The systematic, theoretical study of violent political
conflict. We will use a very general approach and cover a broad
range of topics, including civil war, protest/rebellion,
terrorism, and state terror/repression.
Athena Title
Violent Political Conflict
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in INTL 4455E
Prerequisite
INTL 3200 or INTL 3200E or INTL 3200H or INTL 3300 or INTL 3300E or INTL 3300H
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to recall and apply key concepts in international affairs (e.g., the international system, actors in the international system, the principles of sovereignty and anarchy).
By the end of this course, students will be able to compare and contrast various political systems and consider their advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of different societal actors.
By the end of this course, students will be able to explain, critique, and apply the major theoretical approaches and models used within international relations and comparative politics.
By the end of this course, students will have practice evaluating the causes and effects of historical and contemporary global events, by choosing and applying appropriate theoretical models, interpreting and contextualizing past research findings, and/or analyzing empirical data (qualitative or quantitative).
By the end of this course, students will be able to locate sources of data and evaluate their credibility and their appropriateness for testing a given theory or hypothesis.
By the end of this course, students will be able to articulate opinions on certain global issues, informed by the application of theoretical models, research findings, and/or empirical data (qualitative or quantitative).
By the end of this course, students will be able to express their opinions on certain global issues through formal writing assignments and have the opportunity to revise and refine their writing in response to feedback from the instructor.
By the end of this course, students will be able to identify the key components of social science research.
By the end of this course, students will be able to appreciate and analyze policy interdependence--that is, how the choices that one actor or group of actors make (e.g., citizens, firms, countries) affect the lives and decisions of other actors or groups of actors.
Topical Outline
Difference between casual explanation and social science theory
Likely causes of civil war, terrorism, state repression, and genocide/politicide
International legal attempts to prevent government violence and the inherent limits of international law in this regard
State of empirical research on violent conflict
Contemporary episodes of violence with reference to theories discussed in class
Basic concepts used in decision- and game- theoretic analysis
