Syllabus- Spring 2007  
Issues in Humanitarian Studies (HSA 312)

This is a three-credit graduate course and is one in a series of courses in the online Humanitarian Services Administration program developed by the University of Connecticut's Center for Continuing Studies. This course is a core course in the online Master of Professional Studies degree with a field of study in Humanitarian Services Administration. The course is also one of four required courses in the graduate online certificate program in Humanitarian Services Administration. The developers of this course are Dr. Rodney Allen and Dr. Ruth Rosenbaum.

Course Information

Course Title: Issues in Humanitarian Studies (HSA 312)
Credits: 3
Instructor(s):  Rodney Allen and Dr. Ruth Rosenbaum.

This course examines current global human development issues from diverse organizational perspectives: non-governmental, private voluntary, international, multi-governmental aid, humanitarian assistance, U.S. military, and U.S. governmental. It will discuss the stresses that are currently forcing many organizations to re-evaluate their current policies and procedures.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will demonstrate an increase their understanding of: 

1. the sources of and response to global conflict and the importance of conflict as a contextual issue in humanitarian challenges,
2. the underlying causes of humanitarian crises and how we might broaden our base of responses to them, and
3. the criticality and complexity of two important issues in the management of humanitarian responses: the safety and security of humanitarian personnel as well as affected citizens, and how and why the traditional response philosophy is being re-examined by key players in this arena.

Course Requirements and Grading

Grading for this course will adhere to the University system for assigning grades. Plus and minus grades will be assigned in concert with the traditional A to F grading system.  This is a reading, research, information analysis, writing, and discussion course with multiple assignments.

The course is divided into three major content areas: Issues of Context (Module 1), Issues of Development (Module 2), and Issues of Management (Module 3). Rodney Allen is the primary instructor for content areas one and three; Dr. Ruth Rosenbaum is the primary instructor for content area two. Each of the content areas will be further broken down into topics. All of the content areas in this course include reading, writing, and online discussion assignments. These due dates are posted on the course Calendar.

Content Area One

1. Paper on analysis of Samuel P. Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations?" (25 points)

2. Term paper of student's choice with approval of both instructors (75 points)

3. Five sets of article summaries from the textbook and other required readings (5 points each for a total of 25 points)

4. Discussion and participation (25 points)

Content Area Two

1. Paper on the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights (25 points)

2. Paper on the State of the World's Children reports (25 points)

3. Paper for integrating seminar (25 points)

4. Dialog questions (25 points)

5. Discussion and participation (50 points)

Content Area Three

1. Discussion and participation (50 points)

There is a total of 350 points.

You are responsible for acting in accordance with the Student Code, available at http://www.dosa.uconn.edu/student_code.cfm.

Course Materials

Required textbook for Dr. Allen's content area one:

This text may be purchased locally or through an online bookstore.

Crocker, C. A., & Hampson, F.O. (eds.) with Aall, P. (2001). Turbulent Peace: The Challenges of Managing International Conflict. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press. ISBN 1-929-223-27-7

Other required readings throughout Dr. Allen's content areas:

Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict. (1997). Preventing deadly conflict: executive summary of the final report. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict. Retrieved December 2, 2005 from http://wwics.si.edu/subsites/ccpdc/pubs/rept97/finfr.htm (This publication is free online by visiting the previous Web site.)

Roberts, D.L.(1999). Staying alive: safety and security guidelines for humanitarian volunteers in conflict areas. Geneva, Switzerland: International Committee of the Red Cross. (This publication may be purchased at http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/iwpList528/04D30E4375ED080DC1256C5B002A4027)

Recommended readings for Dr. Rosenbaum's content area two:

Barber, B.R. (1966). Jihad vs. mcworld: How globalism and tribalism are shaping the world. New York: Ballantine Books.

Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Kim, J.Y., Millen, J.V., Irwin, A. & Gershman, J. (2000). Dying for growth. Monroe: Common Courage Press.

Klein, N. (1999). No logo. Canada: Alfred A. Knopf.

Maril, R.L. (1989). Poorest of Americans: The Mexican Americans of the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame.

Narayan, D., et al. (2000). Voices of the poor: Crying out for change. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Narayan, D., et al. (2000). Voices of the poor: Can anyone hear us? Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Narayan, D., et al. (2001). Voices of the poor: From many lands. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Schlosser, E. (2001). Fast food nation. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Recommended Websites for Dr. Rosenbaum's content area two: 

• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities  http://www.cbpp.org/  
• Compendium of Sustainable Development Indicator Initiatives  http://iisd1.iisd.ca/measure/compindex.asp  
• Ethical Trade Initiative  http://www.ethicaltrade.org/
• Fifty Years is Enough   http://www.50years.org/
• International Labor Rights Fund  http://www.laborrights.org/
• International Monetary Fund  http://www.imf.org/  
• Trade Justice Movement  http://www.tradejusticemovement.org/  
• United Nations  http://www.un.org/
• United Nations Development Programme  http://www.undp.org/  
• World Bank  http://www.worldbank.com/
• World Trade Organization http://www.wto.org/

Software Requirements

Microsoft Word

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Your Internet browser and browser settings need to be Vista compatible. See Settings.

Course Outline

1. Content Area One: Issues of Context

1.1. Topic One: The Macro-Approach
1.1.1. Assignments for Topic One
1.2. Topic Two: Sources of Conflict
1.2.1. Assignments for Topic Two
1.3. Topic Three: Statecraft, Intervention, and International Order
1.3.1. Assignments for Topic Three
1.4. Topic Four: Conflict Management, Preventive Diplomacy, Mediation, and Multi-Track Initiatives
1.4.1. Assignments for Topic Four
1.5. Topic Five: Consolidating the Peace
1.5.1. Assignments for Topic Five

2. Content Area Two: Issues of Development

2.1. Topic One: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
2.1.1. Assignments for Topic One
2.2. Topic Two: The State of the World’s Children 2000 and 2001
2.2.1. Assignments for Topic Two
2.3. Topic Three: The Globalization of the Economy and Associated Institutions
2.3.1. Assignments for Topic Three
2.4. Integrating Seminar for Content Area Two

3. Content Area Three: Issues of Management

3.1. Topic One: Safety and Security
3.1.1. Assignments for Topic One
3.2. Topic Two: Response Philosophy of Humanitarian Organizations
3.2.1. Assignments for Topic Two

Evaluation of the Course

Students will be provided an opportunity to evaluate instruction in this course using the University's standard procedures, which are administered by the Office of Institutional Research.