INTR9074 Civil Wars and Peace Building

2015

4.5

1 x 2-hour lecture weekly
3 x 2-hour workshops per semester

INTR2014 has been successfully completed

Today we have more conflict within countries than between countries. Why? Why are some civil wars so hard to resolve? What will it take to bring sustainable peace? We ask some difficult questions and try to find solutions to seemingly intractable conflicts. In the 1990's, intra-state conflict and fragile states, as opposed to major wars, became the main international security concern, calling for diplomatic and coercive action. As conflicts proved resilient, the international community was pressed to better understand the nature of civil wars and reformulate solutions to address multiple drivers of conflict (religion, money, political power disputes, foreign interests, corporate transactions, illegal trade).This topic will review the causes and consequences of intra-state wars in a globalized context and the effectiveness of international policy responses

This topic aims to:

• Identify the causes and international dimensions of civil wars
• Identify and assess key policy responses by the international community, including military interventions and peace building

Students should be able to:

• ·Develop a comprehensive understanding of key security concepts and theoretical debates related to intra-state conflict
• Critically reflect on international policy responses to intra-state conflict
• Identify how local, national and global dynamics intersect in the area of international security
• Further development of writing skills (essays) and oral skills (presentations)