Women, Citizenship and Conflict

Module Description

The module will focus on the relation between gender, (political) cause and diverse forms of intervention in relation to conflict. It also considers definitions of citizenship and asks what role these definitions play in defining women’s ability to participate in conflict and its resolution. Women have had and continue to have an attenuated link with citizenship, frequently acquiring the rights to it only through their dependence on a male. This raises important questions, for instance in the context of sexual citizenship. This module will therefore look at gender, political causes and interventions with a view of delineating paths towards change and towards the feminization of peace. An important part of the module will be students' choice of one cause and the interventions that were made in relation to that cause which students will research for their presentations and subsequent write-up in essay form.

Module Objectives

The module gives students practice in the exercise of the basic skills of interpreting and critically analysing theories of gender, citizenship, conflict and conflict resolution in the context of the lived realities of contemporary politics.

Preliminary Reading

Afshar, Haleh and  Deborah Eade, eds. (2003) Development, Women, and War. London: Oxfam.

Al-Ali, Nadje Sadig (2007) Iraqi Women: Untold Stories from 1948 to the Present. London: Zed Books.

Cockburn, Cynthia (2004) The Line: Women, Partition and the Gender Order in Cyprus. London: Zed Books.

Cockburn, Cynthia (2007) From Where we Stand: War, Women's Activism and Feminist Analysis. London: Zed Books.

Jacobs, Susie, Jacobson, Ruth and Jennifer Marchbank, eds. (2000) States of Conflict: Gender, Violence and Resistance. London: Zed Books.

Jospeh, Ammu and Kalpana Sharma, eds. (2003) Terror and Counter Terror: Women Speak Out. London: Zed Books.

Khoo, Agnes (2007) Life as the River Flows: Women and the Malayan Anti-colonial Struggle. Monmouth, Wales: Merlin Press.

Moser, C.  and F. Clark (2001) Gender, Armed Conflict and Political Violence. London: Zed Books.

Yarwood, Lisa (2013) Women and Transitional Justice: The Experience of Women as Participants. Abingdon: Routledge.

Yuval-Davis, Nira and Pnina Werbner, eds. (1999) Women, Citizenship and Difference. London: Zed Books.

Assessment

One 20-minute seminar presentation (50% of total mark) and a write-up of the presentation into a 3,500-4,000 word essay (50% of total mark).