CONFLICT AND PEACEMAKING IN DIVIDED SOCIETIES

About this course

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Although violence and group conflict is hardly new, over the past decades that has followed the end of the Cold War, nationalism and ethnic conflict has replaced ideological competition as the main source of strife within and between nation-states. Violence between ethnic groups, religious communities, and clans has shaken countries and regions across the globe. Most of the violent conflicts taking place in the world today are framed in cultural terms, as ethnic, nationalist, or religious. In many cases, these conflicts have spilled over the borders of states, threatening regional security and, some scholars argue, even world order. Even in the supposed “nation-states” of the “First World,” where populations were once thought to be unified by a common national identity, cultural conflict has emerged as a major political issue for example the rise of secessionist movements and an array of right-wing anti-immigrant parties. Throughout the world, minority groups have become increasingly assertive, demanding recognition and rights, while the powerful, seeking to protect their positions, have responded with repression and violence.

The increasing frequency and deadliness of nationalist conflict at the international and the intrastate level, from mass expulsions to state-sponsored genocide, has prompted international and humanitarian interventions that have challenged time-honoured norms of state Sovereignty and its integrity. However, despite widespread recognition amongst intellectuals and policymakers of the virulent resurgence of nationalism, there is a widespread lack of consensus on the meaning and origins of, as well as the management strategies for dealing with, nationalist conflict. At the same time, international relations have increasingly been shaped by what Samuel Huntington famously termed as the “Clash of Civilization” and the debate surrounding Huntington’s work has received a sense of urgency after the September 11 and with the so-called War on Terror. Yet, other argued it is poorly understood and instead termed the rise of religious movements and religious inspired conflict or violence as the “Clash of Fundamentalism”.

Accordingly the great conflicts of our time are not clashes of civilizations, they are clashes and competitions between different modes of modernity. One emphasized individualism and democratic popular participation, while the other emphasized the importance of communal identity and self-determination. 

COURSE AIMS/What you’ll learn 

This course aims to enable students to:

• Have knowledge of the emergence and persistence of nationalism as well as the circumstances under which it may become associated with ethnic, religious polarisation and violence in their broader political context on the one hand; and the process of conflict resolution and peace building in deeply divided societies, on the other.
• Have knowledge of the causes, consequence and responses to civil wars, nationally, regionally and internationally
• Develop an integrative understanding of global issues, conflict resolution and peacebuilding theories, research, and practice
• Be aware of the social and economic situation of plural societies undergoing ethnic, religious polarisation, violence and civil war

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES 

On successful completion of this module, you will be expected to be able to: Knowledge and understanding

• Acquire theoretical knowledge of major approaches in the studies of nationalism and apply these theories to arguments about the role of identity in ethno-political conflicts;
• Identify the conditions under which identity-based conflicts are likely to exist
• Acquire a deep knowledge about the different ways in which the international community has tried to deal with civil wars and of genocides specifically with the problem of political, moral and legal responsibility as well as different approaches to preventive diplomacy, mediation, humanitarian intervention and reconciliation.
• Possess knowledge about how to design and carry out a research paper and write an independently researched essay on a conflict and peace studies related topic.

Skills

• The ability to think and evaluate a range of different approaches to the study of ethno- political conflicts and conflict resolutions.
• The ability to explain the causes and consequences of identity-based conflict in several regions of the world

Competences

• Enhance their capability to think critically about nationalism and ethno-political conflicts
• Acquire a good theoretical background in conflict resolutions.
• Knowledge of geopolitical and local conflicts and the role of nationalism in conflicts across the globe.
• Provide policy solutions to prevent identity-based conflict from starting, or recommend solutions to mitigate conflict once it has already started.

Reason to Study Peace and Conflict Studies

Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) is a field of study that ultimately seeks to construct and disseminate knowledge about both the causes of conflict and violence, as well as the means to transform violent conflict into nonviolent resolution. This course is open to anyone passionate about resolving conflicts, promoting peace, and creating positive societal change. It welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds and career aspirations, all united by a shared commitment to building a more peaceful world through valuable knowledge and skills that can be applied locally and globally.

NB: This is regular university level course (Non-credit) – normally 7,5 ECTS and 3.75 University Units.