Bachelor of Arts Honours in Peace Studies

Purpose

The qualification aims to equip graduates in the field of Peace Studies to approach the challenges of conflict resolution, peace-building and peace-keeping in a manner that is intellectually rigorous, theoretically well-grounded and empirically informed.

Learners will

• Acquire an in-depth, high-level knowledge of the key issues and principal bodies of literature that deal with the causes of, and conditions for, peace and war at international, national, regional and local community levels.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the normative and ethical aspects in the field.
• Acquire a deep historical knowledge of various degrees of conflict, post-conflict and peace-building challenges and a systematic, theoretical command of the issues.

A dissertation worth 30 Credits must be produced.

Successful completion of the qualification will enable the learner to enter a Master's Degree in a related field of study.

Rationale

This qualification in Peace Studies aims to deepen the learner's insight and expertise in areas of human rights, justice, the dignity of the person, the history, causes and consequences of war and conflict and the challenges of social, political and economic reconstruction in the aftermath of violent conflict. This qualification contains, in addition to a strong emphasis on the normative issues such as human rights, justice and the dignity of the person, a strong emphasis on analytical and theoretical approaches as well as a deep exploration of the history and causes of war and violent conflict. The reasons for this approach are many:

• There is a rapidly growing collection of rigorous literature on both the dynamics and aetiology of conflict (both tractable and seemingly intractable) as well as on the reasons for failure of peace-making and peace-keeping strategies and methods.
• A solid grounding in the history and dynamics of war and conflict will equip practitioners in the field with a rich intellectual store to draw upon, as well as a better sense of the depth and often forbidding nature of the violent conflicts they are attempting to resolve.
• Such an understanding is crucial to attempts to address the fundamental institutional aspects of war and violent civil and international conflict. It is common cause that severe political instability and civil war are inimical to economic growth, development and prosperity. Human well-being and flourishing are not possible in the context of high levels of institutional instability and the associated high levels of uncertainty. In sub-Saharan Africa, state failure is both a cause and consequence of war and violent factional conflicts. Such state failure and the concomitant lack of capacity also renders efforts to reconstruct economies and societies, once peace accords have been secured, more difficult. The range of these post-conflict challenges is vast and well-known, e.g. de-mining, the care of limbless children, the restoration of farming and food security in areas that have been mined or affected by toxic or ecologically dangerous chemicals.
• There is an emerging literature that emphasises the regional specificity of much conflict, in addition to its more conventional local and international forms.
• The recent history of much peace-making and peace-keeping has suggested that these ventures are fraught and often less successful than wished for, and the consequences of the failure to act, or of well-intentioned but inappropriate action, can be counterproductive.

The programme provided will be a robust and complete approach to peacemaking study and instruction that would be truly unique, not just in the African context, but in terms of peace making programmes globally. Most programmes carrying the name usually emphasise one of two dimensions of the field: either the broader analytical, methodological and empirical aspects (more "top down") or the social and community development dimensions (usually "bottom up" issues). This qualification emphasises both in order to educate practitioners - in whichever arena they choose to work - to make more effective interventions. Thus there will be a focus on appropriate research methodologies, and understanding of the global and regional contexts (and institutional networks) in which they will need to act, as well as more specific knowledge of the particular situations in which they may need to intervene.

This qualification assumes that the learner is competent in the language of the provider and is able to demonstrate the applied competence which typically leads to the award of a qualification at NQF Level 7.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning is given to practical and theoretical experience in the field and subfield relevant to this qualification and is assessed by the institution's Faculty Higher Degrees' Committee, in conjunction with the rules of access. Structured means for the assessment of individual learning against entrance requirements and exit outcomes are devised on a case-by-case basis. These procedures may be assessed by independent moderators.

Access to the Qualification

Learners entering this qualification must be in possession of an appropriate Bachelor's Degree worth at least 360 Credits.

Applicants without such a qualification may be considered for admission under the University Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy.

The qualification comprises 120 Credits - all at NQF Level 8.

There are five Compulsory and one Elective coursework modules, worth 15 Credits each, and a supervised research paper of 10,000 words, worth 30 Credits.

The programme will be delivered on a part-time basis, with each module being taught in a week-long block-release format over two years.

The supervised research paper will be the final module for the Degree.

Compulsory Modules

• Normative Political Theory in a Global Context, 15 Credits.
• Fundamentals of Peace-Building: Concepts, Philosophy and Organisation, 15 Credits.
• Identity-based conflict: Ethno-Cultural, Gender and Religious Dimensions, 15 Credits.
• Recovering from violence: Transitional Justice, Reconstruction and Reconciliation, 15 Credits.
• Philosophy and Practice of Non-violence, 15 Credits.
• Supervised Research Project in the Field of Peace Studies, 30 Credits.

Elective Modules (Choose one)

• The State in Modern Politics, 15 Credits.
• War, Peace and International Relations, 15 Credits.
• The Economic Causes and Consequences of Conflict, 15 Credits.

1. Demonstrate an ability to engage with key principal bodies of literature that deal with the analytical and theoretical approaches to the history and causes of war and violent conflict at a high level.
2. Demonstrate critical and effective engagement with the challenges of social, political and economic reconstruction in the aftermath of violent conflict.
3. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the normative and ethical issues such as human rights, justice and the dignity of the person.
4. Demonstrate an ability to apply strategies for resolving conflict at macro levels (states and regions) and local community levels.
5. Conduct a supervised research project in the field of peace studies.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed in this qualification.

The following Assessment Criteria may be applied to any or all of the Exit Level Outcomes

1. Examine multiple sources of knowledge to explain the local and global causes and development of conflict and war, from historical times to the modern era.
2. Investigate multiple sources of knowledge to identify the meaning, interpretation and application of justice in various areas of society - locally and globally.
3. Apply in-depth knowledge and understanding of peace-building strategies to design and develop skills and approaches that could lead to a sustainable peace.
4. Discerningly examine the ethno-cultural, gender and religious value systems within a specific local or global area and propose insightful actions which could lead to acceptance and social harmony.
5. Design an appropriate peace-building strategy for a specific geographical area and effectively apply this in the field to create understanding and harmony between the factions.
6. Identify a manageable area for research, write a relevant research proposal and produce and present a final research project in the manner required.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated assessment is aimed at evaluating the foundational, reflexive and practical competence of the learner.

Formative assessment takes place throughout the period of study through the regular submission of assignments and the stages of the research project, combined with the interactive communication between learner and tutor.

Summative assessment takes place at the end of the period of learning through formal examinations and the final assessment of the completed research project.