This will be facilitated by the analysis of five political insurgency networks: the Lebanese Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, the Iraqi insurgency, several Zionist groups that contributed to the creation of the State of Israel, and Kashmiri separatists from India; as well as one social insurgency: the Animal Liberation Front. The course will prepare students to think analytically about terrorism and insurgency, and use various models of mass communication to understand their dynamics and processes. At the end of the course, the students are expected to have a sound knowledge of the field of mass communication applied to terrorism and insurgency.

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EXPC-6010: Environment and Peace
Course Description
This course will introduce students to the relations between the environment, natural resources, and peace and conflict, providing an overview and analysis of key concepts related to the environment and natural resources, and their influences on conflicts and peace. The first part introduces the main types of global environmental change and their impacts on livelihood and human security, stressing and analysing the concept of and dimensions on human vulnerability. Some of the key issues are climate change, deforestation, and the resulting loss of biodiversity and environmental services. The second part will look at the integration of development and environment, introducing the concepts of sustainability, limits to growth, sustainable development, and environmental security. Finally the course will analyse specific case studies that give insights into the complex role of environmental scarcity and abundance on conflicts, and critically analyse the issues around poverty, corruption, international markets, governance and policies related to development on peace and conflicts.

Drawing on ideas, perspectives, and experiences from diverse contexts, this course seeks to provide participants with a holistic and critical understanding of the theory and practice of peace education. Essentially, the course content and processes will explore a range of conceptual/analytical perspectives and encourage students to reflect on the possibilities and challenges of educating for peace in a world of complex and escalating conflicts and violence.

The course discusses the complex role and functions played by the media, both traditional and new - and the problems they face - in conflict situations, whether before, during and after the actual conflict. It also addresses the clashing relationships that often occur among media and governments, the military, other armed players and NGOs, international agencies and humanitarian organizations in these circumstances. The course provides a broad understanding of the history of media in conflict and war situations, and draws the distinction between information and propaganda, while explaining the ways in which media work and produce information and discusses the different roles and functions they actually play - and the possible ones they could play. The course is intended as a general introduction on these topics. It analyses dozens of examples and draws lessons from contemporary experience, with an emphasis on new media, social networks and the role they have played in revolutions and contentious politics against authoritarian regimes in recent years.

EXPC-6013: From Economic Recovery to Sustainable Economic Development
Course Description
The aim of the course is to provide students with the knowledge and understanding on the complexity of the economic recovery process and how this should lead to the achievement of sustainable economic development goals in a determined context. To better understand this complex process, it is also important to reflect on aid assistance, its modalities and the actors involved as well as its impacts on the local economy.

EXPC-6014: Gender Mainstreaming and Peacekeeping Operations
Course Description
This course is designed to provide theoretical as well as field-based knowledge on the gender dimension of peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance. Throughout the two weeks, the students will be exposed to the major trends that have been used for the incorporation of a gender perspective in peacekeeping and humanitarian fields. Policies, programmes and practical case studies will be shared with the students with the aim of getting a thorough understanding of the positive and negative aspects of peacekeeping operations and humanitarian activities in different environments worldwide. At the end of the two-week course, the students shall be able to understand the cost of ignoring gender in peacekeeping mission and the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to analyse current situations with a gender perspective.

EXPC-6015: Practices of Conflict Management and Peacebuilding
Course Description
In the first part of the course we will first look at the Conflict Resolution approach to theorizing conflict, understanding its origins, the vocabularies for speaking of conflict in ways that "get to the heart of the issue" and focusing on the root causes. Then we will move on to a critique of what talking in these ways fails to say - and with what repercussions - about gender, power, privilege, and difference. The second part of the course addresses various responses to conflict. The third part looks at peace processes and the challenges presented by the concept of peace building.