PACS 6901 UNITED NATIONS, PEACE AND SECURITY

Transcription

1 Coordinator PACS 6901 UNITED NATIONS, PEACE AND SECURITY Dr Wendy Lambourne, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies Room 106, Mackie Building K01, University of Sydney Lecturers Dr Annie Herro, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Room 104, Mackie Building K01, University of Sydney Kevin Chang, former Chief Technical Adviser, UNDP/DPKO Major General Tim Ford (Rtd), former UN Head of Mission and Military Adviser Dr Ken Macnab, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies Rod Barton, former Senior United Nations Weapons Inspector in Iraq Kamal Fadel, Polisario representative in Australia Carole Shaw, Justice Equality Rights Access (JERA) International Class Timetable Dates & Times: 2:00 4:00 pm or 5:00 7:00 pm Thursdays (Weeks 1-6 & 10-13) or Friday 10:00 am 12 noon (additional option Weeks 6 & 11) plus 10:00 am 5:00 pm Fridays 26 April (Week 7) & 31 May (Week 12) Location: Mackie Seminar Room 107 (Thursdays & Friday mornings) New Law School Lecture Theatre 104 (Friday 26 April & 31 May) Assessment Timetable Essay proposal due: Model UN exercise: Model UN assignment due: Final Essay due: Thursday 2 May Friday 31 May Thursday 6 June Friday 21 June - 1 -

2 RATIONALE The United Nations was formed in 1945 with the mandate to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind. The UN was structured by its designers to avoid the pitfalls that led to the demise of its predecessor, the League of Nations. Hence the innovative power of veto given to the five permanent members of the Security Council to encourage their continued participation in the new world body. Under Article 1 of the UN Charter, the primary purpose of the United Nations is described: 1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace; In the 68 years since the UN was formed, the nature and location of armed conflicts has changed. It is no longer war of the type envisaged in the Charter that occupies the attention of diplomats and militaries; rather than wars between states, we have seen more violent conflicts located within state borders. The UN was not set up to deal with the complexities and controversies associated with maintaining peace and security within the borders of nation states. Furthermore, the composition of the UN Security Council has been challenged as not representing the realities of today s world power balance. For example, Japan and Germany were denied permanent member status as the defeated powers in the Second World War, and groups and regions (such as the Islamic world and Africa) are not permanently represented. In this unit of study we will examine the economic, political, ethical, legal, structural and operational dilemmas and challenges faced by the United Nations in the implementation of its mandate to maintain international peace and security in the past, the present and the future. Students will be encouraged to explore how UN peace and security activities could be more effective in promoting peace with justice and addressing the three freedoms as outlined in the Charter: freedom from fear, freedom from want, and freedom to live in dignity. AIMS & OUTCOMES The primary aim of this unit is for students to critically examine the functions and operations of the United Nations in its quest to maintain international peace and security. The various peace and security mechanisms employed by the UN will be defined and analysed, including conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and peace enforcement. The UN s mandate to promote social and economic progress, protect human rights and develop respect for international law will also be considered in the context of a broader definition of peace and security that goes beyond the ending of armed conflict (negative peace) to the promotion of peace with justice (positive peace). Students will learn to assess the contribution of the UN to the maintenance of international peace and security by considering historical and contemporary examples of conflicts and - 2 -

3 situations where the UN has played a role. These case studies will be used to illustrate and explore a number of challenges and key issues of contention that influence the credibility and performance of the UN, such as: 1) the gaps and relationships between mandates, political will, resources, capacity and realities in the field; 2) national interest versus collective security; 3) the ethical, political and legal dilemmas of balancing respect for state sovereignty with protection of human rights and maintenance of peace and security; 4) the relationship between the UN and other actors in the maintenance of international peace and security, including coalitions of the willing and regional organisations; 5) logistical and operational challenges of peacekeeping, such as the use of force and training and composition of peacekeeping forces; 6) questions of neutrality and impartiality of the UN; 7) the measurement of success of UN peacekeeping and other activities; 8) cooperation and coordination between civilians and military, UN agencies and NGOs in peacekeeping, peacebuilding and other UN activities; 9) implications of the UN s expanded peacebuilding role and coordination of integrated and political missions; 10) negotiating reforms in global economic and social governance, peace and security architecture, and human rights mechanisms in the context of national interests; 11) the perceived dilemma of peace versus justice in conflict settlements and peacebuilding; 12) the role of the US and implications for UN credibility and effectiveness; 13) geopolitical analysis of the functioning of the UN Security Council and its impact on the maintenance of international peace and security; 14) the impact of decolonisation and increasing numbers of new member states, and changes in power relations, on issues of representation and the legitimacy of UN forums, decisions and activities; 15) the role of the media, communications, information and intelligence in determining political and strategic priorities and decisions of states and the UN; 16) the view that UN intervention is a form of neo-imperialism involving the imposition of Western values and a liberal democratic model; 17) questions of civil society participation and the legitimacy and effectiveness of UN peacebuilding and other activities; 18) challenges of gender mainstreaming and the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 in peacekeeping, peacebuilding and other UN activities; 19) the limitations imposed by the UN Charter in terms of UN structure and functioning 20) Students will be encouraged to assess how these challenges and issues have been addressed in the past, in the present, and could be addressed differently in the future, in terms of their impact on UN performance in attaining the goals of both positive and negative peace. The unit of study will thus enable students to analyse and evaluate the role and functions of the United Nations in fulfilling its mandate to maintain international peace and security and will equip students to suggest means for improving the UN s performance both in ending the scourge of war and promoting peace with justice. Students will also gain an appreciation of UN professional practice including both politics and process at the diplomatic level and management of field-based operations, thus providing knowledge and understanding appropriate and helpful for a career with the United Nations

4 COURSE OVERVIEW Week 1, Thursday 7 March United Nations Charter: In Larger Freedom Dr Wendy Lambourne Week 2, Thursday 14 March Pacific Settlement of Disputes and Collective Security Dr Wendy Lambourne Week 3, Thursday 21 March Peacekeeping: Evolution and Challenges Major General Tim Ford (Retd) Week 4, Thursday 28 March Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Mr Kevin Chang Easter mid-semester break no class Thursday 4 April Week 5, Thursday 11 April UN and Terrorism Dr Ken Macnab Week 6, Thursday 18 April & Friday 19 April Somalia and Disarmament in the 1990s plus Iraq and Weapons of Mass Destruction Mr Rod Barton Anzac Day Holiday no class Thursday 25 April Week 7, Friday 26 April Western Sahara: Decolonisation, Human Rights and Self-Determination Kamal Fadel Rwanda: Failure to Prevent Genocide Dr Wendy Lambourne UNEPS Proposal and Introduction to Model UN Dr Annie Herro Weeks 8 & 9 no classes Thursday 2 or 9 May Week 10, Thursday 16 May Politics and Process at the UN: Libya and Syria Dr Annie Herro Week 11, Thursday 23 May Peacebuilding Coordination and Integrated Missions Mr Kevin Chang Week 12, Thursday 30 May UN Women and UNSC Resolution 1325 Ms Carole Shaw Week 12, Friday 31 May Model UN Exercise: Creating a UNEPS Dr Annie Herro & Dr Wendy Lambourne Week 13, Thursday 6 June Fulfilling the UN Vision: Challenges and Prospects Dr Wendy Lambourne - 4 -

5 ASSESSMENT A. Model UN Exercise (20%) including 300 word assignment FRIDAY 31 MAY Evidence of preparation and participation in the Model UN exercise in Week 7, Friday 31 May, including submission of prepared country position statement and brief explanation, will comprise 20% of the assessment for the course. The Model UN exercise will attempt to replicate features of a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Two students will play the role of one of the member states and will debate the issue of creation of a UN Emergency Peace Service (UNEPS) a standing UN service to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity. Working in pairs, students are expected to research and prepare a three-minute position statement for the country they have been assigned in relation to the UNEPS proposal, and jointly present that country s position statement to the UN General Assembly as part of the Model UN on Friday 31 May. You will be allowed exactly three minutes to present your position statement, so you will need to time your presentation to ensure that it is the appropriate length. Following presentation of position statements, state representatives will meet in their blocs to negotiate an agreed position that will form the basis for negotiations in the General Assembly for a draft resolution that will be put to the vote. You will be required to submit a printed copy of your jointly prepared country position statement, accompanied by a brief statement of no more than 300 words which explains he issues and evidence you considered in preparing your country statement. Further information about the Model UN exercise is provided under Week 12 in this outline, and details of the program for the day will be provided in class. Students will be divided into pairs and allocated their countries in Week 10, Thursday 16 May. Criteria for assessment: preparation and submission of position statement evidence of understanding of the UNEPS proposal and recognition of its implications evidence of research and understanding of the country s likely position on UNEPS clarity and coherence of presentation intelligent expression of arguments and ideas timekeeping (presentations exceeding 3 minutes will be penalised) word length (explanations exceeding 300 words will be penalised) B. Model UN Reflection Report (20%) 1000 words DUE THURSDAY 6 JUNE A 1000 word report reflecting on the Model UN class exercise is due on Thursday 6 June. The report should be a reflection on the challenges and opportunities of achieving consensus on a UN reform proposal in the context of competing national interests of UN member states. Your paper should be based on your observations and experience of the Model UN class - 5 -

6 exercise, and should address a list of questions which will be provided on the day of the Model UN. The purpose of this assignment is to build on the Model UN and strengthen understanding of the complexity of UN reform. It is also intended to increase recognition of the scope for imaginative national engagement in the process of reform and the possibility of significant incremental improvement within UN forums. Criteria for assessment: ability to identify key political factors and influences affecting the positions of states on reform issues such the UN Emergency Peace Service ability to recognise and analyse the challenges and opportunities facing UN member states in reaching consensus on UN reform proposals such as the creation of a UN Emergency Peace Service evidence of learning from your observations and experience of the Model UN exercise thoughtful and intelligent analysis and arguments drawing on ideas from Courtney Smith (2006) Politics and Process at the United Nations: The Global Dance evidence of reflective and critical reading and inclusion of a short bibliography ability to present clearly and coherently argued answers to the set questions within the word limit set (assignments exceeding the word limit will be penalised). C. Essay Proposal (10%) 500 words DUE FRIDAY 2 MAY Students are required to submit via Blackboard or a 500 word essay proposal to Dr Wendy Lambourne by Week 7, Friday 2 May. The proposal should indicate which one of the above four topics you have selected and the key issues, case study or UN activity you will cover. You should also give some indication of your key arguments and sources, including a short bibliography. Your essay proposal will be marked and returned with comments via by Thursday 16 May. Your final essay based on the proposal will be due on Friday 21 June. Criteria for assessment: evidence of preliminary research and understanding of the nature and context of the UN activity or case study chosen for analysis, and the key geopolitical and other issues affecting UN performance and effectiveness reference to proposals for improving performance and effectiveness with a view to attaining peace with justice identification of key relevant primary and secondary sources listed in a short bibliography attached to the proposal ability to develop and present a clear and coherent proposal within the required word limit (essay proposals exceeding the word limit will be penalised) D. Final Essay (50%) 3000 words DUE FRIDAY 21 JUNE Students are required to write an essay on one of the following topics: 1. A critical examination of a case study where the UN has played a significant role, referring to at least one of the key issues identified on page 3 of the course outline in order to provide a focus for your arguments and analysis

7 OR 2. A critical exploration of one of the key issues identified on page 3 of the course outline in relation to the work of the UN, referring to at least two cases as examples to illustrate your arguments and analysis. OR 3. A critical examination of a key UN activity, referring to at least one of the key issues identified on page 3 of the course outline, and making reference to examples to illustrate your arguments and analysis. OR 4. A specific topic or question that meets the assessment criteria and relates to any area of UN principles and practice, making sure that your analysis is critical and refers to illustrative examples. Students may choose to base their essay on a case study examined in class, or to select from any historical or contemporary case study relating to UN activities. Whichever topic is chosen, the essay must include reference to specific applications, examples or case studies, and your analysis should be placed in the context of issues and challenges facing the UN in fulfilling its mandate. Furthermore, you are required to consider options for improving the UN s performance by addressing these challenges, with reference to the broader goal of achieving peace with justice. Criteria for assessment: evidence of research and understanding of 1) the nature and context of UN activities and 2) key geopolitical and other issues affecting UN performance and effectiveness evidence of critical thought and intelligent analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities faced by the UN as it seeks to fulfil its mandate ability to critically assess reform proposals and suggest ways of improving the effectiveness of UN activities for the attainment of peace with justice evidence of reflective and critical wider reading and research, with full bibliography or reference list of sources ability to develop and present a coherent argument and analysis within the required word limit (essays exceeding the word limit will be penalised) Further details regarding referencing styles, presentation and submission of assignments, marking, plagiarism, late work and extensions can be found in the 2013 CPACS Assignment Presentation and Assessment Guidelines. Most importantly, students are required to attach an Assignment Cover Sheet to all assignments and to sign the Plagiarism Compliance Statement before work can be marked. Students must pass all four sections of the assessment (essay proposal, Model UN exercise, reflection report and final essay) for successful completion of the course. Failure to attend at least 80% of classes without reasonable cause is grounds for failure

8 READINGS & RESOURCES Ongoing reading and preparation for classes is essential in order to facilitate learning and participation. are listed for each session in this course outline, and are available for purchase in a course reader. Students are also required to read UN primary documents provided in class and via Blackboard (Learn), and to consult the UN website ( regularly in order to prepare for classes and to gain a thorough understanding of the structure, functions and activities of the UN. Additional recommended readings for each session will be provided on the Blackboard (Learn) site for the unit. Many of the additional readings listed for each session can also be found in the UN course readers from previous years (available for consultation in the CPACS Resource Centre) and in Fisher Library. Additional reading is required for assignments. There have been many books published on the UN, explaining its structure and operations, assessing its performance and discussing needed reforms. Some of the key texts are listed in this course outline. Most are available for consultation in Fisher or Law Library or the CPACS Resource Centre, or you may wish to purchase a text in addition to the course reader. UN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS Copies of some of these key UN documents will be provided on Blackboard (Learn) or in class. Students will also need to obtain copies for themselves of some of these key documents as well as other UN documents by downloading them from the UN website ( Hardcopies of most of these documents are available in the CPACS Resource Centre for consultation. You might also be able to obtain hardcopies of UN documents and publications from the United Nations Information Centre located in Canberra: see United Nations (1945) Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice. New York: United Nations. [copy provided] Annan, K. A. (2000) We the Peoples : The Role of the United Nations in the 21 st Century. New York: United Nations. Annan, K. A. (2005) In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All. New York: United Nations. Boutros-Ghali, B. (1992) An Agenda for Peace: Preventive Diplomacy, Peacemaking and Peace-keeping. New York: United Nations. Boutros-Ghali, B. (1996) Agenda for Democratization. New York: United Nations. Boutros-Ghali, B. (1997) Agenda for Development. New York: United Nations. United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. New York: United Nations

9 United Nations (2000) Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations. The Brahimi Report, A/55/395; S/2000/809. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2004) A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility. Report of the Secretary-General s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2005), Resolution adopted by the General Assembly: 60/ World Summit Outcome, A/RES/60/1, 24 October United Nations (2008) The United Nations Today. New York: United Nations. untoday/un_today_book_eng.pdf United Nations (2009) A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for UN Peacekeeping. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2011) Basic Facts about the United Nations. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2011), Preventive Diplomacy: Delivering Results, Report of the Secretary- General, New York: United Nations. SOME USEFUL WEBSITES IRIN News (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) International Crisis Group International Peace Institute United Nations United Nations Information Centre (Canberra) United States Institute of Peace For regular reports on the activities of the Security Council: For information on the policies of Member States The Human Security Report Project issues daily reports to those who subscribe (free) to hsilist@sfu.ca by putting subscribe to Human Security News in the subject line. Global Action to Prevent War KEY TEXTS Most of these texts are available from Fisher or Law Library, to consult in the CPACS Resource Centre, or for purchase from the University Co-op Bookshop or the local bookstore, Gleebooks. To obtain more current information on the United Nations and its activities, conflicts and peace operations students should consult journals, reports and news media - 9 -

10 through the University of Sydney Fisher and Law Libraries, online and in the CPACS Resource Centre. Bellamy, A. J. & Williams, P. (2010) Understanding Peacekeeping, 2 nd edn. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Chesterman, S. (2004) You, The People: The United Nations, Transitional Administration, and State-Building. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [available as full text online University of Sydney Library website and Oxford Scholarship Online] Chesterman, S., Franck, T. M. & Malone, D. M. (2008) Law and Practice of the United Nations: Documents and Commentary. New York: Oxford University Press. Evans, G. (1993) Cooperating for Peace: The Global Agenda for the 1990s and Beyond. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. Falk, R. A. (2008) The Costs of War: International Law, the UN, and World Order After Iraq. New York/London: Routledge. Gareis, S. B. & Varwick, J. (2005) The United Nations: An Introduction. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Kennedy, P. (2006) The Parliament of Man: The Past, Present, and Future of the United Nations. New York: Random House. Krasno, J. E. (ed.) (2004) The United Nations: Confronting the Challenges of a Global Society. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner. Luck, E. C. (2006) UN Security Council: Practice and Promise. New York: Routledge. Malone, D. M. (ed.) (2004) The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21 st Century. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner. Shawcross, W. (2001) Deliver Us From Evil: Peacekeepers, Warlords and a World of Endless Conflict. London: Bloomsbury. Smith, C. B. (2006) Politics and Process at the United Nations: The Global Dance. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner. Sutterlin, J. S. (2003) The United Nations and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security, 2 nd edn. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. Thakur, R. (2006) The United Nations, Peace and Security: From Collective Security to Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. [available as full text online University of Sydney Library website] Weiss, T. (2009) What s Wrong with the UN and How to Fix It. Cambridge: Polity Press. Weiss, T. G. & Daws, S. (eds.) (2007) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP. Weiss, T. G., Forsythe, D. P. & Coate, R. A. (2010) The United Nations and Changing World

11 Politics, 6 th edn. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. Weiss, T. G. & Thakur, R. (2010) Global Governance and the UN: An Unfinished Journey. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. White, N. D. (2002) The United Nations System: Toward International Justice. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner. OUTLINE OF SESSIONS Week 1, Thursday 7 March United Nations Charter: In Larger Freedom Dr Wendy Lambourne We will start with introductions and an overview of the course including themes, resources and assessment. The session will then focus on discussion of the origins, structure and goals of the United Nations. We will consider the ways in which the founders of the UN applied lessons learnt from the experiences of its predecessor, the League of Nations, in the drafting of the UN Charter. We will consider how the UN contributes not only to ending war, but also to promoting peace with justice and human security, with its focus on activities that address the three freedoms: freedom from fear, freedom from want and freedom to live in dignity. We will take a detailed look at the principles and purposes outlined in the UN Charter and the functions of the six primary organs, and begin to identify the potential and limitations of the Charter as a means of fulfilling the primary purpose of the UN to maintain international peace and security. The broader family of UN organisations including programmes and specialised agencies will also be identified as a means to understanding the institutional structure and functioning of the UN in the areas of peace and security, development and human rights. Krasno, J. E. (2004) Founding the United Nations: An Evolutionary Process in Krasno, J. E. (ed.) The United Nations: Confronting the Challenges of a Global Society. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, pp Hampson, F. O. & Penny, C. K. (2007) Human Security in Weiss, T.G. and Daws, S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP, pp UN documents Annan, K. A. (2005) In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All. New York: United Nations. United Nations (1945) Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2008) The United Nations Today. New York: United Nations. Available at United Nations (2011) Basic Facts about the United Nations. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2005), Resolution adopted by the General Assembly: 60/ World Summit Outcome, A/RES/60/1, 24 October

12 Week 2, Thursday 14 March Peaceful Settlement of Disputes and Collective Security Dr Wendy Lambourne This session will focus on understanding the ideal of collective security behind the establishment of the UN and approaches to peaceful settlement of disputes.the establishment of the International Court of Justice as the successor to the League s Permanent Court of International Justice continued the vision that states might resolve their disputes peacefully according to the rule of law. At the same time, the drafters of the UN Charter ensured that more robust provisions were included in order to control the use of force in response to a threat or breach of international peace and security. We will examine the Chapter VI mechanisms for the pacific settlement of disputes and how these relate to options for the use of force as outlined in Chapter VII of the Charter. Students will be introduced to the peace and conflict cycle of UN activities from prevention, peacemaking and peacekeeping to peace enforcement and peacebuilding. Mani, R. (2007) Peaceful Settlement of Disputes and Conflict Prevention in Weiss, T.G. and Daws, S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP, pp Weiss, T. G., Forsythe, D. P. & Coate, R. A. (2010) The Theory of UN Collective Security in The United Nations and Changing World Politics, 6 th edn. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, pp White, N. D. (2002) The Legal Organs: Accountability and the Rule of Law in The United Nations System: Toward International Justice. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner, pp UN documents United Nations (1945) Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice. New York: United Nations. Boutros-Ghali, B. (1992) An Agenda for Peace: Preventive Diplomacy, Peacemaking and Peace-keeping. New York: United Nations. Week 3, Thursday 21 March Peacekeeping: Evolution and Challenges Major General Tim Ford (Retd) This session is led by guest lecturer, Major General (ret d) Tim Ford, who is an adviser on peace operations to the United Nations and other international and regional organisations. General Ford has served as the Head of Mission of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) in the Middle East, as the leader of several UN fact finding missions in Africa and as the Chief Military Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations at UN Headquarters, New York. This session will examine the evolution of peacekeeping and contemporary challenges it faces, including the difficulties and opportunities confronting integrated peace operations and the mandate to protect civilians. Bellamy, A. J., Williams, P. & Griffin, S. (2010) Peace Operations in the Twenty-First Century in Understanding Peacekeeping. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, pp

13 Krasno, J. E. (2004) To End the Scourge of War: The Story of UN Peacekeeping in Krasno, J. E. (ed.) The United Nations: Confronting the Challenges of a Global Society. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner, pp UN documents United Nations (2004) A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility. Report of the Secretary-General s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. New York: United Nations. Available at United Nations (2000) Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations. The Brahimi Report, A/55/395; S/2000/809. New York: United Nations. Executive summary. United Nations (2007) Peacekeeping Best Practices: Report of the Secretary-General, A/62/593, 18 December United Nations (2008) United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Principles and Guidelines. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2009) A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for UN Peacekeeping. New York: United Nations. Week 4, Thursday 28 March Conflict Prevention, Development and Peacebuilding Mr Kevin Chang Kevin Chang, a graduate of the MPACS program, has worked for UNHCR in Pakistan and UNDP in Geneva, including missions in Nepal as Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation Specialist, and Timor Leste where he was Chief Technical Advisor, Security Sector Reform. In this session we will focus on the UN s conflict prevention mandate, exploring its capacities, mechanisms, personnel, tools, resources and examples of conflict prevention in practice. We will distinguish between operational and structural prevention and explore the relationship between conflict prevention and development in the context of an increasing focus on peacebuilding and the responsibility to prevent. Students will gain an understanding of the various UN bodies and agencies involved in the interrelated areas of prevention, peacebuilding and development, including the UN Peacebuilding Commission created after the 2005 World Summit. Mani, R. (2007) Peaceful Settlement of Disputes and Conflict Prevention in Weiss, T.G. and Daws, S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP, pp [see Course Reader Week 2] Paris, R. (2007) Post-Conflict Peacebuilding in Weiss, T.G. and Daws, S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP, pp Fomerand, J. (2004) Agent of Change? The United Nations and Development, in Krasno, J. E. (ed.) The United Nations: Confronting the Challenges of a Global Society. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, pp UN documents Annan, K. A. (2005) In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All. New York: United Nations. Annan, K. A. (2000) We the Peoples : The Role of the United Nations in the 21 st Century. New York: United Nations. Boutros-Ghali, B. (1992) An Agenda for Peace: Preventive Diplomacy, Peacemaking and Peace-keeping. New York: United Nations

14 Boutros-Ghali, B. (1997) Agenda for Development. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2007) The United Nations Development Agenda: Development for All, Goals, commitments and strategies agreed at the United Nations world conferences and summits since New York: Department of Economic and Social Affairs. [Chapters 1, 2, 8 & 9] United Nations (2011), Preventive Diplomacy: Delivering Results, Report of the Secretary- General, New York: United Nations. UN Security Council Resolution 1366 (2001) Prevention of armed conflicts. United Nations (2008) Report of the Secretary-General on enhancing mediation and its support activities. United Nations (2005) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly: 60/ World Summit Outcome, A/RES/60/1, 24 October United Nations (2009) Report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of conflict, A/63/881 S/2009/304, 11 June United Nations, Peacebuilding Support Office (2010) UN Peacebuilding: An Orientation, September Week 5, Thursday 11 April United Nations and Terrorism Dr Ken Macnab Dr Ken Macnab, President of CPACS and long-time academic in the Department of History, will lead a discussion of how the United Nations has approached the threat of terrorism to international peace and security. Students will gain an understanding of the history of terrorism, including specific cases and examples, with reference to how the UN has responded. A particular emphasis will be placed on understanding the implications of how terrorism has been defined, and the tensions that have arisen in relation to human rights and the controversy surrounding interpretations of the right to self-defence. Required reading Boulden, J. (2007) Terrorism in Weiss, T.G. and Daw, S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP, pp Additional readings Boulden, J. & Weiss, T.G. (eds) (2004) Terrorism and the UN: Before and After September 11, Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Macnab, K.K. (2003/3) 'Implications of the War on Terrorism', Dissent, No. 10, Summer 2002/3, pp UN documents United Nations (2006) UN Action to Counter Terrorism website including links to various documents relating to the UN s global strategy to combat terrorism

15 Week 6, Thursday 18 April & Friday 19 April Case Studies: Somalia and Iraq Session 1: Somalia and Disarmament Issues in the 1990s Rod Barton, former UN Head of Disarmament and Demobilisation, Somalia In January 1991, the Somali government of Siad Barre was overthrown in a vicious civil war. The war led to an internal power struggle and violence between a plethora of political groups throughout the country and by the year s end, disease and starvation had killed an estimated 300,000 Somalis with another 1.5 million at risk. Following a series of Security Council resolutions and interventions by the UN in 1992, a comprehensive aid and security mission, the UN Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) was established in March Part of UNOSOM s mandate was the disarmament of the various militia groups associated with the rival political parties. In this seminar, Rod Barton outlines UNOSOM s disarmament efforts and draws some general principles that are relevant to similar future disarmament efforts. Rod Barton worked for the UN in Somalia in , initially in the Political Division and later as Head of a new division, Disarmament and Demobilisation. He is a former Director of Intelligence in the Australian Department of Defence and a former weapons inspector in Iraq. He is the author of The Weapons Detective: The Inside Story of Australia s Top Weapons Inspector. Barton, R. (2006) African Interlude in The Weapons Detective: The Inside Story of Australia s Top Weapons Inspector. Melbourne: Schwartz Publishing, pp Boothby, D. (2004) Disarmament: Successes and Failures in Krasno, J. E. (ed.) The United Nations: Confronting the Challenges of a Global Society. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, pp Bellamy, A. J., Williams, P. & Griffin, S. (2010) Peace Enforcement in Understanding Peacekeeping. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, pp Session 2: Iraq and Weapons of Mass Destruction Rod Barton, former Senior UN Weapons Inspector in Iraq Special guest, Rod Barton, will draw on his experiences as a former Senior UN Weapons Inspector in Iraq. After a brief historical overview of the various UN resolutions on disarmament of Iraq s weapons of mass destruction that followed the Iraq war of 1991, Rod will discuss the mandate given to UN weapons inspectors. This will be followed by a short discussion of the work of the inspectors and Iraq s motivation to cooperate in response to the sanctions regime and threat of use of armed force. We will then consider the justification for war in 2003 based on the knowledge of the Coalition of the Willing and the findings of the Iraq Survey Group to which Rod was a senior specialist adviser. Barton, R. (2006) The Most Dangerous Place on Earth in The Weapons Detective: The Inside Story of Australia s Top Weapons Inspector. Melbourne: Schwartz Publishing, pp Da Silva, P. T. (2004) Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Iraqi Case in Malone, D. M. (ed.) The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21st Century. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner, pp

16 Luck, E. C. (2006) Economic sanctions, arms embargoes, and diplomatic instruments in UN Security Council: Practice and Promise. New York: Routledge, pp Thakur, R. (2006) Iraq s challenge to world order in The United Nations, Peace and Security: From Collective Security to Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, pp Week 7, Friday 26 April Western Sahara, Rwanda and UNEPS Session 1: Western Sahara: Decolonisation and Self-Determination Kamal Fadel, Polisario representative in Australia In this session we will examine the case study of Western Sahara to explore the agenda set by Kofi Annan in the report In Larger Freedom Freedom to Live in Dignity. The decolonisation of Western Sahara is one of the UN s least publicised but most significant failures. Western Sahara was abandoned by its former colonial occupiers, is still on the UN s list of non-self-governing territories and is waiting for the right to self-determination, while human rights violations are ongoing in the occupied territory. Guest lecturer, Kamal Fadel, will focus on the lack of enforceability of UN resolutions relating to the peace agreement. Kamal will also focus on the lack of political will of member states due to competing national interests and priorities as impediments to ending Morocco s illegal occupation of Western Sahara. We will discuss the role of global civil society in alliance with ongoing resistance in the occupied nation to mobilise sufficiently in order to force governments currently supporting the occupation to live up to their international legal responsibilities. Fadel, K. (1999) The Decolonisation Process in Western Sahara, Indigenous Law Bulletin, 4:23, August-September Hodges, T. (1983) At the United Nations & The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice October 16, 1975 in Western Sahara: the Roots of a Desert War, Westport, Connecticut: Lawrence Hill & Company, pp & Dunbar, C. & Malley-Morrison, K. (2009) The Western Sahara Dispute: A Cautionary Tale for Peacebuilders, Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, 5:1, 2009, pp Session 2 Rwanda: Failure to Prevent Genocide Dr Wendy Lambourne Dr Wendy Lambourne will facilitate a session on the UN s infamous failure to prevent the genocide that killed 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu in Rwanda in April-July Exploring the links between the various stages of the peace and conflict cycle, we will assess the UN s role in Rwanda from peacemaking to peacekeeping to lack of peace enforcement. As a framework for discussion we will examine the ethical, political, legal and logistical dilemmas faced by the UN in responding to genocide in Rwanda. We will also consider what progress has been made since Rwanda in 1994, especially with the birth of the responsibility to protect doctrine in 2001, and the potential of a UNEPS to enable effective action to prevent genocide in situations such as Rwanda in

17 Barnett, M. N. (2002) The Hunt for Moral Responsibility in Eyewitness to a Genocide: the United Nations and Rwanda. Ithaca, NY/London: Cornell University Press, pp Keating, C. (2004) An Insider s Account in Malone, D. M. (ed.) The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21st Century. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner, pp Thakur, R. (2007) Humanitarian Intervention in Weiss, T.G. and Daws, S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP, pp Session 3 UN Emergency Peace Service Proposal Dr Annie Herro Dr Annie Herro recently completed her PhD examining responses to the proposal for the creation of a UN Emergency Peace Service (UNEPS). In this session Annie will discuss how the proposal for a UNEPS could address peacekeeping challenges and provide a means of putting in practice the responsibility to protect (R2P). Drawing on her doctoral research, Annie will explore the cultural and political challenges in implementing this reform including the perceived legitimacy of the UN and member states seemingly inexorable fear of empowering the UN with military capabilities. : available on Blackboard (Learn) Herro, A. & Suthanthiraraj, K. (2012) Framing a Protection Service in Francis, A., Popovski, V. & Sampford, C. (eds) Norms of Protection: Responsibility to Protect, Protection of Civilians and Their Interaction, Tokyo: United Nations University Press, pp Herro, A., Lambourne, W. & Penklis, D (2009) Peacekeeping and Peace Enforcement in Africa: the potential contribution of a UN Emergency Peace Service African Security Review, 18:1, pp Johansen, R.C. (ed.) (2006) Proposal for a United Nations Emergency Peace Service to Prevent Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity in A United Nations Emergency Peace Service: To Prevent Genocide And Crimes Against Humanity, New York: World Federalist Movement, Institute for Global Policy, 2006, pp Week 10, Thursday 16 May Politics and Process at the UN: Libya and Syria Dr Annie Herro In this session, Dr Annie Herro will lead students in a discussion of the politics of UN processes from the perspective of both states and civil society. Drawing on Courtney Smith s description of UN politics and process as a global dance, we will explore some of the strategies of influence employed by individuals and states, and the power wielded by certain groups and blocs, with particular emphasis on the role of the US. We will use the cases of violence in Libya and Syria to illustrate and inform the discussion, including reference to debates about intervention, use of force and protection of civilians, and the role of regional actors. Wapner, P. (2007) Civil Society in Weiss, T.G. and Daws, S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford/New York: OUP, pp

18 Smith, C. B. (2006) Groups and Blocs in Politics and Process at the United Nations: The Global Dance. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, pp Smith, C. B. (2006) Strategies of Influence: Positional, Personal and Procedural in Politics and Process at the United Nations: The Global Dance. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, pp Week 11, Thursday 23 May Peacebuilding Coordination and Integrated Missions Mr Kevin Chang In this session students will participate in a class exercise designed to learn experientially about the challenges and issues involved in UN integration and coordination in post-conflict contexts. Because of the nature of the exercise, it is expected that an additional seminar will be offered on Friday 24 May from 10 am - 12 noon to divide the class into three smaller groups of approximately 20 students each. Huang, K. & Harris, J. (2006) The Nuts and Bolts of Post-Conflict Capacity-Building: Practicable Lessons from East Timor, Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, 2:3, 2006, pp Rose, T. (2006) Reflections on Peacebuilding and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, 2:3, 2006, pp UN documents Annan, K. (2006) Note from the Secretary-General: Guidance Note on Integrated Missions, 9 February Week 12, Thursday 30 May UN Women and UNSC Resolution 1325 Ms Carole Shaw In 1995 the World Conference on Women created the Beijing Platform for Action. Five years later, Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council in Another ten years later, UN-Women was created to bring together UN agencies working on gender equality and the empowerment of women. In this session, we will examine what has happened to implement the goals, programs and obligations arising from these significant developments. Carole Shaw, a CPACS graduate, is joint CEO and director of Justice Equality Rights Access (JERA) International. Carole will share with students her extensive experience representing women s rights and priorities at the United Nations in Geneva and New York. JERA International supports implementation of UNSCR 1325, CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action, and engagement in the UN Commission for the Status of Women see Required reading: UN documents UN websites: and United Nations Economic and Social Council, Commission for the Status of Women (2012) Report of the Secretary-General, Prevention of violence against women and girls, E/CN.6/2013/4, 20 December

19 United Nations Economic and Social Council, Commission for the Status of Women (2010) Report of the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, E/2010/27 (SUPP) - E/CN.6/2010/11 (SUPP) - 15-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly (2000) Week 12, Friday 31 May Model UN Exercise Dr Wendy Lambourne and Dr Annie Herro The Model UN exercise will attempt to replicate features of a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Two students will play the role of one of the member states and will debate the issue of creation of a UN Emergency Peace Service a standing UN service to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity. Each participant is expected to research the position of his or her country and jointly prepare and present that country s arguments and proposals in a three minute position statement. Such a tight time constraint is essential to fitting everyone in, and that is the kind of constraint that applies at the UN where there are 193 member states. The states to be represented will include those that have major roles from three main groups or blocs the Non-Aligned Movement, JUSCANZ and the European Union as well as some independents. Your position statement should include an emphasis on the points your state might be willing to compromise on, or that are non-negotiable, and explain what actions your state supports and why. Ensure that you represent the views of your country rather than your personal opinion and that you keep the best interests of your country at heart. Your state s interests could reflect domestic political priorities, material or resource concerns, ethical motivations and strategic calculations. Be aware of your allies and enemies in the room, and who you should be working alongside. Many of your countries will not have made public statements about their views on UNEPS. However, every country will have policies and speeches on the Responsibility to Protect doctrine for which UNEPS could be an operational tool. Many states will also have expressed opinions, and some will have voted and engaged in debate in the UNSC, in relation to the UN s responses to the recent violence in Libya and Syria, which could also provide clues to their likely stance on the UNEPS proposal. Delegates will be asked to group into their respective blocs (e.g. Australia in JUSCANZ, Indonesia in the NAM, France in Europe) and negotiate on an amended version of the statute that accommodates the position of each state. Each bloc will have to formulate an agreed position and delegate a country to present this to the UNGA. The UNGA will then be required to negotiate a draft resolution that incorporates the position of the three blocs, and states will vote on the resolution. After the Model UN exercise, students will discuss the lessons learnt in drafting a resolution, negotiating agreement in the face of competing national interests and attempting to enact much-needed reforms. This discussion will provide a chance for students to reflect on their experiences of the Model UN in preparation for completing the individual written assignment due the following week in class on Thursday 6 June

20 Week 13, Thursday 6 June Fulfilling the UN Vision: Challenges and Prospects Dr Wendy Lambourne In this session we will reflect further on the challenges and opportunities the UN faces in achieving its mandate to end the scourge of war as well as to promote peace with justice through protection of human rights, promotion of social and economic progress and respect for the rule of law. Discussions will refer to proposals presented at the 2005 World Summit as well as the various reform efforts that have taken place since, including new UN institutions and entities, coordination mechanisms and capacities in the field. We will consider the evolution, failures and achievements of the UN, its administration and operations, and assess the extent to which the UN has recognised the interdependence of peace and security, development and human rights in its activities. Students will be encouraged to reflect on what they have learnt during the course and how this might have affected their views on the UN s achievements to date and prognosis for a more effective UN in the future. Smith, C. B. (2006) The United Nations and State Compliance in Politics and Process at the United Nations: The Global Dance. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner, pp Luck, E. C. (2006) Reform, adaptation, and evolution & Conclusion in UN Security Council: Practice and Promise. New York: Routledge, pp & Thakur, R. (2006) Conclusion: at the crossroads of ideals and reality in The United Nations, Peace and Security: From Collective Security to Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, pp Weiss, T. (2009) Conclusion: What s Next in What s Wrong with the UN and How to Fix It. Cambridge/Malden: Polity Press, pp UN documents United Nations (2004) A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility. Report of the Secretary-General s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. New York: United Nations. Available at Annan, K. A. (2005) In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All. New York: United Nations. United Nations (2005), Resolution adopted by the General Assembly: 60/ World Summit Outcome, A/RES/60/1, 24 October Available at