Course syllabus War’s Silent Legacy: Managing the Remnants of War
Swedish name: Krigets tysta arv: att hantera krigets explosiva lämningar
Course code:
2KR037
Valid from semester:
Spring Term 2026
Education cycle:
Second cycle
Scope:
7.5 credits
Progression:
A1N
Grading scale:
Three-grade scale
Main field of study:
War Studies
Department:
Department of War Studies
Subject:
War Studies
Language of instruction:
The teaching is conducted in English.
Decided by:
Forsknings och utbildningsnämndens kursplaneutskott (KUS)
Decision date:
2025-08-20
Entry requirements
180 credits, of which 90 credits must be in War Studies or another similar subject. In addition, a level of proficiency in the English language, corresponding to English 6/English B or equivalent (for example, IELTS level 6.5 and above) is required.
Course content and structure
This course allows the student to explore the long-term legacies of war by studying how landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) continue to shape conflict and post-conflict environments long after the fighting stops. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, the student engages with the legal, humanitarian, military, gendered, and socio-economic dimensions of mine action. Mine action refers to the range of activities aimed at reducing the social, economic, environmental, and security impacts of landmines and explosive remnants of war. It encompasses not only the physical clearance of contaminated land but also efforts to prevent future harm and assist those already affected.
Key themes in the course include the effects of explosive weapons, the role of armed actors and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in clearance and victim assistance, and the links between mine action and peacebuilding, development, and environmental sustainability. War and conflict leave behind a wide range of legacies, from societal trauma and environmental degradation to socio-economic and technological transformations. While the course centres on areas contaminated by landmines and ERW, its interdisciplinary framework and multidimensional analytical perspective provide the student with a robust theoretical foundation for examining the enduring, often overlooked legacies of war. Landmines and other explosive remnants of war function as empirical and practical entry points through which the student engage broader theoretical debates concerning the afterlives of conflict across landscapes, societies, and individuals. The empirical focus on landmines and ERW facilitates exploration of related issues such as Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) of former combatants; Security Sector Reform (SSR); post-war governance; gender dynamics; and the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The learning activities of the course include seminars and lectures. An individual written assignment aims to develop the student's ability to contrast and apply the concepts and theories introduced in the course. In addition, the written assignment gives the student the opportunity to delve deeper into one of the themes covered in the course.
Seminars, lectures
Key themes in the course include the effects of explosive weapons, the role of armed actors and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in clearance and victim assistance, and the links between mine action and peacebuilding, development, and environmental sustainability. War and conflict leave behind a wide range of legacies, from societal trauma and environmental degradation to socio-economic and technological transformations. While the course centres on areas contaminated by landmines and ERW, its interdisciplinary framework and multidimensional analytical perspective provide the student with a robust theoretical foundation for examining the enduring, often overlooked legacies of war. Landmines and other explosive remnants of war function as empirical and practical entry points through which the student engage broader theoretical debates concerning the afterlives of conflict across landscapes, societies, and individuals. The empirical focus on landmines and ERW facilitates exploration of related issues such as Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) of former combatants; Security Sector Reform (SSR); post-war governance; gender dynamics; and the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The learning activities of the course include seminars and lectures. An individual written assignment aims to develop the student's ability to contrast and apply the concepts and theories introduced in the course. In addition, the written assignment gives the student the opportunity to delve deeper into one of the themes covered in the course.
Type of instruction
Seminars, lectures
Objectives
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge and understanding
Competence and skills
Judgement and approach
Knowledge and understanding
- analyse the causes, consequences, and management of landmines and explosive remnants of war in armed conflicts
- demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the five pillars of mine action and their relevance for peace, security, and development
Competence and skills
- problematize the interplay between mine action and broader political, legal, and humanitarian processes in conflict and post-conflict settings
- indepentently apply relevant concepts on and crtically discuss case evidence of practical and policy-related challenges in mine action and analogous legacies of war, such as collective trauma, infrastructure damage, public health impacts and mass displacement
Judgement and approach
- critically assess the ethical, strategic, and socio-economic consequences of contaminated areas and clearance of explosive ordnance
- reflect on mine action’s potential contributions to sustainable peace, development, and human security; and consider how these insights can be transferred to the analysis of other post-war challenges and interventions.
Examination formats
The course is assessed through active and constructive participation in mandatory seminars and a written assignment.
The examiner may decide to request supplementary assignments in order to achieve a passing grade on the course. Supplementary assignments shall be submitted no later than three working days after the result and supplementary assignment for the examination in question have been notified. Examination papers submitted late will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.
The student is graded on a three-point grading scale: Fail (U), Pass (G) and Pass with Distinction (VG). Grading criteria are reported at the latest at the start of the course.
To achieve the grade Pass (G) in the course, active participation in the mandatory seminars and Pass (G) on the written assignment are required. To achieve the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) in the course, active participation in the mandatory seminars and Pass with Distinction (VG) on the written assignment are required.
There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.
The examiner may decide to request supplementary assignments in order to achieve a passing grade on the course. Supplementary assignments shall be submitted no later than three working days after the result and supplementary assignment for the examination in question have been notified. Examination papers submitted late will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.
Grading
The student is graded on a three-point grading scale: Fail (U), Pass (G) and Pass with Distinction (VG). Grading criteria are reported at the latest at the start of the course.
To achieve the grade Pass (G) in the course, active participation in the mandatory seminars and Pass (G) on the written assignment are required. To achieve the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) in the course, active participation in the mandatory seminars and Pass with Distinction (VG) on the written assignment are required.
Restrictions in Number of Examinations
There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.
Transitional provisions
When the course is no longer offered or when the course content has changed substantially, the student has the right to be examined once per semester during a three-term period in accordance with this syllabus.
Other regulations
- The course cannot be included in a degree with another course whose content fully or partially corresponds to the content of this course.
- If the Swedish Defence University has formally decided that the student is entitled to receive special educational support due to a disability, the examiner may decide on alternative forms of examination for the student.
- The course director will conduct an evaluation on the completion of the course, which will form the basis for any changes to the course.