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
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.
MA students must include supplementary literature in the exam, which the student selects.
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
-
Home assignment
- Type of assessment details
- Free written home assignment with examination prerequisites
The home assignment can be done in groups of up to 4 students. In group assignments, each student’s contribution must be clearly marked in the assignment. The length of the assignment must be a maximum of 10 pages for BA students and a maximum of 12 pages for MA students. For group submissions, an additional 3 pages per extra BA student and an additional 3 pages per extra MA student are allowed. For groups where BA and MA students are writing together, the page limit corresponds to that of MA students.
Students must indicate on the first page of the assignment whether they are BA or MA students. In the case of a group assignment, the individual student's contribution must be clearly marked in the assignment.
The number of standard pages is calculated according to the assumption that a standard page is defined as 2,400 keystrokes including spaces. Read further about Formal requirements for written assignments and exams in Curricula’s Common Part for the Faculty of Social Sciences. - Examination prerequisites
-
To be eligible for the exam, the student must have submitted and had approved 2-7 written assignments during the course.
- 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
-
Free written home assignment with examination prerequisites
1st re-exam: An essay must be submitted. The new assignment must be submitted by the deadline for the re-exam. The examination prerequisites must be fulfilled before the re-examination can be conducted.
2nd re-exam: A new essay must be submitted. The new assignment must be submitted by the deadline for the re-exam. The examination prerequisites must be fulfilled before the re-examination can be conducted.
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
- Studyboard
- Department of Anthropology, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Anthropology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Helene Risør (13-6c697069726932766d77736976446572786c7673326f7932686f)
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