Credit Points 10

Coordinator Garry Stevens Opens in new window

Description Over the last five decades, the world has experienced historically significant disasters, which have occurred in many different forms including natural (e.g. Tsunami or drought) and human-induced (e.g. wars or ethnic conflicts), leading to an unplanned exponential increase in the number of international non-government response organisations. This subject examines the causes and consequences of disasters and the application of international guidelines governing humanitarian responses. It provides an outline of theoretical approaches to the understanding of the political aspects of emergencies and introduces real-life case studies that aim to engage students in critical thinking and improve their knowledge of the core humanitarian standard on quality and accountability; the humanitarian charter and minimum standards; and the challenges related to interagency coordination in emergencies.

School Social Sciences

Discipline Studies in Human Society, Not Elsewhere Classified.

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Equivalent Subjects HUMN 2017 - Complex Emergencies and International Guidelines

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe different types of natural and human-induced disasters and phases of emergencies
2. Analyse theoretical frameworks to explain the causes of emergencies and assess their applications in various emergency contexts
3. Articulate the principles of disaster preparedness and mitigation
4. Analyse factors and activities associated with various types of disasters
5. Identify key players in emergency response and management, their roles and challenges they face
6. Apply major international guidelines and standards that govern humanitarian responses and assess enabling and disenabling factors associated with the adherence to such standards
7. Analyse challenges and ethical dilemmas associated with various emergency scenarios

Subject Content

1. Disasters: Definition, typology, and evolution
2. The right to humanitarian aid: International laws guiding humanitarian response
3. Theoretical foundations of disasters
4. Principal of disaster prevention, preparedness, and mitigation
5. Phases of emergency management and the relief-development continuum
6. Anatomy of disaster response
7. Core humanitarian standard on quality and accountability
8. The SPHERE project: humanitarian charter and minimum standards
9. Key challenges and dilemmas during humanitarian response
10. Militarization and politicization of humanitarian assistance
11. Case studies and lessons learned: Genocide in Rwanda vs. the Asian Tsunami