Theories and Methodologies in Societal Safety (SAM915)

Content

The course will acquaint students with contemporary theoretical and methodological issues in societal safety and enhance the student's understanding of mechanisms that may affect the risk and safety/security at the individual, organizational or societal level. Examples of theme could be, but not restricted to:

• theoretical perspectives on risk and societal safety/security,
• safety/security as a learning process,
• strategic interaction and societal safety/security,
• societal safety/security and rhetoric,
• national and international contingency planning and crisis management,
• perspectives on supervision and regulation,
• the relationship between technology, organization and risk
• climate change risks and safety/security issues,
• roots of and societal consequences of terrorism, etc.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

• Identify new theoretical and methodological contribution relevant for own work
• Apply new theories and methodological approaches in analysis of the selected topic at a level that could be developed into articles of international standard
• Gain knowledge ofthe broader context within which the student's own research project is situated

Skills

• Identifying relevant literature and compose a consistent curriculum
• Critically reflect on selected theoretical and methodological presuppositions
• Organize and present a research-based material in an open seminar
• Lead and summarize academic discussions in open seminars
• Communicate results and reflections in speech and writing in a clear and systematic way

General competence

• Understand the relevance of new theories and methodologies as part of choices one must make in developing a scientific research project
• Critical evaluation of new theories and methodologies

Required prerequisite knowledge

Participants must be enrolled in a PhD programme.

Exam

Coursework requirements

The student should

• in cooperation with the supervisor identify and organize a curriculum on about 5-800 pages
• invite to an open seminar and present the selected curriculum in a clear and systematic way
• Lead and summarize seminar discussions
• Write an assignment based on the literature, presentation, discussion and own reflections that could be developed into articles of international standard

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Head of Department:

Open for

The course is open to interested PhD candidates at the University of Stavanger and other universities. Single Course Admission to PhD-Courses.

Course assessment

Literature