GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT IN THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL ON RESEARCH IN HUMANITARIAN ACTIONLEARN WITH COLLEAGUES AND EXPERTS ABOUT INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH, METHODS AND ETHICS IN HUMANITARIAN SETTINGSCOURSE DESCRIPTIONThis summer school will allow PhD students and practitioners involved in the humanitarian field to develop and critically analyze their own research project. It is targeted especially for researchers and practitioners who are starting or who are in the early stages of a PhD project. The purpose is to encourage and share critical reflection on doing interdisciplinary research in the humanitarian field, which necessarily draws on various disciplinary approaches. The programme is structured along two main themes representing cross-cutting issues for research in humanitarian settings. Each of these themes will be developed during one week giving participants the opportunity to learn from expert practitioners and scholars and to develop and criticize their own research project through interactive workshops in front of the class.

Course leader
The faculty is composed of the CERAH team and teachers from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute with a long experience in disciplinary or interdisciplinary research in humanitarian settings.Professor Doris SchopperDirector, Centre fo

Target group
The course is aimed at students who are starting a PhD or are in the early stages of a PhD thesis, and experienced practitioners who are developing a research project on humanitarian action. The course is taught in English.We encourage applications from PhD students and practitioners coming from a large diversity of disciplines: social sciences, economic sciences humanities, arts, medicine. Research projects can either address humanitarian operations (roots and dynamics of humanitarian crises, responses to disasters, armed conflicts or peace-building), or analyze humanitarian action in itself (professionalization, sociology of actors, dilemmas, etc.).Applications will be selected on the basis of: An extended outline of the research proposal (5-6 pages), including the rationale and a description of the methodological approach. Reasons for applying to the course and how this will potentially benefit the participant's research project.

Course aim
1) Theme 1: Using an interdisciplinary approach in research on humanitarian action (4-5 days)Humanitarian action involves by essence many different professional disciplines. In the last decades, research in the humanitarian field has often been limited to a disciplinary approach (e.g. law, health, political sciences, anthropology). However, as the contexts (armed conflicts, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, social exclusion) in which humanitarian interventions unfold are more diverse and complex than ever, a multi- or interdisciplinary perspective can bring new insights and a better understanding of the interplay of political, economic, social, ideological, anthropological, and medical factors in the unfolding of a humanitarian crisis and its consequences. Interdisciplinary research and the integrative methodological and theoretical processes it involves will therefore be explored within the first week of the summer school.The first module will deepen these aspects through: Understanding how to move from a disciplinary to an interdisciplinary approach; Examining the integrative model of interdisciplinary research in general and more specifically in humanitarian settings; Developing the complexity paradigm in interdisciplinary research and how to apply it to "complex humanitarian crises" Learning from case studies illustrating the different meanings of an interdisciplinary approach: interdisciplinary conceptual framework, interdisciplinary methodology or shared disciplinary perspectives to address an interdisciplinary research question.Each of these aspects will be presented in class with CERAH lecturers and invited scholars. These interactive workshops will be balanced with extended periods of time for each participant to present his or her rationale in front of the class, with a critical support from the lecturers.2) Theme 2: Ethics of research and position of the researcher in fragile contexts (4 days)In the second week, the methodology of research will be explored through ethical dilemmas raised when studying humanitarian contexts. Frequently research on humanitarian action is carried out in resource-constrained countries involving fragile populations. There is general agreement that research involving human subjects carried out in emergency and disaster situations must follow highest ethical standards. While such research has to abide by the ethical principles governing all research on human subjects, some issues merit special attention such as enhanced vulnerability, community involvement, harms and benefits to the conflict- or disaster-stricken population, informed consent of individuals and communities.The second module will deepen these aspects by examining: Ways to improve ethical oversight of research in humanitarian settings drawing on practical experiences of researchers and organizations; How to apply ethical criteria mainly discussed in health-related research to all fields of research; The position of the foreign researcher including proximity vs. distance in his/her relation with the research topic, and how the misconception of research as humanitarian aid can be avoided; Several case studies on how to do ethically responsible research in fragile contexts and/or with vulnerable populations.Each of these aspects will be discussed in class with CERAH lecturers and invited research practitioners who will share their experience from the field and how they overcame these dilemmas. These interactive workshops will be balanced with moments for each participant to criticize his or her own ethical position in front of the class.



Fee info
CHF 2500: The tuition fees for this summer school are 2500 Swiss Francs. A reduction can be considered exceptionally for students coming from developing countries.Tuition fees do not include housing or accommodation.

Scholarships
The tuition fees for this summer school are 2500 Swiss Francs. A reduction can be considered exceptionally for students coming from developing countries.

University of Geneva
Address: Blvd du Pont d%5C'Arve 40 R 050
Postal code: CH-1211 Geneva 4
City: Geneva
Country: Switzerland
Website: http://genevasummerschools.ch/
E-mail: gss@unige.ch
Phone: +41 22 379 80 90