Humanitarian Principles and Practice

Key information

Credits: 30
Department: Department of Development Studies

Module overview

This is an Online and Distance Learning (ODL) module

This is the core module for the MSc Humanitarian Action. It has three parts: humanitarian principles, architecture and practice. This structure enables you to build up a critical understanding of the ideological underpinnings, constraints and politics of humanitarian action, alongside an empirical grounding of humanitarian providers and relationships between them. Analytical and empirical depth will be provided through a series of case studies that examine the practicalities and institutional learning in natural distasters, complex emergencies and humanitarianism in Europe. The module will present humanitarianism, the critiques that have been made of it, institutional learning and the persistence of some challenges in approach and delivery.

Topics include:

Principles and International Humanitarian Law
Needs assessment, early warning and 'political will'
Evaluation, monitoring and knowledge creation
Critiques and longevity
Security and remoteness
Bilateral and multilateral donors
INGOs and NGOs
Private contractors
Resilience and remittances
Natural emergencies
Permanent/complex emergencies
Humanitarianism in Europe

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

understand and analyse the history of humanitarian action, the key players, institutions and contexts
present core policy issues of humanitarian work internationally and nationally, and of proposals for their practical solution
combine theoretical knowledge with case study/empirical knowledge
understand data collection and constraints in emergency settings
understand different data gathering techniques, including case studies, quantitative analysis, surveys, etc. Knowledge of main relevant data sources and outlets.