OAGD 1005 - Women’s Resistance against Violence and Fight for Human Rights Protection

Women's resistance to various forms of violence has gained in scale and visibility. In Europe, Asia, Sub-Saharan and North Africa, Latin America, thousands of women resist to claim their rights. Those most visible are feminist activists, human rights defenders, academics, journalists, artists.

But resistance is also organized in more "confidential" circles, such as among women workers or migrant women.

Drawing on case studies, this workshop enables students to become familiar with the multiple facets of women's resistance to violence.

With particular attention to the intersections of gender, race, sexuality and economic status, students will develop a critical appreciation of what it means to resist to violence and what it does entail for those resisting.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will gain analytical and practical tools to reflect on women’s resistance to armed, political, social and economic violence.
• Student will better understand the importance of adequately documenting and reporting on violence perpetrated against women.
• Students will be equipped with the documentation tools, proper to the subjects discussed in class
• Students will develop individual and collective reflection on different situations of women's resistance in a global context.

Professional Skills

• Ability to synthesize
• Analytical skills
• Collective thinking
• Critical thinking
• Documentation skills
• Analyzing human rights struggles through a gender lens

Workshop combining theory and practice, group and individual work, feedback will be provided accordingly per assignment

To validate the course, the student is expected to pass the following assignments:

• Class discussions, individual and group participation; oral presentation 20 %
• Reading note prepared per student 20 %
• Written final assignment 60 %

• Reading and Preparation for Class: 3 hours a week / 36 hours a semester
• Research and Preparation for Group Work: 1 hours a week / 12 hours a semester
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 25 hours a semester