Violence is one of the leading causes of death, disability and health care use worldwide. The course Understanding violence tackles the complex issue from a multitude of perspectives including sexual violence, the causes for violence (biological, psychological, social), different types of violence, the way how media and the arts portray violence, the economic impact of violence, the physical and mental consequences and the ways to control and prevent violence in communities.
Understanding Violence is an online course offered through the Emergency Medicine and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Departments of Emory University in the United States. Open to anyone who is interested in understanding the root causes of violence and in exploring how violence may be prevented, the program requires 9 hours to complete. The purpose of the class is to examine various factors that contribute to violence and how each of these can be mitigated.
The 6 weeks course is taught by Pamela Scully, Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine. The course will also be joined by President Jimmy Carter, who will deliver a lecture regarding the work the Carter Center is doing to end violence around the world. He will furthermore engage in a discussion with the participants about his life and work in human rights. Each module includes 8 to 10 videos and 1 to 4 readings. At the end of the unit, students complete a short quiz or an assignment like a peer review, an essay or a film critique.
