STV2235 – Conflict and Human Rights in International Politics
Course content
Violent conflict and the systematic (often violent) violation of human rights remain a pervasive feature of international politics. Why does conflict occur? What characterizes different international responses to conflict and human rights violations? Why does peace sometimes prevail?
In this course, we will address the different types of political violence, both internationally and domestically. You will become familiar with the wide spectrum of different political violence and human rights violations that exist in international politics today. Examples include civil wars, interstate wars, repression, gender & violence, and colonial violence. You will learn how human communities make use of different strategies to resolve conflict, and why these efforts sometimes fail. In particular, we will discuss how states, rebel groups and other important actors interact strategically, how the international and domestic environment shape their behavior, and why this sometimes results in peaceful co-existence, and other times in violence and human rights violations. Finally, we will look into the measures that humans have designed to counter these violations, such as the international human rights regime, the United Nations, separation of power, and peacekeeping missions. We will discuss how these institutions work and how effective they are in responding to and reducing the prevalence of conflict. In summary, you will become familiar with what conflict is, why it occurs, and how we might try to stop it.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
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After having completed the course, students will:
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Know about which different types of political violence and human rights violations exist and how they are studied in International Relations
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Be familiar with ethical and empirical challenges in studying political violence and how existing research addresses these problems
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Know about the international, cross-border dimensions of these phenomena 2
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Understand the theoretical explanations for causes of human rights violations, as well as for their consequences
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Understand how the international community’s different responses to human rights violations work, such as the United Nations or the international human rights regime
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Understand the effectiveness of these responses
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Know about the main datasets on conflict and human rights violations and how they are used in the literature
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Be familiar with different methodological and theoretical approaches to studying human rights and political violence in international relations
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Skills
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Having completed the course, students will:
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Be able to understand and synthesize arguments and evidence in a systematic way, and communicate this to different audiences.
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Have practical skills in conducting systematic searches for literature and data.
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Have skills in distinguishing between theoretical models, and actual cases, and be able to use theoretical concepts and insights to understand particular cases.
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Have practical skills in analyzing a case using different theoretical perspectives
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Have skills in analyzing how different research conclusions depend on different data sources and measurement choices.
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Have skills to distinguish between analysis of conflict and human rights that is grounded in existing research and those that are not.
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Have practical skills in reviewing studies and performing literature summaries.
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Have practical skills in providing constructive feedback.
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General competences
Having completed the course, students will:
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Critically evaluate arguments in international relations, pertaining to political violence and human rights
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Distinguish between theory and empirical patterns with relevance to theory
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Analyze and critically evaluate arguments empirically and theoretically
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Distinguish between empirical, conceptual and theoretical statements
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Investigate social science questions using the scientific method
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Distinguish between conclusions that are based on specific cases, and those that are based on more general comparisons
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
This course is not available for single course students.
Recommended previous knowledge
STV1200 – Internasjonal politikk
Teaching
Lectures and seminars
This course has mandatory teaching and requires physical presence at seminars.
Compulsory activities
Attend at least three of the five seminars
Seminar portfolio
The seminar portfolio consists of:
A summary paper?
Submitting discussion questions
A short, final term paper?
All three elements will be assessed pass/fail by the seminar leaders & meet the formal requirements for submission of a term paper.
The seminars are taught in English, and the papers handed in must be written in English.
See the seminar guidelines for more information about the seminars.
See the faculty`s rules for reassignment of seminar groups and requirements for compulsory activities.
Absence from compulsory activities
In the event of illness or other valid reasons, you can apply for a valid absence or postponement of compulsory activity.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, and does not have to in order to retake the exam.?If a student have only partially approved compulsory activities, they must complete those again to take a new exam, along with any other compulsory activities they haven't yet passed. A?student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
4-hour school exam
You must have passed the compulsory activities in order to sit the exam
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Examination support material
Students may use dictionaries at this exam. Dictionaries must be handed in before the examination.
A four-function calculator will be available in Inspera
Please read regulations for dictionaries permitted at the examination.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Resit an examination
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.