Postgraduate - UnitAPG5656 - International crisis management in action

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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12 points, SCA Band 1, 0.250 EFTSL

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Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	School of Political and Social Inquiry
Offered	Caulfield Second semester 2013 (On-campus block of classes)
Coordinator(s)	Sharmini Sherrard

Notes

Previously coded MAI5020

Synopsis

This unit surveys a range of action-oriented strategies relevant to complex crisis responses by the international community utilising guest lecturers from various fields including faculties, non-governmental organisations, emergency and security components. The unit provides a historical overview of international responses and interventions to natural disasters, conflict, and human security issues. Topics covered include Needs Assessments, Monitoring and Evaluation, SPHERE Minimum Standards, people-oriented strategies, building capacities, disaster mitigation and preparedness. Field based case studies are used to support seminars.

Outcomes

On satisfactory completion of this subject, students will be able to analyse, design and produce research papers and models on crisis action and response mechanisms.

Specifically the learning outcomes are:

Critical understanding of the concepts pertaining to operational modalities and the timing of appropriate exit strategies
Critical understanding of field-based examples of crisis relief and responses in a manner that contextualises crisis management within the cultural, social, political, economic cultures of the areas in crisis
Opportunities to specialise in particular areas of crisis response and recovery by the provision of world class research training and supervision
Development of analytical skills that help to question the appropriateness of relief responses and interventions through principles such as Do No Harm
Capacity for independent, self-motivated research
Capacity to write lucid, critical, balanced assessments of crisis action and response

Assessment

A short essay on 'The Operational Aspects of Crisis Management' (1,000 words): 15%
Ppt/oral presentation at the one day seminar: 10%
Research essay (7,000 words): 75%

Chief examiner(s)

Sharmini Sherrard

Contact hours

33 hours of lecture/seminars in block mode plus a one day seminar consisting of 15 min project presentations by each student.

Prerequisites

APG5655