SVF-3211 Crises and Conflicts - 10 stp

This course examines the concepts and processes involved in crises, violent conflicts, and security and the relationship between them. It offers both a theoretical framework and practical approach, with attention paid to historical determinants and recent developments in the field.

This course consists of four parts that survey various aspects of the topic - from definition and typologies of international conflicts and crises to sources and causes of crisis and conflict, as well as the dynamics and management of these. In the first part we will survey the evolution of the meaning of crisis and conflict with an exclusive focus on intra-state, societal character of this problem as well as social, political, economic, identity and other dimensions. The second part looks into three major categories of explanations about the causes and sources of conflicts: (1) Macro-level (e.g., systemic, economic, and normative variables); (2) Meso-level (identity-related variables) and; (3) Micro level (individual and psychological explanations). Furthermore, we will survey the dynamic of these conflicts as driven by crises in various areas such as food, scarcity, climate, or migration. Finally, the course will focus on various techniques to managing (and possibly ending) conflicts that include intervention, mediation, early warning, preventive diplomacy, and crisis management.

The students are expected to apply this theoretical knowledge by participating in a group research project and by presenting contemporary cases.

The eligible student must hold a bachelor’s degree from a relevant field of study. Prior knowledge of societal security, risk management, safety management, international relations, crisis management and emergency preparedness are recommended but not required.

Application code: 9371

Knowledge:

The student …

• can identify and knows the characteristic features of various types of crises, including relevant taxonomies and typologies.
• has a critical understanding of different approaches to conflict analysis.
• can analyse conflicts and crises in their particular context and offer relevant policy recommendations.

Skills:

The student …

• has a solid grounding in identifying key features and causal variables of modern conflicts and crises.
• has mastered skills needed to explain causes, sources and dynamic of trans- and intra-national conflicts and link these with relevant crises.
• can confidently applies theoretical knowledge acquired in the course to identify effective policies and offer recommendations for crisis and conflict management and resolution.
• will developed basic research skills that include asking interesting research questions and conducting research on contemporary cases of conflict and crisis.

General competence:

The student …

• has communication skills, including team or group work for the preparation of the presentation, collaborative skills, through working in small groups during in-class activities.
• has developed deepened presentation skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to synthesize information into a short presentation, to present information or ideas clearly, audibly and with visual aids as necessary, and to develop confidence in speaking to groups of people.
• has acquired planning skills, including time-management, meeting deadlines, planning, and competing workloads.
• has improved academic writing skills, including construction of an analytical, accurate and well-presented piece of work.
• has reading skills, including the search for, assimilation and synthesis of academic sources, the ability to identify the key arguments and evidence used in a piece of writing and critically appraise these. These will include reading and digesting key texts on conflict related issues, improving understanding of key concepts, note-taking, summarizing secondary data, interpreting, and criticizing information.

• 33 hours of lectures
• Group presentation
• Individual current event journal
• Syllabus with obligatory readings outside of classroom time
• Interaction during lectures, via in-class assignments, group work, presentations, in addition to other activities