Human Security underlines the importance of the right of every person and community to live in peace (freedom from fear), meet their basic needs (freedom from want) and have their basic human rights fulfilled (freedom from indignity). Ever since its conception by the United Nations in 1994, Human Security has gained traction as an alternative approach to tackling complex security challenges, aiming for solutions that involve all affected stakeholders and leave no one behind.

In this minor, we will look at how human security was conceptualized and how it further developed as a framework and policy making tool that complements and strengthens other areas, such as the international human rights framework, development and conventional state-centric security strategies.

Human security approaches to security challenges are always prevention-oriented (addressing root causes), people-centric (actively including those most affected), context-specific (acknowledging that each situation is unique), and comprehensive (involving stakeholders at all levels). Throughout the minor, students will apply these approaches to issues as diverse as disaster risk management, migration and violent extremism.

In doing so, they will critically examine the various roles and interests of stakeholders and how power relations can be addressed to create a level playing field, to help protect and empower the most vulnerable communities.

Human security is a useful and practical framework that can be applied in any context or sector, and hence this minor caters all students with an interest in alternative approaches to safety and security challenges. The final weeks of the minor will help students explore some potential career avenues with a HEAT (hostile environment awareness) training, a course in risk management for humanitarian workers and visits to civil society organizations (CSOs).

Students will apply theory and different tools and methodologies working on a portfolio, consisting of an intervention proposal for a human security challenge of their choice as well as a creative assignment or public engagement activity. By the end of the minor, students will have learned what it means to be a human security practitioner and how human security translates into the professional world.

Goals:

• become engaged and active citizens who help to realize individual and collective security through critical thinking and practical tools.
• work as professionals, including in nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations, government and the corporate sector, in a collaborative manner with relevant actors from other sectors and the general public.
• tackle global and local problems by taking into account the full range of human (in)securities and the ways in which these are interrelated.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

1. The student can contrast the human security approach with conventional state-centric approaches in tackling past and current problems, including health, food, economic, political and conflict related issues presented in the minor.
2. The student can apply formats and strategies, based on public engagement or policy change, to address current global and local security issues.
3. The student can demonstrate critical and conceptual thinking on local and global cases and phenomena, based on theories and frameworks, including from the United Nations organizations and security and development organizations, taught in the minor.
4. The student can suggest security management strategies for human rights, development, and humanitarian aid workers and volunteers, using risk assessment and other relevant security tools, presented in the minor.
5. The student can distinguish the different and interconnected roles of various stakeholders, including civil society, government and policy makers, security sector agents, and private actors, in security related issues.
6. The student can conduct research, individually or with others, based on participatory methods, as taught in the minor, on a selected local human security issue.

Participants are selected based on written applications. The selection takes into account a student’s motivation and grades achieved in relevant courses, including: CPM (Culture, Policy & Management), GSS Globalization, Safety & Sustainability), Conflict Studies and Peacebuilding (CSP), Crisis Management & Communication (CMC).

Safety Security Management Studies (SSMS) students and others from the Public Law and Safety (PLS) faculty are welcome to apply. Additionally, 5 spots will be available for KOM students. A written application is required for all students.

Entry requirements:

1)     Completed Application

2)     Good command of English (oral and written)

Commission on Human Security (2003). Human Security Now. New York.

United Nations Development Programme (2022). New threats to human security in the Anthropocene – Demanding greater solidarity. Retrieved from UNDP website: https://hs.hdr.undp.org/pdf/srhs2022.pdf

Schirch, L. (Ed.) (2016). Handbook on Human Security: A Civil-Military-Police Curriculum. The Hague, the Netherlands, Alliance for Peacebuilding, GPPAC.

 

Other literature to be specified

Term(s): Block 2/ semester 1

Scheduling: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Frid

Testing: indicate:

• Written exam (30%), minimum pass rate: 5,5
• Portfolio: written report and creative presentation (50%), minimum pass rate 5,5
• Oral exam (20%), minimum pass rate 5,5
• Security management course (P/F)
• Class participation (P/F)

 

Planning of the testing (per partial test when applicable):

Exam: week 5

Security management course (online): week 7

Portfolio: week 8

Oral exam: week 8

Teaching methods: describe the teaching methods to be used. The choice of methods should relate directly to the competencies/ final objectives to be acquired.

 

Lectures and guest lectures on content-based topics

Workshop sessions

Discussions (in-class and online)

Site visits (AZC and NGOs)

1 day Hostile Environment Awareness Training

 

Study load (128 hours):

• Lectures and guest contributions (56)
• Workshops, exercises, simulations (32)
• Training (14)
• Visits and Events (26)