Global Development and Humanitarian Practice

You will begin this module by interrogating the nature of development, poverty and vulnerability today, its meaning as unfolded by dominant paradigms and people’s experiences of the same. You will discuss key concepts in detail, including:

• multidimensional measures of development and poverty
• participation
• vulnerability and disasters
• human rights
• capability and human development
• gender and development
• humanitarianism-development-peace nexus,
• conflict sensitivity and conflict transformation.

You will further examine how these concepts bear upon key development and humanitarian/emergency policies. You will also reflect on the wider context of development/humanitarian governance and how they bear upon the development and humanitarian/emergency policies, practices and social justice outcomes. This analysis of the wider context includes the mapping of aid actors, human rights and humanitarian actors, their roles and their effectiveness in developing just systems.

This module advances students' knowledge and understanding of research methods available to urban designers, planners and architects. It engages with a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods and provides a forum for debate about research as well as giving students the opportunity to gain practical research skills. General research strategies are complemented by a focus on urban design specific research techniques based on current practice. Through employing live case study research undertaken within the School, students' abilities to evaluate research and the role of research are developed.

The entrenchment of human rights in law, norms, and practice has had a profound impact on how we think about the international protection of particular groups of people, including refugees and other displaced populations. Through this module you will be introduced to the international frameworks, laws, norms, and institutions that exist for the protection of human rights and refugees.

You will critically engage with major policy and academic debates in the field, and build your knowledge of the complexities within the issues through innovative practice based approaches, including analysing critical issues of human rights and forced migration, and running your own campaign on a related topic. Consideration will be given to the present ‘crises’, within their global contexts, and we will consider the political, social and legal dimensions of the response in contexts around the world from multiple dimensions including gender and from marginalised groups.

This module will help equip you with a sound understanding of the complexity of conflict and violence issues, with conceptual frameworks and theoretical debates relating to diagnosis and responses. You will develop your analytical tools to better apprehend violent contexts of intervention and to make adequate assessments on the dilemmas you may face as practitioners.

You will also strengthen your understanding of humanitarian and human rights responses in conflict contexts and undertake a critical analysis of international systems, standards, processes and actors that exist to protect civilians in situations of conflict. You will be learning from experts from each field, and debate key assets and assess challenges the three fields face in the current global setting. You will discuss your possible interactions and the effectiveness of the proposed solutions to overcome these challenges; and suggest how you would address these challenges in the context of current field operations.

Through this module you will analyse the scale and complexity of shelter after disaster and examine shelter as an emerging discipline. You will look at case studies illustrating different models of shelter programming and identify the principles behind the implementation of a good shelter project. The module emphasises product - the importance of engineering and good building to reduce vulnerability; and process - the necessity for participation and a sense of ownership, always remembering that the affected families are the first responders and the most important partners. You will learn through lectures, seminars, group work, simulations and case studies of practice. You will also learn about the knowledge and practical experience that guest speakers bring to the course.

The focus is on the importance of safe houses as a step towards immediate recovery and long-term reduction in vulnerability, placing people and the community centre stage.

This is your opportunity to undertake a self-directed piece of work and explore an issue or theme in depth. You will develop your research ideas during semester two. Your academic advisor will play the role of advisor, supporter and questioner. Your submission can be written, or you can submit an ‘unconventional dissertation’. This can include a submission that uses media that is not based on a written narrative, such as animation, performance art, etc. Recent submissions have included a manuscript for a play, a website, theatre performance and short films.

The purpose of this dissertation is to:

• develop research and analytical competencies
• promote independent thinking and working
• look at both sides of an argument
• follow through a topic/area of personal interest to some depth
• begin to define an area of focus that may assist you in your career
• relate research and analysis to practical development/humanitarian issues
• explore new tools and approaches.