2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PIED3342 Gender and Security in Global Politics

20 creditsClass Size: 59

Module manager: Dr Louise Pears
Email: L.K.Pears@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module provides a critical approach to security, violence and war from a feminist, decolonised and intersectional perspective. In this module, students will develop a solid theoretical and practical understanding of the key concepts, theories and debates around gender, sex, race in international security. Violence and particularly gender based violence is a core theme is this module that we explore throughout. The module will explore how the intersection between gender, sex and race shapes our understandings, approaches and responses to violence and war. We look at violence as a continuum from the local to the global and across peace and conflict settings. The module content travels from focusing on gender security in the so called peace to the context of war and conflicts and concluding with terrorism and violent extremism. The themes covered by this module are varied aimed at providing students with a broad overview of key contemporary issues and debates. These include gender, race, and war and particularly how femininities, masculinities and racial hierarchies are constructed in a way that enable violence and militarism; the women's rights architecture at the United Nations and the UN agenda on "Women, Peace and Security" here the module will explore the key question of the successes and critiques of governance feminism. The module will explore key themes such as gender and peace-making, sexual violence in armed conflicts, gender and transitional justice, and violent extremism and the war on terror.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students will develop
Student will develop
- A critical understanding of theories and concepts in feminist international relations, including the relations and distinctions between sex and gender, masculinity, and femininity.
- A good grasp of key theoretical and policy debates around the gendered experiences of armed conflicts, violence, and peace processes.
- A critical understanding of gendered, raced, sexed and power hierarchies in international politics and international security.
- Understanding of key issues and debates around gender in international politics
- Knowledge of key methods and tools used to study of gender in international politics and the ability to apply these to analyse key issues and case studies.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module students should be able to demonstrate:
1. Knowledge of feminist literature and theories on gender, race, conflict, violence and international security.
2. A good understanding of gender architecture at the United Nations
3. A critical assessment of the UN agenda on women, peace and security
4. A strong understanding of the issue of violence against women and adequate responses to it.
5. The ability to critically reflect on gender and race in countering terrorism and violent extremism.
6. The ability to apply gender, intersectionality and decoloniality as analytical tools in thinking about global politics and international security.
7. Ability to critically reflect on gendered issues and policy responses in international security.
8. Ability to critically engage with academic and policy literature and to present and write concise and cogently structured arguments on these topics.

Syllabus

Indicative content:
This module will be supported by a series of lectures and materials that may include the following key topics:

- Women's Rights in Global Context
- Emancipatory Approaches to Women's Rights
- Gender Based Violence connecting the Local to the Global Gender and War from a Feminist, Queer and De-colonial Perspective
- Women, peace, and security in Global Politics
- Gender in Peace making and Peace Settlements.
- Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts
- Gender, and Transitional Justice
- Gender, Terrorism and Violent Extremism.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	2.00	22.00
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Independent online learning hours			267.00
Private study hours			0.00
Total Contact hours			33.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Private study

The module will require private and independent study. The module outline will include an extensive list of recommended literature, some of which will be required reading in advance of the seminars and for assessed written assignments. Some of the seminars may require student presentations – either individual or group – and these will also require independent research and group preparation.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

CW1 - a choice between poster presentation or a 1000 words (week 7) critical literature review - would offer an opportunity for students to get formative feedback.

CW2 will build on skills from the critical literature review and the poster presentation to deliver an essay (3000 words) that would reflect critical thinking and analysis and the ability to engage with the literature in the field.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	1x 3000 End of Term Essay	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

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Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 28/08/2024

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