F1HH 5055 - Sexual & Gender-Based Violence in Conflict Zones: Methodological and Ethical Principles

The aim of the course is to explore multidisciplinary research methods and evidence-gathering techniques of gendered experience of violence in the context of war, displacement and migration, focusing on the Middle East and Middle Eastern diaspora.

The course will introduce students to the concept of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), its dynamics, manifestations and forms in normal settings and among war-affected populations. It will explore the concept of intersectionality, and how gender is interconnected and played out with race, ethnicity, religion, class, social status, age, etc. Notions of ‘masculinity' and ‘femininity' will be discussed in an effort to capture and analyse gender identity as constructed and modified through social behaviour, war and displacement, and how intersectional identity categories shape peoples' experiences of SGBV, including domestic violence, honour-based violence, sexual violence, rape and sex slavery. Examples of art-based and co-produced knowledge along with case studies will be used to support these theoretical approaches and analyses.

The course will also explore the role of the media and culture in relation to SGBV. It will highlight the representation of SGBV and traditional cultural norms in the media and how different media channels, in the context of information and communication technologies, play around and reproduce hegemonic ideologies in terms of race, religion and masculinity in opposition to migrant, refugee and female vulnerabilities. Here, notions of cultural relativism and universalism will be discussed.

The course will also discuss the impact of SGBV on public health and its implications for women's lives. It will also highlight the human rights dimension of sexual and gender-based violence, with the aim of educating students and expanding their knowledge and awareness of intervention strategies, legal reforms, social policies and various European, international and UN conventions to tackle gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict settings.

Nazand BEGIKHANI

Séminaire

English

6 hours per week on average

Spring 2024-2025

1. Combining lectures, interactive debates, practical exercises and presentations of written essays.
3. Students are expected to participate and contribute to debates actively during class.
4. Students are expected to be on time, be present, be prepared and be enthusiastic.
5. They are also encouraged to read the recommended texts and, most importantly, be curious, creative and positive.
Participating in debates throughout the semester (10%); 2-4 pages' paper & oral presentation (40%); collective paper (2-4) 15-20 pages (50%)/End of semester peer review.

Combining lectures, interactive debates, practical exercises and presentations of written essays.