Reparation Politics: Living in a Damaged World
Course content
Across the globe, our sociopolitical forms of coexistence are shaped by the enduring effects of both past and present damage. Whether through violence and human rights violations, colonial dispossession, or environmental devastation, learning to live in a damaged world and repairing what has been broken is becoming an essential form of survival, social struggle, and world-making.
Today, reparations emerge as a powerful promise: a way of inhabiting the world that holds the potential to inspire new and vibrant forms of coexistence. Thus, reparation politics have become a central focus of contemporary political struggles and state-citizen relations and for imaging the future. However, the notion of reparations remains notoriously ambiguous, with its meaning varying across social domains and national contexts.
In this course, we will explore the origins and present manifestations of reparation politics and their possible effects. We will examine the various forms that reparations take in different contexts, how past and ongoing damage is translated into concrete restorative measures, and the future forms of social and political belonging that arise through these processes. Finally, we will ask: what lessons can be learned from these processes?
We will read ethnographies in the following areas:
• Human rights violations and post-conflict situations
• Indigenous dispossession and postcolonial struggles
• Environmental damage and its repercussions
Enrolled students register the course through the Selfservice. Please contact the study administration at each programme for questions regarding registration.
The course is open to:
- Exchange and Guest students from abroad
- Credit students from Danish Universities
Knowledge:
- Be able to demonstrate an understanding of key debates and standpoints in the field of reparation politics
- Be able to apply anthropological concepts in the analysis of reparation politics across social fields (human rights violations, indigenous dispossession, environmental degradation).
- Be able to locate and analyze different empirical material by applying analytical perspectives from the course literature in order to make an anthropological argument
- be able to write a well-structured portfolio on a chosen field/case drawing on the literature from anthropology and other related disciplines
Skills:
- To be able to apply anthropological concepts in the analysis of current cases pf reparation politics .
- To be able to compare reparation politics and practices across social fields (human rights violations, indigenous dispossession, environmental degradation) and in global comparison.
- To be able to analyse the social and political effects of reparation politics
Competences:
- To choose, apply and transfer relevant theoretical concepts and ideas from anthropology in the analysis of reparation politics of political issues, conflicts and phenomena in other contexts.
- To be able to plan and manage a written portfolio.
- To be able to independently and collectively initiate and manage feedback processes that facilitates self-assessment.
The course will be based on a combination of lectures and interactive seminars where students contribute actively through group work, discussions, readings, oral and written presentations, and peer-feedback.
BSc students and MSc students: 500 pages obligatory literature.
The teacher will publish 200-300 pages of supplementary literature.
Course literature will be available through Absalon.
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester.
Feedback on portfolio assignments from peers, as well as general feedback from the teacher.
When registered you will be signed up for exam.
- Full-degree students – sign up at Selfservice on KUnet
- Exchange and guest students from abroad – sign up through Mobility Online and Selfservice
- Credit students from Danish universities - sign up through this website.
The dates for the exams are found here Exams – Faculty of Social Sciences - University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)
Please note that it is your own responsibility to check for overlapping exam dates.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Portfolio, -
- Type of assessment details
- Length: Portfolio exam can be written individually or in groups
of max. 4 students. Portfolio exams consist of 2-7 submissions. For
MA students, there is a submission more than for BA students, i.e.
if the BA student has to submit five submissions, the MA students
must submit six submissions. The number of submissions is set by
the lecturer. The total length of all of the submissions must be
max. 30,000 keystrokes for one BA student and max. 37,500
keystrokes for one MA student. For groups of two students, max.
40,000 keystrokes BA students and max. 47,500 for MA students. For
groups of three students, max. 45,000 keystrokes for BA students
and max. 52,500 for MA students. For groups of four students, max.
50,000 keystrokes for BA students and 57,500 for MA students. In
the case of group assignments, the contribution of each individual
student must be clearly marked in the assignment. For groups with
both BA and MA students, the same number of submissions is required
as for MA students. The assignments are assessed jointly with a
single grade.
For groups writing together it must be clearly indicated which parts of the assignment each of the students has written. - Aid
- All aids allowed
Policy on the Use of Generative AI Software and Large Language Models in Exams
The Department of Anthropology allows the use of generative AI software and large language models (AI/LLMs), such as ChatGPT, in written exams, provided that the use of AI/LLMs is disclosed and specified (i.e., how it was used and for what purpose) in an appendix that does not count towards the page limit of the exam.
If AI/LLMs are used as source, the same requirements apply for using quotation marks and source referencing as with all other sources. Otherwise, it will be a case of plagiarism.
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Re-exam
-
1st re-exam: An essay must be submitted. The new assignment must be submitted by the deadline for the re-exam.
2nd re-exam: A new essay must be submitted. The new assignment must be submitted by the deadline for the re-exam.
One BA student: 21.600-26.400 keystrokes. For group responses, Min. 6,750 and Max. 8,250 extra keystrokes per extra group member.
One MA student: 27,000-33,000 keystrokes. For group responses, Min. 8,450 and Max. 10,300 extra keystrokes per extra group member.
For groups with both BA and MA students:
A MA and a BA student: 31,900-38,975 (BA: 14.175-17.325 KA: 17.725-21.650)
A MA and two BA students: 38,050 – 46,475 (BA: 11,700-14.300 KA: 14.650-17.875)
A MA and three BA students: 44,525-54,375 (BA: 10.475-12,800 MA: 13.100-15.975)
Two MA and one BA student: 41,000-50,050 (BA: 11,700-14.300 KA: 14.650-17.875)
Two MA and two BA students: 47,150-57,550 (BA: 10.475-12,800 MA: 13.100-15.975)
Three MA and one BA student: 49,775-60,725 (BA: 10.475-12,800 MA: 13.100-15.975)For groups writing together it must be clearly indicated which parts of the assignment each of the students has written.
Criteria for exam assessment
See learning outcome
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 42
- Preparation
- 100
- Exam Preparation
- 64
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- AANA18142U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Bachelor
Bachelor choiceFull Degree MasterFull Degree Master choice
- Duration
-
1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Schedulegroup
-
See timetable.
- Studyboard
- Department of Anthropology, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Anthropology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Helene Risør (13-757279727b723b7f76807c727f4d6e7b81757f7c3b78823b7178)
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Kursusinformation for indskrevne studerende