Kennedy Institute Peace and Conflict Studies Module- Summer School Understanding Conflict: The Irish Experience A problem-oriented Peace and Conflict Studies module Syllabus Module Description This is a problem-oriented Peace and Conflict Studies Module designed to meet the needs of international students at Maynooth University. Its intent is to help students understand the nature and impact of violent conflict, with special reference to the Irish situation. It addresses the problem of how humans manage conflict, in order to instill an understanding of the nature and impact of conflict in society. The Module uses the prism of the long and intractable conflict in Ireland as the basis and primary case study to elucidate the issues involved. This approach will maximize the benefit of the students’ experience of being on the ground in Ireland to give the material a unique authenticity, immediacy and relevance. The Module incorporates concepts from Psychology, Sociology and Economics that have become mainstream to help explain the origins, the logic and the motivations for violence. It unites the emphasis on conflict as a process of social interaction with practical examples drawn from Irish experience. By looking at the Irish conflict from historical, political, sociological and international perspectives, students will explore how it is possible to move from a situation of violent conflict towards a transformative peace. The overall matrix and rubric of the module entails interactive contextual tutorial style classes and workshops, together with supervised independent study at Maynooth University, during the entire period of the Summer School. The Module will examine how the concepts examined relate to the Irish conflict. In particular, the Module will examine how the Enemy System Theory, group identity and territoriality operated as intractability factors in the Irish experience of conflict. It will relate the Irish experience to concepts of general application, focusing on how and why two states came into existence on the Island, the later Northern Ireland troubles and the Irish peace process. The Module will examine the contemporary and historical background of the conflict in Ireland to find a context and model for the road to peace in Ireland. It will include investigation of the impact of grassroots community peace initiatives and how local events and situations are affected, positively and negatively by international factors. 1 Edward M Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/edward-m-kennedy-institute Kennedy Institute Peace and Conflict Studies Module- Summer School Consideration will be given to the etiology1and dynamics of a sustainable peace process. Module Objectives 1. To understand the nature and impact of conflict in society with special reference to the Irish situation 2. To acquire a thorough understanding of peace and conflict in order to be able to critically examine, assess and analyze the origin, dynamics and resolution of armed conflicts. 3. To foster critical understanding and student collaboration in studying the nature of conflict through the prism of the Irish conflict and the peace process in Ireland and its impact locally, nationally and internationally. 4. To encourage students to work effectively individually and in groups through discovering new subject matter. 5. To explore the components of historical, political and sociological division which sustain conflict in a divided society, such as Ireland 6. To explore through a designated case-study field trip how violent conflict can be made amenable to a dynamic peace process. 7. More generally, to build communication and conflict resolution awareness and skills, facilitating the better understanding and management of conflict in society. Learning Outcomes To successfully complete this Module, students must hand in homework assignments by their due dates, attend classes regularly, and participate actively in class activities. Students must demonstrate the following competencies: • An ability to reflect cogently upon the peculiar dynamics of the historical, political and sociological nature of the Irish Conflict • A competence and ability to explore and articulate conflict management perspectives generally with reference to the Irish case-study. • A capacity and willingness to meaningfully self-reflect and articulate ways in which conflict engagement approaches enhance and/or limit effectiveness in managing conflict. • An ability to successfully prepare for and apply conflict management evaluations to the “real life” situation. 1 The investigation or attribution of the cause or reason for something, often expressed in terms of historical or mythical explanation. 2 Edward M Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/edward-m-kennedy-institute Kennedy Institute Peace and Conflict Studies Module- Summer School Module Requirements • Actively participate in and contribute to class discussion and group activities. • Read the assigned materials and be prepared to demonstrate the application of the theories, terms, and processes contained in the readings. • Submit presentations and papers on time and in the required format. • Attend class regularly, arrive on time and stay until the end of the class. Method of Evaluation • 40% on written classwork and class participation (includes various short written and oral assignments and quizzes together with experiential exercises to be assigned in class) • 10% Group Presentation • 10% open-book short answer test on Moodle • 40% on the Extended Essay The rubric of assessment will include assessment of the quality of the written work, the quality of the student’s powers of reflection, and the manner in which they are capable of reflecting constructively on the subject matter of the Module. Students will prepare a 500 word report on each assigned reading. There will be individual assignments and a group presentation on a chosen aspect of the Irish conflict, to be delivered in written and oral forms. This short answer test on Moodle will have questions designed to examine the knowledge gained during the module. It will be an open-book test at the termination of the Module to be completed by all students at the same time on Moodle over the internet. Finally, each student will select a particular subject of interest to explore in greater detail as an extended essay. This should be influenced by the subject matter discussed in class. This final essay will be 2,000 words in total and may include original research. The main purpose of the essay will be to act as a synoptic assessment of the student’s modular participation and to provide an opportunity for that acquired knowledge to be consolidated and articulated offering a mini-capstone of the student’s modular experience. 3 Edward M Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/edward-m-kennedy-institute Kennedy Institute Peace and Conflict Studies Module- Summer School Basic Readings Sandole, Dennis J.D. et al (2009). Handbook of Conflict Resolution. London: Routledge Webel, Charles, and Johan Galtung, eds. Handbook of Peace and Conflict Studies. Routledge, 2007. Volkan (1997) on “chosen traumas”; Staub (2001) on “ideology of antagonism”; and Jowitt (2001) on the isolation fostered by “barricaded identity.” Volkan, V. (1997) ‘Chosen trauma: unresolved mourning’, in Bloodlines: From Ethnic Pride to Ethnic Terrorism. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Rubenstein, R. E. (2001) ‘Basic human needs: the next step in theory development’, International Journal of Peace Studies, 6. Johan Galtung, Cultural Violence. Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 27, No. 3. (Aug., 1990), pp. 291-305. Vamik D. Volkan, The Need to Have Enemies and Allies: A Developmental Approach, Political Psychology Vol. 6, No. 2, Special Issue 1985. Rosenberg, Sarah. "Victimhood." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder 2003. Apter, David [ed.], (1997), The Legitimization of Violence. London and Geneva: Macmillan and UNRISD Crocker, Chester et al[eds.], (1999) Herding Cats. Washington DC; United States Institute of Peace Press Popiolkowski, Joseph and Nicholas J Cull [eds.], (2009), Public Diplomacy, Cultural Interventions and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. Los Angeles: USC Center on Public Diplomacy. [email protected] www.uscpublicdiplomacy.org Tom Garvin (1996) Gill and Macmillan Ltd. 1922: the Birth of Irish Democracy. Keith Jeffery, Ireland and the Great War (Cambridge, 2000) O'Dochartaigh, N. (2005). From Civil Rights to Armalites: Belfast and the Birth of the Irish Troubles. London: Palgrave. Cillian McGrattan and Aaron Edwards, The Northern Ireland Conflict: A Beginner's Guide (Beginners Guide (Oneworld)) (2010) Arthur, Paul (2000), Special Relationships: Britain, Ireland and the Northern Ireland problem. Belfast: Blackstaff Press David McKittrick and David McVea, Making Sense of the Troubles (London: Penguin) (2012) nd Paul Arthur and Keith Jeffery, Northern Ireland since 1968 (2 ed.). Oxford: Blackwell (1996) Timothy J. White( edit\) , Lessons from the Northern Ireland Peace Process, 4 Edward M Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/edward-m-kennedy-institute Kennedy Institute Peace and Conflict Studies Module- Summer School Key Web Sources CAIN Web Service - Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland The CAIN (Conflict Archive on the Internet) Web site contains information and source