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SP52101: Humanitarianism

[Page last updated: 15 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Credits: 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 200
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CWES 70%, CWRI 30%
Assessment Detail:
  • Briefing paper (CWRI 30%)
  • Essay (CWES 70%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
  • Engage critically in current debates within the humanitarian field.
  • Articulate a clear and critical understanding of the differences - organizational, conceptual and practical - between development assistance and humanitarian aid.
  • Interrogate humanitarian practice for its engagement with issues around gender, age, ethnicity, class and other sectional characteristics



Synopsis: Develop your understanding of the emergence, history and core principles of humanitarianism as an organised response to human suffering. You'll learn about the institutional structures, funding and range of activities of contemporary humanitarianism. You'll also explore the ethical and practical dilemmas commonly faced by humanitarian actors in practice.

Content: This unit provides a critical introduction to the emergence, history and core principles of humanitarianism as an organised response to human suffering. It provides an in-depth and up-to-date review of the institutional structure, funding and range of activities of contemporary humanitarianism and an exploration of the ethical and practical dilemmas commonly faced by humanitarian actors in practice.

Course availability:

SP52101 is a Must Pass Unit on the following courses:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • THSP-AFM43 : MSc International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action  
  • THSP-AWM43 : MSc International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action  

SP52101 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.