Admission requirements
Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management can take this course.
Description
In this course we examine global efforts to end impunity for atrocity crimes (i.e. genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing), some of world’s worst wrongs. We address basic questions of who are and can be held responsible for these crimes (e.g. individuals, states), what means are deployed to hold perpetrators to account (e.g. universal jurisdiction, international courts and tribunals, sanctions, and the use of force) and what these efforts mean in the real world. We are ultimately interested in knowing, whether, and under what conditions, efforts to ensure accountability for atrocity crimes yield tangible results for the aggrieved. We explore these questions in a multidisciplinary fashion and with the help of insights from real-world cases.
Course objectives
Upon completion of this course, students should obtain:
a) a good grasp of key concepts, issues, and debates on the possibility of accountability for atrocity crimes;
b) critical understanding of theoretical and empirical aspects of research in the field of human rights protection;
c) ability to harness insights from different disciplines (eg law, political science, history) in order to critically assess the problem of impunity and possibility of ending it;
d) good skills to conduct theoretically informed empirical research.
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
This course consists of 7 seminars. Classes will be dedicated to (guest) lectures and group discussion. Students are required to participate actively in class discussion.
Attendance is mandatory.
Assessment method
Assessment for this course is based on two assignments
Assignment 1 Critical note
20% of final grade
Resit not possible
Grade must be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50).
Assignment 2 Critical note
20% of final grade
Resit not possible
Grade must be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50).
Final Essay
60% of final grade
Resit is possible
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course
Resit takes the same form
The calculated grade of the assignments must be at least 5.50 in order to pass the course. Students are also permitted to resit the 60% assignment if they have a calculated overall course grade lower than 5.50.
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 2023-2024 are no longer valid during academic year 2024-2025.
Reading list
The literature will consist of academic articles and policy documents, links to which will be provided in the syllabus.
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. Gjovalin Macaj g.macaj@fgga.leidenuniv.nl