Security Practices and Political Violence

Since it is worth 10 ECTS, this course entails two types of classes:

1/ 36 hours of lectures (cours théoriques or cours magistraux) covering the general topics of the course

2/ 12 hours of seminars (exercices, or travaux pratiques) during which you will be asked to apply critically the knowledge gained to diverse topics and issues. Please note that your presence at seminars is mandatory and absence will be sanctioned.

The lectures are divided into two main parts.

The first one tries to give a broad overview of the main topics, concepts and theoretical tools through which armed conflict, security dynamics and political violence have been dealt with in the social sciences. It also tries to understand their historical variations at the macro-sociological level.

The second part deals with the social dynamics of contemporary wars and with the professionalization of security: the practices of the professionals of security (the military, the police, intelligence services etc.). While not losing sight of the broader perspective, the focus is here on the micro-sociological underpinnings of the “world” of security-professionals.

This course’s aim is to question and encourage critical thinking on organized violence, armed conflict but also on the security practices that spring from them and that persist during times of peace.

More specifically, students will develop the following abilities:

• Develop a critical attitude towards the political and social nature of armed violence, its dynamics and practices

• Identify the main actors, trends and dynamics of todays armed conflicts and security practices

• Master the concepts, theories and intellectual tools allowing to make sense of armed conflict, organized violence and security practices and to apply them to concrete examples

• Establish awareness and analytic perspective with regard to the social conditions, such as complex social organizations and technologies, enabling organized violence

• Understand how political violence can be explained in relation to its relevant socio-historical context rather than by interpreting it in strictly culturalist or psychologizing terms.

• Improve their ability to participate in real-life and policy-oriented discussions about the management of national, international and transnational violence

• Improve their ability to write academic essays and to make presentations

Connaissances et compétences pré-requises ou co-requises

The course will take the form of twelve classes of two hours each.

Prior to each class, one text has to be read by all students: these readings are

mandatory and must be read in a careful and reflexive way. They are to allow the students to

grasp the topics and issues presented during the classes, to participate in discussions… For the

exam you will be asked to read all of the texts. The texts can be found in electronic version on

the "Université Virtuelle".

Contribution au profil d'enseignement

Références, bibliographie et lectures recommandées

See Virtual Campus/ UV

Support(s) de cours

• Syllabus
• Université virtuelle

Informations complémentaires

Contacts

giulia.prelz.oltramonti@ulb.be 

Campus

Solbosch

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

• Examen écrit
• Présentation orale
• Autre

Examen écrit

Présentation orale

Autre

The final grade for this course will be attributed on the basis of 3 assignments/ activities, all taking place in the context of the seminars:

• Assiduity and participation in the discussions in class count for 10% of the grade

• The presentations count for 30% of the grade

• The exam & essay counts for 60% of the overall grade (the grade for exam will be count for 1/3 and the essay for 2/3 of ‘exam & essay grade’).

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

Each question counts for 33% of the grade.

The answer to each question will be evaluated as follows:

The questions will require theoretical and factual knowledge of the elements seen

throughout the course and readings (33%).

- To answer you will need to make use of your analytical skills, the ability to take a

critical distance, to put into perspective, to abstract from acquired knowledge

(33%).

- Finally, you will have to demonstrate your academic writing skills, your capacity

to use relevant terminology and bring forward a line of argumentation in a convincing,

clear and structured way (33%).

Langue(s) d'évaluation

• anglais