Below is a sample of course descriptions from this year which are suggested courses for students focusing on humanitarian studies. Please consult the individual schools' websites for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

For schedule information on any course, please refer to the individual school's website.

Tufts University Fletcher School
Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Harvard School of Public Health
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tufts University

DHP D230: Humanitarian Action in Complex Emergencies
This course examines the evolution of the humanitarian action in relation to the evolution of the international system and in relation to its reflection based on years of experience. This multi-disciplinary course will cover a broad range of subjects, including the evolution of the international system, conflicts and humanitarian action, the political economy of conflicts and humanitarian aid, the methodologies developed to improving efficiency and accountability, the ethical and practical implications of adopting a right based approach, the impact of humanitarian intervention on humanitarian assistance and the new debates associated with the war on terror. By the end of this course you will be aware of the historical, legal, social, political and moral context of both the causes and responses to complex humanitarian emergencies. You will also understand how the international environment and the humanitarian community are intimately connected and how they affect each other. Finally, you will have a working knowledge of the principles and standards for performing humanitarian response to complex humanitarian emergencies. This course is cross-listed with The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Fall semester. Associate Professor Maxwell

DHP P227: Advanced Seminar in Development and Conflict Resolution
The aim of this seminar is to provide students with contemporary tools and understandings at the intersection of development and conflict resolution practice. This seminar is in-depth and cutting-edge, discussing in detail what it is that development and conflict resolution practitioners currently do on the ground in a variety of conflict situations on all continents. It deals with methodologies (conflict vulnerability assessments; conflict impact assessments, etc.), issue areas (reconciliation; security sector reform; demobilization, disarmament and reintegration, etc.) and context (political economy of peacebuilding; role of corporations; relations with the military). Open to students who have completed DHP P225 or by permission of instructor. Open to students who have completed D223, P222 or with permission of the instructors. Spring semester. Professor Uvin and Professor of Practice Chigas

DHP D235: Research Seminar in Forced Migration and Human Security
This seminar seeks to strengthen students understanding of and capacity to conduct social scientific inquiry in the field of forced migration, by exploring the research methods used by social scientists. The field of forced migration is defined broadly, to include such related areas as labor migration, humanitarian assistance, refugee law and policy, and livelihoods and human rights in conflict-affected regions. The course is especially intended for students seeking structured guidance in conceptualizing and assembling a research proposal, particularly one that intends to use field methods. The course offers a way to learn more about the field of forced migration through an epistemological approach. Spring semester. Associate Professor Jacobsen

DHP D233: Daily Risks and Crisis Events: How People and Planners Cope with Vulnerability
This course (requiring advance reading and extensive participation in discussion) serves as a bridge between classes on nutrition in a developmental context and those focused on relief in complex emergencies. Manifestations of household and national vulnerability differ in these contexts, but only by a matter of degrees. Risks of individual nutrition failure are related to risks of household food security, which in turn relate to risks inherent in the physical, economic, cultural and political environment that is the backdrop to household behavior. The conditions that determine food and nutritional stresses persist in countries undergoing economic transformation and political unrest, but also in those ill equipped to cope with the stresses of globalization, increasing poverty, and declining public sector responsibility. Much international work involves being able to assess the potential risks and returns of alternative development strategies in such diverse contexts. This course is cross-listed with The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Spring semester. Professor Webb

DHP D232: Gender, Culture and Conflict in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
This course examines situations of armed conflict and the international and national humanitarian and military responses to these situations from a gender perspective and highlights the policy and program implications that this perspective presents. Topics covered include gender analyses of current trends in armed conflict and terrorism; gender analyses of the links among war economies, globalization and armed conflict; the manipulation of gender roles to fuel war and violence; sexual and gender-based violations; womens rights in international humanitarian and human rights law during armed conflict; peacekeeping operations; peacebuilding; and reconstruction. Case studies are drawn from recent and current armed conflicts worldwide. This course is cross-listed with The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Not offered 2007-2008. Instructor to be announced.

DHP D237: Nutrition in Complex Emergencies: Policies, Practice and Decision-making
This course will examine the central role and importance of food and nutrition in complex emergencies. The implications of this for nutrition assessment, policy development, program design and implementation will be examined. This will provide an understanding of; the nutritional outcomes of emergencies (malnutrition, morbidity and mortality); and also the causes of malnutrition and mortality in emergencies (the process and dynamics of an emergency). The course will also develop a broader range of management skills needed in relation to humanitarian response initiatives. This course is cross-listed with The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Note: This course meets from January February. Professor Young

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Harvard School of Public Health

ID 517: Public Health Response to Mass Emergencies
Lectures. Two 2-hour sessions each week.
This course on all-hazards emergencies will focus on public health preparedness and response. The course begins with the history of biological warfare and arms control efforts, and provides an analysis of the current biological, chemical, and radiological threats. The science of the relevant agents as well as the science of defensive measures will be addressed. Practical skills will be emphasized, including how to conduct an epidemiological investigation, the basics of emergency public health law, knowledge of the National Incident Management System and methods of coordination with various federal, state, and local emergency response agencies. Instructors will use a variety of instructional materials, including lectures, case studies and tabletop exercises. Course note: no auditors.

PIH 218: Health and Human Rights
Lecture, case study. One 3-hour session each week.
The course identifies and discusses the complex interactions between health and human rights, with particular emphasis on the implications of human rights for public health thinking and practice. The course provides the basis for literacy about modern human rights, including core principles, key documents, institutions and practices. Then, a framework for analysis of health/human rights interactions is developed and applied, including: effect of health policies and programs on human rights; health consequences of human rights violations; and the inextricable linkage between promoting and protecting health and promoting and protecting human rights. A variety of topics including reproductive health and HIV/AIDS are used to illustrate and explore practical applications of human rights in public health.

PIH265 Ethical Issues in International Health Research
Seminar. One 3-hour session each week.
This course is designed to expose students to the key ethical issues that may be encountered in the course of conducting international health research. Using case presentations and discussion-based class sessions, students will have the opportunity to begin developing their own tools for dealing with these important issues in an applied context. Spring Semester. Dr. R. Cash and Dr. D. Wikler

PIH267 HIV/AIDS in Developing Countries: Epidemiol & National Responses
Lectures, case studies. Two 2-hour sessions each week.
This course is designed to provide a broad description of the distinct features of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in developing countries, and the evolution of national responses against HIV/AIDS in selected countries. The course will focus on sub-Saharan Africa, although relevant examples from other developing countries will be addressed during the presentations and discussions. At the beginning of the course, an overview of the status of the HIV/AIDS epidemic will be presented and followed by a discussion of the methods used to derive regional HIV/AIDS estimates. Later, factors contributing to the expansion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa will be examined, and strategies that could be used to reduce further spread of the epidemic will be discussed. Subsequent sessions will focus on the evolution of national responses against HIV/AIDS epidemic in selected countries. In each country, the main features of the national HIV/AIDS control program will be described, and the key strategies adopted in reducing further spread of the HIV epidemic will be presented and discussed.
Course Activities: Case studies from selected countries where HIV/AIDS interventions have worked will be presented and discussed to assess the possibility of replicating programs from countries where HIV/AIDS interventions have been successful. A combination of formal lectures, case studies and student presentations will be used. Spring Semester. Instructor to be announced

PIH510 Humanitarian Protection in Conflict:Legal and Policy Challenges
Lectures, seminars, case studies. One 2-hour session each week
This course will offer a multidisciplinary approach to the protection of civilians during armed conflict. Students will become acquainted with the relevant laws and legal principles and be equipped with the necessary skills to address humanitarian concerns in an operational environment. The main objective of the seminar is to engage in a guided reflection on the most pressing challenges confronted by governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations involved in areas of conflict. Guest speakers and practical case studies will play an important role in developing our understanding of these issues. Spring. Mr. C. Bruderlein

PIH513 Public Health Operations in Complex Emergencies and War
The last two decades have seen the growth in the humanitarian aid industry and the maturation of the field of international relief. With this growth has come the collective realization of the need for applying methods for data collection, evaluation and needs-based planning in humanitarian operations in the field. In complex field settings such as wars and disasters, the application of rapid epidemiologic methods requires both an understanding of applied field methods and a common-sense understanding of humanitarian operations. This seminar series will address practical approaches to field assessments, design of relief programs, barriers encountered in the field, and the use of field standards, such as Sphere standards. Students will be encouraged to participate in practical exercises and discussions related to case scenarios in conflict-related crises, and will learn the initial approaches to developing programs in large-scale complex emergencies. Spring Semester. Dr. J. Leaning

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

11.479J / 1.851J Water and Sanitation Infrastructure in Developing Countries
The class deals with the principles of infrastructure planning in developing countries, with a focus on appropriate and sustainable technologies for water and sanitation. It also incorporates technical, socio-cultural, public health, and economic factors into the planning and design of water and sanitation systems. Upon completion, students will be able to plan simple, yet reliable, water supply and sanitation systems for developing countries that are compatible with local customs and available human and material resources. Graduate and upper division students from any department who are interested in international development at the grassroots level are encouraged to participate in this interdisciplinary subject. Spring Semester. Susan Murcott

17.506 Ethnic Politics II
This course is designed mainly for political science graduate students conducting or considering conducting research on identity politics. While Ethnic Politics I is designed as a primarily theoretical course, Ethnic Politics II switches the focus to methods. It aims to familiarize the student with the current conventional approaches as well as major challenges to them. The course discusses definition and measurement issues as well as briefly addressing survey techniques and modeling. Spring Semester. Dr. Roger Petersen

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