Prospectus

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Introduction to Violence Studies

Course
2024-2025

Admission requirements

This course is part of the minor Violence Studies, which falls under the interdisciplinary programme Social Resilience and Security. This is an interdisciplinary minor, and as such it is suitable for students from a variety of social science disciplines, including security studies, law, criminology, psychology, child studies, and related subjects.
The course is also available as an elective course.

If you would like to take part in the minor, but if you are unsure whether it suits your background, please contact the minor coordinator.

Description

During this course students are introduced to the key concepts of interpersonal violence. Examples of interpersonal violence include drug-related violence, group-based violence, sexual violence and domestic violence. Who offends, and in what context? Who is at risk of becoming a victim? What does violent offending look like throughout the world? And, how can we explain violent offending? These and other questions will be addressed in interactive lectures. Students will become acquainted with the main theoretical perspectives on interpersonal violence and the most common methods used in studying violence. These perspectives will be discussed using current events, making use of Podcasts and video materials, and through interactive exercises.

Course objectives

At the end of this course, students are able to:

  • Understand what interpersonal violence entails;

  • Identify main concepts in studying interpersonal violence;

  • Identify the he practices in researching offenders and victims of interpersonal violence;

  • Identify and analyze the main perspectives in studying violent offending and victimization;

  • Apply these main perspectives to current affairs;

  • Present their findings in an academic and professional way.

Timetable

The timetable for this course can be found on MyTimetable.

Mode of instruction

13 lectures, including guest lectures.

Total study load for 10 ECTS = 280 hours:
28 hrs lecture
3 hrs exam
249 hrs self-study: reading, preparing lectures, working on assignments, revision for the exam, etc.

Assessment method

Mid-term assignment

  • 30% of final grade

  • Grade can be compensated (through the final exam at the end of the course)

  • Resit is not possible

Exam

  • 70% of final grade

  • Grade cannot be compensated, a 5.5 is required to pass the course.

  • Resit is possible

  • Resit will take the same form

More information on the assignments will become available on Brightspace during the course, and will be discussed in class.

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.

Transitional arrangements
Grades obtained for this course in previous academic years are no longer valid in academic year 2024-2025.

Reading list

The study material will be listed on Brightspace. The corresponding Brightspace course will become available one week prior to the first lecture.

Registration

Register for every course and workgroup via MyStudymap or uSis. Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in uSis you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.

Registration in Brightspace is necessary because the syllabus and information on the modules are found here. Furthermore, announcements and modifications will be communicated via Brightspace. Students have the responsibility to stay informed and are thus advised to regularly check Brightspace for updates.

Contact

Prof. dr. M. Liem violence@fgga.leidenuniv.nl

This course is the responsibility of the Board of Examiners of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA).

Remarks

This course takes place in The Hague.
Please be aware that resits will take place in January 2025.
All sessions and examinations will be in English.