Type of course

Admission requirements

Course content

The course focuses on the central philosophical and theoretical debates regarding peace, violence and conflict, and provides the foundation for the critical analysis of these phenomena from different academic perspectives.

The course serves as an introduction to the field of peace and conflict studies and illuminates key issues and problems connected with contemporary peace research. Drawing from different theoretical approaches and empirical examples, the course highlights different ways for critically reflecting on various aspects of peace, violence and conflict. To this end, the course is divided into three distinct interconnected components: First, it provides an introduction and comprehensive overview of the historical roots, key concepts, theories, and trends in peace and conflict research including decolonizing perspectives. Second, it integrates academic approaches (from humanities, social sciences and law) to the study of peace and conflict, and third it illustrates these approaches with relevant case studies from various geographical regions.

Objectives of the course

Students who have successfully completed the course should have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge:

• Have an overview and understanding of the broad issues and philosophical debates underlying the field of peace and conflict studies
• Become familiar with the core concepts and theories in peace and conflict studies
• Have an understanding of peace and conflict studies as a distinct and an applied field of study

Analytical understanding:

• Have the ability to critically review the nature and causes of inter-personal, inter-group and inter-state conflicts and the related peace-building strategies
• Have the ability to critically reflect on the evolution and operations of Western political institutions and issues raised with their use in the contemporary global order
• Have the ability to critically review the international political economy - ideologies and attitudes towards violent conflicts, war and peace
• Have the ability to review the interplay between international law, regional bodies (EU) and peace

Skills and competences:

• Capable of exploring the contextual issues underlying conflict sources, processes and transformation conflict of violent conflicts
• Capable of exploring competing perspectives on violent conflicts and resolution, including non-western ways of understanding and responding to conflict
• Capable of relating theoretical and methodological frameworks from a variety of disciplines to violent conflicts and peace processes at all levels of human interaction (interpersonal, national and international)
• Capable of taking responsibility for one's own learning by working independently towards the realization of the course objectives

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

Information to incoming exchange students

Recommended reading/syllabus