EDS391 Understanding Post-Conflict Police and Security Reform

Countries that have experienced violent conflict are often the site of extensive development and security reform processes in their efforts to move towards peace, security and well-being. These contexts, however, are extremely complex, and are often the site of continued insecurity for large parts of the population despite extensive investments by the international community. This course looks closely at these security reform processes, focusing on the case of the police. The course explores the nature of international support to police and security sector reform processes, and how these are embedded in international and national relations of power. It also, however, challenges received notions of state security in these contexts, and looks at alternative approaches to understanding concepts such as security, conflict and development, and what these might mean to a police reform focusing on better police-community relations where trust is often at a deficit. The course explores the importance of understanding local contexts and people’s everyday insecurities, local institutions and security providers, community-oriented policing efforts, the role of civil society in police reform, gender and youth issues, police training and education, and the use of information and communication technologies. The course includes case studies from Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Southeast Europe.