Module manager: Dr Winnifred Bedigen
Email: W.Bedigen@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is approved as a discovery module
This module will examine the causes, nature and consequences of violence in Africa. The module will explore issues surrounding race, class, ethnicity, gender, religion and resources in contemporary African conflicts. Students will develop a conceptual awareness of African statehood, ‘warlord politics', resource wars and state collapse. The module will evaluate the efficacy of current approaches to peace building and transitional justice in Africa, as well as the debates and controversies surrounding international intervention, peacekeeping and the International Criminal Court.
This module offers historical, theoretical and empirical perspectives on the causes and nature of violence and conflict in contemporary Africa. Drawing upon a variety of case studies, the module will examine different forms of violence across Africa and the efficacy of current approaches to peace building (reconciliation or transformation), including the debates and controversies surrounding foreign intervention and peacebuilding.
On successful completion of the module students will have met the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject: -
1.Identify and analyse the different forms that violence takes in Africa in a range of case studies.
2.Critically analyse debates and controversies surrounding race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, and generational change, and evaluate how these shape understandings of violence in contemporary Africa.
3. Evaluate and compare approaches to peacebuilding and transitional justice in Africa, including theories of justice and reconciliation, and assess their implications for victims of violence.
4.Analyse the postcolonial state in Africa, examining the dynamics of neopatrimonial rule, warlord politics, and state collapse using relevant theoretical frameworks.
5.Critically evaluate the causes and nature of violence and conflict in contemporary Africa.
6. Assess the effectiveness of peacebuilding approaches, including indigenous knowledge systems of reconciliation and transformation.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate the following skills and competencies:
1.Examine historical, theoretical, and empirical perspectives on complex political issues.
2.Apply case study methods to explore different forms of violence.
3.Employ comparative methods across diverse African contexts.
4.Identify and retrieve relevant academic and policy sources using digital databases and online platforms
5.Communicate complex information, ideas, and solutions clearly and effectively in written and/or oral formats, adapting style and structure for different audiences and purposes.
The ability to produce political briefing documents that will be useful practical experience for the future workplace.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Independent study will be facilitated by library resources and blended learning. The VLE will host resources for each week including captured lectures, digitised readings, documentary videos and, where appropriate, short introductory lectures using 'desktop capture' software. Students will be required to conduct independent research into particular case studies in preparation for seminars, essays and political briefings.
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for the summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | - | 25 |
| Coursework | - | 75 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team