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p rospectus 2011 2012 doctoral and ma programme in development studies postgraduate diploma programmes iss is the international institute of social studies of erasmus university rotterdam

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iss prospectus foreword i am pleased to present the iss prospectus for the 2011-2012 academic year the international institute of social studies offers an exceptional range of interdisciplinary programmes and courses including a doctoral programme a masters programme with a wide choice of specializations and diploma programmes each provides different academic capacities and skills that cater to the specific needs of widely varying streams of students this prospectus guides you as a prospective student through all the steps you need to take before coming to iss and gives you a short introduction to the programmes and courses on offer you can find more details on the iss website as well as a host of other information including the academic calendar the institute s main research topics the experiences of alumni and the iss magazine dev issues i am proud to announce that on 1 july 2009 iss joined the erasmus university rotterdam eur from now on degrees will be awarded by iss as part of the erasmus university diplomas will mention both eur and iss the institute will remain in the hague but will benefit from being part of one of the most prestigious universities in the netherlands iss and erasmus university will develop joint research projects that will feed into teaching and capacity building in iss activities together with partners within erasmus iss has developed a 10-week postgraduate diploma programme on international health and policy evaluation and a short course on local economic development at iss you will study in a cosmopolitan english-language environment this applies not only to the institute where the teaching and daily affairs are conducted entirely in english but also to the city in which it is located in the hague which is also known as the `international city of peace and justice english is used extensively as a second language the institute has its own modern student accommodation in the hague where the large majority of students choose to stay we guarantee accommodation to those who confirm that they are coming to study at the institute sufficiently in advance when you walk through the doors of iss as a student you begin a relationship that extends far beyond the study programme the institute prides itself in evolving and developing life-long relationships with its alumni who are valued members of its global extended family i invite you to explore what iss has to offer take a good look at this prospectus and the iss website and find out more about what the institute can mean for you my colleagues and i look forward to welcoming you at iss professor wil hout deputy rector for academic affairs international institute of social studies 2

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2011 2012 contents about the international institute of social studies the hague and the netherlands living at iss teaching programme research at iss doctoral degree in development studies master of arts in development studies agriculture and rural development ard children and youth studies cys conflict reconstruction and human security crs development research dres economics of development ecd environment and sustainable development esd governance and democracy g&d human rights development and social justice hds international political economy and development iped local development strategies lds population poverty and social development ppsd poverty studies and policy analysis pov public policy and management ppm women gender development wgd work employment and globalization weg postgraduate diploma programmes and short courses children youth and development cyd governance democratization and public policy gov international health and policy evaluation ihpe migration and human security mhs universalizing socioeconomic security for the poor uss sustainable local economic development led admission to iss programmes iss officials and academic staff 4 5 5 6 8 10 12 14 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 19 20 20 21 22 23 23 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 28 30 3

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iss prospectus about the international institute of social studies the international institute of social studies is a postgraduate school of policy-oriented social science whose diverse activities include teaching interdisciplinary research and advisory work in the field of development studies founded by the universities of the netherlands in 1952 the institute is one of the world s leading centres of higher education and research in this field iss provides top-quality education in the social sciences to postgraduate professionals mostly from developing countries and countries in transition the courses all taught in english provide knowledge and insights in a number of fields including development economics sociology politics public policy and management governance gender employment population social security children and youth and human rights the institute offers a four-year doctoral programme a 15.5-month ma in development studies with various specializations postgraduate diploma programmes and tailor-made short courses all degrees are recognized internationally and by dutch legislation on higher education in the past 58 years over 10,000 students from more than 160 countries have studied at iss many now hold leading positions in government international organizations higher education planning agencies and non-governmental organizations the institute s staff is drawn from around 30 countries from all over the world the multicultural community at iss offers an excellent learning environment both inside and outside the classroom in which students can gain from each other s diverse experience iss research is at the cutting edge of a range of development-related areas the academic staff focus their research on various aspects and causes of the striking differences in access to power and well-being key questions that are addressed include what is the influence of world bank policy on the power balance within states how can people influence wto negotiations what is the impact of globalization on the everyday life of people in rural and urban areas is there a feminist approach to development iss shares and deepens its knowledge and insights with partners worldwide in capacity-building projects monitoring and evaluating missions and tailor-made teaching programmes 4

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2011 2012 living at iss iss is the international institute of social studies of erasmus university rotterdam in 2009 the international institute of social studies iss joined the erasmus university rotterdam this cooperation offers both the eur and iss the opportunity to undertake innovative research with an important spin-off in teaching from now on degrees will be awarded by iss as part of the eur diplomas will mention both eur and iss the iss will remain based in the same building in the hague including all teaching and student accommodation as almost all iss students come from abroad everyone at the institute is aware that we the iss community will constitute the students social environment for quite some time as soon as new students arrive in the netherlands they are welcomed at the airport by one of the current students often from their home country who accompanies them to the iss housing and internet access will already have been arranged at the start of each programme we devote each year some 350 students from over 60 countries are enrolled in our teaching programmes with an equal balance of men and women most students have a background in the social sciences but others have been trained in agronomy law engineering journalism business management and other areas this multicultural and multidisciplinary environment is one of the strongest points of living and learning at iss the hague and the netherlands a large part of the netherlands lies below sea level protected against the rivers and the sea by dikes and dunes the hague is a beautiful city on the north sea coast although it is not the capital of the netherlands it is one of the country s most important cities the queen s residence and the seat of government the hague is a cosmopolitan city with many embassies and international organizations as it is home to the international court of justice housed in the peace palace and the international criminal court it is also known as the `international city of peace and justice it is a genuinely multicultural city offering many cultural events and shops specializing in goods from all over the world english is very widely understood the hague has a temperate climate without great extremes of heat or cold in spring summer and autumn you can enjoy a drink and a meal in one of the many pavement cafes you can also easily visit some of the other historic cities in the netherlands amsterdam rotterdam and utrecht are all within an hour s reach of the hague and delft and leiden are just 20 minutes away you can find more information about living in the netherlands on our website which also has links to other interesting sites 6 9 37 38 9 1 origin of students a lot of attention to intercultural communication and gender differences as well as to an elaborate introduction to information literacy academic skills additional english lessons and computer skills throughout the year social and cultural activities are organized for and by the students themselves including a sports day a dutch evening an international food fair excursions films and performances in the iss building we put a lot of effort into establishing contacts between international students and the people of the netherlands for many years we have been running a programme called meet the dutch a network in which international students are linked one-to-one to a dutch family 5

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iss prospectus teaching programme the welfare office works closely together with the iss students association scholas every participant in iss programmes is a member of scholas scholas representatives who are elected by the student body act as mediators and advocates on behalf of the students they serve on various institutional bodies including the teaching and learning committee scholas is also the social organ of the iss student body it is an umbrella organization for a variety of working groups through which students have the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of interests all teaching is given in the iss building several of the programmes include regular study visits to other institutes or organizations the institute has its own restaurant with multicultural cuisine offering a wide choice of hot and cold dishes many of the institute s student residences are situated on the purpose-built campus adjacent to the iss building they are well-furnished spacious and comfortable nearly all rooms have their own bathroom and there is a shared kitchen where students often cook together iss has won the first ever dutch oranje loper orange carpet award for best practices in welcoming international students to a dutch higher education institute iss offers a range of programmes at different levels there is a four-year doctoral programme for those wishing to pursue an academic career the 15.5-month ma in development studies is aimed at young and mid-career professionals who wish to deepen their academic knowledge and obtain an academic degree in addition the institute offers a range of postgraduate diploma programmes of ten weeks for mid-career professionals who wish to deepen their knowledge of certain areas of their work the main focus of all iss teaching programmes is the policyoriented study of development issues the new and advanced knowledge and skills you gain will enhance your personal development and give you greater insight into the value and effectiveness of your work development studies development studies is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field of study seeking to understand development and change it is characterized by normative and policy concerns and helps find solutions to societal problems created by development or its absence development studies examines societal change within a historical comparative and global perspective considering social economic political geographical cultural and technological aspects it translates insights into varied local responses to regional or global processes and into varied strategies of development and methods in development policy and public action development studies is distinguished by a cross-societal comparative approach educational philosophy at iss we strive to create a stimulating learning environment in a multicultural community of students and teachers our students come from many different cultures and countries around the world and typically have substantial relevant experience some work at ministries or as local government officials others have backgrounds as researchers ngo project officers or journalists or have worked for un agencies this offers an enormous resource for learning both inside and outside the classroom our academic staff also come from around the world and are actively involved in research institutional strengthening and advisory services as a student at iss you will find that no single national perspective or ideology dominates and that you will be a part of a very special international dialogue mid-career students bear responsibility for their own learning the orange carpet with on the left welfare officer martin blok and on the right nynke jo smit academic registrar while the institute and its academic staff are responsible for providing the conditions in which that learning has to take place our core concern is bringing together well selected students who are at a suitable stage in their careers and/or open to motivation 6

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2011 2012 in a convenient well-resourced and research-active environment to stimulate and learn from each other and use the other opportunities offered by this environment our staff library seminars and public events methods and resources the learning process includes coursework individual study research assignments and study visits in all of these activities the emphasis is on interactive exchange between students and staff and between the students themselves and on students reflections on their own experience iss has excellent teaching resources including a well stocked specialized library and extensive computer and data-processing facilities the library offers a stimulating environment in which to study and relax it offers access to over 26,000 electronic journals 300,000 e-books and 100,000 printed books we participate in the dutch network for inter-library loan and document delivery meaning that every title is available within a few days iss has a number of computer rooms with a computer for every two students all student houses and the library have wireless internet access for those who want to bring their own laptop library and it services organize information literacy and it skills classes as part of the curriculum code of conduct iss has signed the `code of conduct with respect to international students in dutch higher education the code of conduct was a joint initiative of the dutch government and institutes of higher education to set out standards for institutes in their dealings with international students by signing the code of conduct which came into effect on 1 may 2006 the institutions are offering international students a guarantee of the quality of their programmes student recruitment and selection and counselling procedures the code of conduct requires educational institutions to provide international students with timely reliable and easily accessible information about their study programmes specifically this includes information such as accreditation status quality and admission requirements the educational institution must make clear what services it provides to international students such as help with obtaining a visa and a residence permit housing introduction sessions and student counselling in their information materials institutions must specify clearly what services they offer and what the associated costs are the full text can be found on www.internationalstudy.nl 7

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iss prospectus research at iss iss has engaged in research since it was established in the 1950s as an independent social science postgraduate school in line with its mission of being teaching-based and research-led iss successfully combines research with core activities in teaching capacity development and advisory work its research strengths have long been associated with a critical interdisciplinary and applied approach to issues of equity and societal transformation some highlights of the institute s research are presented below health equity and financial protection in asia hefpa the eu-funded collaborative research project hefpa commenced its activities in 2009 involving 12 research teams from asia and europe and coordinated by the institute for health policy and management ibmg at erasmus university rotterdam the project is motivated by the related problems of limited and unequal access to health care and exposure to illness-associated financial risks in selected asian countries the project s first aim is to determine the causes and the consequences of limited access equity and affordability of health care its second aim is to identify solutions by drawing on the experience of the health financing reforms being implemented in the countries of research iss is responsible for the indonesian module together with the smeru research institute in jakarta how the aid industry works why do countries give development aid how do they give it and what happens to the 100 billion dollar per year that oecd countries send to developing countries does it contribute to development based on ten years of experience of working in the world of development assistance arjan de haan s book how the aid industry works provides a unique introduction to the practices of international development giving an invaluable background to understanding of the often heated debates on whether aid works or not civic-state interactions to protect refugees in south africa in advocating for accountability civic-state interactions to protect refugees in south africa jeff handmaker examines civic-state interactions aimed at state obligations to promote protect and fulfil human rights through the lens of refugee rights advocacy in south africa in its post-1994 period of democracy handmaker explores the potential of civic-state interactions to promote structural change and what these interactions can teach us about the potential of civic society to realize rights in general partnerships in capacity development advisory work and capacity building both institutional and individual are the daily activities of iss every year iss implements international projects in cooperation with institutes and local authorities in developed and developing countries 8

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2011 2012 the hivos-iss knowledge programme on civil society building csb csb is a multi-year academic-practitioner cooperation project to strengthen civil society building efforts it involves knowledge development and its dissemination and application in civil society building and aims to contribute to a wider debate on how to best strengthen civil society to empower the most marginalized groups in society the programme focuses on southern africa and central america but also includes projects in the south american andes region and in eastern africa civil society for development decentralization and participation in georgia csd this three-year project is a collaborative effort of iss and the caucasus institute for peace democracy and development cipdd the project aims at strengthening civil society organizations in georgia to promote and sustain decentralized policymaking reforms in eight target regions the project is financially supported by the social transformation programme matra of the netherlands ministry of foreign affairs tailor-made training and refresher courses every year iss organizes a number of training courses specifically tailored to the needs of its clients all of these courses are demandoriented and of a limited duration examples include a course on enhancing the capacity and competence of teachers in values-based education for raising awareness on anti-corruption issues organized at iss for indonesian teachers in close collaboration with soegijapranata catholic university semarang and another for the royal audit authorities raa of bhutan which intends to enhance the capabilities of raa staff to analyze and make policies and to act as a change agent for good governance in bhutan executive education executive education aims at graduate-level managers and entrepreneurs the programmes are customized and tailored for single institutions in the past iss has trained staff in various dutch and overseas ministries on topical issues facilitated research and policy-dialogue seminars and provided more general executive training including regionally-organized courses in the south executive education and tailor-made training are in principle available in all the themes offered in the regular programme at iss courses can be delivered on-site possibly with the support of local facilitators at the iss premises in the hague or as a combination of the two for more information contact iss at vandijk@iss.nl 9

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iss prospectus doctoral degree in development studies iss offers a four-year programme leading to the internationally recognized degree of doctor of philosophy in development studies since the inception of the programme in the 1980s iss has awarded over 100 phds until july 2009 iss awarded its own doctoral degrees with integration into erasmus university rotterdam the iss degree has been replaced by erasmus university s doctoral degree within the framework of erasmus university iss will continue to apply its own rules and regulations to the doctoral programme the public defence ceremony will continue to take place at the iss building in the hague c sathyamala india i am a physician and i have a postgraduate degree in epidemiology and have worked in public health for more than twenty years i have authored and coauthored books one of which is on the political economy of health entitled `taking sides the choices before the health worker which was internationally judged to be one of the top ten books on the subject i have been very much part of the women s movement and the health movement in india and have worked with the victims of the chemical disaster in bhopal caused by the american transnational company union carbide i am currently enrolled as a phd student at the iss my phd topic is tentatively entitled `food work and health class caste and gender perspectives i am pursuing the doctoral study because i wish to contribute to the body of knowledge on this critical subject when i decided on the topic it was clear to me that nutrition and food insecurity needed to be approached from a social science perspective i chose iss for my doctoral study because of its high status among the schools of development studies and my previous contacts with some of the faculty members my work will have relevance for other third world countries as well since they have similar problems of poverty under-nutrition and intervention programmes set up of the programme the first year of the programme comprises coursework and preparing for fieldwork and the general theoretical framework of the doctoral thesis the students are obliged to study a number of required and supplementary research methods and/or take other courses relevant to their field of study under supervision each candidate constructs a portfolio of courses which enhances their theoretical analytical methodological thematic and field/survey skills and capacities the end requirements of this first preparatory phase generally include the submission of a thematic state-of-the-art survey-of-the-literature paper and of a well-articulated research outline together with a developed fieldwork design on a selected topic this may include a short period of pilot fieldwork the second year is generally spent abroad collecting data under the guidance of a local supervisor the following 18 months are then devoted to writing the thesis during the final six-month period the thesis is reviewed and assessed leading to a public defence by the candidate resident doctoral researchers are provided with excellent facilities such as a computer internet access and an office shared with another doctoral researcher special entry opportunities into the doctoral programme students can enter the second year of the doctoral programme after obtaining the iss ma in development studies with a specialization in development research see 16 they still have to fulfil the admission requirements for the doctoral programme as described here after and on page 28 the programme offers flexible academic arrangements to accommodate the constraints arising from the professional obligations of mid-career applicants well-prepared and well 10

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2011 2012 supported candidates who are based in a research-oriented organization or university elsewhere may be able to follow a non-resident doctoral tailor-made programme with shorter periods spent in the hague whether a candidate would have to study at iss during the first year or will be allowed to start in the second year of the programme depends on the individual training and supervisory plan to be developed by the supervisor in close collaboration with the individual student embedded in iss research the research activities of iss staff are conducted within research clusters and research programmes in this context doctoral scholars will find an intellectual home base with an affinity with their own research topics and interests iss participates with other academic institutes in the netherlands in the ceres centre for resource studies for development research school all iss doctoral research is part of the ceres research school and doctoral researchers participate in the school s activities these activities include special courses and workshops which provide an opportunity to interact with doctoral researchers from other universities in the netherlands applicants applications for the doctoral programme are welcomed from qualified candidates wishing to undertake research on a specific topic within one of the institute s broad research areas see page 28 for academic and english language requirements it is assumed that before submitting an application for entry to the doctoral programme applicants will have done some preparatory work on the proposed topic of study admission will depend on the quality of the applicant s research proposal and its relevance to the institute s research interests research proposal applicants are required to submit a research proposal of approximately 5,000 words incorporating · a statement of the research issue setting out the temporal geographic and conceptual boundaries of the work · the potential contribution of the research to theory and/or policy-making · a brief review of the theoretical background and the main analytical approaches to be followed · a specification of the main expected methods of data collection and processing · a proposed table of contents for the thesis · references and bibliography you will find more information on iss research and ceres and an example of a research proposal on the iss website 11

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iss prospectus master of arts in development studies 5 september 2011 14 december 2012 in the ma programme you learn about the most recent theories and debates in your area of specialization you will also learn to apply this knowledge to practical issues of development and social change the master of arts in development studies offers solid and balanced academic and professionally relevant training in theory and methods for development studies it is designed for those wishing to start or continue their professional careers in the area of development or to pursue their studies at doctoral level ma students are encouraged to develop a critical understanding of major debates theories and strategic interventions and of the skills to analyze the issues and to design and assess interventions aimed at tackling these issues an essential part of this process is to develop skills in research methodology which will be applied in a research paper prepared as a requirement for the masters degree the 15.5 month ma programme comprises coursework 40 weeks of fulltime study 60 ects credits and the research paper 25 weeks of fulltime study 28 ects credits applicants for the ma programme in development studies are required to select one of the following areas of specialization at enrolment see descriptions in the following sections 1 agriculture and rural development ard 2 children and youth studies cys 3 conflict reconstruction and human security crs 4 development research dres 5 economics of development ecd 6 environment and sustainable development esd 7 governance and democracy g&d 8 human rights development and social justice hds 9 international political economy and development iped 10 local development strategies lds 11 population poverty and social development ppsd 12 poverty studies and policy analysis pov 13 public policy and management ppm 14 women gender development wgd 15 work employment and globalization weg the specializations form an important part of the study programme the modules are closely related and are designed to give students 12

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2011 2012 deeper insight and a higher level of competence in their area of specialization students write their research paper under the guidance of staff working within this area of specialization the teaching offerings are attuned to the diverse background of iss students all students receive thorough academic counselling at the beginning of the programme to help them determine their study paths the counselling which is given by the convenor of each specialization provides information about the compulsory and optional aspects of study paths and in particular about the foundation research techniques and specialization courses students discuss their prior academic and professional experience with the counsellor so that the advise they receive is appropriate often students will take voluntary remedial courses to make up for a deficiency or weak background knowledge after the christmas break students take courses to further deepen their study of a theme or element of the specialization or to focus on a topic not exclusively related to their field of study by developing a research paper under supervision students learn to identify a research topic formulate research questions undertake a literature study collect and analyze relevant data and develop a written sustained argument linking theory and evidence in its initial stages the process of developing the research paper runs parallel to the coursework and leads to initial identification of a provisional topic the actual research and writing of the research paper takes place from june till november the topic of the research paper must be related to issues in the selected specialization the paper represents a third of the programme time much material is available at iss in documentation centres in the netherlands and via the internet students will be required to obtain additional relevant material for their own research such as statistical data policy documents and when appropriate primary data iss offers the possibility to combine the research paper with an internship position to gather the information not only in a desk study but also in the field either in the country concerned or at a donor ngo based in the hague the set up of the ma programme provides a clear basis in development studies and a thorough in-depth knowledge in the chosen specialization at the same time it offers sufficient flexibility to attune the programme to the specific needs of the student this is what gives the ma programme its added value ma in development studies as a part-time programme if you are unable to spend 15.5 months on full-time intensive study iss offers you the opportunity of taking a tailor-made part-time programme lasting 2.5 years you will participate in the regular courses giving you unique exposure to the knowledge and experience of students from all over the world you can attend the courses that best fit your professional background and your personal learning objectives academic staff will discuss the set up of your individual study programme with you and advise you on the requirements and the options open to you study load · the focus in the first year is on the courses this is the most demanding year as you have to attend classes and do group assignments during the day · the second year focuses on the research paper starting with a course in research methodology this year leaves you more time to plan your own work · the full-time programme is intensive and demanding but the part-time programme still requires around 20 hours of study each week the detailed planning is made together with the convenor of the specialization · if you start in september 2011 iss regulations require that you graduate no later than 1 july 2014 if you are unable to combine this heavy workload with your regular work you can still take single ma courses joining the regular ma students as an auditor and thus benefiting from the multicultural and inter-disciplinary setting at iss the ma in development studies is an nvao accredited programme the accreditation organization of the netherlands and flanders nvao independently ensures the quality of higher education in the netherlands and flanders by assessing and accrediting programmes the ma in development studies was assessed in 2006 and has once again received official recognition of its high-standing quality by external review the review committee passed iss with gratifyingly good scores leading to an accreditation by the nvao for 2007-2013 these results confirm the sustained high quality of the programme since the last review in 1998 13

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iss prospectus agriculture and rural development recurrent turbulence in the world economy and in global food and agricultural markets highlights persistent and changing problems in agriculture and rural development such as rural poverty and inequality resource pressures and vast rural underemployment food security the emergence of bio-fuel production land grabbing `supermarketization of agricultural products and climate change are currently at the top of the development agenda the ard specialization offers an interdisciplinary political economy perspective on agricultural and rural development problems and policies with an emphasis on practical critical understandings capacities and skills required of successful professionals in this field the focus is on the social processes leading to social exclusion rural poverty rural under/unemployment and environmental degradation as well as on interventions undertaken in these fields by government agencies or grassroots organizations it offers a balance between theory policy and practice the three key problem areas are 1 land use access to land and water and agrarian reforms 2 rural poverty social exclusion and marginalization 3 rural resource conflicts and environmental degradation explicit attention is given to the impact of the structural transformation of production the role of the state market and civil society gender diversification of rural livelihoods and the politics of agrarian change students will develop a critical understanding of key processes facing the agricultural and rural sectors and the livelihoods of rural people today students learn how policies and strategies of governments local institutions and grassroots organizations can improve the lives of rural people children and youth studies the specialization in children and youth studies responds to the emerging importance of children and youth in international development policy it investigates how contemporary social political-economic and cultural processes are changing the lives of young people in novel ways and how the young actively shape their society s future this specialization provides participants with an understanding of how children and youth are involved in development processes at the global and local levels it explores issues of poverty equity rights and social development of the young from an interdisciplinary perspective that draws on sociology political economy anthropology law and social history it similarly investigates organizations movements and interventions that have shaped or have attempted to shape childhood and youth in different contexts participants will become familiar with the works of key classic and contemporary thinkers whose ideas have informed policies relating to childhood and youth and develop an in-depth understanding of rights-based approaches they will also gain a grasp of changing policy perspectives in selected areas including crime abuse and neglect education and work health and sexuality media and new communications technologies and participation after completing the specialization participants will be familiar with the major theoretical perspectives and policy debates on children and youth they will be able to place individual problems within their broader analytical and policy contexts and participate with confidence in debates research and analysis on key issues in the field of children youth and international development target group the prime target group are young and mid-career professionals whose work involves them in the many issues and uncertainties facing today s young people in the fields of education work employment health sexuality gender equity human rights and media a secondary target group are academics who are planning for careers in this field programme staff karin arts linda herrera loes keysers auma okwany and ben white target group the ard specialization is aimed at young and mid-career professionals in governmental and non-governmental organizations and members of grassroots movements it is also well suited to those working in higher education and research related to agriculture and rural development and those who intend to follow a career in this field programme staff murat arsel bram büscher anirban dasgupta max spoor ashwani saith ben white and marc wuyts this specialization was formerly known as rural livelihood and global change rlgc 14

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2011 2012 conflict reconstruction and human security is the `nature of wars really changing or are we theorizing wars differently today compared to 30 years ago why do some violent conflicts dominate our tv screens while others are totally absent from the media has development practice changed or have we ignored the hegemonic effects of development for too long what is peace in the light of ever-growing structural violence this specialization addresses the above questions using a historically situated multidisciplinary analysis of the social economic political and cultural processes that lead to and are triggered by different forms of collective violence it looks at contemporary geo-political dynamics of militarism and insecurities it also analyzes local and global control over material and symbolic resources and explores institutional and discursive practices of exclusion and marginalization the specialization searches for theoretical and strategic alternatives to persistent patterns of violence injustice and vulnerabilities throughout the specialization students will be exposed to the theoretical and practical issues of human and organizational agency in conflict and conflict-transformation using case studies of contemporary conflicts around the globe in hands-on in-class exercises and independent individual and group work after completing this specialization students will have acquired comprehensive and critical knowledge of the theoretical approaches and debates relating to violent conflict peace and development they will also have acquired the skills to critically analyze the symbolic social economic and political underpinnings of violent conflict and practical tools for direct engagement with issues pertaining to conflict transformation target group the specialization offers analytical and practical skills to young and mid-career professionals interested and engaged in research policy work and action pertaining to violent conflict and post-conflict transformation programme staff helen hintjens mohamed salih and dubravka zarkov 15

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