Unit information: Domestic Violence: Research, Policy and Activism in 2019/20

Unit name	Domestic Violence: Research, Policy and Activism
Unit code	SPOLM5010
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Hester
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

Domestic violence has been the subject of substantial policy development at government and nongovernmental levels for some time. The unit aims to examine contemporary developments in domestic violence research and to explore the links between research, policy and practice.

The unit will provide a general overview of the subject including definitional issues, and issues related to researching and generating knowledge about domestic violence. Consideration will be given to various theoretical perspectives on the issue, including feminist models, and to the gendered nature of such violence against both children and adults.

The lectures are delivered by staff in the Centre for Gender and Violence Research which is a leading centre with national and international recognition in the field of violence against women research. Lecturers will use empirical data from key research studies they have conducted to construct and illustrate their arguments.

Aims:

• To develop an understanding of the key theoretical and practical issues involved in attempting to understand domestic violence against women

• To explore the practical and theoretical aspects of undertaking research on domestic violence within the wider context of feminist understandings of research methodologies

• To gain an understanding of the links between research, activism and policy in the domestic violence field

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of the unit, students will:

• Have a clear analysis of and an ability to debate the nature, extent, impacts and policy implications of domestic violence
• Be confident in interpreting domestic violence research and in understanding the methods used
• Have developed a comprehensive overview of issues relating to domestic violence within research, theoretical, personal, practical and ‘political’ frameworks
• Be able to understand activism, research and policy responses within the wider context of the loose-knit activist and global movement against domestic violence
• Have a theoretical and practical analysis of these issues specifically at Master’s level.
• The summative assessment tests all of the Intended Learning Outcomes and accounts for 100% of the unit mark.

Teaching Information

Teaching will take place over three days (1 day per week).

A member of the academic staff team will lead the session and provide input. The sessions will be taught in an
interactive manner, with participants expected to contribute in various way across the session (through questions, discussion and individual input). Because of the sensitive nature of this topic of domestic violence, there may be some personal discussion which may have an emotional impact. If participants have experienced domestic violence, there will be no expectation that they will have to disclose this.

Assessment Information

Assessment is through the completion of a 4000-word essay. The essay should demonstrate that the student has a clear understanding of: relevant theoretical, practical and ‘political’ frameworks used to explain domestic violence, the epistemological, methodological and ethical problems associated with research in this field, and the policy implications of domestic violence.

Reading and References

• Aghtaie, N. (2015) Iranian Womens Perspectives On Violence Against Women In Iran And The UK, Iranian Studies
• Aghtaie, N. and Gangoli, G. eds (2014) Understanding Gender Based Violence. National and international contexts. Routledge.
• Aghtaie, N. (2011) Breaking the silence: rape law in Iran and controlling womens sexuality. In N. Westmarland &G. Gangoli, International Approaches to Rape. London: Policy Press.
• Dobash, R.E. and Dobash, R. (1992) Women, Violence and Social Change. London: Routledge
• Gangoli, G &Rew.M, (2011) Mothers-in-law against daughters-in-law: domestic violence and legal discourses around mothers-in-law against daughters-in-laws in India. Women's Studies International Journal, vol 34., pp. 420 - 429
• Hague, G. and Malos, E. (3rd Edition) (2005) Domestic Violence: Action for Change. Cheltenham: New Clarion Press.
• Hague, G. Mullender, A. and Aris, R. (2003) Is Anyone Listening? Accountability and Women Survivors of Domestic Violence. London: Routledge.
• Hanmer, J. and Itzen, C. (Eds.) (2000) Home Truths about Domestic Violence. London: Routledge.
• Hester, M. (2013), From Report to Court: Rape and the Criminal Justice System in the North East. Bristol: University of Bristol
• Hester, M. (2013) Who does what to whom? Gender and domestic violence perpetrators in English police reports.European Journal of Criminology., pp. 1-15
• Hester, M., Harwin, N. and Pearson, C. with H. Abrahams (2nd Edition) (2007) Making an Impact: Children and Domestic Violence. A Reader. London: Jessica Kingsley.
• Hester, M. and Westmarland, N. (2005) Tackling Domestic Violence: Effective Interventions and Approaches. Home Office Research Study 290. London: Home Office.
• Mullender, A., Hague, G., Imam, A., Kelly, L., Malos, E. and Regan, L. (2002) Childrens Perspectives on Domestic Violence. London: Sage.
• Skinner, T., Hester, M. and Malos, E. (Eds.) (2005) Researching Gender Violence: Feminist Methodology in Action. Devon: Willan.
• Stark, E. (2007) Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Taylor-Browne, J. (Ed.) (2001) What Works in Reducing Domestic Violence: A comprehensive guide for professionals (Home Office Review) London: Whiting and Birch.
• Williamson, E. (2010), Living in the world of the domestic violence perpetrator: Negotiating the unreality of coercive control. Violence Against Women, vol 16., pp. 1412 - 1423