The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) concept has emerged in recent years to take a central place in international deliberations about how to best ensure the protection of populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. While the concept was unanimously endorsed by states at the UN World Summit in 2005, it has not always been consistently implemented and populations continue to suffer from atrocity crimes in various parts of the world. This course seeks a deep understanding of the R2P concept, critically examining questions about the history, ethics, law, and politics of R2P and studying key cases of the threat or perpetration of mass atrocities from the last decade. It reaches beyond well-known debates about military intervention to grapple with the complexities of non-coercive as well as coercive means of protecting populations.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Develop a critical understanding of the historical antecedents of R2P and its rapid development in recent years
2. Critically evaluate the contemporary ethics, law, and politics of R2P
3. Understand the future directions of R2P in a changing world
4. Develop skills in writing and speaking to different audiences on the politics, law, and ethics of efforts to prevent mass atrocities

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
2	Historicizing R2P – Part 1: Europe and colonialism
3	Historicizing R2P – Part 2: The Cold War and the 1990s
4	Preparation for 1st assessment
5	The emergence of R2P
6	The state of R2P today
7	Implementing R2P – Part 1: The R2P toolkit
8	Implementing R2P – Part 2: The use of force
9	Implementing R2P – Part 3: Prevention
10	R2P and gender
11	Reconciliation and transitional justice
12	Conclusion: The future of R2P (and exam prep)

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Assessment 1: Presentation of a reading	5 %	*	1,2,3,4
Assessment 2: Participation	10 %	*	1,2,3,4
Assessment 3: Research Essay	25 %	28/03/2023	1,2,3,4
Assessment 4: Policy recommendation	30 %	16/05/2023	1,2,3,4
Assessment 5: Exam	30 %	*	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

Assessment 1: Presentation of a reading

Description:

Each week, students will do a presentation on one of the required readings of the course. It should not be longer than 10 min. 

It should: 

1)    Provide a summary of the key themes and arguments of the reading, and 

2)    Briefly assess its strengths and weaknesses. 

You are strongly encouraged to use slides during your presentation. Additionally, you are welcome (but do not have to) create one meme in order to illustrate one of your points. 

Part of your mark will be for content, i.e. the substance of what you say and your visual materials; the other part will be for form, i.e. how you present the material (for instance, good time keeping, clarity, engagement).

You are expected to post a copy or summary of your presentation on the course forum called 'Analysis of the readings' (on Wattle – in the section called 'assessments'). This will provide a collective resource of commentaries on the core readings for the class as a whole (which will come very handy when studying for the exam), and give you an opportunity to discuss your interpretations of the course readings.

Learning objectives:

The objective of this exercise is to allow you to engage thoroughly and critically with the course material. It will assist you in developing your skills in analysing and synthesizing materials, while enhancing your capacity to communicate complex ideas concisely and clearly. 

Assessment Task 2

Assessment 2: Participation

Description:

You are expected to participate to the seminar every week, drawing from the readings. Please note that it is your participation (not your attendance) that is assessed from Week 2 to 12, meaning that if you attend but do not participate, you will not receive any marks for that seminar. 

If you are unable to attend a seminar and have a valid reason (such as a medical certificate, see the following policy for a more comprehensive list: https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_004604), you can make up for your missed participation mark by writing a 150 words overview of the strengths and weaknesses of one of the readings for that week. This overview, along with the supporting evidence, needs be submitted via email to Eglantine (eglantine.staunton@anu.edu.au) before the following seminar (unless alternative arrangements have been made with Eglantine).

Learning objectives: 

The aim is to help you develop your confidence and oratory skills, while gaining a deeper understanding of the course material. This will also ensure that the seminars are collaborative, lively and engaging. 

Assessment Task 3

Assessment 3: Research Essay

Description:

Pick one of the following case studies: 

·       Rwanda (1994)

·       Srebrenica (1995)

·       Libya (2011)

In your 1,250w essay, critically assess the international community’s response to the atrocity situation and identify the lessons that can be drawn from this case in terms of atrocity prevention in the future. 

Please note:

·      Your essay should be analytical, not descriptive. 

·      You are expected to engage extensively with the academic literature. 

·      You should not provide a detailed account of the atrocity situation since this is not what the essay is about. A brief overview in the introduction is sufficient. 

Learning objectives:

The purpose of this essay is to help you develop your research and academic writing skills, while demonstrating comprehension of some of the key concepts and issues related to R2P and atrocity prevention by applying them to a case study. 

Assessment Task 4

Assessment 4: Policy recommendation

Description:

Pick one of the following case studies: 

·      Myanmar (focus on the atrocities committed since the 2021 coup)

·      The Uyghurs in China

·      The situation in Israel and Palestine

Write a 1,500w policy recommendation which:

·      Briefly explains the atrocities that are being committed and their consequences. This can for instance be done in the Introduction. 

·      Proposes and justifies specific and feasible actions that (i) Australia or (ii) one of the P5 members of the Security Council (France, the UK, the US, China or Russia) should take to protect populations from mass atrocities.

Please note: 

·      You should not spend too much time discussing the situation. The bulk of the essay should be on the recommendations and their justification.

·      You are required to engage extensively with the academic literature. The latter should be used to justify your recommendations and draw comparisons with other cases to support your argument.  

·      But be sure that your proposals are clear and that you explain why they are optimal. 

·      If appropriate, note the ways in which the state in question will need to coordinate with other states, international institutions, or NGOs to effectively carry out your proposals. 

·      If appropriate, note and deal with some of the possible challenges and/or criticisms of your proposals. 

·      If appropriate, note the legality, ethics, and international political implications of what you are proposing.

·      For those of you who have done policy briefs in the past, this is not a policy brief and does not have to be formatted/structured as such. 

·      Due to the nature of this essay, headlines and the occasional use of bullet points are acceptable. 

Learning objectives: 

This assessment will allow you to demonstrate your capacity to not only assimilate and evaluate the information and ideas presented in class and in the readings, but also to apply them to a particular situation. Additionally, it will deepen your understanding of the key themes, actors, tools and challenges related to R2P and atrocity prevention. It will also develop your capacity to clearly and effectively communicate ideas to various audiences, while expanding your capacity to think creatively. 

Assessment Task 5

Assessment 5: Exam

Description:

The 2h exam will cover all the seminars and readings and will take place during the examination period at the end of the semester. 

A full brief will be given during the last seminar. 

Learning objectives:

The aim is to verify that you have assimilated all the core material of the course and that you are capable of using it in an analytical way. This assessment will also give you an opportunity to reflect on your learning journey. 

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

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. 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