| Unit name | Gender and Security |
|---|---|
| Unit code | POLIM0045 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Medie |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit provides an introduction to the concepts of gender and security and an analysis of how they are connected in international politics. It draws on feminist and international relations theories to explore the cultural, historical, and political foundations of gender and of security. Key questions that will be addressed in this unit are: What is gender? What is security? How does gender intersect with security? How do these concepts travel to non-Western settings? How have feminists engaged with security? How and why are major political phenomena, such as armed conflict, peacebuilding, the economy, displacement, and climate change gendered and what are the implications for men and women? The unit begins with an examination of key theories, concepts, and debates in gender studies, security studies, and feminist international relations and of how they are interconnected. The unit then draws on these theories, concepts, and debates to analyse gender and (in)security in the past and present. It analyses the causes and dynamics of women’s and men’s (in)security in varied geographical, political, and social contexts with a focus on the themes of armed conflict, gender-based violence, peacebuilding, the economy, the environment, women’s political participation, refugees and migration, and feminist methodologies. The first part of the unit focuses on key concepts, theories, and debates, while the second part uses them as tools to conduct in-depth analyses of specific issues.
Unit Aims:
To introduction the concepts of gender and security and their interconnections.
Upon successful completion of this unit students will:
The unit will be taught through blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities
Students will be assessed using an in-class presentation (formative) and a 4000-word essay (100%)
All assessments cover all ILOs.
Gentry, C., Shepard, L. and Sjoberg, L. (2018). The Routledge Handbook of Women Gender and Security. London: Routledge.
Meger, S. (2016). Rape, Loot, Pillage: The Political Economy of Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Tripp, A., Ferree, M. and Ewig, C. (2013). Gender, Violence and Human Security. New York: New York University Press.
Tripp, A., Casimiro, I., Kwesiga, J. and Mungwa, A. (2009). African Women’s Movements: Transforming Political Landscapes. New York: Cambridge University.
True, J. (2012). The Political Economy of Violence against Women. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
