Dr Michael Salla
Office: Room 310, SIS Building 
Phone: (202) 885 1497
Email: msalla@american.edu
http://www.american.edu/salla/
 

Office Hours:
Monday 4:30 - 5:30 pm 
Wednesday 4:30 - 5:30 pm 
 

Course Description

This course analyses a range of scholarly approaches to understanding conflict, violence and war in the post-Cold War era. Distinctive themes and ideas in explanations for the sources of conflict, violence and war will be identified in order to develop effective strategies for responding to the latter. Students will be introduced to theories ranging from the individual to the civilizational, and to methodological debates concerning the appropriate level of analysis for understanding sources of conflict. The course will adopt an integrative approach that synthesize all levels of analysis but with particular emphasis on those theories which help explain the internal conflicts which form the prevalent sources of international conflict and violence in the post-cold war era. At the end of the course, students should have a firm understanding of the ways conflict, violence and war are conceptualized; and an appreciation of some of the problems confronting attempts to develop effective strategies for responding to international conflict, violence and war. 
 

Course Requirements and Evaluation
 

1. Class Participation - 20%

Your participation will be graded on the basis of three criteria: clarity; content; and context. Clarity refers to whether your comments are clear, coherent and comprehensible. Are you making yourself understood? Content refers to the substance of your remarks. Are your comments thoughtful, well-informed and to the point? Context refers to how well you integrate your comments with issues pertinent to the course or to ongoing class discussion. Do you build upon what others have said either by agreeing or disagreeing with them? Are you relating discussion to issues raised in the readings? 
 

Class discussion comes more easily for some people than for others. By temperament or habit, some are 'talkers' while others are 'listeners'. Learn to be both. An old Ghanian proverb says that 'we have two ears and one mouth, learn to use them in proportion!' If you are a 'talker', learn to give enough space for others to speak. If a 'listener', try to participate more in discussions even if this means asking questions. Intelligent questioning is just as important as thoughtful commenting!

2. Reflective Papers 30%

You are to complete five reflective papers of between 500-750 words that examines the readings offered for each level of analysis offerred in the course. Note this is approximately one report per week and one report per level of analysis with the exception of the first level analysis which requires two reading reports. Due dates cover the readings from the last submission up to and including the reading for the due date. Dates are July 9; July 16; July 23, July 30, Aug 8. The reflective papers should not be a detailed summary of the readings but should instead be a personal response in terms of how the readings have (or have not!) contributed to your own understanding of the sources of conflict, violence and war. Your paper needs to show some evidence that you have read most if not all of the set readings. In writing your reflective paper, you need to explicity consider the following questions.
 

• •How did the readings assist my understanding of the sources of conflict, violence & war? 
• •What was my favorite article(s) from that week's reading. Why? What issues did it discuss that had particular resonance with me. 
• •In what way did my favorite article relate to the other readings?
• •What was the least informative article(s). Why? 
• •What personal experience or topical events relate to the theory of conflict, violence and war advanced in the readings?

3. Group Presentations - 20%

You are required to form groups of two to give presentations incorporating the theories and perspectives you believe most appropriate for describing a recent case of international conflict, violence or war. You must attempt to interpret the relevance of your case study and the conclusions you draw for conflict, violence and war in the 21st century. Your group is expected to distribute a two page summary to the class during the presentation. Assessment will be based on the quality of your presentation and summary. 
 

4. End of Term Paper - 30%

A list of questions will be handed out to the class dealing with particular problems concerning conflict, violence and war. Each paper should critically question the literature in terms of diverging approaches and perspectives taken by scholars in addressing the question. (Note: suggestions for essay writing appear at the end of this syllabus.) Papers should be between 12-15 double spaced pages, fully referenced & including a bibliography, and handed in on August 6.

Note: You are expected to submit a two page outline of your planned paper on July 25. The outline should explicitly state your main argument in response to the question. The outline should be broken down into section headings with a brief description of what you expect each section to cover. You need to use prose to explain the framework you use rather than just provide a series of numbered headings which give me little idea of whether your essay is descriptive, analytical or indeed even answers the question. You should also include a bibliography of at least eight books/articles that you will use for the essay. Remember, the outline is intended to get you thinking in advance of the issues that you will be investigating, and of developing an argument and framework that will give your essay coherence. The more work you put into it, the easier it will be for more to identify any potential problem areas and to give you constructive suggestions. 
 

Required Texts

• Michael Brown, ed. Theories of War and Peace (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1998)
• Jo Groebel & Robert Hinde, eds., Aggression and War (Cambridge University Press, 1989) 
• Rush Dozier, Fear Itself: The Origin and Nature of the Powerful Emotion That Shapes Our Lives and Our World (New York: St Martin's Press, 1998)
• Foreign Affairs Agenda, The New Shape of World Politics: Contending Paradigms in International Relations (New York: Foreign Affairs, 1997)
• Kalevi Holsti, The State, War, and the State of War (Cambridge University Press, 1996)
• Chester Crocker, Fen Osler Hampson & Pamela Aall, Managing Global Chaos: Sources of and Responses to International Conflict (Washington, DC.: US Institute of Peace, 1996)

• Jennifer Turpin & Lester Kurtz, The Web of Violence (University of Illinois Press, 1997)

Note: Course Reserve Material is available on the American University Electronic Resrve System or go directly to http://eresau.wrlc.org The password is SALLA610 (the system is case sensitive).
 

July 2 Introduction: Methodological Approaches to the Study of Violence, Conflict and War in the Post-Cold War Era 

• Jack S. Levy, "Contending Theories of International Conflict: A Levels-of-Analysis Approach," Managing Global Conflict, eds. Crocker, et al., 3-24
• Turpin & Kurtz, "Introduction: Violence - The Micro/Macro Link," The Web of Violence, 1-28

• Holsti, The State, War, and the State of War 1-40