When large-scale human suffering occurs, does the international community have a responsibility to assist? Who exactly should take action? What principles should guide these actors? What is the role of law and politics in humanitarian action? This course examines international responses to human suffering caused by armed conflict, mass atrocities and complex humanitarian disasters to address these questions. We look at the history and development of law and institutions that shape contemporary international humanitarian action. We consider the changing global security context in which humanitarian action takes place, and examine the actors involved in humanitarian action, from non-state, to state and multilateral actors. The course will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the concepts, politics and practice of humanitarianism, and with skills to analyse current trends and developments in this important area of international politics.  

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Understand the key conceptual, theoretical and and political debates relevant to humanitarianism as a field of study and practice.
2. A deep knowledge of the historical evolution of the legal frameworks and organizations that shape contemporary humanitarian practice.
3. Ability to apply various theoretical and analytical approaches to important humanitarian issues in global politics.
4. Strong ability to communicate ideas and arguments related to the subject matter effectively through written and verbal expression.

Recommended Resources

Aall available online through the ANU Library Catalogue):

Michael Barnett. 2011. Empire of Humanity: A History of Humanitarianism. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Michael Barnett and Janice Stein. 2012. Sacred Aid: Faith and Humanitarianism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Didier Fassin. 2012. Humanitarian Reason: A Moral History of the Present. Berkeley: University of California Press. 

Mark Swatek-Evenstein. 2020. A History of Humanitarian Intervention. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction: The Concept of Humanitarianism
2	The Origins of the Humanitarian Project: Historical Overview
3	The Humanization of International Law
4	Humanitarian Organisations: International, Regional and Civil Society Organisations
5	The Use of Force: Just War and Humanitarian Intervention	Annotated Bibliography (10%)
6	Peacekeeping and the Protection of Civilians
7	Pandemics, Natural Disasters and Climate-Induced Humanitarian Crises
8	Forced Migration and the International Refugee Regime	Major Essay Due (40%)
9	China and the International Humanitarian Order
10	Prevention is better than cure: the dilemmas and practice of prevention
11	The Future of War: Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Humanitarian Ethics
12	Humanitarian Futures: Challenges to the International Humanitarian Order	Take-Home Exam (30%)

Tutorial Registration

Through Wattle

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Participation in lecture discussions and tutorials	10 %	*	*	1,4
Group Tutorial Presentations	10 %	*	*	1,2,3,4
Annotated Bibliography	10 %	17/08/2022	31/08/2022	1,2,3,4
Major research essay	40 %	02/10/2022	12/09/2022	1,2,3,4
Take-home Exam	30 %	28/10/2022	11/11/2022	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Participation in lecture discussions and tutorials

Full attendance to lectures and tutorials, and active engagement in class discussion is required for full participation grades. As this course is a seminar based class, students must come prepared to discuss readings and lecture content.

Assessment Task 2

Group Tutorial Presentations

From Weeks 3 to 11, students will present in small groups on the topic and readings for the week. Groups will be assigned during the tutorial in Week 2. Group presentations should be no longer than 15 minutes and may include audio and visual materials, handouts, etc, although this is not mandatory. Presentations should provide a summary of the key themes and/or arguments of the readings, and present a critical discussion to stimulate further thinking and discussion in the tutorial. The objective of this exercise is to allow you to work collaboratively with your group, and to engage thoroughly and critically with course materials. It will assist you in developing your skills in analysing and synthesizing materials, while enhancing your capacity to communicate complex ideas concisely and clearly.

 

Additionally, you will be expected to participate to the seminar discussion every week, having prepared by completing the readings and ensuring that the seminars are collaborative, lively and engaging.

Assessment Task 3

Annotated Bibliography

Students will be provided with a list of questions for the major essay at the start of semester.

For the Annotated bibliography, students should prepare a bibliography with ten key references for their essay. Bibliographic references should be annotated with a brief research note, that includes a short summary of the reference and analytical relevance for the essay.

The bibliography will be graded on the basis of the relevance of the sources for the selected essay, and the quality of the annotation. This purpose of this assessment is to develop students research skills and analytical thinking by encouraging them to source and organise research materials in a logical and effective manner.

Use Chicago author-date style for the bibliography.

Assessment Task 4

Major research essay

In this 2,000 word essay (due week 8, 40%), you will explore some of the key challenges and dilemmas faced by contemporary humanitarianism. Your essay must be analytical in nature and integrate knowledge derived from the seminars, assigned readings and additional research. When possible, you should use relevant case studies to illustrate your argument. In addition to allowing you to explore some of the empirical aspects of humanitarianism in detail, the aim of the research essay is to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your scholarship, your capacity to pursue guided independent research and to assimilate and evaluate material presented in your readings and during seminars. It further allows you to develop your skills in constructing and substantiating a position on particular issues.

A list of questions will be posted on the course Wattle site at the start of semester.

All references should be included in a separate bibliography (not included in the wordcount). Use Chicago author-date style for referencing and bibliography.

Assessment Task 5

Take-home Exam

1,500 words: 30% week 12.

The take-home exam will assess students' knowledge and understanding of the course content. It will cover the full course, and will require students to demonstrate both a strong grasp of the theoretical and empirical aspects of humanitarianism. Students should demonstrate the ability to provide analytical and reasoned arguments in response to the questions, and should reference course material, lectures, and further research as evidence.

All references should be included in a separate bibliography (not included in the wordcount). Use Chicago author-date style for referencing and bibliography.

Questions will be uploaded on Wattle on Thursday 27 October, 9:00am and will be due by 5:00pm, Friday, 28 October (via Turnitin, link on Wattle). 

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students