Admission requirements
Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management, enrolled in the specialisation ‘Governance of Violence’, can take this course.
Description
This course focuses on a subtype of violence that has been at the center of public debates in recent years: gender-based violence. You will become acquainted with key sociological, anthropological, criminological, and public policy perspectives on how gender shapes the causes and effects of violence. This course analyzes gender-based violence as an intersectional phenomenon, which must be understood in relation to factors such as race and class. Moreover, we will address this subject through the lens of politics and policy: what explains that gender-based violence is understood and addressed differently over time and in various geographical contexts? What do we know about effective intervention strategies to prevent gender-based violence or monitor its harmful consequences?
Additionally, the course will focus on developing a core research skill: data collection. Collecting and assessing data is an important academic research skill. What data or sources are available, how can you collect additional data, what data do you need in order to answer a research question, and how can you use data to come up with a valid answer or assessment? Within the field of CSM, reliable and valid data frequently are hard to collect and/or assess or compare.
Course Objectives
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- Develop advanced knowledge and understanding of the literature on gender-based violence;
- Gain a critical understanding of gender and its connection to interpersonal conflicts;
- Analyze the key challenges and opportunities for stakeholders in gender-based violence, including local (governmental and non-governmental), public and private sector actors, and national and international governmental bodies, within a multi-actor and multi-level context;
- Critically evaluate policy designs, interventions and their effects in the field of gender-based violence;
- Provide strategic analysis and recommendations on how to translate evidence-based findings into actionable strategies in the field of gender-based violence;
- Develop skills of academic expositions;
- Advanced knowledge and understanding of the principles of academic research, with awareness of research designs and methodologies commonly used in study of Violence;
- Gather appropriate data that allows you to draw conclusions, make judgments and/or provide solutions to real-life problems or societal issues, with a special emphasis on the validity and reliability of data.
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 consists of 14 interactive lectures, supplemented with a range of readings, podcasts and video material.
Couse load
Total study load 280 hours:
42 Contact hours
238 Self-study hours: reading, preparing lectures, assignments, etc.
In this 10 ECTS course, we will focus on the research skill assignment that is going to be part of your portfolio. Specific information on the portfolio assignment and the intended learning outcomes that are being acquired will be published in the syllabus of this course.
Assessment method
The learning goals associated with this course (see above) will be assessed through 3 summative assessments and 1 formative assessment.
Class participation
10% of final grade
Resit not possible
Grade must be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Group assignment
30% of final grade
Resit is possible
Resit takes the same form
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course
Individual assignment
60% of final grade
Resit is possible
Resit takes the same form
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course
Additional, formative (non-graded) assignments are mandatory.
The calculated overall course grade must be at least 5.50 in order to pass the course. If the calculated overall course grade is lower than 5.50, students are also permitted to resit the 60% individual assignment.
In the case of written assessment methods, the examiner can always initiate a follow-up conversation with the student to establish whether the learning objectives have been met.
Transitional arrangement
Please be aware that passed partial grades obtained in academic year 2025-2026 are no longer valid during academic year 2026-2027.
Reading list
A selection of books and articles, to be announced on Brightspace.
Registration
Register yourself via MyStudymap for each course, workgroup and exam (not all courses have workgroups and/or exams).
Do so on time, before the start of the course; some courses and workgroups have limited spaces. You can view your personal schedule in MyTimetable after logging in.
Registration for this course is possible from Wednesday 16 July 2025, 13.00h
Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in MyStudymap you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.
More information on registration via MyStudymap can be found on this page.
Contact
dr. Martín Hernán Di Marco csm@fgga.leidenuniv.nl