Designing Interventions to Respond to Conflict and Violence

Elective, Security Specialization

Security, human rights and fundamental freedoms are a universal entitlement. Yet despite a proliferation of UN agendas (Responsibility to Protect, Human Security) and supporting regional and national level resolutions, conventions, agencies and laws, it is the case that insecurity and violence remain the common experience of communities across the globe. According to the UNHCR, worldwide displacement caused by persecution and war is at an all-time high, while at the local level and despite the promotion of rights-based approaches (RBAs), violence and vulnerability routinely impact the lives of the poor, men, women, children, racial, indigenous and religious minority groups and the LGBTQI community.

This course introduces students to the techniques commonly used by the policy community to understand the causes, drivers, dynamics and typologies of violence; and the methods and toolkits used for designing, analyzing and evaluating interventions that aim to prevent, manage and reduce vulnerability to violence. The course takes a bottom up approach, focuses on interpersonal and not interstate violence, and considers strategies for researching, advocating and engaging with impacted communities in order to promote ethical and evidence based violence reduction policy initiatives.