Insegnamento a.a. 2022-2023

20673 - POLITICS OF CONFLICT

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - IM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - MM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - AFC (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - CLELI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - ACME (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - GIO (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - DSBA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - PPA (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04) - FIN (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SPS/04)
Course Director:
VALERIO VIGNOLI

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: VALERIO VIGNOLI


Suggested background knowledge

A basic knowledge of International Relations and Conflict Studies could be helpful. Students that have no prior knowledge of such fields can read: Frieden A, Jeffrey A, Lake DA, and Schultz KA (2018). World Politics: Interests, Interactions, Institutions. New York: Norton (for a general and wide perspective on International Relations)

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

From large-scale wars to mass protests, and from coups d’état to ethnic violence, politics often turns violent. When does conflict occur? Diving into the contemporary political chaos, this course aims to study rigorously the factors that explain violent disruptions of the political order, and the institutional devices that allow political communities to contain, prevent, and mitigate conflict. The course is divided in two blocs. In the first part, the focus will be on the various types of organized violence – inter-state and intra-state (civil) wars, terrorism, coups, human rights violations – and their main causes. In the second part, it will be shed light on how domestic factors such as – leaders, bureaucracies and regime – and tans-national actors and dynamics – alliances, international organizations, trade, and sanctions – affect conflict. In this bloc, the role of climate change and gender will be also discussed. After these classes, the course entails a short monographic part about the relation between conflict and geopolitical dynamics. At the end, students are required to work in groups and provide a presentation (30min ca.) on one of the topics discussed in class. The ultimate goal of the course it to acquaint students with an empirical approach to the analysis of conflict and with solid theoretical tools to support such a rigorous investigation.

CONTENT SUMMARY

Introduction: When do politics turn violent?
Inter-state wars: Why do states engage in wars?
Civil wars: Why does war occur within a state?
Terrorism: Why kill civilians?
Coups: When do military and non-military coups happen?
Human rights: Why do states violate human rights?
Leaders and conflict: Do politicians spark wars abroad to hold on to power at home?
Bureaucracies, interest groups and conflict: Do countries fight wars abroad to satisfy the Military or special interests?
Democracy and conflict: Why don’t democracies fight one another?
Alliances and conflict: Why promising to fight someone else’s war?
International organizations and conflict: When can the UN keep the peace?
Trade and conflict: Do trade reduce conflict?
Sanctions and conflict: Do sanctions work?
Climate change and conflict: Does climate change foster conflict?
Gender and conflict: Do leaders’ gender and gender equality affect conflict?
Guest lectures
Students’ group work and presentations

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

discuss contemporary, crucial issues related to conflict

assess how different actors interplay in the politics of war and peace

find, interpret, and use relevant datasets for the study of conflict

explain when and why various forms of violence and wars are more likely

evaluate competing theories against alternative empirical strategies

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Employ solid theoretical and empirical insights to analyse and explain political conflict and violence

Locate and critically assesses relevant datasets for policy evaluation

Interpret contemporary events in a rigorous way

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Group assignments

DETAILS

Guest lectures: classes thought by non-academic experts sharing their knowledge of a specific topic and personal experience in the field

 

Group assignment: groups’ presentations on a topic chosen by the students and not covered in the face-to-face classes


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
   x x
  • Group assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
   x  

ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

ATTENDING

 

The written, divided in the partial and general exam will cover the 80% of the final grade. Students' presentations and other research projects will cover the 20%

 

NON ATTENDING

 

The written exam will cover the 80% of the final grade. Students' essay will cover the remaining 20%.


Teaching materials


ATTENDING STUDENTS


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Frieden A, Jeffrey A, Lake DA, and Schultz KA (2018). World Politics: Interests, Interactions, Institutions. New York: Norton (for a general and wide perspective on International Relations)

 

Readings (as in the syllabus)
Last change 09/06/2022 17:32