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Durham Global Security Institute

Early Warning and Rapid Response

Course Date: 8-9 June 2012

Course  Leader:   Professor Nick Lewer

Professor, Peace and Conflict Studies, Durham University with consultancy and practitioner experience in early warning, conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding including assignments with DFID, Oxfam, the British Council and UNDP. Prior to his appointment at Durham Nick was based in Sri Lanka as the Lead Facilitator at the Sri Lanka One-text Initiative, and involved in delivering PG conflict resolution and security studies for higher education programmes

Guest Lecturers:    To be confirmed

Course Summary

A key factor in the prevention of outbreaks of violence are effective early warning and rapid response (EW/RR)  mechanisms at community, national and international levels.

There are often many conflict indicators present in situations leading up to outbreaks of violence - the challenge is in designing mechanisms which have the authority and capacity to analyse the risks and then make rapid decisions enabling appropriate responses supported with sufficient resources to prevent conflict.

By the end of the course participants will have:

  • a knowledge of recent approaches in early warning and  rapid response mechanisms to outbreaks of violent conflict.
  • the skills needed to analyse conflicts and design approaches for early warning and rapid responses to actual and potential outbreaks of violence.
  • an understanding of the links between  EW/RR and strategies for conflict prevention, conflict management and conflict resolution.
  • the ability to analyse weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and constraints in EW/RR initiatives.

 

Course Outline

Thursday 7 June

Welcome Dinner

Friday 8 June

1. Introduction: conflict typology; social-political-resource triggers; conflict mapping; stakeholder analysis; conflict causes and indicators.

2. Scenario Building: conflict cycles; predictions-best case, 'muddling' through, worst case scenarios

Saturday 9 June

1.  Monitoring and Early Warning elements  including:  forecasting; information gathering methods;  gender perspectives; security threats; political corruption; environmental factors; hot spots;

2. Rapid Response Mechanisms: policy frameworks; civil society responses; outside intervention

3. Case Studies

 

 

 

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

  • Brochure (last modified: 2 October 2011)PDF