Second year
Year BA2 semester 1: Honours FGGA
In this second year of TGC you will continue developing your skills and insights. You will have to gain 10 EC by TGC courses and 5 EC by taking a mandatory Honours Class.
In the first semester TGC you can choose between four TGC courses. In the second between three TGC courses. The Honours coordinator will also take care of your selection of the Honours FGGA courses as well as for enrolment of your these classes in BS and USIS.
The Honours Classes are distributed by the Honours Academy and you will receive an information and application e-mail halfway August for semester 1 and halfway November for semester 2. The HA will take care of enrolment of your Honours Classes in BS and USIS.
BA2/1 Negotiations LAB (see description BA1) (30 places)
See description BA1/2.
Schedule BA2 semester 1:
Wednesdays week 38, 39, 41, 44, 46, 48 from 19.15-22.00; week 49 from 19.30 - 21.00 written exam; week 50 from 10.15-13.00 final lecture
BA2/1 Global Justice Challenges by dr. Tamara Takacs (20 places)
This course explores contemporary debates and controversies regarding global justice. The focus is on the following question: how to define, understand, and uphold justice in a global and globalizing world?
From a human rights-centric approach, the course will proceed with an analysis of the political theories of justice along with an examination of applied and distributive justice focusing on selected issues that have arisen in contemporary global dynamics: participatory rights and social/labour standards, gender/sexuality, genocide and armed conflicts, environmental concerns. The course will specifically examine the role of global governance and international organisations in the quest for a universal approach to (global) justice.
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of different theories and positions within the political and
philosophical discussion about global justice;
demonstrate an ability to, both orally and in written form, present arguments and positions relevant to
issues of global justice;
understand and critically assess the interplay between various global governance structures and actors
therein;
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of select contemporary human rights concerns and of the
institutional structure and constraints of global governance structures that address these concerns.
Schedule BA2 semester 1:
Wednesdays 19.15-21.30 in week 40,41,42,44,46,48,49 and 50;
Wednesdays 10-12.30 in week 45,47.
BA2/1 Model EU Simulation: Policies, Negotiations and Transatlantic Experiential Learning by Dr. Silviu Piros and professor Joachim Koops (16 places)
This unique course offers highly motivated Honours Class student teams the opportunity to be trained for -and participate in- the international EuroSim Model European Union, taking place each year at a European or American partner university. The EuroSim event challenges students to take on the role of key policy-makers and member states in order to negotiate core policy proposals and outcomes during a four-day intensive simulation with over 200 participants from more than 20 universities. Each EuroSim has a specific theme related to the real-world policy agenda of the EU, helping students to deepen their knowledge of the EU and hone their public speaking, negotiating, leadership and diplomatic skills.
This course provides in-depth training for selected students and the exploration of core EU policy challenges and real-life negotiation skills in order to prepare the Honours Class student teams for their successful participation in the EuroSim simulation.
The course seeks to explore negotiation, diplomatic tactics and techniques and in-depth knowledge of EU policy-making in an active and experiential manner, and place students at the centre of the learning process, by continuously engaging them through practitioner sessions, negotiation workshops, and an immersive four-day Model EU simulation on the legislative process. Students will understand the nature and functioning of major EU institutions, their power and role in the policy making process from a historical and theoretical perspective and will have the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice, by taking on the role of a policy maker and negotiating a legislative proposal with 200 peers from the EU and the US. Students will also delve deeply into the policy challenges related to the EU and major European, transatlantic, and global policy challenges. As a result of this practical experience students will become better problem-solvers and will have the chance to hone not only their negotiation skills, but also their inter-personal and inter-cultural skills and establish stimulating networks among an international and transnational cohort of learners.
Course objectives:
Understand core historical, theoretical and practical aspects of the European integration process
Understand the role of the EU in tackling major policy issues from a European, transatlantic and global perspective
Understand the set-up and functioning of the EU’s major institutions and their role in the policy-making process
Have a good knowledge of the mechanisms and procedures that guide the legislative process
Identify and support the position of a given persona (alter ego) in the legislative process
Further transfer academic insights and research on relevant literature into real-life scenario and for real-life problem solving
Develop own negotiation strategies, by identifying and engaging with relevant stakeholders under time constrains
Develop collaborative, inter-personal and inter-cultural skills by working with large and diverse groups of students towards a common goal
Self-evaluate, reflect, and contribute to group debrief sessions after the Model EU simulation
Schedule BA2 semester 1
Mondays from 18.15-21.00 in week 36, 38, 41, 44, 46, 48 and 50. In January a four-days conference abroad.
BA1/2 Crucial Skills by Jacob Koolstra/School of LIFE (20 places)
“Learning without reflection is a waste. Reflection without learning is dangerous.” - Confucius
In this highly interactive course we will study some of the most relevant skills for professionals in the 21st century. This course presumes that professionals with high emotional intelligence and self-awareness are bound to become leaders of the next decades. Your Consciousness on social, societal, individual and environmental levels will be enlarged through this course.
Some profound differences between university and professional life that we will tap into:
You will have to work intensively together with people you don’t know well.
You will have to present yourself and your results all the time.
You will have to be ready to negotiate for yourself and your organisation.
Nobody is responsible for your own development and well-being but you.
You will never have a clear idea how to get a good grade, since nobody is grading you and there are no assessment guidelines.
You will always be uncertain about the relevance and impact of your projects and task
Learning in this course is done by a combination of practising and reflection called experiental learning.
The course will be taught by Wicher Schols, you and all your fellow students. Each theme will partly be covered by Wicher and partly by teaching groups existing of students that are guided by Wicher.
After the lecture the teaching groups will get adequate and constructive feedback from their audience.
Course objectives
Practise a growth mindset by identifying continuous potential for personal development
Examine core values and identify a personal mission statement
Recognise the way that communication and presentation are mutually inclusive
Apply personal and theoretical reflection in writing
Practise how to generate new perspectives on conventional wisdom to discover possibilities, creative
thinking
Connect traditional to new notions of (entrepreneurial) value
Schedule BA1/semester 1:
Fridays from 13.15-16.00 in week 36, 38, 40, 41, 44, 46 and 48.
YEAR BA2 semester 2: Honours FGGA
BA2/2 Data Governance and policymaking by Matthew Young and/or Alex Ingrams (25-30 places)
This course is designed to teach students about the most important and controversial Big Data applications currently being used in the public sector. The course has a practical and utilitarian component, which is to introduce students to what these applications are. It also has an analytical component, which is to learn and apply critical thinking towards such applications using findings from scholarly literature and public discussion about real cases.
On the first component, it will address questions of how the technologies work and why governments use them. For example, students will be introduced to the basic working principles of predictive policing, fraud detection, and smart public installations such as lighting and traffic systems. These are each different in important ways and there are different technical and social consequences. Students will learn about key technology ‘affordances’ and frameworks that can help know what to highlight and be critical of.
A second component will involve learning about real world cases and the arguments and evidence available from academic research. This component will pose questions such as what ethical issues arise from use of the technologies, whether robots will decide all the important matters that affect our lives, and whether there is anything that governments and citizens can do to use technologies to make government better. For example, we may review and discuss cases of Google’s failed smart city project in Toronto, the Dutch fall-out from the ‘Toeslagenaffaire’, or Rio de Janeiro’s policing of favelas. The global spread of big data technologies will be used as an opportunity to learn about a wide variety of countries and cities.
Students will learn to navigate the complex technical and ethical issues and put forward their own arguments through discussion and debate. Together, these skills and knowledge will help students to critically assess these tools and to become more expert both as critical users of technologies and as systems architects.
Course objectives
Describe examples of different kinds of Big Data applications in public services
Debate the public values pros and cons of artificial intelligence in the public sector using real world
examples and academic literature
Carry out a research project that critically evaluates an algorithmic decision-making system from the
perspective of protecting and improving public values.
Schedule BA2 semester 2, block 3: Thursdays from 19.15-21.00 in week 6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12.
BA2/2 International Relations: on diplomacy and negotiations by dr. Paul Meerts (25 students HCGGA and 30 students Honours Class)
The course is extensive, however the rational is simple. Negotiation is a skill which needs to be practised. Therefore, students will actively engage with the theoretical material in several ways, through exercises, simulations, case studies and video reviews.
The course starts with a kick off on Saturday with an opening by the Young Diplomat, introducing the topic of the Young Diplomat Conference. Students will receive a briefing on which state they will represent in which body. In the second half of the afternoon there will be a lecture on a topic in relation to the conference. On the second day there will be another lecture relating to the conference topic and a discussion with a diplomatic panel.
The weekend will be followed by six seminars. Each seminar will high light certain aspects of international negotiation and as students will progress the exercises during the seminars will become more complex and challenging. As they learn about the theoretical aspects on international negotiation, they apply it directly and train their skills during the exercises.
During the final weekend students will partake in the Young Diplomat Conference. Here students will have to apply the skills and knowledge they have gained throughout the course in a two day simulation. Each body will have a professional from the Young Diplomat to make observations about the performance of the students which will serve as input to the reflection. During the course students will need to do research on the position of their actor (through desk research but also by contacting and meeting with the actual Embassy of their actor in the Hague). They will submit their position statement to the course lecturers who will provide it with feedback. The position statements will also be distributed among all other participants. Students will have to submit a final position statement with a negotiation strategy as part of their final assignment.
During the weeks of the course students will go on field trips within the Hague to the International Criminal Court, the Peace Palace, embassies, will join a networking event with NGOs and during the Young Diplomat Conference attend a formal dinner.
Programme:
Week 5:
4th of February 13.00 – 17.00:
Students will be welcomed and be given an introduction on the topic of the Young Diplomat Conference followed by a related lecture.
5th of February 13.00 – 17.00:
Students will follow another lecture on the topic of the conference followed by a discussion with a diplomatic panel.
Week 6:
During the week
A visit will be made to the International Criminal Court in the Hague where students will receive a guided tour and presentation on the workings of the court. The International Criminal Court is the only international tribunal which can rule on international crimes based on the Rome statute. This visit will high light the importance of the court in international relations and politics and what the consequences are in relation to which states are and are not signatory to the Rome statute.
11th of February 10.30 – 12.30 and 13.00 – 15.00:
Session I of the seminar: introduction to International Negotiation and Bilateral Bargaining. An introductory lecture on the topic of international negotiation will give students an overview of the important elements of the topic. Next students will work together on establishing a definition of international negotiation. Followed by two exercises on distributive (win/lose) and integrative (win/win) bargaining.
Week 7:
18th of February 10.30 – 12.30 and 13.00 – 15.00:
Session II of the seminar: Trilateral and Minilateral Bargaining. In this session, the process of negotiation between more than two parties and the impact of internal and external processes will be studied and practiced. Students will get a better understanding of the options for win/win solutions, hampered by elements like trust, entrapment, power and interest imbalances, the differences in character and effectiveness of the actors involved and the (non-)chemistry between them. They will get more insights into the tensions between competition and cooperation. The session will start with a discussion of the Kuechle case in which three parties try to come to a – for them - acceptable agreement, followed by a mixed distributive/integrative exercise. In the afternoon there will be a negotiation between five member states of the European Union concerning a crisis in the Mediterranean.
Week 8:
During the week:
Students are expected to visit or meet up with a representative of the embassy of the actor they represent in the Young Diplomat Conference. This will give them input for their concept and final position statement. It will also offer them the opportunity to meet in a small setting with a diplomat to ask questions about her/his work and the field.
25th of February 10.30 – 12.30 and 13.00 – 15.00:
Session III of the seminar: Negotiation behaviour. Several models and exercises will serve to enhance the understanding and management of negotiation behaviour and its effectiveness. After all, bargaining and negotiation are not only about interest, but very much about personalities, their ego, etc. This is true for diplomats, but probably even more for politicians. The module starts with a discussion of chapter IV of ‘Diplomatic Negotiation’ and a discussion on the issue of the skilled negotiator. Followed by a discussion on, and application of, strategy and tactics in negotiation processes. The third hour will be devoted the questions of perception and emotion, which play an important role in negotiation processes. The session will be concluded by a self-assessment exercise on unconscious negotiation behaviour: negotiation styles.
Week 9
4th of March 10.30 – 12.30 and 13.00 – 15.00:
Session IV of the seminar: Multilateral Negotiation / Conference Diplomacy. In order to get a better understanding of multilateral complexity, students will negotiate and draft a resolution on the creation of the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization (UNDRO) in the context of the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva. This session is the preparatory phase. It starts with a lecture on the issue and a discussion on the Kent article, followed by time for preparation in delegations, which can be used for lobbying as well. After the break a plenary session with short statements followed by exploration of the draft resolution will be the official starting point of the conference, followed by a first round of formal and informal consultations.
Week 10:
During the week:
A visit will be made to the Peace Palace where the students will receive a guided tour. The Peace Palace is an active court and plays an important role in international relations, law and negotiations.
11th of March 10.30 – 12.30 and 13.00 – 15.00:
Session V of the seminar: Multilateral Negotiation / Conference Diplomacy. In this session the negotiations of session IV will be finalized. An ECOSOC Resolution on the coordination in cases of natural disasters will be drafted and debriefed. In parallel sessions each member of the ten delegations (including the presidency) will be involved in a process of drafting a single text under consensus rule. After the break there will be debriefings with reflections on the performance of the students and as groups. The session will be concluded by a film of the drafting process as it happened in reality, followed by a reflection on the course so far by discussing the article of Lempereur and Colson.
Week 11:
18th of March 10.30 – 12.30 and 13.00 – 15.00:
Session VI of the seminar: Chairing negotiations and conferences. Negotiations and international political conferences can be a hot bed for tensions. Chairing such events requires a particular approach, a chair can have significant influence over the process and outcomes. While on the other hand can find her-/himself excluded from any affairs by a single mistake. In this session students will reflect on characteristics of a chair, the importance of procedure, tips and tricks, and different styles of chairing. Through experience from previous sessions, videos and exercises students will engage and be prepped for a potential chairpersonship during future conferences and negotiations.
Week 12:
During the week:
Students will attend an NGO networking event. Here they will have speed date during a drinks event with several NGO’s. This way students are enabled to build a network and get to know different NGOs in the field. The purpose is to help students find internship or even job and career opportunities.
25th of March 09.30 – 17.30:
The first day of the Young Diplomat Conference. The international bodies in which the students will act are the UN Security Council, NATO or the EU Heads of Government. Some actors will be represented in all bodies, while others will not. In all situations students will have to coordinate their actions and approach across the bodies, and if they have no representation in one or two of the other bodies work with allies to ensure their interests are served. Students will start negotiations on the topic of the conference and will have to coordinate with their fellow delegates and allies across different bodies. The goal is to have a final resolution or statement by the end of the weekend. Each body will have a professional from the Young Diplomat to make observations about the performance of the students serve as input to the reflection.
19.00 – 22.00:
Dinner at hotel VOCO in the Hague. The dinner serves several purposes 1) during dinner, as during real life negotiation and diplomatic conferences lobbying continues and deals are struck; 2) an introductory course on etiquette will be provided; 3) this is the final weekend of the course, a moment for students to bond and build connections among each other.
26th of March 09.30 – 15.00:
After a first day at the conference students are expected to come to a final outcome with either a statement or resolution. Again, each body will have a professional from the Young Diplomat to make observations about the performance of the students serve as input to the reflection.
15.30 – 17.30:
After the conference has concluded a break is taken. During the first part of the reflection each body will reflect, with the Young Diplomat professional, on their performance. After this reflection the group will come together, review the outcome of the conference and in general reflect on the performance across the different bodies.
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
Have a better understanding of the relationship and inner workings of supranational and
intergovernmental organizations as well as among government, science and society.
Having gained valuable skills on bilateral and multilateral negotiation skills, as well as on personal
leadership and public speaking.
Applying skills and theoretical knowledge through different simulations varying in complexity, while also applying knowledge to case studies.
Have a better understanding of international political and diplomatic negotiation.
Learn how to manage complexity, their own emotions and representing interests, while dealing with those of others.
Have a better understanding of their own behavior and that of their fellow students/negotiators.
Have gained analysis and research skills in relation to international political and diplomatic negotiation.
Have gained a network of NGOs for potential internships and career opportunities.
Have gained insights into the reality of working in international politics and diplomacy.
Schedule BA2 semester 2:
Week 5: Saturday and Sunday from 13-17 ;
Week 6-11: lectures from 10.30-12.30 and 13-15 pm
Week 12: Saturday and Sunday from 9.30 - 17.30, including Saturday 26/2 Dinner Hotel VOCO.
Week 6, 8. 10 and 11: working visits to Peace Palace, International Criminal Court, meeting NGO’s and meeting diplomats.
BA2/2 Transnational organized crime and the future of global security by Dr. Shiraz (20 places)
The accelerated pace of globalisation since the 1980s not only increased global trade along with the flow of private capital and investment but also led to the creation of a global shadow economy without borders. Transnational organised crime arguably constitutes a greater threat than terrorism and has certainty resulted in more deaths through the flow of weapons, financing of violent conflict, and increasingly urban warfare. The global operations of arms traders, international criminals, and drug barons combined with the insidious corruption of state institutions and international frameworks have created unprecedented challenges for the modern state and its citizens, particularly in parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The shifting security landscape of transnational organised crime has emerged as an issue of critical concern across global and regional organisations and national governments resulting in a wide array of policy prescriptions and treaties. However, the increasing complexity of transnational organised crime and borderless security threats have outpaced the ability of international organisations, national governments and their security forces to curb illicit trades.
In this course, outstanding honours students will theoretically and practically study, analyse and evaluate the impact of transnational organised crime on security in the Global South together with global and local policy responses. Using case study analysis, students will examine drug production and trafficking, proliferation of arms, and human smuggling and how these illicit trades interact with globalisation, regional security dynamics and the changing nature of security in the Global South.
Students are encouraged to engage with policy and academic literature from the observed countries to gain an understanding of competing interests and fault lines in the global efforts to counter transnational organised crime. During the interactive seminars, students will work in teams to deploy this knowledge and generate pragmatic and innovative solutions to the global challenge of transnational organised crime.
Course objectives
By the end of the course, students are able to:
Explain and analyse core concepts and issues related to themes of ‘globalisation’ and ‘security’ in a multi- level perspective, i.e.: global, regional and national, with a particular emphasis on the Global South.
Explain and critically analyse the principle policy responses to transnational organisation on a global level through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and identify areas of improvement through
evidenced argumentation;
Deploy basic case study methods to explain how and why transnational organised crime has impacted the observed countries.
Combine existing knowledge from the wider programme with theoretical and practical insights in this
course.
Reflect on global challenges in an interdiscplinary manner using approaches, i.e.: International Security,
Political Science, Area Studies and Criminology.
Work in teams to produce policy guidance that is grounded in scientific and policy research and literature.
Schedule BA2 semester 2:
Mondays from 18.15 - 20.30 in week 6,8,10,12,14,17,19
BA2 semester 2 The Battle for Europe by Hans van den Berg and Dr. Rob de Wijk (20 places Honours FGGA and 25 places Honours elective)
Europe once ruled the world, but now the continent is under attack from all sides, including from within. Chinese President Xi Jinping sees the continent as a win-win region. He has been buying influence in the Western Balkans for years and trying to tear the European Union apart. Russia feels threatened and President Putin conducts covert and now also military operations to disrupt NATO. President Trump, meanwhile, made it easy for the Russians and Chinese by turning away from his closest allies and opening the attack on Europe himself. President Biden seems again more involved in Europe, but still pursues an America first strategy and is aware that the future is all about the Asian region. Prime Minister Johnson thought he would be better off outside the European Union and the Hungarian and Polish leaders are undermining the democratic rule of law. They all believe that a strong European Union stands in the way of their ambitions. Political leaders struggle with an answer. The corona crisis, the war in Ukraine and many other issues have further increased the challenge. Can we win this battle for Europe? Can Biden Repair the Damage Trump has brought? What will the relationship between Germany and France bring? Will the EU remain a player in the world, or will the continent become the playground of world powers?
This course will explore current challenges and opportunities to and within the EU. This is done through different perspectives but is always focused on current affairs. With guest lectures from experts in different fields and practical exercises, students will explore the current challenges and opportunities. In a group assignment The Future of Europe, a Message to Europeans students are challenged to debate and write a common perspective on what values, projects and ideals should hold together countries within the EU facing current and future developments. In an individual assignment students tackle a challenge of their own choice and advice the EU on how to approach it. Finally, a short exam of 4 open questions will test the development of the knowledge of students throughout the course. The 4 open questions will relate to the current affairs topics that were discussed in the lectures.
The current affairs topics are not picked yet as these will focus on what is relevant at that point in time.
Programme
Session 0: Preparatory session for the Honours class students
Session 1: The history and workings of the EU. Two short lectures provide students with insights into the basics of how the EU works, how decisions are made, policies are developed and what the important departments and organisations are. In the second part, students create a timeline and mood board of the most important historical events, in their perspective, of the European Union and present this to their fellow classmates.
Session 2: Current affairs topic 1. Rob de Wijk provides students with a thought-provoking lecture on a current challenge or opportunity of the European Union in relation to defence, security and foreign relations. In the second part, students work in small groups on providing policy advice on how to deal with this current topic.
Session 3: EU Simulation on decision making within the EU.
Session 4: Current affairs topic 2. Mendeltje van Keulen provides students with a thought-provoking lecture on a current challenge or opportunity of the European Union in relation to its internal functioning and development of relations between local, regional and national governments and influence groups. In the second part, students will map the different levels of government, organizations and interest groups that try to influence EU decision making and provide advice on the best ways for these different groups to do so.
Session 5: Current affairs topic 3. Carolien de Gruyter provides students with a thought-provoking lecture on a current challenge or opportunity of the European Union compared to the Habsburg Empire. Through a debate with challenging statements, students will argue whether the EU awaits the same fate as the Habsburg empire and what the catalysts of this downfall will be.
Session 6: Current affairs topic 4. Hans van den Berg provides students with a thought-provoking lecture on a current challenge or opportunity of the European Union in relation to Russia, Eastern Europe and EU expansion policy. In the second part, students analyse a topic, in relation to the EU, which is currently being reported in the media. In doing so they will have to check the facts and get different perspectives on the topic. After having done so they will have to create a short podcast on the topic to explain it in such a way that anybody can understand it, record it and share it with their fellow students.
Session 7: EU simulation on the accession of candidate states for the European Union.
Session 8: Presentations of the Future of Europe, a Message to Europeans.
Course objectives
Formulate a perspective on threats and opportunities for the European Union.
Develop a policy advice on a current issue in relation to the developments within or outside the European Union.
Analyse the functioning of the European Union.
Analyse current affairs and issues within the European Union and external which have an impact on it.
Explain the major milestones and developments within the European Union.
Create a personal perspective on current and ongoing issues within and about the future of the EU.
Mondays from 14-16.00 in week 13, 14, 16,17 en 19-21
Schedule BA2/2 semester 2: Thursdays from 19.15-22.00 in week 13-16, 18, 19 and 21. Tuesdays from 19.15-22 in week 17 and 20. Thursday 19.00-21.00 short exam in week 22.
Third year
Year BA3 semester 2: Honours FGGA
In the winter of your final BA year the Honours coordinator will contact you about your study plan in semester 2. You can choose between three TGC courses. The courses offer you the possibility to play a consultancy role for an organization or to become part of a think tank. The courses start in February and the Honours coordinator will give you the possibility to select one of them as well as of enrollment on Brightspace and in uSis.
BA3/2 Enhancing a rule of law in practical ways by dr. Tamara Takacs (30 places)
Providing access to justice is key tool of empowerment for all in society and constitutes a fundamental tenet to the rule of law.
The UN SDG 16 is set to Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. This goal is particularly challenging and pressing with respect to vulnerable groups such as women, children, LGBT community, refugees and migrants. The specific rights and needs of these groups require innovative ideas to ensure that access the justice is not only an end in and of itself but also a functional reality with guarantees for equality. In parallel with efforts and achievements regarding the SDG 16, ongoing technological transformations affect but also offer opportunities for avenues of seeking justice, asserting rights and strengthening equality.
This admittedly ambitious course looks at a fundamental societal need (legal empowerment) through the prism of genuine practical relevance so as to foster innovative ideas and solutions. The practical component of the course will engage the students in crafting innovative solutions to (access to) justice based on comprehensive data collected by the Hague Institute for Innovation for Law (HiiL).
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
From of law in the context of access to justice.
Students will obtain advanced knowledge and understanding of essential concepts related to SDG 16, and illustrative examples of challenges, achievements, best practices, pitfalls.
Students will be able to identify challenges that are hindering legal and thus societal empowerment of
(vulnerable) groups and think of transformative ways to address these.
Students will obtain advanced knowledge and understanding of rule of law culture and its relevance to
society as a whole.
Students will be able to carry out innovative design processes to address important societal challenges to empowerment and bring about change.
Student will identify the impact of technological transformations on access to justice.
Schedule BA3/semester 2:
Wednesdays 18.15-20.30 in week 5-8,10,12; Wednesdays 10-12.30 in week 9,11,13
BA2/2 Data Governance and policymaking by Matthew Young and/or Alex Ingrams (25-30 places)
This course is designed to teach students about the most important and controversial Big Data applications currently being used in the public sector. The course has a practical and utilitarian component, which is to introduce students to what these applications are. It also has an analytical component, which is to learn and apply critical thinking towards such applications using findings from scholarly literature and public discussion about real cases.
On the first component, it will address questions of how the technologies work and why governments use them. For example, students will be introduced to the basic working principles of predictive policing, fraud detection, and smart public installations such as lighting and traffic systems. These are each different in important ways and there are different technical and social consequences. Students will learn about key technology ‘affordances’ and frameworks that can help know what to highlight and be critical of.
A second component will involve learning about real world cases and the arguments and evidence available from academic research. This component will pose questions such as what ethical issues arise from use of the technologies, whether robots will decide all the important matters that affect our lives, and whether there is anything that governments and citizens can do to use technologies to make government better. For example, we may review and discuss cases of Google’s failed smart city project in Toronto, the Dutch fall-out from the ‘Toeslagenaffaire’, or Rio de Janeiro’s policing of favelas. The global spread of big data technologies will be used as an opportunity to learn about a wide variety of countries and cities.
Students will learn to navigate the complex technical and ethical issues and put forward their own arguments through discussion and debate. Together, these skills and knowledge will help students to critically assess these tools and to become more expert both as critical users of technologies and as systems architects.
Course objectives
Describe examples of different kinds of Big Data applications in public services
Debate the public values pros and cons of artificial intelligence in the public sector using real world
examples and academic literature
Carry out a research project that critically evaluates an algorithmic decision-making system from the
perspective of protecting and improving public values.
Schedule BA2 semester 2, block 3: Thursdays from 19.15-21.00 in week 6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12.
BA3/2 The impact of global transformations on violence-related challenges by dr. Valentina Carraro (20 places)
Recent world-scale developments have intensified existing forms of violence, or created new ones. For instance, lockdown measures adopted by governments to manage the Covid-19 pandemic have frequently resulted in increased levels of domestic violence, and have caused violent street protests in some countries. In addition, climate change has given rise to a new category of migrants – the so-called climate migrants – who must flee their homes as their lands become inhospitable or even uninhabitable; these migrants, in turn, are particularly susceptible to violence. However, not only negatively charged global transformations give rise to violence: think for example of the increased use of digital technologies, which has brought many advantages in our daily lives, but has also created new phenomena such as cyberviolence or cyberstalking – which, albeit originating in a virtual environment, often have very serious real-life consequences.
By adopting a seminar format, this course explores which violence-related challenges arise from global transformations, and invites students to reflect on the adequacy of the current governance system in addressing these challenges. It starts with an overview of key concepts such as violence, global transformations, and governance, to then delve into specific case studies. It includes one guest lecture by a practitioner involved in anti-violence governance and a training session in preparation of the final assignments.
Goals
To gain knowledge on global transformations and the governance of the ensuing violence-related
challenges
To conduct independent research and engage in critical reflection on relevant case studies
To develop students’ skills in academic discussion, policy brief writing, and presentation skills in professional settings
Schedule BA3 semester 2:
Mondays at 14.15-16.00 in weeks 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20.
BA2/2 A Taste of Leadership by Michel Michaloliákos (30 places)
This course is designed to teach students important lessons about leadership. Leadership is an extremely multifaceted phenomenon, that has interested the entirety of humanity throughout history. Complete coverage of leadership is impossible, so a taste of leadership will have to do the job.
Leadership is shaping the (social) world we live in and the well-being of humankind. Understanding the mechanisms of leadership isn't only enjoyable and interesting, but an absolute necessity for greater self-actualization as well as to contribute to an increase of well-being for all of us.
The taste of leadership in this course has been built up by practical, (scientific) theoretical and self-reflective ingredients. Through phases of introspection, influence and incorporation the taste of leadership will be served. Phases refer to a state of internal development rather than time, i.e., all phases happen simultaneously.
Introspection
Social reality is mind-made, according to the constructivists. As far as it is helpful for the students; this course uses constructivist insights into the mechanism of leadership. One important lesson is that the world is getting meaning through you.
Introspection helps to reveal how the process of giving meaning to the world works, for you and for others. The way you give meaning to the world is shaping one's convictions, choices and behavior. By looking at your self-esteem through a poetic lens, zooming in on your fears of rejection, self-assessment and applying empirical and theoretical concepts you will end up having a multi-sourced sketch of how you give meaning to this world.
Influence
This sketch helps students to provide a deeper understanding of how influence works. Being in a permanent state of interaction equals an endless cycle of influencing and being influenced. This implies power and vulnerability. Students will be encouraged to learn how the cycle of influence can be analyzed and used, employing prominent insights, tools and theories offered by the disciplines of group dynamics and leadership literature.
Incorporation
The students ought to incorporate the lessons of introspection and influence by putting them to the test in practice. The opportunity of incorporation is being offered by doing a challenge.
Challenge
The challenge is done in groups of 4 to 5 students. The challenge is focused on mapping out or resolving social problems or challenges, preferably at a local level. Doing a challenge on a local level helps students to enrich the phase of incorporation by having direct contact with the people for whom they are doing the challenge. Students initiate and develop – with guidance of teacher – a clearly defined challenge, for example helping existing stakeholders with loneliness, poverty or the energy transition.
The final result must be presented in a thoughtful, suitable and serious manner, but freedom is being given to the students to choose the form, such as a paper, documentary or art work.
Introduction Saturday April 8: 13.00-17.30
Wednesdays from 19.00-21.30 in week 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21
Closing Friday June 8: 13.00-17.30
