FSS:MVZ208 Ethnic Confl. South Caucasus - Course Information

MVZ208 Ethnic Conflicts in South Caucasus

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Zinaida Bechná, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Nađa Beglerović, M.Ed. (assistant)

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

Thu 11:30–13:00 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

there are 18 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

1. To examine the nature of conflicts in the South Caucasus with respect to factors that generates those conflicts and their change in time. 2. To explore theoretical perspectives on armed conflict 3. To understand conflict processes 4. Develop students’ skills in conflict analysis

Syllabus

• Week 1: Introduction September 18 Delivery the list of the presentations, study literature, methods of evaluation. Week 2: How to study Armed Conflict? September 25 Mandatory readings: Bartos, Otomor and Wehr, Paul (2002): “Using Conflict Theory,” Chapter 3: Development of Incompatible Goals, Cambridge University Press, pp: 29-49. Jeong, Ho-Won (2008): “Understanding Conflict and Conflict Analysis,” Part 1, Chapter 2: Conflict Analysis Framework. Los Angeles ; London: SAGE Publications Ltd, pp. 2-40. ———. Part III, Chapter 5: Process of Conflict, pp. 89-115. Wallensteen, P. (2011): “Unersanding Conflict Resolution, War, Peace and the Global System”, chapter 2, pp. 12-30. Week 3: Ethnic Conflict in IR October 2 Mandatory readings: Brown, M. (1993): “Ethnic Conflict and International Security,” Princeton University Press, chapter 1, pp. 3-24. Guelke, Adrian (2012): “The Study of Ethnicity and Politics: Recent Analytical Developments,” Chapter 4: Global Watersheds and the Study of Ethno-Politics, Barbara Budrich Publications pp, 117-142. 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 4: Competing Theories of Armed Conflicts October 9 Mandatory readings: Kuaufman, Stuart, J. (2006): “Symbolic Politics or Rational Choice? Testing Theories of Extreme Ethnic Violence,” International Security Vol. 30, No. 4., pp. 45-86. Shevchuk, Zinaida (2014): “Towards the Typology of Armed Conflict,” chapter 3 in Kriz Zdenek and Urbanovska Jana: Examining Armed Conflict: Theoretical Reflections on Selected Aspects, MUNI Press, pp: 87-114. Week 5. De-facto states in the South Caucasus October 16 Mandatory readings: King,Ch. (2001): “The Benefits of Ethnic War: Understanding Eurasia's Unrecognized States”, World Politics, Vol. 53. No. 4. pp.: 524-552. Lynch, Dov (2004): “The Logic Driving the Separatist States”, Chapter 3 in Lynch, Dov: Engaiging Eurasia’s Separatist States, Unresolved Conflicts and De Facto States, United States Institute of Peace Press, pp: 41- 90. Week 6. Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh October 23 Mandatory readings Cheterian, Vicken (2009): The Karabakh Conflict, chapter 3 in, Cheterian, V.: War and Peace in the Caucasus: Ethnic Conflict and the New Geopolitics. New York: Columbia University Press, pp: 87-154. Ziyadov, T. (2010): “Nagorno-Karabakh Negotiations: Though the Prism of a Multi-Issue Bargaining Model”, International Negotiations, Vol. 15, pp. 107-131. Week 7. Georgian Conflicts - Abkhazia October 30 Mandatory readings Coppieters Bruno (2004): “The Georgian-Abkhazian Conflict.” In Europeanization and Conflict Resolution – Case Studies from the European Periphery, Coppoeter, Bruno, Emerson, Michael, Huysseune, Michel, Kovziridze, Tamara, Noutcheva Gergana, Tocci, Nathalie and Vahl, Marius eds. Gent: Academia Press. The International Crisis Group. “Abkhazia: The Long Road to Reconciliation.” Brussels, April 10, 2013. http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/europe/caucasus/georgia/224-abkhazia-the-long-road-to-reconciliation.pdf. Week 8. Georgian Conflicts - South Ossetia November 6 Mandatory readings Cornell, E. Svante(2000): Georgia: From unitary dreams to an Asymmetric Federation? Chapter 3 in Small Nations and Great Powers, A Study of Ethnopolotical Conflict in the Caucasus, pp: 129-184. Week 9. Russian-Georgian Armed Conflict November 13 Mandatory readings: 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. Kornely K. K. (2011): “Challenges to the South Caucasus Regional Security Aftermath of Russian–Georgian Conflict: Hegemonic stability or new partnership?”, Journal of Eurasian Studies, No. 2., pp.:15–20. Ellison, J. Brian. (2011): “Russian Grand Strategy in the South Ossetia War”, Demokratizatsiya, pp. 343- 366. Week 10. Russian Policy towards the South Caucasus November 20 Mandatory reading: Nodia, Ghia (2013): Divergent Interests: What Can and Cannot be Achieved in Georgia-Russian Relations, in Kakachia, Kornely and Cecire, Michael (ed.): Georgia Foreign Policy, the Quest for Sustainable Security, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, pp: 81-110. Karagiannis, Emmanuel (2013): The 2008 Russian-Georgian war via the lens of Offensive Realism. European Security Vol 22, Issue 1, pp. 74-93. November 27 Mandatory readings: Cecire, Michael, H. (2013): “Security Symbolism Georgia’s NATO Aspirations in Perspective,” in in Kakachia, Kornely and Cecire, Michael (ed.): Georgia Foreign Policy, the Quest for Sustainable Security, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, pp: 65-78. Kriz, Zdenek and Shevchuk, Zinaida (2011): “Georgian readiness for NATO membership after Russian-Georgian armed conflict,” Communist and Post-Communist Studies, Vol. 44. pp.: 89-97. Week 12. EU in the South Caucasus December 4 Mandatory readings: Whitman, Richard. G. and Wolff, Stefan (2010): “The EU as a Conflict Manager? The of Georgia and its Impolications”, International Affairs Vol. 86, No. 1, pp: 87-107. Presentations: Week 13. Playing with Conflict: The Conflict-Resolving Game December 11

Literature

required literature
• Lake, D., Rothchild, D. (ed.): The International Spread of Ethnic Conflict, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey
• Kaufman, J. (2001): Modern Hatreds. The Symbolic Politics of Ethnic War, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, London.
• 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

not specified
• Brown, M. (1993): “Ethnic Conflict and International Security,” Princeton University Press.

Teaching methods

Lectures, presentations, class discussions, reading.

Assessment methods

1. Attendance (10%). Attendance is mandatory. 2. Class participation (25%). It is required to read the assigned readings every week and come to class prepared. At the beginning of each session you should submit the paper (up to 500 words long) summering the major arguments in the mandatory literature. Students are required to prepare at least two questions for each session. Participation in class discussions and defending your own arguments is one of the key aspects during the sessions. 3. Presentation (25%). The presentation should last for no longer than 15 minutes. 4. Research paper (40%). Students are required to write a research paper by December 20. The lecturer should approve a topic of research paper. The paper should include research question(s), your own arguments based on data and contribution to research matter. The paper should reflect students’ understanding of systemic, domestic and perceptual causes of the armed conflicts in the South Caucasus and ability to apply analytical tools, frameworks and theoretical approaches on these conflict. The length of the paper should not exceed more than 5 000 words (+/- 10%) including references.

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2014, recent)
  
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