IR 310—Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies
Dr. Douglas Becker
VKC 42A
Office Hours: MWF 12:00-1:00 and by appointment
This course serves as the introduction to the broad and diverse field of peace and conflict studies. While peace and conflict is the core concern for international relations as a field, the field of peace and conflict studies is interdisciplinary. Therefore, while this course is rooted in international relations, we will explore topics in philosophy, sociology, economics, religion and theology, environmental studies, education and pedagogy, history, and early childhood development. We will address three interrelated questions:
1)What is the relationship between conflict and war? What is the difference between conflict management, conflict prevention, and conflict resolution?
2)What motivated political actors to become war entrepreneurs? In particular, how much of war is driven by profit motivations? By religious motivations? By the regular availability of soldiers, weapons, and other resources (including the impact of non-human warfare such as drone wars)
3)What role does the growing norm of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) play in understanding third party interventions into conflicts? Should sovereignty remain sacrosanct? And how should we understand interventions?
4)What are the best methods for successful conflict management and the promotion of non-violence as a norm internationally?
5)What does it mean to teach the history of peace? How should history present the violent past of states to its future generations? How does history fuel conflict or promote peace?
6)How successful are violent and non-violent campaigns as means of political change? Empirically, which have been more successful, and why? What does this mean for the effectiveness of popular campaigns seeking political change?
In addressing these broad sweeping questions, we will explore the philosophical nature of war and ask how war defines nations and people. We will contrast the traditional history that dominates textbooks with the notion of a history of peace. In doing so, we will examine historically as well as philosophically the definitions of peace and conflict, with an eye toward different levels of analysis. We then turn our attention to the general causes of conflict. In particular, we will examine the two oft-cited variables of economics and religion as causes of conflict. Our examination here is very contemporary, citing very recent cases (the growing civil wars in Africa, Asia and Latin America as well as the Global War on Terror). We will add sections on variables making war easier—namely, the impact of child soldiers as well as the importance of drone warfare. After the midterm, we will turn our attention to peace promotion. First, we will examine the growing norm of Responsibility to Protect (R2P). What exactly is this norm? What are the implications of the citation of this norm? What criticism is levelled against it as an organizing principle? Then, returning to the question of history, we will examine how societies teach their violent pasts? Considering the impact of discourses worldwide in history discourses and pedagogy (and the impact of historical memory as a potential cause of conflict or in peace promotion), we will explore cases where states and political groups teach successive generations about violent pasts. This will focus attention as well on the role of education and pedagogy as a potential source of conflict or as a means of peace promotion. Finally, we will conclude examining the differences between violent and non-violent movements in promoting political change. Wrestling with the issue both theoretically as well as a great deal of empirical data and case studies, we will explore the effectiveness (contrasted with the philosophical justification) of violent versus non-violent methods used by political groups who seek political change.
The grades for this course are as follows:
Research paper40%
mid-term25%
final30%
class participation5%
The research paper is a piece of empirical research on a topic that we mutually agree upon. This means that you should plan to come in and see me during office hours to discuss your topic. It is a 15 page paper and intends to take one of the topics we raise (or potentially one we have not addressed but you believe we should) in the broad study of how wars break out and how to produce peace. The mid-term and final are in-class, with both an objective portion and an essay which should engage your critical thinking. Class participation is required, which includes attendance of the class, demonstration of prior completion of the reading, and thoughtful response to questions posed. The penalty for late work is 5 points a day. The only excuses accepted are University sanctioned excuses and must be documented. Also, this course will follow all of the guidelines for reasonable accommodations laid out in the University Handbook.
The books for this class are as follows:
Adolf, Anthony. Peace: A World History. Polity Press, 2009, ISBN: 9780745641263
Ballentine, Karen and HeikoNitzschke, Editors. Profiting from Peace: Managing the Resource Dimensions of Civil War. Lynne Rienner, 2005. ISBN: 1588262871
Chenoweth. Erica and Maria J. Stephan. Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict. Columbia University Press, 2012, ISBN: 9780231156837
Cole, Elizabeth, Editor. Teaching the Violent Past: History Education and Reconciliation. Rowman and Littlefield, 2007, ISBN: 9780742551435
Evans, Gareth. The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and For All. Brookings Press, 2008, ISBN: 9780815703341
Khoskokhavar, Farhad, Inside Jihadism: Understanding Jihadi Movements Worldwide. Paradigm Publishers, 2009, ISBN: 9781594516160
January 11:Introductions, Hand out Syllabi
13: Why is War so Popular in Modern Society?
Chris Hedges,”War is a Force that Gives us Meaning” Chapter 3-4, pgs 62-121 (Blackboard)
18:Martin’s Luther King’s Birthday, no class
20:Peace History in the Ancient World
Adolf, Introduction, Chapters 1-3, pgs 1-82
25: Peace History in the Early Modern Age
Adolf, Chapters 5-7, 103-161
27:Peace History in the 20th Century
Adolf, Chapters 8-11, pgs 162-248
February 1:The 60 words: Authorization of the Use of Force Resolution and the US War on Terror Khosrokhavar, Introduction and Chapter 1, pgs 1-17
“60 Words and a War Without End” On Blackboard
“60 Words” from RadioLab, Podcast link On Blackboard
3:Jihadist Ideology Contrasted with Islam
Khosrokhavar, Chapters 2-3, pgs 18-102
Adolf Chapter 4, pgs 83-102
8:Jihadism Confronts the West
Khosrokhavar, Chapters 4, 6, pgs 103-151, 186-264
10:Jihadist Theology and Intellectualism
Khosrokhavar, Chapters 5,7, conclusion, pgs 152-185, 265-314
15:President’s Day, No class
17:Greed vs Grievance in Understanding Civil War
Collier and Hoeffler, On Blackboard
Ballentine and Nitzschke, Chapters 1-2, 18 pgs 1-46, 447-484
22: Tracking Conflict Commodities
Ballentine and Nitzchke, Chapters 3-5, pgs 47-121
24:Crime, Terrorism, and Conflict
Ballentine and Nitzschke, Chapters 6-7, pgs 122-182
29: CSR and Conflict
Ballentine and Nitzchke, Chapters 8-10, pgs 185-262
March 2:Voluntary and Involuntary Approaches to CSR
Ballentine and Nitzchke, Chapters 11-13, pgs 263-344
7:Prosecuting Companies who violate the law
Ballentine and Nitzchke, Chapters 14-17,pgs 345-443
9:Mid-term
14, 16: Spring Break
21:The Rise of Children in warfare
Singer, Chapters 1-2, 6-7pgs 3-34, 94-131 On Blackboard
23:What is the Responsibility to Protect?
Evans, Part 1, pgs 1-76
28:The Responsibility to Prevent and the Responsibility to React
Evans, Chapters 4-5, pgs 79-127
30:The Military Option, who should intervene, and Rebuilding the State
Evans, Chapters 6-8, pgs 128-199
April 4:Building Capacity and the Criticisms of R2P
Evans, Chapters 9-10, pgs 200-242
Hehir, Chapter 1, 5, pgs 1-28, 119-148 On Blackboard
6:Reconciliation After World War II: Germany and Japan Contrasted
Cole, Introduction, Chapters 1-2, pgs 1-80
11:Reconciliation in Democratic Regimes
Cole Chapters 3-4, pgs 81-154
13:Strategic Forgetting and Remembering After Dictatorships
Cole Chapters 5-6, pgs 155-202
18: Historical Memory and Contestations In Ongoing Crisis Areas
Cole, Chapters 7-9, pgs 205-315
Research Papers Due
20: Why Civil Resistance Works
Chenoweth and Stephan, Part 1, pgs 1-84
25:Case Studies 1: Iran and West Bank/Gaza
Chenoweth and Stephan, Part 2, pgs 87-146
27:Case Studies 2 (a true success story): The Phillippines and Burma
Chenoweth and Stephan, Part 3, pgs 147-231
May 2:Optional Study Session
Final Exam:May 4; 4:30–6:30