Course Description
The major approaches to the study of international conflict, with special emphasis on the logical and empirical foundations for key hypotheses regarding war and peace. These subjects are addressed by considering the incentives and constraints on decision making that arise from systemic, coalitional, national, and individual factors.
Athena Title
INTL CONFLICT
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in POLS 4220
Prerequisite
INTL 3200 or INTL 3300 or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, students should be able to do the following: Describe and critique the major approaches to the study of international conflict. Explain how these approaches help us understand important aspects of international conflict including: interstate war, nationalist violence, successions war, the strategies designed to mitigate conflict including peacekeeping, deterrence, and alliance.
Topical Outline
Classic Explanations Realism Liberalism Patterns of Conflict Nationalist Conflict Successions War Deterrence Peacekeeping Interdependence and Conflict Alliances Negotiation
Syllabus