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Durham Global Security Institute

Development, Urbanisation and Conflict

Course Date: 14-16 November 2013

Course Leader: Dr Jutta Bakonyi

Guest Lecturers: Dr Friederike Fuhlrott

Course Summary

This course has a focus on Urban Violence and ways to contain it. Since 2009 half of world population lives in cities. Many of the rapidly growing cities in the Global South are confronted with tremendous challenges, among them rising insecurity. Cities are the scenes of a diverse forms of collective violence, such as (food/hunger) riots, inter-ethnic strife, xenophobic violence, gang related violence, and organised national and transnational crime. While these forms of violence may not be characterized as armed conflicts, they are often equally murderous and destructive. Urban violence is meanwhile interpreted as a major threat to further development.

The elective aims at a deeper understanding of trends and concepts of urbanisation, urban security and frames that distinguish political from criminal and other forms of urban violence. It will explore the challenges of rapid urbanisation and manifestations of urban violence through case studies from different world regions. The course will also assess means to tackle urban violence, such as vigilantism, community policing or Safer City programmes.

Course Outline:

This course will provide an opportunity to learn about urbanisation processes and the link between urbanisation, development and conflict. Poverty and underdevelopment are often linked to conflict and violence, hence low-income neighbourhoods and informal settlements and their inhabitants are framed as security threats. While international organizations, Western states and NGOs are advocating for liberal socio-economic reforms to alleviate and prevent violence, the urban realm has not yet gained much attention. Most peace-building and violence prevention activities target rural areas where indeed the majority of wars are fought. Although forms of violence in urban areas may not be characterized as armed conflicts, they are often equally murderous and destructive. Urban violence has in the global South reached unprecedented level and is increasingly interpreted as a major threat to further development. The city, however, provides a challenging arena for many peace-building organisations, and many of the standard methods and tools of peace-building do not fit to the highly diverse, mobile and fluid characteristic of the city.

Drawing on selected case studies, the course will explore different forms of urban violence and discuss their causes and triggers. It will consider how interventions designed to mitigate and reduce violence and to enhance security in urban areas are affecting local people, drawing on detailed case studies on urban violence and corresponding interventions. The case work will be facilitated by researchers and practitioners with extensive experience in the field and who are internationally-recognized authors on conflict and development.

 

Course Fees: £1,000 per course

What is included:

  • Tuition and course materials
  • Welcome dinner
  • Lunch and refreshments for Friday and Saturday
  • Saturday dinner

  • Bed and breakfast for two nights (additional nights can be secured at £50.00 per night)

Deadline for applications

Two weeks before the course commences.

Bursaries

Bursaries of £500 are available at the discretion of the Institute. Contact Dr Lorraine Holmes for details.

Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of £200 must be paid with the booking, the balance is due on Friday the week

preceding the commencement of the course.

Once the deposit has been paid access will be given to the course website which includes preparatory

reading materials and a full programme.

For more information contact: lorraine.holmes@durham.ac.uk