Module SGIA43615: Early Warning and Rapid Response

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA43615: Early Warning and Rapid Response

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• to be able to identify and analyse early warning conflict indicators
• to understand elements needed to design early warning and rapid response mechanisms to prevent or manage violent situation
• to design an early warning and rapid response mechanism

Content

• Indicative module content typically includes: information gathering; situation analysis and conflict indicators (including root causes of potential conflict); co-ordination and coherence; external and internal impacting factors (politics, resources, ethnic tension); empowering community initiatives; preventing election violence; rapid response teams; accountability; the role of state and non-state actors in early warning and rapid response mechanisms; linking micro-macro levels for coherent policy and strategy.
• Students will use learning from Module 2 and Module 4 and be given new information prior to the elective, particularly with respect to role playing requirements, to enhance the learning and ‘realism’ of the elective exercises.

Learning Outcomes

• an advanced knowledge of recent approaches in early warning and rapid response mechanisms to outbreaks of violent conflict drawing.
• an understanding of how the taught elements are operationally applicable in situations of tension and conflict

• at an advanced level, to analyse conflicts and design approaches for early warning and rapid responses (EW/RR) to actual and potential outbreaks of violence.
• to link EW/RR into strategies for conflict prevention, conflict management and conflict resolution
• to practice of skills related to designing early warning and rapid response mechanisms for situations of potential and actual outbreaks of conflict • to engage in research projects at MA level in the subject of conflict analysis and principled negotiation
• to apply subject related knowledge and advanced theoretical models to the evaluation of current local and global issues, to interpret and analyse empirical data at an advanced level and according to competing explanatory frameworks, and to recognise the impact of a chosen conceptual framework on one’s research findings

• to demonstrate an ability to construct argument critically for both oral and written presentation from different sources of material, including material delivered orally and in an article review, report or policy document.
• to demonstrate an independent approach to learning, critical thinking and creative problem-solving.
• to use sophisticated techniques of information retrieval and management using an array of print and digital resources.
• to demonstrate an ability to work cooperatively and constructively in group exercises and role plays
• to formulate complex arguments in articulate and structured English, within the discursive conventions and genres of academic writing and written to high academic standard
• to demonstrate effective time management.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module will be delivered as a block in workshop format over a period of an evening and two full consecutive days. Students will learn and practice negotiation using mini-lectures, case studies, group work and role plays within a ‘workshop’ setting. Working in teams students will learn about and design EW/RR mechanisms drawing from case studies and ‘real-time’ situations. Information for the exercises will be obtained from internet sources (such as Reliefweb and UN and NGO websites), case studies, and the experience of the module facilitators.
• Summative assessment will include a pre-workshop article review, and a post-workshop report or policy document. Which post-workshop assessment is selected is in the hands of students (in consultation with the module convener), so as to maximise flexibility with a view to the wide range of professional backgrounds and needs students attending the course are expected to have. The post-workshop assignment is in the form of a report or policy document reflecting on the content and skills learning acquired during the module incorporating perspectives from research, academic or work contexts. The pre-workshop assignment is designed to provide students with a focused task to prepare them, through self-guided learning, for the workshop’s discussions and/or role play, the knowledge, analytical pointers and literature advice for which will be provided through a virtual induction. Prior to the elective students will be provided with key article(s) to read and provide a written review. This might take the form of one longer article or two (or more) shorter articles to review and compare.
• Formative assessment is intended to develop students' oral communication and academic writing skills, as well as effective time management. Students will receive continuing formative feedback in seminar and group discussions. During the workshop there will be spaces for discussion and reflection on skill development. They will receive formal formative feedback on their role play or oral presentation in a debriefing session after the event, in which students’ performances will be discussed in view of the learning outcomes.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Role play or oral presentations; continuing feedback in seminar and group discussions

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University