Admission requirements
This course is part of the minor Public Risk and Disaster, taught at The Hague by a lecturer from Leiden University. The course can only be taken within the framework of participation in the minor PRD.
Description
The real consequences of climate change are gradually emerging, especially since the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is increasing. This will make our societies more prone to disaster. While disasters are often thought of as occurring randomly, their impacts are strongly influenced by human activity. The impact of natural hazards is not random and interacts with gender, racial and socio-economic inequality, which make some populations more vulnerable than others. Vulnerability itself is the result of the range of economic, social, cultural, institutional, political and psychological factors that shape people’s lives and the environment that they live in. These dynamic pressures force people to live in unsafe locations and conditions, putting them at a higher risk for disaster.
This course examines how disasters are governed before, during and after hazardous events. It brings together various disciplines, including political science, anthropology, psychology, and sociology, which are crucial understanding how societies safeguard themselves against impending hazards. The course draws on case studies of both particular disasters including hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, as well as disaster response systems in, for instance, Puerto Rico. Some of the main questions this course addresses are: how and why disasters are political? Can we unveil the practices maintaining social injustices? How do gender, socioeconomic status and race influence disaster impact and response? What is the role of local communities, national and local governments, and international actors in disaster response?
Course objectives
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
Identify the central tensions in disaster studies in a theoretical way.
Identify and compare key challenges in disaster governance in countries across the world.
Apply concepts and theory to real world policy questions
Analyze how political, social, and economic factors influence disaster impact and governance and identify the relationship between disaster impacts and inequalities.
Develop and present policy guidance to different audiences.
Timetable
On the right side of programme front page of the studyguide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.
Mode of instruction
The course will consist of seven sessions dedicated to lectures, including guest lectures, and general debates/discussion.
The total study load for this course is 140 hours, consisting of: a) contact: 14 hrs b) self-study: 126 hrs.
Assessment method
Final Paper
100% of total grade
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course
Resit possible
Resit will take the same form
Late hand in penalty: 1 point minus per day, and after five days we do not accept papers any longer.
The Course and Examination Regulation Security Studies and the Rules and Regulation of the Board of Examiners of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs apply
Reading list
Will be made available via Brightspace
Registration
To be announced by OSC staff.
Contact
Instructor: Valerie de Koeijer v.j.c.de.koeijer@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Dedicated email address: prd@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
All sessions and communications will be in English.
Group and individual assignments need to be written in English.
Please note resits will be organised in January.