Humanitarian Action and the Protection of Civilians

Please note: This page refers to a course that has already taken place.
Time:

28 - 30 Oct 2014
Place:

PRIO, Hausmanns gate 7, Oslo
Organizer:

Kristin B. Sandvik and Kristoffer Lidén, PRIO
Credits:

5 ECTS according to the standards of the University of Oslo
Contact:

Kristoffer Lidén: Kristoffer@prio.no

The protection of civilians (PoC) became a central concern in the international community in the late 1990s, accompanying an upsurge in humanitarian action and peacekeeping. While considerable efforts have been made by the UN and the humanitarian community to integrate PoC in policies, it is less evident how the principle is operationalized and institutionalized in practices on the ground. This research course explores the international political conditions for the PoC agenda and how these are reflected in the role and impact of humanitarian action in cases like Afghanistan, Uganda, Somalia, South Sudan and Colombia.

 

Course Description:

​The course is based on the research project Protection of Civilians: from principle to practice, organised in collaboration between CMI, NUPI and PRIO within the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies. It will be lectured by project members and coincide with a project workshop.

While designed for PhD candidates, the course is also open for practitioners with a relevant educational background who are working on aspects of the protection of civilians. MA students writing their thesis on a related subject would also be welcome to apply.

In addition to the project team, Simon Harragin has been invited as a guest lecturer. Harragin is an independent consultant and writer on anthropology and development issues based in Paris. His research focuses on the East and Central Africa regions and on the delivery of aid and protection in humanitarian emergencies.

Schedule:

Tuesday 28 October

09.00-10.20

1. Welcome and Introduction (Kristin B. Sandvik, et al.)
              

10.30-12.00

2. The Protection of Displaced Civilians in the Horn of Africa (Cindy Horst)
                       

12.00-13.00

Lunch

 

13.00-14.30

3. Protection of Blue Nile civilians amidst civil war: the case of Maban (Øystein Rolandsen)
                       

14.45-16.15

4. Local to Global Protection (Simon Harragin)

 

18.00

Dinner

 

Wednesday 29 October                     

09.00-10.00

5. The Institutionalisation of PoC (Ole Jacob Sending)

 

10.15-11.15

6. The Geopolitics of PoC (Kristoffer Lidén and Simon Reid-Henry)
                       

11.30-12.30

 

7. Assessing the Importance of the Emerging POC Regime for the Practice of UN Peacekeeping Missions: the case of UNMIL in Liberia (Benjamin de Carvalho and Niels N. Schia)
                       

12.30-13.30

Lunch

 

13.30-14.30

8. Emerging powers and PoC (Pinar Tank)

 


Thursday 30 October                         

10.00-11.00

9. The role and impact of PoC (Astri Suhrke and Torunn Wimpelmann, et al.)
                          

11.15-12.15

10. Gender and PoC (Liv Tønnessen)
                          

12.15-13.15

 

Lunch

13.15-14.15

11. PoC and the Humanitarianism-Development Nexus (Jon Harald Sande Lie)
                          

14.30-15.30

12. Conclusion and Farewell (Kristin B. Sandvik, et al.)

 

Deadlines:

​Applications: 8 September 2014.

Course paper abstract: 5 November 2014

Course paper: 1 December 2014

Requirements:

​​In order to obtain 5 ECTS for the course, participants must get an overview of the readings in advance of the lectures, participate actively in the lectures and submit a paper of about 5000 words by 1 December 2014.

A paper proposal should be submitted to kristoffer@prio.no by 5 November for approval. The proposal should consist of a research question, an abstract/outline of about 200 words, and a paragraph on how the question relates to the course literature.

Tentative ideas for course papers should be presented for discussion at the last session of the course.

Admission:

​​The deadline for applications is 8 September 2014. Please fill in the application form. PhD candidates should specify the topic of their project under 'Research interests'.

PhD candidates get priority, but others with graduate studies from a relevant discipline may also apply. Applicants from humanitarian organizations would be particularly welcome. MA students writing their thesis on a related subject would also be welcome to apply. Current members of the Resarch School on Peace and Conflict simply register.

There is no participation fee, but the cost of transportation and accommodation must be covered by the participants. 

Five stipends to cover basic accommodation at neighbouring Anker Hotel are available for PhD students who do not have funding for such course participation through their universities. 

Applicants will be notified about the outcome of their application within a week after the deadline.

If needed in order to make the necessary travel arrangments, applicants may request an early evaluation in an e-mail to Kristoffer@prio.no

Course Literature:

Tuesday 28 October 

1. Introduction (Kristin B. Sandvik, et al.)

Vesselin Popovski, Charles Sampford and Angus Francis (Eds.) (2012). Norms of Protection: Responsibility to Protect, Protection of Civilians and Their Interaction. New York: UN University Press. Introduction and Chapters 1-3.

Elizabeth G. Ferris (2011) The Politics of Protection: The Limits of Humanitarian Action. Washington D.C: Brookings Institution Press. Introduction and Chapters 1-3.

Simon Chesterman (Ed.) (2001). Civilians in War. London: Lynne Rienner. Introduction.

Hugo Slim (2007). Killing Civilians: Method, Madness and Morality in War. London: Hurst & Co. Introduction and Chapters 2-3.

Recommended:

DuBois M (2010) 'Protection: fig leafs and other delusions'. Humanitarian Exchange, Issue 46. London:ODI. Pp. 2-4. http://www.odihpn.org/humanitarian-exchange-magazine/issue-46/protection-fig-leaves-and-other-delusions  

O'Callaghan S & Pantuliano S (2007) Protective Action: Incorporating Civilian Protection into humanitarian response. HPG Report 26. London: ODI. http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/1712.pdf  

 

2. The Protection of Displaced Civilians in the Horn of Africa (Cindy Horst)

Laura Hammond (2011). ‘Governmentality in Motion: 25 Years of Ethiopia’s Experience of Famine and Migration Policy.’ Mobilities, 6:3, 415-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17450101.2011.590038

Anna Lindley (2013). ‘Displacement in contested places: governance, movement and settlement in the Somali territories.’ Journal of Eastern African Studies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2013.776277

Sarah Collinson and Samir Elhawary (2012). Humanitarian space: a review of trends and issues. HPG Report 32, April 2012. Overseas Development Institute (ODI). http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/7643.pdf

3.  Protection of Blue Nile civilians amidst civil war: the case of Maban (Øystein Rolandsen)

Claudio Gramizzi (2013). At an Impasse: The Conflict in Blue Nile, Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Dec 2013. http://www.smallarmssurveysudan.org/fileadmin/docs/working-papers/HSBA-WP31-Blue-Nile.pdf

Lauren Hutton (2013). Displacement, disharmony and disillusion: Understanding host-refugee tensions in Maban County, South Sudan, Danish Demining Group. http://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan-republic/displacement-disharmony-and-disillusion-understanding-host-refugee

Matthew LeRiche (2013). Sudan’s Bloody Periphery:  The Toll on Civilians from the War in Blue Nile State. Enough project, 2013. http://www.enoughproject.org/files/SudansBloodyPeriphery_FieldDispatch.pdf

Recommended:

Wendy James (2007). War and Survival in Sudan’s Frontierland: Voices from the Blue Nile. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Jon Bennett , Sara Pantuliano, Wendy Fenton, Anthony Vaux, Chris Barnett, and Emery Brusset (2010). Aiding the Peace: A Multi-Donor Evaluation of Support to Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Activities in Southern Sudan 2005-2010. United Kingdom: ITAD Ltd, December 2010.

4. Local to Global Protection (title TBC) (Simon Harragin)

Ashley South and Simon Harragin, with Justin Corbett, Richard Horsey, Susanne Kempel, Henrik Fröjmark and Nils Carstensen (2012). Local to Global Protection in Myanmar (Burma), Sudan, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. Humanitarian Practice Network, paper no. 72. London: Overseas Development Institute. http://www.local2global.info/wp-content/uploads/networkpaper072.pdf

Simon Harragin (2011). South Sudan: Waiting for Peace to Come. Local to Global Protection, 2011. http://www.local2global.info/wp-content/uploads/L2GP_Jonglei_S_Sudan_TR_FINAL.pdf. More area studies from the project are found here: http://www.local2global.info/area-studies.

Jon Harald Sande Lie & Benjamin de Carvalho (2008). A Culture of Protection? Perceptions of the Protection of Civilians from Sudan. NUPI Series in Security in Practice no.7. Oslo: Norwegian Institute of Political Affairs. http://english.nupi.no/content/download/3949/58533/version/5/file/SIP7-de+Carvalho-Lie.pdf

Simon Harragin (2004) 'Relief and an Understanding of Local Knowledge: The Case of Southern Sudan,' in V. Rao & M. Walton (eds), Culture and Public Action. Stanford: Stanford University Press. The book is available as pdf if you google 'culture and public action world bank PDF'.

Wednesday 29 October

5. The Institutionalisation of PoC (Ole Jacob Sending)

Anne Orford (2011). International Authority and the Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapters 1-3.

Charlie Carpenter (2007). ‘Studying Issue (Non)-Adoption in Transnational Networks.’ International Organization. Vol. 61, No. 3.

Rebecca Adler-Nissen and Vincent Pouliot (2014) ‘Power in Practice: Negotiating the International Intervention in Libya.’ Forthcoming in European Journal of International Relations. http://research.ku.dk/search/?pure=files%2F60022700%2FPower_in_Practice_EJIR.pdf 

6. The Geopolitics of PoC (Kristoffer Lidén and Simon Reid-Henry)

Elizabeth G. Ferris (2011). The Politics of Protection: The Limits of Humanitarian Action. Washington D.C: Brookings Institution Press. Chapter 5.

Anne Orford (2011). International Authority and the Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapters 4-5.

Jeremy Moses (2013). ‘Sovereignty as irresponsibility? A Realist critique of the Responsibility to Protect.' Review of International Studies, 39, pp 113-135.

Recommended:

Sreeram Chaulia (2011). International Organizations and Civilian Protection: Power, Ideas and Humanitarian Aid in Conflict Zones. London: I.B. Taurus.

7. PoC and the Libya Intervention (Benjamin de Carvalho and Niels N. Schia)

Benjamin de Carvalho a and Jon Harald Sande Lie (2011) 'Chronicle of a Frustration Foretold? Th e Implementation of a Broad Protection Agenda in the United Nations.' Journal of International Peacekeeping 15: 341–362.

Alan Doss (2011). Great Expectations: UN Peacekeeping, Civilian Protection, and the Use of Force. GCSP Geneva Papers, Research Series n° 4, December 2011.

Victoria Holt and Glyn Taylor, with Max Kelly (2009). Protecting Civilians in the Context of UN Peacekeeping Operations: Successes, Setbacks and Remaining Challenges. Independent study jointly commissioned by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Jon Harald Sande Lie and Benjamin de Carvalho (2013). 'Conceptual Unclarity and Competition: The Protection of Civilians and the Responsibility to Protect,' in Benjamin de Carvalho and Ole Jacob Sending (eds.) The Protection of Civilians in UN Peacekeeping: Concept, Implementation and Practice. Baden-Baden,Nomos, pp. 47-62.

8. Emerging powers and PoC (Pinar Tank)

Alex Bellamy (2012). ‘R2P: Dead or Alive,’ pp 11 – 18, and Hamann, E.P. (2012) ‘Brazil and R2P: A Rising Global Player Struggles to Harmonise Discourse and Practice,’ pp 71 – 89, in The responsibility to protect - From Evasive to reluctant action: The role of Global Middle Powers (2012), joint publication of Hanns Seidel Foundation Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Institute for Security Studies, South African Institute for International Affairs, see: [PDF] Brazil and R2P: A Rising Global Player Struggles to Harmonise Discourse and Practice

Ramesh Thakur (2013). ‘R2P after Libya and Syria: Engaging Emerging Powers,’ The Washington Quarterly, Vol. 36:2, pp. 61-76, see: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0163660X.2013.791082 

Oliver Stuenkel (2014). ‘The BRICS and the Future of R2P: Was Syria or Libya the Exception,’ Global Responsibility to Protect, Vol. 6:1, pp. 3-28. See: http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/1875984x-00601002 (open access article)

Thursday 30 October

9. The role and impact of PoC (Astri Suhrke and Torunn Wimpelmann, et al.)

Neta C. Crawford (2013). Accountability for Killing. Oxford UP. Introduction (pp. 1-36).

Fiona Terry (2002). Condemned to Repeat? The Paradox of Humanitarian Action. Cornell UP. Introduction (pp. 1-17).

Aristide Zolberg, Astri Suhrke and Sergio Aguayo (1989). Escape from Violence. Oxford UP. Chapter: ‘Special Problems of Our Time: Refugee Warriors,’ pp. 275-278 - reprint to be distributed.

‘Security Council Issues Presidential Statement Reaffirming Commitment to Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict,’ 12 February 2014. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2014/sc11274.doc.htm

10.  Gender and PoC (Liv Tønnessen)

Maria Eriksson Baaz and Maria Stern (2013). Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War? Perceptions, Prescriptions, Problems in the Congo and Beyond. Zed Books. Chapters 1 and 3.

Charli Carpenter (2003). 'Women and Children First': Gender, Norms, and Humanitarian Evacuation in the Balkans 1991-95. International Organization, Vol. 57, No. 4, pp. 661-694 . http://www.jstor.org/stable/3594843?__redirected

R. Charli Carpenter (2006). Innocent Women and Children': Gender, Norms and the Protection of Civilians. Aldershot: Ashgate. Chapters 1, 2 and 5. Chapters 1 and 2 are available here: http://www.google.no/books?hl=no&lr=&id=SrYxwI0u2boC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=charli+carpenter+women+bosnia&ots=wgI6lt9lGc&sig=fgVcox03BtjfJ4hJLqfFdlgUzEA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false. A version of chapter 5 was published as: Charli Carpenter (2003). 'Women and Children First': Gender, Norms, and Humanitarian Evacuation in the Balkans 1991-95. International Organization, Vol. 57, No. 4, pp. 661-694 . http://www.jstor.org/stable/3594843?__redirected

11. PoC and the Humanitarianism-Development Nexus (Jon Harald Sande Lie)

Michael Barnett (2005). ‘Humanitarianism transformed.’ Perspectives on Politics 3(4), pp. 723-740.

Hilhorst, D. and B. J. Jansen (2010). "Humanitarian space as arena: a perspective on the everyday politics of aid." Development and Change 41(6): 1117-1139.

Lie, J. H. S. (2012). "The knowledge battlefield of protection." African Security 5(3-4): 142-159.

Stein, J. (2005). "Humanitarianism as political fusion." Perspectives on Politics 3(4): 741-744.

12. Conclusion and Farewell (Kristin B. Sandvik, et al.)

Vesselin Popovski, Charles Sampford and Angus Francis (Eds.) (2012). Norms of Protection: Responsibility to Protect, Protection of Civilians and Their Interaction. New York: UN University Press. Chapter 14.

Elizabeth G. Ferris (2011) The Politics of Protection: The Limits of Humanitarian Action. Washington D.C: Brookings Institution Press. Chapters 9-10.

Simon Chesterman (Ed.) (2001). Civilians in War. London: Lynne Rienner. Chapters 11-12.

Hugo Slim (2007). Killing Civilians: Method, Madness and Morality in War. London: Hurst & Co. Chapter 7.