INTRODUCTION TO PEACE & CONFLICT RESOLUTION 

SIS308.001

SPRING 2001

THURSDAY 8:10 - 10:40 pm

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed 
citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead


 


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

Office Hours
Monday 2:30 - 3:30 pm
Wednesday 7- 8 pm
Thursday 7 - 8 pm
or by appointment
 

Course Description

The rapid changes made possible by globalization have challenged the epistemological foundations of traditional approaches to world politics making possible a range of alternatives concepts and approaches. World politics is no longer seen exclusively through a prism made up of political calculations of 'hard power', but much more so of 'soft power' where 'legitimacy', 'discourses', 'ethics', 'peace', and 'conflict resolution' all figure prominently in understanding world politics. Peace and Conflict Resolution has traditionally been relegated to the margins of the field on the bases of 'realist' assumptions over the prevalence of 'hard power' in world politics. This course proposes an alternative approach to traditional theories by placing peace and conflict resolution at the center stage of world politics. The course is premised on the belief that while conflict is an inherent feature of the human condition and world politics, violence is not; therefore requiring strategies for removing violence in its various manifestations, i.e., 'direct', 'structural' and 'cultural' at local, national and global levels.

The course is divided into three parts. Part I provides the conceptual underpinnings of peace and conflict resolution. Part II examines the paradigmatic models of conflict resolution currently practiced in the field. Part III is based on a substantive enquiry into a variety of approaches to building peace at the local, national and global levels. 

At the end of the course, students should have a firm understanding of the implicit assumptions that undergird the way 'peace' and 'conflict resolution' are conceptualized and practiced, and more effectively contribute to the realization of their own preferred conception of peace and conflict resolution. Students will also have developed some basic skills in conflict resolution, and an awareness of some of the organizations in the Washington DC area committed to peace and/or conflict resolution.
 

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!

Regular attendance & participation in class discussions will form the basis of your mark for this component of the course.
 
 
 

2. Collaborative Project & Presentation - 15%

You will be required to collaborate in groups of two in exploring the peace and/or conflict resolution efforts of an organization, governmental or non-governmental, based in the Washington DC area.
 

Your group needs to hand in a three-four page report - double spaced and typed - of the work of the mandate of the organization, the activities it carries out to fulfill this mandate, and your analysis of the viability of the organization in its peace and/or conflict resolution efforts. Your group needs to design a class activity which is both informative and illustrative of the organization's mandate and activities. You need to inform either the class teaching assistant or me of the organization your group is studying. A list of peace and conflict resolution organizations in the Washington DC area can be found on my homepage under the category of Organizations and Resources in the Washington Area.
 

Groups will lead the class activity - total no longer than 15 mins in length - for the last two classes of the semester, April 26 and May 3. Your group will be assigned a collective mark for the class activity and report. Report is due on the day of the group led activity.
 

3. Term Paper - 35%

A list of questions will be handed out to the class. Each paper should critically question the literature in terms of diverging approaches and perspectives taken by the respective authors for each approach to peace and conflict resolution. This will involve some attempt to develop and integrate the perspectives identified in your weekly reports and subsequently determine their viability in terms of a coherent approach to peace and conflict resolution (Note: recommendations for essay writing appear at the end of this syllabus.) Papers must be between 12-15 double spaced pages, fully referenced & including a bibliography, and handed in on March 22.
 

A list of questions will be handed out to the class. Each paper should critically question the literature in terms of diverging approaches and perspectives taken by the respective authors for each approach to peace and conflict resolution. This means you must do more than just describe key institutions, organizations or processes relevant to the question. There must be some attempt to develop an analytical framework and overall argument in your essay. More detailed recommendations for essay writing appear at the end of this syllabus - make sure you read this since it outlines my expectations of a good essay.
 

For those wishing to improve their essay writing, either to attain a pass standard or to get an A grade, you are advised to contact Learning Services which offers workshops on time management, note taking, essay writing, taking exams, etc.; a tutoring referral service; and a writing lab - by appointment - for all students, including special assistance for international students. Learning services can be contacted at 885 3360, and their office is in Mary Graydon, Room 201.
 

Note: You are expected to submit a two page outline of your planned paper on March 1. 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.
 

4. Take Home Exam - 30%

Five exam questions will be distributed on April 19. You are asked to write on three questions (maximum length is 12 double spaced pages). You are required to reference your papers. Due May 3.
 

5. Bonus Credit & Paper - 10%

You have the option of attending one of a series of workshops on Conflict Transmutation that I will organize over the Spring semester. The workshops are sponsored by the Center for Global Peace, and a brochure will be distributed in class with forthcoming dates. Further details can be found by going to my homepage and clicking the entry for Conflict Transmutation. To claim the bonus credit, you need to write a 4-5 paper reflecting on your workshop experience and how it enhances your understanding of peace and conflict resolution. There is no charge for attending the workshop in order to gain the extra credit but you are encouraged to make a $5 donation to cover the cost of the workshop booklet.
 

Required Texts

Note: All the above texts can be found in the reserve area of the Library.

Further Note: There is an ever growing number of Worldwide Web links with reports, statements, articles, etc., concerning peace and conflict resolution. You can access many of these links by clicking the Peace and Conflict Resolution links on my homepage. Further Research Links provides links to think tanks and research organizations with relevant material. 
 


Class Schedule

I. Understanding Peace and Conflict Resolution


Januuary 18 - No Class
 

January 25 - Introduction: What is Peace and Conflict Resolution?

Further Reading (not compulsory!) February 1 - Sources of International Conflict - Frustratation and Enemy Images Video: Faces of the Enemy

Further Reading

February 8 - How do Parties Negotiate in a Conflict? How does Conflict Escalate? Further Reading
II. Paradigmatic Approaches to Conflict Resolution

 

February 15 - Conflict Resolution through Problem Solving

February 22 - Conflict Resolution through Relational Change


Further Reading

February 22 - Conflict Resolution through Improved Communication Video: Nonviolent Communication

Do Exercizes in Rosenberg, Nonviolent Communication, 151-57

March 1 - Mediation


Video: Case Study: Community Justice Mediation (followed by roleplay)

Further Reading

III. Peacebuilding

 

March 1 - Term Paper Outline Due
 

March 8 - Nonviolence


Further Reading 

(10 December 1964) http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/speeches/acceptance_speech_at_nobel_peace.htm


March 22 - The Global Economy & the Environment


Further Reading

March 22 - Term Paper Due
 

March 29 - Gender and Dismantling Patriarchy

Further Reading April 5 - Human Rights Further Reading April 12 - Peace Education & Peacebuilding Video: Seeds of Peace

Further Reading

April 19 - Spirituality, Peace and Conflict Resolution Further Reading http://www.spiritweb.org/Spirit/michael-herman-mesg-09.html
 

April 19 Take Home Exam is Distributed
 

April 26 Presentations
 

May 3 Presentations & Course Review
 

May 3 Take Home Exam Due

SUGGESTIONS FOR ESSAY WRITING
 

The essence of good essay writing is to be found in the quality of your argument and the level of analysis. The essay must go beyond description and narrative. It is not enough just to tell a story, nor is it enough just to produce a large number of facts related to the topic of your essay, nor is it enough to merely recount what the authors of the textbooks have to say about the topic. The essay should represent your considered perspective and your informed thoughts on the problem you have been asked to write about. Of course, you cannot begin to construct a considered perspective or develop informed thoughts unless you first have a firm understanding of the subject matter. So the first step is reading intensively and acquiring a grasp of both the factual material and the arguments, debates, and differences between those scholars who have contributed to the literature on the subject. Having done that, you are then in a position to analyse the issue and develop your own argument.
 

An argument, in its basic sense, is a statement, supported by adequate empirical evidence or logical inference, which addresses the question and presents a point of view or a perspective on that question. The quality of the argument will be measured by how persuasive it is, and its persuasiveness will be a function of the skill with which you have constructed that argument.
 

Once you have chosen your essay topic (or perhaps even as part of the process of choosing your topic) it is helpful for you to begin by thinking about what the question means and what you are being asked to do. Eventually this will become 'second nature' to you, but you might think about approaching the task in this way. Here is an example of how you might analyse a question in Peace and Conflict Resolution.
 

'Does the notion of 'structural violence' lead to a welcome extension to our understanding of peace or does it introduce unwelcome ambiguities?
 

First, you should identify the broad topic or subject of the question (this may seem obvious but it is a good starting point). In the example given, the broadly defined topic is - 'peace'.
 

Second, you need to identify the more specific focus of the question - in this case, the focus is the relationship between 'structural violence' and 'peace'.
 

Third, you need to think carefully about any directions you are given in the question. For example, here you are being asked whether structural violence leads 'to a welcome extension' or introduces 'unwelcome ambiguities' to our understanding of peace. Your answer might be yes to the first part of the question (in which case you would have to say why), and no to the second part (and again, you would have to say why).
 

Remember that at all times you will need to support your answer with an argument, rather than simply making assertions. The more complex your argument, provided it is coherent, the more likely you will exhibit the necessary analytical sophistication and creativity for a high grade.