Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL/LAW 365"
COURSE NAME: "Child Soldiers"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session I 2024

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Mark Antonin Drumbl
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 11:10 AM 1:00 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course focuses on the ‘child soldier,’ namely, persons under the age of 18 who are associated with armed forces (national armies) and armed groups (rebel or terrorist organizations). Children have been enmeshed in armed conflict throughout all of human history. Today, roughly 250,000 children ‘soldier’ world-wide and their experiences differ widely. Child soldiering occurs on every continent. In recent decades, the use of children in armed conflict has moved from a matter of military ethics to a subject regulated by international law. This course identifies the ways in which children have become militarized through time and sets out contemporary hotspots. The course instructs on the international law, best practices, and rehabilitation models that currently address child soldiering. The course then questions current practices so as to improve them. This means that the course presents a critical eye that reveals important and tough questions about the agency of children and youth, the realities of girl soldiers, the prevalence of youth volunteerism, assumptions (often Westernized) of childhood and coming of age, how best to deter child soldiering, and how to develop robust frameworks of juvenile rights in cross-cultural contexts. The course concludes by examining the justice needs of child soldiers and of those – including other children -- who they may have harmed. SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT The course, though rooted in international law, is deeply interdisciplinary and students will draw from materials in anthropology, military history, psychology, art history, gender studies, and transitional justice. Course materials include scholarly readings, literature, poetry, art, and documentary films. The first week is dedicated to establishing a factual base for how children have soldiered historically and in contemporary practice, why children end up in armed forces and armed groups, and what happens to them after decommissioning. Here, parallels also will be drawn to recruitment practices of armed groups, criminal groups, and trafficking rings. The second week is dedicated to setting out international law that governs child soldiers. This week will also contain a primer on international law generally for students. The third week is dedicated to critiquing the major assumptions that underpin how the international community ‘understands’ child soldiering in order to build a more robust rehabilitative and deterrent framework. The fourth week examines linkages between how we think about child soldiers and broader issues such as violence, adulthood, aging, juvenile rights, and how ‘ordinary lives’ become caught up in collective violence. The fifth week involves student presentations in which specific national or thematic case studies are presented to the rest of the class

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: PL/LAW 365
COURSE NAME: Special Topics in Law and Political Science: Child Soldiers
SEMESTER & YEAR: SUMMER I 2024
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Mark Drumbl
EMAIL: [email protected] and [email protected]
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: NONE

ROOM:

TIME: M, Tu, W, Th 11:10-13:00

OFFICE HOURS: by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Child Soldiers

This course focuses on the ‘child soldier,’ namely, persons under the age of 18 who are associated with armed forces (national armies) and armed groups (rebel or terrorist organizations). Children have been enmeshed in armed conflict throughout all of human history. Today, roughly 250,000 children ‘soldier’ world-wide and their experiences differ widely. Child soldiering occurs on every continent. In recent decades, the use of children in armed conflict has moved from a matter of military ethics to a subject regulated by international law. This course identifies the ways in which children have become militarized through time and sets out contemporary hotspots. The course instructs on the international law, best practices, and rehabilitation models that currently address child soldiering. The course then questions current practices so as to improve them. This means that the course presents a critical eye that reveals important and tough questions about the agency of children and youth, the realities of girl soldiers, the prevalence of youth volunteerism, assumptions (often Westernized) of childhood and coming of age, how best to deter child soldiering, and how to develop robust frameworks of juvenile rights in cross-cultural contexts. The course concludes by examining the justice needs of child soldiers and of those – including other children -- who they may have harmed.

The course will proceed by lecture and discussion group.

This course has been successfully offered at JCU in the 2021 and 2022 Summer I sessions.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT

The course, though rooted in international law, is deeply interdisciplinary and students therefore will draw from materials in anthropology, military history, psychology, art history, gender studies, and transitional justice. Course materials include scholarly readings, literature, poetry, art, and documentary films.

The first week is dedicated to establishing a factual base for how children have soldiered historically and in contemporary practice, why children end up in armed forces and armed groups, and what happens to them after decommissioning. Here, parallels also will be drawn to recruitment practices of armed groups, criminal groups, and trafficking rings.

The second week is dedicated to setting out international law that governs child soldiers. This week will also contain a primer on international law generally for students.

The third week is dedicated to critiquing the major assumptions that underpin how the international community ‘understands’ child soldiering in order to build a more robust rehabilitative and deterrent framework.

The fourth week examines linkages between how we think about child soldiers and broader issues such as violence, adulthood, aging, juvenile rights, and how ‘ordinary lives’ become caught up in collective violence.

The fifth week involves student presentations in which specific national or thematic case studies are presented to the rest of the class.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will:

1. Learn how international law defines child soldiers and addresses responsibility for child soldiering (unlawful recruitment) and (2) the responsibility of child soldiers for their acts and conduct and the consequences thereof (justice mechanisms).

2. Question chronological and Western assumptions of what childhood is, and develop broader cross-cultural sensitivities about ‘coming of age’

3. Become familiar with the reasons why children end up in armed forces and armed groups

4. Learn about girl soldiers and concerns over sexual and gender-based violence

5. Research patterns of child recruitment into armed forces and armed groups as well as terrorist organizations and criminal syndicates

6. Develop awareness of best practices when it comes to demobilize, decommission, and reintegrate child soldiers

7. Think critically about how to create cultures of juvenile rights and hook these into the frame of overall equity and inclusiveness

TEXTBOOKS

*Book Title*	*Author*	*Publisher*	*ISBN number*	*Library Call Number*	*Comments*
Reimagining Child Soldiers in International Law and Policy	Mark Drumbl	Oxford University Press (2012)			Chapters Distributed Gratis
Excerpts from Research Handbook on Child Soldiers (edited collection)	Editors: Jastine Barrett and Mark Drumbl	Edward Elgar Press (2019)			Distributed Gratis

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Reimaging Child Soldiers	Drumbl	Oxford University Press	distributed gratis
Research Handbook on Child Soldiers	Drumbl and Barrett	Elgar	distributed gratis

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Essay (8 pages) on international law		25
Essay (12 pages) on a case-study		40
Presentation of case study		25
class participation		10

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

ROOM:

TIME: M, Tu, W, Th 11:10-13:00

OFFICE HOURS: by appointment