MVZ208 Ethnic Conflicts in South Caucasus

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2012
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Zinaida Bechná, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 10:00–11:40 U43
Prerequisites (in Czech)
MVZ101 Introduction to Intl. Rel.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
To examine the nature of conflicts in the South Caucasus with respect to factors that generates those conflicts. To explore theoretical perspective on ethnic conflict Develop students’ skills in conflict analysis
Syllabus
  • Week 1: Introduction. Week 2: What Is Conflict – Concepts of Ethnicity and Theoretical Framework (Greetsz, C. (1996): Primordial Ties, in Hutchinson J., Smith, A.(ed.): Ethnicity, Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York, pp. 40-45. Lake, D., Rothchild, D. (1998): Spreading Fear: The Genesis of Transnational Ethnic Conflict, chapter 1 in Lake, D., Rothchild, D. (ed.): The International Spread of Ethnic Conflict, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, pp.: 3-32. Nash, M. (1996): The Core Elements of Ethnicity, in Hutchinson J., Smith, A.(ed.): Ethnicity, Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York, pp. 24-28. Week 3: Ethnic Conflict in IR (Lobell, S., Maucer, P. (2004): Ethnic conflict and International Politics: Explaining Diffusion and Escalation, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, pp. 1-24. Saideman, S. (1997): Explaining the International Relations of Secessionist Conflicts, International Organization, Vol.51, No 4., pp: 721-753. Week 4. Domestic Politics and Ethnic Conflict (Horowitz, D.(1994): Democracy in Divided Societies, chapter 3 in Diamond, L., Plattner, M. (ed.): Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict and Democracy, The John Hopkins University Press , Baltimore, London, pp.: 35-55. Saideman, S., Lanoue, D., Campenni, M., Stanton, S. (2002): Democratization, Political institutions, and Ethnic Conflict. A pooled-Time Series Analysis, 1985-1998”, Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 35, No 1., pp: 103-129. Week 5. Ethnicity and Ethnic conflict (Cederman, L., Wimmer, A., Min, B. (2010): Why Do Ethnic Groups Rebel? New Data and Analysis, World Politics, Vol. 62, No. 1., pp.: 87-119. Kaufman, S. (2010): Ethnicity as a Generator of Conflict, chapter 8 in Cordell, K., Wolff, S.: Routledge Handbook of Ethnic Conflict, Routledge, pp. 91-102.Week 6. The Role of Myths and History in Ethnic Conflict (Kaufman, S. (2006): The Symbolic Politics of Ethnic War, chapter 2 in Kaufman, J. (2001): Modern Hatreds. The Symbolic Politics of Ethnic War, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, London, pp.: 15-39. Week 7. Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (Cornell, S. (2001): The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, chapter 3 in Cornell, S.: Small Nations and Great Powers. A Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict in the Caucasus, Routledge Curzon, London, New York, pp. 47- 95. Week 8. Georgian Conflicts - Abkhazia (Nodia, G. (1997): Causes and Visions of Conflicts in Abkhazia, University of California, Berkley, pp. 2-52. Week 9. Georgian Conflicts - South Ossetia (International Crisis Group, Europe Report No. 159 (2204): Georgia: Avoiding War in South Ossetia, Tbilisi, Brussels, pp.: 1-29. Week 10. Russian-Georgian Armed Conflict (Felgenhauer, P. (2009): After August 7: The Escalation of the Russia-Georgia War, chapter 9 in Cornell, S. E., Starr, S. F.: The Guns of August 2008 Russia’s War in Georgia, M. E. Sharpe, Armonk, New York. pp. 162-180.Illarionov, A. (2009): The Russian Leadership’s Preparation for War, 1999 – 2008, chapter 4 in Cornell, S. E., Starr, S. F.: The Guns of August 2008 Russia’s War in Georgia, M. E. Sharpe, Armonk, New York. pp. 49-84. Week 11. Russian Policy towards the South Caucasus (Mankoff, J. (2009): Back to the Offensive? The Former Soviet Union, in Mankoff, J.: “Russian Foreign Policy. The Return of Great Power Politics”, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Lanham, Boulder, New York, Toronto, Plymouth, UK., pp.: 241-246, 255-264, 280-282. Week 12. The Great Game in a Small Space (Jolicoeur, P., Labarre, F. (2011): NATO’s Engagement in the South Caucasus: Looking for Energy Security or Expanding Norms and Values?, chapter 10 in Jafalian, A. (ed.):Reassessing Security in the South Caucasus. Regional Conflict and Transformation, Ashgate, Burlington, pp.: 157-176. Papkova, I. (2011): Great Power Misalignment: The United States and the Russo-Georgian Conflict, chapter 3 in Astrov, A. (ed.): The Great Power (mis) Management. Russian-Georgian War and its Implications for Global Political Order, Ashgate, pp.: 43-58. Week 13. Discussion, final remarks
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussions, reading.
Assessment methods
The course is completed by an examination. There will be two exams in this course: a midterm exam and a final exam. Grades in this course will be determined by the following: Reading and Class Participation (10%) Midterm 30% (covering the material in the first half of the course) Final 60%
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2011, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2012, recent)
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