POLITICS 303

War and Political Violence

Please note: this is archived course information from 2019 for POLITICS 303.

Description

This paper will examine why politics sometimes turns to political violence by exploring why conflicts begin, how they escalate and what can be done to build a sustainable peace. Students will have an opportunity to debate the main theories on conflict and peace, looking at whether certain regions are more prone to violence than others, what indicators can be used to predict – and maybe prevent – violence, and the different methods that have been used to try to resolve violent conflicts. As well as exploring why politics breaks down into violence, students will analyse the different types of violence, learning to differentiate between conventional wars, insurgencies, civil wars, terrorism and genocide. In addition, students will be introduced to some of the key issues associated with contemporary conflict, including post-conflict reconstruction, sexual violence, humanitarian intervention and the importance of truth and reconciliation commissions. 

Availability 2019

Semester 1

Lecturer(s)

Coordinator(s) Dr Thomas Gregory

Points

POLITICS 303: 15 points

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II in Political Studies or Politics and International Relations or POLITICS 106 and 30 points at Stage II in Global Politics and Human Rights