GV532-6-AU-CO:
State Fragility and Conflict
2023/24
Government
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 15 December 2023
15
06 June 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
GV537
This module examines the interplay between state fragility, in its political, economic, social and security dimension, and conflict. The multidimensional fragility framework, introduced by the OECD, provides a crucial analytical foundation to understand the causes and consequences of fragility, the links between fragility and many contemporary crises – including migration, climate change, violent extremism, and the war in Ukraine – and can inform more effective policy responses in fragile contexts.
The topics covered in this module include (but are not limited to): the relationship between state capacity and conflict, the political dimensions of state fragility and their effect on civil war and terrorism, the "resource curse", ethnic dynamics of mobilisation, conflict and terrorism, the causes and consequences of refugee flows and the migration-security nexus.
The aims of this module are:
- To analyse the interplay between state fragility, in its political, economic, social and security dimension, and conflict.
- To familiarise students with rigorous, empirically grounded research on state fragility, armed conflict, and terrorism.
By the end of this module students will be expected to be able to:
- Identify the challenges inherent to fragile contexts, their causes, and implications for policy interventions
- Understand and assess the multiple dimensions of (in)stability and state fragility through the lens of political science theories.Apply key political science theories to understand the dynamics of some of the most conflict prone and unstable areas of the world
- Identify and understand the interplay of economic, political, and social drivers of conflict and terrorism.
- Understand the obstacles to political development and state building in fragile contexts.
- Link theory and evidence in the study of state fragility and conflict.
- Apply theoretical frameworks to understand the dynamics of specific conflict and post-conflict states
No additional information available.
The module will be taught on the basis of one two-hour seminar, sometimes divided into a lecture followed by a class, sometimes combined as a two-hour discussion with a break in the middle.
Students must prepare for each class by reading the materials assigned for the week (under required readings). Attendance is mandatory. Failure to read and/or to attend will make it hard to follow the course and even harder to do well on the essays and tests.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
State Fragility and Conflict |
|
35% |
| Written Exam |
State Fragility and Conflict |
|
65% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Edward Morgan-Jones
University of Kent
Reader in Comparative Politics
Available via Moodle
Of 19 hours, 16 (84.2%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
3 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Government
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