Understanding Peace and Conflict

This course explores core questions about modern armed conflict: What is war? What shapes does it take? What are its main drivers? What consequences does it have? How has it evolved over time? Who plays a role in it? Is it ever legitimate to wage war? Is the use of violence legal? What role does terrorism play? How do we build a sustainable peace? What are some of the challenges involved? How do we address them? How do we avoid war? How can we respond to mass atrocities? To do so, the course draws on various case studies and uses a multidisciplinary lens by building on the fields of International Relations, political science, strategic studies, anthropology, history, law, gender studies and psychology. By doing so, it introduces students to some of the key debates and concepts of the field of peace and conflict studies. Additionally, it gives them a robust foundation for further study, while allowing them to better understand current international affairs.