Gender, Forced Migration, and Humanitarianism

Module Title: Gender, Forced Migration, and Humanitarianism

Module Leader: Dr Farhana Afrin Rahman 

Overview:

This interdisciplinary course draws on development studies, gender studies, refugee and forced migration studies, and political science to critically examine the gendered dimensions of forced migration and humanitarianism. Using feminist and gender-informed approaches, it explores how displacement and humanitarian responses are shaped by – and reinforce – structures of gendered power and inequality.
 
Topics include: the gendered roots of conflict and displacement; shifts in gender identities and relations (including masculinities and femininities); gender-based and sexual violence across the migration journey; and the agency of displaced individuals. The course also examines how humanitarian systems engage with gender, including critiques of protection, vulnerability, and the politics of aid.
 
Students will engage with key policy debates, methodological approaches, and the ethical challenges of researching gender, displacement, and humanitarianism.