FSS:MVZ404 Theories of Conflict in IR - Course Information

MVZ404 Theories of Conflict, War and Peace in IR

Extent and Intensity

2/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

prof. PhDr. Zdeněk Kříž, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Zinaida Bechná, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Kateřina Fridrichová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Chovančík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Jakub Fučík, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Iva Krákorová, M.A. (seminar tutor)

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

Tue 13:30–15:00 U42, Tue 15:15–16:45 U42

Prerequisites

English language skills B2 and better.

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

• International Relations (programme FSS, N-MS)

Course objectives

The course deals with theory of conflict and theory of war and peace. Students will learn to interpret the general theory of conflict and the issue of armed conflicts in international relations and their prevention, whereas the emphasis will be placed on issues of war and peace in the theory of international relations. At the end of the course, students will be able to utilize the theoretical concepts of the revolution in military affairs; to analyze war in all its aspects; to outline main theories dealing with armed conflicts, war and peace; to generate the typology of war conflicts; to reflect war and peace in international law; to characterize regulation methods of war conflicts, and to assess problems associated with the conduct of humanitarian interventions.
The overall aims of the course are to understand the theory used in the research of peace and war, to improve the ability of students to apply this theory in research, and to define the main differences between the different theoretical schools.

Syllabus

• 1. Introduction into the issue – assignment of the “position paper” topics and topics of presentations, introduction of the anticipated parameters of the analytical studies and introduction of the special literature. Conflicts in international relations and their research 2. The basic terms (conflict, war, peace, etc.) 3. Biological and psychological theories of war 4. Evolutionary theory and its impact on the study of war 5. Marxist versus liberal theories of war 6. RAM model, OPM model, BPM model and stimulus-response theory and war 7. System theories – realism, neorealism and cyclical theories 8. Just War 9. National Holiday 10. Responsibility to protect – position paper 11. Conflict management and post-conflict reconstruction 12. Revolution in Military Affairs 13. Some aspects of conflict resolution from the field

Literature

• Conflict after the Cold War : arguments on causes of war and peace. Edited by Richard K. Betts. 3rd ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008, xi, 654. ISBN 0205583520. URL info
• WALLENSTEEN, Peter. Understanding conflict resolution : war, peace and the global system. 2nd ed. London: SAGE Publications, 2007, iv, 311. ISBN 9781412928595. info
• BARTOS, Otomar J. and Paul Ernest WEHR. Using conflict theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002, xi, 219. ISBN 0521794463. info
• TOFFLER, Alvin and Heidi TOFFLER. Válka a antiválka : jak porozumět dnešnímu globálnímu chaosu. Translated by Bohuslav Blažek - Jan Miřejovský. 1. vyd. Praha: Dokořán a Argo, 2002, 303 s. ISBN 8072034456. info
• CASHMAN, Greg. What causes war? : an introduction to theories of international conflict. Lanham: Lexington Books, 1993, x, 360. ISBN 0739101129. info

Teaching methods

Lectures serve exclusively only as an introduction into the issue of the course. It is assumed that the main part of the subject matter will be managed through self-studying of the special literature. Position papers serve to improve the ability of students to summarize an issue in the field of theory of conflict, war and peace and to evaluate it critically. Analytical studies serve to improve the ability of students to analyze selected issues and to work with primary and secondary sources. Finally presentations serve among others to improve presentation skills of students.

Assessment methods

During the course students have to elaborate, defend and hand over one “position paper” to the given literature, one or two presentations (to be confirmed according to the number of students), write one analytical study on the ahead given topic, and pass a 11 written tests (success rate 50 %) consisting of the compulsory literature.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course is taught annually.

Listed among pre-requisites of other courses

• MVZn4002 Theories of Conflict, War and Peace in IR
  !MVZ404 && !NOW(MVZ404)  

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2015, recent)
  
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