The United Nations and Complex Emergencies (U03587)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : SPS-3-POUN

This course seeks to provide a survey of key debates and issues concerning the role and responsibilities of the United Nations system in responding to complex man-made emergency situations, with particular focus on the immediate post-conflict period. Since the end of the Cold War, the Security Council and the General Assembly have assigned an increasingly broad range of tasks to the United Nations, often in combination with coalitions of governments or regional organizations. These new mandates have led to many debates over the best policies to be pursued, both in terms of the appropriate models of intervention and in relation to issues of accountability, coordination, effectiveness and criteria for assessing success. The course will look at recent policy developments at the UN, assess their impact on the delivery of UN programmes, and consider their consequences for affected populations and for the governments and governance of affected states. The analysis will be illustrated by a focus on the situations in several specific countries, including current crisis-affected countries and those where the lecturer served with the UN.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Politics, (School of Social and Political Studies, Schedule J)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Thursday	14:00	14:50	Central

? Additional Class Information : Plus 1 hour tutorial

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students should gain the following from this course:

- An understanding of the key debates regarding the role of the United Nations in complex emergencies
- An appreciation of the way in which the Security Council has adapted to the post-Cold War environment, and opinions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches adopted
- An appreciation for the challenges facing the entities of the UN system in their efforts to implement their programmes
- An understanding of the issues affecting the coordination and management of current UN operations in complex emergencies.