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| Title |
Power, Conflict and Justice
|
| Semester |
F2026
|
| Master programme in |
Global and Development Studies
|
| Type of activity |
Course |
| Mandatory or elective |
Mandatory |
| Teaching language |
English
|
| Study regulation |
Read about the Master Programme and find the Study Regulations at ruc.dk |
| REGISTRATION AND STUDY ADMINISTRATIVE | |
| Registration |
You register for activities through stads selvbetjening during the announced registration period, which you can see on the Study administration homepage. When registering for courses, please be aware of the potential conflicts and overlaps between course and exam time and dates. The planning of course activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programmes, which should not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programmes, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose. |
| Number of participants |
|
| ECTS |
5
|
| Responsible for the activity |
Laust Schouenborg (lausts@ruc.dk)
|
| Head of study |
Markus-Michael Müller (muellerm@ruc.dk)
|
| Teachers |
|
| Study administration |
ISE Registration & Exams (ise-exams@ruc.dk)
|
| Exam code(s) |
U60119
|
| ACADEMIC CONTENT | |
| Overall objective |
This course studies the power relations that structure and challenge order from the local to the global levels; the conflicts, including their interconnections, that these relationships create, reproduce and resolve; as well as questions of justice and rights inherent in power relations and conflict dynamics. Students learn theoretical approaches to power, conflict and justice, and study how their assumptions lead to different analyses and conclusions. |
| Detailed description of content |
The course will typically have two parts. The first part will outline the relevant theoretical / conceptual approaches to power, conflict and justice, and their historical background. The second part will present real-world cases of conflict and justice problems and solutions, and facilitate students’ ability to apply theories, either through group work, class presentations, class discussions, or other means. Actors from the public and private sectors can be invited in to shed light on cases and general problems. |
| Course material and Reading list |
Course material is available on Moodle. |
| Overall plan and expected work effort |
The course is worth 5 ECTS, so students need to adjust the workload accordingly. You are expected to attend class and prepare by reading 2-3 compulsory texts every week plus doing the required presentation activities related to the cases. You are also expected to regularly check the course´s Moodle site and keep yourselves up to date with information. The course norm is 5 ECTS. This means that the course is set for 135 hours, which is divided in the following way:
Students are expected to spend 6.5 hrs preparing for each class including readings, links on moodle, cases, and presentations. |
| Format |
|
| Evaluation and feedback |
The course is evaluated regularly. At the start of the course, the course convenor is informed if the course is to be evaluated and notifies the students. The evaluation is carried out in accordance with the study board's evaluation practice. |
| Programme |
Indicative program from 2024: Session 1. Conflict as Productive and Destructive; and Outline of the Course (Course Convenor, Lars Buur) Session 2. Power and Conflict (Laust Schouenborg) Session 3. Power and Justice (Line Gissel) Session 4. Conflict Solutions (Laust Schouenborg) Session 5. Justice Solutions (Line E. Gissel) Session 6. Political Violence (Lars Buur) Session 7. The Arms Race (Laust Schouenborg) Session 8. Post-Conflict Divisions (Line Gissel) Session 9. Investment Conflicts (Lars Buur) Session 10. (Lars Buur, Line Gissel and Laust Schouenborg) |
| ASSESSMENT | |
| Overall learning outcomes |
|
| Prerequisites |
|
| Form of examination |
Individual oral exam with time for preparation
Time for preparation including time to pick a question by drawing lots: 30 minutes. Time allowed for the exam including time used for assessment: 30 minutes. Permitted support and preparation materials: Course material and own notes. Assessment: 7-point grading scale Moderation: Internal co-assessor. |
| Form of Re-examination |
Samme som ordinær eksamen / same form as ordinary exam
|
| Type of examination in special cases |
|
| Examination and assessment criteria (implemented) |
• Explain and evaluate, using relevant terminology, the advantages and disadvantages of various theories within the aspect of a subject area that is dealt with in the specialisation course • Confidently and independently, select and apply relevant theories in relation to a specific issue • Analyse and reflect critically on the course material • Discuss in a creative and solution-oriented manner conflict scenarios from the course • Communicate knowledge in language that is technically precise, well-structured and well-argued. In this course, the use of generative AI aids (GenAI) is not allowed when taking exams. Ordinary spell checking and other language suggestions as known from Word or other word processing programs are allowed without declaration. |
| Exam code(s) | |
| Last changed | 17/11/2025 |
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