Admission requirements
Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management can take this course.
Description
The growing frequency and salience of cross-border challenges in a world where authority is increasingly dispersed across different levels of governance and a wider range of actors other than state governments has captivated the attention of academics and policymakers alike. Episodes such as COVID-19 and climate change have put the intricacies of crisis management at the forefront of social science research and raised questions about the functioning and performance of the structures in charge of crisis management operations, the role of the actors populating them, and how relational aspects come into play in this context. With this context in mind, this course will familiarize students with the governance of transboundary crisis management by paying special emphasis to the role of the social networks involved in these operations. To do so, it will present them with a series of lectures touching upon different sub-topics related to this issue.
By the end of the course, the students will be able to answer questions such as: under what circumstances do actors belonging to different levels of governance acquire prominent roles in transboundary crisis management? Do well-functioning crisis management systems possess any common characteristics?
Students will also gain extensive knowledge of a rich methodological toolbox to answer such questions, namely descriptive social network analysis. Besides key concepts related to the use of social network analysis, students will be presented with the relational perspective that social network studies adopt.
Course Objectives
After completing the course the student will be able to:
Understand, based on advanced knowledge, concepts and ideas related to transboundary crisis management.
Identify the key actors involved in a range of transboundary crises.
Critically assess the logic behind the involvement of different actors in different policy sectors.
Analyze how different levels of governance coordinate their response to transboundary crises.
Understand, based on advanced knowledge, theoretical and ontological assumptions behind the use of social network analysis.
Identify key concepts used in descriptive social network analysis.
Discuss findings using network graphs in a compelling way.
Timetable
On the right side of programme front page of the E-guide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.
Mode of Instruction
This course consists of seven lectures of three hours each. The total study load amounts to 140 hours: 21 of these equal contact hours, whereas the remaining 119 hours will be devoted to self-study (i.e., readings, completing the course assignments, etc.)
Each course session will be divided into two distinctive parts. The first half will be devoted to the topic of crisis management, whereas the second half will be dedicated to aspects related to the methodology of social network analysis. Students are expected to attend and participate actively in the sessions. Attendance on-site is mandatory. Missing a session without permission from the board of examiners might lead to a failing grade. Students missing a session will need to justify the reasons why they were not able to attend. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the study advisors, will assess whether these circumstances justify the absence.
Assessment method
The final grade will be calculated by taking three elements into account:
- Short research paper analyzing the management of a transboundary crisis of your choice. Students are expected to apply the concepts and tools acquired in the course. Additionally, there will be an emphasis on its methodology section. Specifically, students will need to outline a series of research design decisions related to the use of social network analysis. This amounts to 70% of the final grade. The grade cannot be compensated; i.e., a 5.50 is required to pass the course. Those students who do not reach a passing grade will have the opportunity to participate in a resit exercise, which will adopt the same form.
- Familiarity with the course readings through short in-class quizzes. This amounts to 15% of the final grade. Compensation will be possible for those students who do not reach a passing grade (i.e., a grade lower than 5.50). A resit will not be conducted.
- Guided summaries of course readings, where students will be expected to engage critically with their content. This amounts to 15% of the final grade. Compensation will be possible for those students who do not reach a passing grade (i.e., a grade lower than 5.50). A resit will not be conducted.
The examiner may conduct follow-up conversations to assess the extent to which written assignments fulfill the learning outcomes of the course.
Reading list
A selection of books and academic papers will be announced on Brightspace.
Registration
*Please note, registration for block 4 electives will be organised by the OSC in a different way from the regular course registration for semester 2. More information about this will follow in the beginning of semester 2.
Contact
Dr. Carlos Bravo Laguna c.d.bravo.laguna@fgga.leidenuniv.nl