240537 SE Refugees, Insurgents and Humanitarians: Towards a Global Ethnography of Afghanistan (P3, P4) (2021S)

The course is open to all students. Students must attend all of the scheduled classes, unless excused by the instructor. They will be asked to notify in advance if they are unable to come to a class. The students’ performance will be evaluated on the basis of classroom participation and the quality and timeliness of the writing assignments. Participants have to show familiarity with the assigned readings that will be discussed in the class.
Each student will lead the discussion at least once during the semester. This will involve presenting the readings in a few minutes and posing a few questions to initiate the debate.
Written assignments (on topics selected after discussion with the instructor) will be twofold:
1) An essay of no more than 1500 words or a clip of no more than 3 minutes due by 15th of August 2021. It will address a subject in connection with events related to Afghanistan or Afghan refugees (in Austria or elsewhere) as they are unfolded in the media. Typically, it may consist in a critical comment, using the concepts discussed in the course, of two or three articles selected from the print media or internet, and dealing with the same theme, or alternatively a TV or radio show, but also a documentary or feature film.
2) Write a final paper of no more than 3000 words (excluding bibliography and annexes), due by15th of August 2021. It will deal with issues explicitly addressed in the course and the assigned readings.
Grade will be determined as follows: 10% for classroom participation and discussion; 30% for the essay or clip; 60% for the final paper.
Class participation
• Regular attendance (an attendance list will be held).
• Reading assignments.
• Quality of presentations: content; voice and body gesture; didactic aids; participation in debates; questions & answers.
• Relevance of questions.
• Quality and timeliness of the various interventions.
• Ability to listen and respect the views of other participants of the course.
Written papers
• Relevance of the topic.
• Structure of the text.
• Written style and formatting of the paper.
• Clarity of argument.
• Quality of empirical material; appropriate methodology.
• Analytical quality; theoretical framework.
• Ability to articulate constructively theories and practical issues.
• Critical thinking, ability to take a step back from mainstream discourses.
• Use of the concepts discussed in class.
• Use of literature, bibliographical research.
• Ability to integrate comments.
• Overall originality of the topic and the perspective.
• If relevant, call to personal experience.