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POL16 Examination 2021 Conflict and Peacebuilding

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POL16 Examination 2021 Conflict and Peacebuilding Version: September 2021 HSPS and H&P TRIPOS PART IIB 2021-22 Pol 16 The Politics of Conflict and Peace Course Organiser Devon Curtis ([email protected]) Lecturers and Supervisors Elodie Convergne ([email protected]) Devon Curtis ([email protected]) For regular lectures and Congo case Lyn Kouadio ([email protected]) Ola Osman ([email protected]) Burcu Ozcelik ([email protected]) For Middle East case Simona Ross ([email protected]) Giulia Torino ([email protected]) For Colombian case Emmah Wabuke ([email protected]) Please wear face coverings for all lectures and seminars. Note: If you are unable to attend a lecture in person, you are welcome to join on zoom. Lectures will be recorded, but seminars will not be. Outline of the Course This paper explores issues of conflict and peace in contemporary international politics, with a particular focus on conflict and peace in the global south. It considers competing theories and claims about the causes of conflict and the relationship between the state, conflict, development and other international processes. It analyses the range of responses to conflict and how they are justified and focuses on contests over the meanings and practices of peace and peacebuilding. The possibilities and limitations of international institutions, including the United Nations, in ending conflict and maintaining peace are highlighted throughout the paper. The paper pays particular attention to the connection between local, national, regional and international politics, economy and society. It looks at the ways in which regional and international dynamics may have a bearing on conflict and peace. What is the relationship between seemingly ‘local’ conflicts and the wider political structures in which they are embedded? Do institutions and programmes responding to conflict reproduce and reflect a state-centric system? What are the benefits and limits to existing approaches to peace and conflict? Is the state the primary actor in conflict and in its resolution? How can we best understand the multiple layers of conflict and how they interact? How is political agency exercised? In Michaelmas, the lectures explore the origins and nature of contemporary conflict, and the relationship between conflict, the state, and the global system. We begin by discussing the contested meanings of concepts of security, war, and conflict, and 1 Version: September 2021 how these are measured. We then turn to the relationship between globalization, the state and conflict. Next, we will focus on a number of competing theories and claims about the causes and dynamics of conflict, looking at the state, health and the environment, economies, identities, and gender. We will also have lectures on three case studies to illustrate ideas, approaches, and practices of conflict and peace in diverse settings around the world. One case study will focus on contests over ideas of conflict and peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the African Great Lakes region. The second will focus on climate change and conflict in the Middle East. The third focuses on Afro-Colombians and displacement in Colombia’s internal conflict. Students are expected to become highly familiar with one of these case study regions. In Lent, the lectures will focus on peace and peacebuilding. We will start by questioning the concept of peace, and we will critically assess the institutions, ideas and practices underlying peacebuilding efforts. The next lecture will focus on different international and regional actors and their strategies and normative agendas, including China and other ‘new’ actors in peacebuilding. Next, we discuss different ‘responses’ to conflict, including the politics of humanitarian assistance, governance and democratisation, security reform, justice and reconciliation, and post-war economies. The final lecture discusses the possibilities and limits of building peace and transnational advocacy. Throughout Michaelmas and Lent we will have seminar classes to discuss some of the key overarching readings. In Michaelmas there will be one seminar on questions of concepts, measurement and indicators, and one seminar on local (ie Cambridge’s) connections to global conflict(s). In Lent there will be a seminar class on ‘alternative’ ideas and practices of building peace. In Easter term there will be one revision lecture, one revision seminar, and one revision supervision Aims and Objectives • to explore a range of ways of understanding possible connections between conflict and peace • to provide a framework for thinking about the causes of conflict and the connections between local, regional and international processes • to gain detailed knowledge of conflict and peace in at least one region • to encourage critical reflection of theoretical assumptions regarding conflict, and peacebuilding, and available models and policy packages • to teach students how to read closely primary texts such as international treaties, resolutions and official reports Teaching and Assessment 2 Version: September 2021 In Michaelmas, students will have 2 thematic supervisions and 2 seminars. Students will be allocated a supervisor at the beginning of Michaelmas term. For each supervision, students should prepare a 2000-2500 word essay. For the first seminar, students should submit two questions sparked by the readings. For the second seminar, students will be asked to prepare a presentation. Details are in the relevant section of this paper guide. There will also be one supervision on the case study material. Students taking to Congo or Colombia options can choose whether they will do this at the end of Michaelmas term or beginning of Lent term. Students taking the Middle East option will do this early in Lent. In Lent, students will have 2 thematic supervisions and 1 seminar (as well as the case study supervision if they did not do this in Michaelmas). For each supervision, students should write a 2000-2500 word essay. For the Lent seminar, students should write a one paragraph reaction to the readings. Please note: Students are scheduled to hand in 5 supervision essays throughout the year (4 thematic supervision questions, 1 case study question). In Easter term, we will have one revision lecture, one revision seminar, and one revision supervision This paper is assessed by an undivided three-hour examination paper, from which students should answer three questions. At the end of the paper guide, there are some past examination papers and an examiners’ report but please note that some topics change every year. Students can also find other previous examination papers and examiners’ reports on moodle. Movie nights There are many movies and documentaries that are relevant to the themes we cover in POL 16. If there is enough interest, we will organise a few movie club nights to discuss a movie from the list, including movies related to the case studies. The practice of conflict and peace: Guest lectures There will be two guest lectures from policy practitioners, to discuss what these ideas and theories look like from the vantage point of policy-makers. Doug Chalmers (former Lt Gen in the UK military) will discuss ‘Conflict in practice: A military view based on experience in Afghanistan’ 15 November Katrin Wittig (Political Affairs Officer, Office of the Special Adviser to the United Nations SRSG in MINUSMA, Mali) will discuss ‘Peacebuilding in practice’ 7 March 3 Version: September 2021 Michaelmas Conflict: Case studies Seminars Causes, dynamics, consequences (D Curtis, B Ozcelik, G Torino) Mon and Tues 11am-noon M, T, 11am - noon 1. Introduction: conflict and DR Congo in the Seminar 1 (week 2) peacebuilding 11 Oct (Pitt Building- African Great Lakes Concepts, Bentley room) (D Curtis) measurement and 1.Background: 2 Nov indicators 2. Defining and measuring conflict, (Hopkinson lecture war and security 12 Oct (Biffen theatre, new museums In Emmanuel College, lecture theatre, Downing site) site) Harrod’s room 2.Post-colonial politics 3. Globalisation, economies and and conflict 9 Nov Group 1 contemporary conflict 18 Oct (Pitt) (Biffen lecture theatre, Mon 18 Oct, 3-5pm Downing site) 4. The state and conflict 19 Oct 3.Intervention and peace Group 2 (Hopkinson lecture theatre, new 16 Nov (Hopkinson Tues 19 Oct, 1:30-3:30 museums site) lecture theatre, New Museums site) Group 3 5. Health, environment and conflict Tues 19 Oct, 4-6pm 25 Oct (Pitt Building, Bentley room) Climate conflict in the Middle East 6. Poverty and inequality and (B Ozcelik) Seminar 2 (week 8) conflict 26 Oct (Biffen lecture 1. 22 Nov- zoom live Cambridge in conflict theatre) 2. 24 Jan 3. 25 Jan Group 1 7. Identities: Ethnicity, religion and Mon 29 Nov, 3-5pm conflict 1 Nov (Pitt- Bentley room) Colombia: internal conflict and Group 2 8. Gender: Masculinities, patriarchy displacement Tues 30 Nov, 1:30-3:30 and conflict 8 Nov (Pitt- Bentley) (G Torino) 23 November- Biffen Group 3 9. Conflict in practice: A military Lecture theatre, Tues 30 Nov, 4-6pm view – guest lecture- 15 Nov (Pitt Downing site) Building- Bentley room) Note: In Michaelmas, students will have 2 thematic supervisions and 2 seminars. They may also have 1 case study supervision (but they may do this early in Lent instead). 4 Version: September 2021 Lent lectures: Lent Easter term Peacebuilding (D Curtis) Seminars 11am-noon, Mondays and Tuesdays Lecture 1.Introduction: peace studies Seminar 3 (week 7) 31 Jan Alternatives to PB and Revision lecture Statebuilding 2. What is peacebuilding? TBC 1 Feb Group 1 Mon 7 Mar, 3-5pm 3. Who keeps the peace and why? 7 Feb Group 2 Tues 8 Mar, 10-noon 4. Politics of humanitarian assistance 8 Feb Group 3 Tues 8 Mar, 3-5pm 5. Negotiations, mediation and peace agreements 14 Feb 6. Governance: Democratisation and Revision seminar the governance of divided societies (Seminar 4) 15 Feb Group 1 7. Security: Ex-combatants and DDR Mon 2 May 21 Feb 3-5pm 8. Society: Justice and reconciliation Group 2 22 Feb Tues 3 May 10-noon 9.
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