UNU Joint Graduate Courses 2008
Course II Conflict Studies: Prevention, Peacemaking, Peacebuilding
Course Coordinators Chief Coordinator: Dr. Vesselin Popovski (UNU) Coordinators: Professor Hideaki Asahi (University of Tokyo) Associate Professor Tadashi Anno (Sophia University) Associate Professor Yasuyuki Matsunaga (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) Professor Ryo Oshiba (Hitotsubashi University) Associate Professor Wilhelm Vosse (International Christian University)
Objectives and Outline
This course aims to understand the dynamics of conflict and peace, to examine the causes of conflict, the changing nature of modern conflict, to situate the contemporary conflict studies in the context of the broader discipline of international relations through investigation, analysis and discussion of recent events and conflicts. The course will provide students with understanding of the evolution of the UN and its role in the international system – as a collective security mechanism to prevent conflict, engage in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Some case studies will illustrate the various achievements and shortages of the UN system to address violent conflict.
The UN and various regional organizations have attempted with varying degrees of success to provide peace and security to conflict zones, both within and between states. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations continue to be one of the most visible and important tasks of the United Nations. Their evolving application has tested the Organization's abilities and legitimacy over and over again. Moreover, the complex nature of conflicts has increasingly demanded more sustained, and demanding peace operations that go much beyond the securing of cease-fire lines. The UN's and regional organizations' approach to peace operations now integrates a wide range of activities, from the prevention to the management of conflict, and to post-conflict rebuilding of society, infrastructure, legal and security institutions.
The course will review and analyse the international community's evolving responses to the challenges of violent conflict. It begins with an assessment of the roots of many of today's violent conflicts, followed by a discussion of attempts to settle and resolve conflicts with the help of internal and external parties. It will then examine opportunities for the prevention of violent conflict, experiences, shortcomings and challenges, in peacekeeping and peace support operations, and the international community's engagement in post-conflict peacebuilding activities. The course will assess the UN's recent efforts to evaluate and improve UN peace operations, and the feasibility and opportunities of implementing suggested reform proposals.
Week Lecture Lecture Title Lecturer No. Date Prof. Kazuo Takahashi, 1 1 Oct. Introduction Dr. Vesselin Popovski (UNU) Nature of Conflict. Old and New Wars. Dr. Vesselin Popovski 2 8 Oct. Causes of Conflict: Greed and Grievance. (UNU)
Prof. Paul Bacon Human Security. Human Development (Waseda University) 4 22 Oct. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions UN Role in Conflict Prevention, Prof. Takeo Uchida Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding (Chuo University) 5 29 Oct. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions Thinking of Peacebuilding on the Ground: Prof. Hideaki Asahi Japan’s policy measures for peace building (University of Tokyo) 6 5 Nov. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions Sudan after the Peace Agreement and the Prof. Yoshiko Kurita Darfur Conflict (Chiba University) 7 12 Nov. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions Peacekeeping/Peacebuilding. Case of Prof. Yasunobu Sato Cambodia (University of Tokyo) 8 19 Nov. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions Prof. Sukehiro Hasegawa Peacebuilding. Case East Timor (Hosei University) 9 26 Nov. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice. Prof. Madoka Futamura Former Yugoslavia, Rwanda (UNU) 10 3 Dec. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions Prof. Kenji Isezaki (Tokyo Terrorism. War on terror. Afghanistan University of Foreign Studies) 11 10 Dec. Presentations of Preliminary Reports and Coordinators Discussions Dr. Vesselin Popovski 12 17 Dec. Students Presentations (UNU) Please note that lecturers and lecture titles may be subject to change due to unexpected circumstances.