GEND 3207 the United Nations and R2P

GEND 3207 The United Nations and R2P

Fall Term 2012

Tuesday 8:30-11:30

Room A242

Instructor: Dr. Rosemary Nagy

Office hours: Tuesday 12-2 or by appointment,

Room A335 or 474-3450 ext. 4156

Calendar Course Description: How have the United Nations and other international organizationsfared in their “responsibility to protect” human beings fromgenocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity? Inquiringinto the three main principles of the “responsibility to protect”—to prevent, to react, and to rebuild—we examine intervention,justice, and peacebuilding through an overview of the structureand functions of the United Nations, and an examination of itsrecord of protection in specific cases including gender-based violence.

My objectives (that which I, the Instructor, aim to do in this course):

To expose students to the workings of the United Nations and the core principles and pillars of the Responsibility to Protect
To develop students’ critical inquiry into the possibilities and limits of intervention in specific contexts
To develop students’ collaborative, analytical and research skills through the conflict mapping project
To provide ample opportunity for student engagement in class, as well as an opportunity for students to raise questions or concerns and seek additional help when needed
To assess student learning through a variety of means and with substantive feedback
To facilitate students’ self-understanding as globalized citizens and to encourage political engagement with human rights issues

Learning Expectations (that which students will do and I will measure):

Demonstrate pre-class preparation (reading and reflection) and comprehension of key concepts and ideas during class discussions
Identify and explain the structure and organization of the United Nations
Identify and explain the evolution of R2P and its core principles and pillars, including through as understanding of international relations of power
Compare traditional notions of (state) security with gendered concepts of human security
Investigate and evaluate gender mainstreaming in the responsibility to protect
Differentiate the various responsibilities to protect and critically assess their effectiveness and limitations
Select, evaluateand integrate information from various sources, including electronic and print resources, in order to map the contours of a conflict
Determine the nature of a conflict including through the application of conflict mapping questions/categories
Work collaboratively in a group and create a visual conflict map
Analyze the consequences of (non)intervention in a specific conflict and theorize the implications this has for the United Nations and R2P
Clearly communicate ideas and argument in written and oral form

Course Evaluation

Conflict Mapping Project:50%

Group Workplan and annotated bibliography (due Oct. 2)(10%)

Group Presentation (November 26)(15%)

IndividualR2P Report (10-15 pages; due Dec. 4 in class)(25%)

Formative Classroom Assessment20%

Final exam (regular exam period)30%

Conflict Mapping Project: see attached handout.

Formative Classroom Assessment: this provides for ongoing assessment of your course learning (readings and lectures) through student participation and active learning activities such as pop quizzes, minute papers, active review, readers’ digests, and classroom debate and discussion (for a sample, see Expect something every week for 2% (there will be some grace for a missed class). Any remainder of the 20% will be allocated to your general participation grade, where participation means active engagement with course readings and discussions, as well as active engagement during your peers’ presentations.

Course Outcomes (what should result from successfully completing the course):

Develop research and communication skills
Appreciate the complexity of “humanitarian” intervention in intractable conflicts
Critically evaluate the structure and politics of the United Nations
Conceptually map complex conflicts, including through the integration of various sources
Explain to a layperson the principles and challenges of the Responsibility to Protect with respect to specific conflicts
Understand and evaluate gender mainstreaming in the United Nations

Required Texts:

Julie A. Mertus, The United Nations and Human Rights, 2nd ed. (New York: Routledge, 2009). ISBN:978-0-415-49140-2.(Available at Gulliver’s Books, 157 Main Street West)

Coursepack (available at Nipissing U bookstore)

Useful websites:

Aljazeera

Amnesty International

BBC news online

e-International Relations (academic sources but not peer reviewed)

Global Centre for Responsibility to Protect

Hirondelle News Agency (international justice reporting)

Human Rights Watch

International Crisis Group

International Committee of the Red Cross

IRIN (humanitarian news and analysis)

Office of the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide

PeaceWomen

Relief Web (fantastic news and analysis source, administered by UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)

Uppsala Conflict Data Program

United Nations(esp. Peace and Security link)

UNIFEM