POL 029 - Conflict Resolution

The objective of this course is to have students interpret the conflicts and their resolution discourses. The ultimate objective is to explain and understand the escalations regarding their challenges and on how to resolve them to achieve a transition period and peace in accordance with the preferences in international politics. In this context, this course aims to enhance students’ skills for the following objectives:

•    Understand conflict theories and intervention techniques,

•    Recognize the complexity of underlying causes and contributing factors to conflicts at various levels,

•    Develop skills to think critically, systematically and comparatively about various types of conflicts,

•    Evaluate different approaches and models to analysing and resolving conflicts in a variety of contexts,

•    Examine contemporary conflicts, their conditions, dynamics, stakeholders and conflict resolution efforts,

•    Compare different conflict resolution techniques according to their advantages, disadvantage and practicality,

•    Apply theoretical concepts and conflict assessment tools to various conflict contexts.

This is an introductory course to the interdisciplinary field of Conflict Resolution (CR). This course introduces the fundamental concepts, theoretical frameworks and practical tools of the CR field. The course is designed to introduce students to academic thinking about complicated conflicts in various contexts. Students will get familiar with the development of the field, key theorists and important debates within the field. Practical applications of the knowledge that is produced in the field and major conflict resolution approaches will be briefly introduced. The course will also discuss the relevance and practical utility of the concepts and processes within different real-life contexts.

The course is organized along three parts; the first part will introduce students the key concepts of the field, conflict theories as well as the conflict analysis and mapping tools. Second part will introduce students the practical tools and processes that are used to mitigate, transform, resolve and manage various sorts of violent conflicts. The third part will focus on the integration of theory and practical tools within the selected conflict cases. A number of major issues facing the field such as culture and power will also be elaborated in the third part. Case analyses of selected conflicts will be studied and presented by study teams. We will discuss some of the ongoing conflicts such as the Eastern Mediterranean issue, the War in Syria, Iraq’s post Daesh situation, Libya, Afghanistan, or Balkans. It is therefore necessary to follow the contemporary issues and developments.

1. Ricardo Real P. Sousa, The Context of Conflict Resolution  in IR and the Study of Peace and Conflict, 1999.
2. Paul C. Stern and Daniel Druckman, ed. Interntional Conflict Resolution after the Cold War, National Academy Press, Washiongton D.C. 2000.
3. Tom Woodhouse, Hugh Miall and Oliver Ramsbotham, Contemporary Conflict Resolution, Polity Press, 2011.

The weigh of midterm exam is 40% and final is 60%. Folowing the criteria to evaluate the exams:

Attached is the grading system:

Students must ensure that they adhere to the word limit set for any piece of assessed work and should indicate word count on the title page.  If students breach the upper limit specified, they may gain an unfair advantage and markers are not required to read beyond the stated word limit. Moreover, meeting the stipulated requirements is one of the skills that is being assessed and achieving the stipulated length is directly related to other assessment criteria (such as a concise argument, clear focus, etc). Thus, marks will be deducted for work that exceeds the prescribed word limit. The deductions for over-length work as follows:

Unless justified by certified medical reasons, late essays/assignments will be penalised at the rate of 5 percentage points per day (including weekends) to a maximum of 25 percentage points. Essays/Assignments submitted more than 5 days after the deadline will receive a grade of 0%. Students are encouraged to discuss potential problems regarding the submission of assessed work with the course lecturer well in advance of the respective deadlines.

Class Norms/ Expectations:

•    Attendance-Participation

Students are reminded that attendance at Lectures is compulsory according to university regulations. Students are strongly advised not to miss lectures since success is closely related with attendance. Absences of less than 70% will normally be penalised with a ‘DZ’ grade. For more information, see Articles 20, 31, 32 and 33 of IZU Regulations for Undergraduate Education.

•    Late/ Make-up Work Policy

In all cases, you must submit a written request for a Make-up Examination to the Dean’s Office (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) within five days of the examination giving reasons together with the necessary supporting evidence. For more information, see Article 26 IZU Regulations for Undergraduate Education. There is no make-up for make-up exams.

•    Re-grading

Students can object their grades and ask for regrading within one week of the announcements of grades.

•    Use of Mobile Devices

The students can use their personal computers for course-related activities during the classes. Mobile phones should be switched off and should not be used in any circumstances. Instructor reserves his right to ban the use of personal computers if students use them for non-academic purposes during the lectures.

•    Student Recording of Class

The students cannot have audio and visual recording of the class without the explicit consent of the instructor and all other students.

•    Academic integrity including collaboration and plagiarism

The student will receive a failing grade on the assignment in question.  Depending on the nature and severity of the offense, the student may also receive an automatic failing grade for the course or be referred to appropriate university bodies for further disciplinary action. If you think you do not know plagiarism, please familiarize yourself with reference to online resources. Please check the website http://plagiarism.org and make sure what is counted as plagiarism. Make sure that response papers will be individual projects. I will collect electronic copies of your paper in addition to the printed copies.

•    Special Treatment

The students who need special treatments, due to disabilities, are advised to contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester.