Mainstream debates about the relationship between gender, security and development have generally focused on how disproportionally insecurity and poverty affect women. A wealth of research has also been undertaken addressing how women can play a very positive role in development, security and peace-making, as well as focusing on the ways they are sidelined in the political and decision-making processes that concern such issues. However, consistently portraying women in these roles has in itself reproduced an image of women as victims and passive rather than as actors. This links with how little is known about the role women play as war-makers and drivers of insecurities. Further, the binary ma(e)n / woma(e)n erases other gender identities and understandings of peace and security, such as queer visions.

The course addresses these issues from a critical feminist perspective. It studies the gendered nature of security and development not only from the view of their causes and consequences but also from the view of how the representations and assumptions about women, men, masculinity and femininity interplay in the unequal distribution of insecurity and poverty between men and women, as well as LGTBI+ and queer identities and communities. For that purpose, the course will focus on a series of issues and case studies where these questions intersect, including conflicts and military interventions, the war on terror, poverty and development policies.

Assessment

All students will be required to actively participate in class, to deliver one seminar presentation as part of a group and write an individual essay at the end of the course. Unlike a typical university course, in which students can fall behind in the readings, a short and intense course like this depends entirely on its members attending every class and on having adequately prepared beforehand by completing the required reading. With these descriptions in mind, you should be aware that this module requires you to do all the core readings, attend all of the seminar meetings, and participate actively in all of our discussions in class.

Mode of Assessment:   

• Attendance and Participation (30%): Attendance is mandatory.
• Group presentation (30%): Students will be required to do one 15-minute presentation as part of a group of 2-3 people (depending on the number of students enrolled in the course).
• Individual essay (40%): Students will also be required to write a 3000 word-essay (10% up/down MAX/MIN) on a topic to be chosen by each one, related to one (or more) of the subjects of the seminars (or, otherwise, addressing one question/subject from a list that will be provided the first day of class, if needed).

Competences, learning outcomes and teaching activities (PDF)