PES4022-B Peace and Violence Assessment Brief | University of Bradford

Portfolio tasks

Part 1: Evidence of engagement and reflection on learning

Overall reflective essay (1500-1600 words): How has your understanding of peace and violence developed over the course 

Please note: You must complete and include both A and B.

• Each week, there will be ‘questions for reflection’ and/or preparatory tasks that you will be asked to respond to. Please include your responses to all of these tasks in your portfolio. There is no set word limit for these pieces of work, but try to aim for around 500 words. This is an important opportunity to practice your writing skills and to demonstrate your effort to engage with the different themes of the module. We strongly advise you to work on these as you go along. There will be optional assignment links to submit your weekly work via Canvas for some brief formative feedback.
• At the end of the module, look back at your weekly work and write an overall reflective essay (1500-1600 words):
  How has your understanding of peace and violence developed throughout the module? Please comment on new insights and questions that have arisen for you from critical engagement with the course literature, activities and discussions.

Part 2: Essay (1500-1750 words)
 
Choose ONE of the questions below.

• Critically discuss Johan Galtung’s concepts of direct, structural and cultural violence. What insights and questions does this conceptual framework generate?
• Martin Luther King Jr. led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States through a campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience. Analyse how King utilised techniques such as nonviolent protests, boycotts, and marches to challenge racial segregation and discrimination and mobilise public support for civil rights and social justice.
• Analyse Mahatma Gandhi's use of nonviolent communication and resistance in the Indian independence movement. Mahatma Gandhi led India's struggle for independence from British rule through nonviolent civil disobedience. Analyse how Gandhi utilised satyagraha (truth-force) techniques, non-cooperation, and civil disobedience to challenge British rule and mobilise public support for independence.
• Examine the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Africa as an example of a process that encourages dialogue and healing following a period of conflict and violence. The TRC was established after the end of apartheid to investigate human rights violations and promote national reconciliation. Analyse the strategies the TRC uses to foster dialogue and healing among victims, perpetrators, and the broader South African society.
• Explore the concept of restorative justice and its application in conflict resolution. Discuss the benefits and limitations of restorative justice compared to traditional justice systems. Using a restorative justice lens, analyse the role of community-based peacebuilding initiatives in addressing structural and systemic causes of conflict.
• Compare TWO different approaches to measuring peace/violence (e.g. the Global Peace Index, Everyday Peace Indicators, the Happy Planet Index, A Good Life for All, Global Happiness Report). What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses in their methodologies? In what ways might they support efforts to reduce violence and/or advance peace?
• Critically examine how constructions of group identity and negative stereo-typing of the other contributed to the legitimisation of violent conflict in one of the following conflicts: the Lebanese civil war and/or post-war Lebanon, the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters in January 2021 or inter-racial violence in America that led to the American civil rights movement in the 1950s.

‘There can be no peace without justice. Critically examine this statement about how wars end, taking one or two case studies to illustrate your answer.

Part 3: Final Case Study and Class Presentation (in groups)

The class will work on case studies based on the concepts of peace. Assessment details:

The following are the questions for the Group Projects for this module. The overall assessment weighting for this assignment is 30%, which includes the group work and test done in class. The following project questions are subject to change but provide a reliable basis for selecting your question.

The analysis and findings from the Group Project should be presented in a written group report of between 1000 – 1200 words (not including title, boxes, diagrams, tables, figures, references, bibliography, or appendix).
 
Students will form groups consisting of 4-6 members, although exceptions for smaller or larger groups may be considered with the specific authorisation of the Module Leader. Once the group has been formed, a group member should inform the module leader and other lecturers as soon as possible with all the group members' names and UB numbers and the question and case study the group has selected.

Students must avoid selecting the same or very similar topic or question for the group project that they choose for their individual essays. This includes avoiding significant overlap in the analytical focus of the question to be addressed or the case study country. Students should consult with the Module Leader in case of any confusion or doubt.

Each group will select a country of their choice and examine its peace and violence situation. Each Group should collectively undertake research
and analysis, and then prepare a report of its analysis and findings following these criteria.

• Examine the historical situation of the conflict.
• Analyses the situation based on the Juan Galtung peace and violence model concept.
• Explore how group identities contributed to peace and violence.
• How can peace and violence be measured in the chosen country?
• What role can nonviolence play in the conflict?

If you doubt the suitability of your choice, it is advisable to consult with one of the Module lecturers or any of the lecturers for advice before finalising your choice of case study.

The Project Report should include the following:

• Clear Title and introductory paragraph specifying the country (or region of the country); outline the reason for the country's choice and explore the country's historical aspect (25% weighting).
• The key findings from the group’s critical assessment of the situation are based on Juan Galtung's model of peace and violence. Findings (25% weighting).
• Presentation of key findings on the influence of group identity on the country and what role non-violence can play (25% weighting).
• Presentation of how peace and violence can be measured in the chosen country (25% weighting).

The aim of the group project and the report that goes with it is for all members to work together and receive the same mark. Each group member should contribute fairly to the research, analysis, and report preparation. This means that the workload should be shared equally among all members, and there should be several group meetings where members can discuss the project critically.

It is important for groups to maintain a record of the dates, times, and attendance of their group meetings. This record should be included as an appendix to the submitted Group Project report. No group member should submit the information in this appendix under their name unless they have verified its accuracy.

Learning Outcomes of PES4022-B

• Distinguish and compare different theories and concepts of peace, violence and related normative concepts, and recognise how these are shaped by their historical, cultural and political contexts.
• Explain and evaluate different approaches to the academic study of peace and violence, demonstrating an understanding of key concepts, research methods, types of data, and the kinds of analysis they make possible.
• Reflect critically on contested normative concepts and recognise the implications of different normative visions for practical efforts to build more peaceful relationships and societies at different scales.
• Produce planned, properly referenced and well-structured written arguments with clear introductions, appropriate use of key concepts and effective engagement with academic arguments.