International Humanitarian Response I and II (at HSPH)

GSD SES 05432 is the equivalent of GHP 515 and GHP 518.
This course is the equivalent of 3 GSD units, not 4.

Please check the HSPH website for more information on International Humanitarian Response – I.

Lectures: Wednesdays, 6:00-7:50pm, January 28-May 6, 2015
Location: Harvard Yard, Boylston Hall 110 (Fong Auditorium)

Simulation: 8:30 am, Friday, April 24-2:30pm, Sunday, April 26, 2015
(full days and nights on-site)
Location: Harold Parker State Forest, 305 Middleton Road, North Andover, MA 01845

This course will offer a practical and in-depth analysis of the complex issues and skills needed to engage in humanitarian work in field settings. Through presentations offered by the faculty of the Humanitarian Studies Initiative and guest speakers who are experts in their topic areas, students will gain familiarity with the primary frameworks in the humanitarian field (human rights, livelihoods, Sphere standards, international humanitarian law) and will focus on practical issues that arise in the field, such as rapid assessments, application of minimum standards for humanitarian response, and operational approaches to relations with the military in humanitarian settings.

Each student will be part of a team representing an international humanitarian non-governmental organization. These topics will provide the foundational knowledge and skills needed to perform successfully during a three-day intensive field simulation of a humanitarian crisis that will take place in April.

Students are expected to complete all required class assignments and weekly readings, as well as a group service delivery plan analyzing a fictionalized humanitarian crisis to present in a PowerPoint format on the final day of class. In addition, the students will be expected to complete a multiple-choice exam on topics covered in the course.

At the completion of both courses, the students will be able to fulfill the following learning objectives:
· To design a rapid assessment in the field including applying appropriate epidemiological methods to assess population needs in crisis situations;
· To design, conduct, and analyze field interviews with key stakeholders in a humanitarian crisis – a cross-section of the local affected population, local militia, international heads of agencies, local and regional governmental officials, members of the local and international press, and representatives of the United Nations agencies;
· To synthesize the complex social, political, economic, geographic, and public health parameters that define the dynamic of a given humanitarian crisis; and
· To analyze the historical framework that informs current approaches to humanitarian response and to assess the relative utility of these frameworks in a field situation.

Enrolled students will be term billed $300. This is for expenses associated with the three-day simulation.