Module SGIA40T15: Conflict and Climate Crisis

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA40T15: Conflict and Climate Crisis

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To gain a better understanding of the links between conflict and the climate crisis
• To develop and practice skills and techniques necessary for developing a conflict and climate analysis
• To explore the policy frameworks that guide stakeholders in their response to climate change-driven conflict

Content

• Indicative module content typically includes: an exploration of the co-constitutive relationship between climate change and violent conflict; mapping of the main international, transnational and national stakeholders and their policy positions with regard to climate change-driven conflict; exploration of the main policy/legal frameworks in relation to climate change; discussion of the national level governance issues that exacerbate the negative impacts of climate change; a review of key climate and conflict-related dataset findings; a review of the main literature on resource-driven conflict.
• Students will learn and practice the skills required to undertake a climate sensitive rapid conflict analysis using case studies, role plays, and simulation exercises.
• Students will use learning from core modules and be given new information prior to the elective, particularly with respect to role playing requirements, to enhance the learning and ‘realism’ of possible simulation exercises.

Learning Outcomes

• advanced knowledge of the conflict-climate change nexus, its main drivers, and an analytical framework with which to understand it.
• an understanding of the main policy frameworks that seek to understand, monitor and address the links between climate change and conflict.

• an ability to understand and deploy a climate-sensitive conflict analysis at an advanced level.
• an ability to recognise links between climate change and violent conflict.
• an ability to employ a technical language suitable to rapid climate sensitive conflict analysis
• to engage in research at MA level in the subject of conflict analysis and climate change
• to develop an understanding of the key skills involved in developing a report or policy document
• 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, and will involve a mixture of lectures, short presentations, discussion and small group work, and a role play or oral presentation based on real or constructed cases.
• Summative assessment will include a pre-workshop reading review, and a post-workshop report or policy document. 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 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