CDSn4001:
Conflict
Analysis
Introduction and
welcome
October 6, 2020
Miriam Matejova
Welcome to
CDSn4001
• Instructor: Miriam Matejova
• Office Hours: By appointment
through Zoom or by e-mail
• Email: matejova@fss.muni.cz OR
mmatejova@mail.muni.cz
Learning objectives
• Get to know your classmates.
• Understand the structure and
requirements of this course.
Introductions
1. Who are you?
2. What is your academic background?
3. Why did you choose to pursue an MA at
MUNI?
4. What are your career plans?
5. What are you hoping to get out of this
course?
Required Literature
• The required course readings
are available through the
course online system or
• the library:
https://knihovna.fss.muni.cz/
Course website
• We have a course website through MUNI
Information System:
https://is.muni.cz/?lang=en
• On the website you will find the readings as
well as course announcements, slides, and the
syllabus.
– Lecture outlines will be posted once a week
• You are responsible for regularly checking the
website.
Syllabus overview
• Assignments:
1) Weekly collaboratively summaries of the
assigned required readings.
2) Final exam in form of an (online) written test,
which will cover the required literature and
lectures.
Weekly summaries
• Worth 30 points
– Start in Week 2
– 3 points per week, one “free pass”
• Collaborative
• Analytical
• Written through GoogleDocs
• Must be submitted by midnight CET before
the class meets
Final exam
• Worth 50 points
• Written test after the course concludes
(likely online)
• Short-answer questions
• Must answer 5 out of 6
• 10 points each
• Covers required literature and lectures
Grade
distribution
• A: 80-74 points
• B: 73-69 points
• C: 68-62 points
• D: 61-56 points
• E: 55-48 points
• F: 47 points and less
Course objectives
• Identify and critically evaluate major theories,
hypotheses, and debates on the causes of violent
interstate conflict and civil war;
• Use theory to better understand and gain insight into
the causes of particular conflicts;
• Use theory and history to design and assess viable
policy options for preventing or minimizing the severity
of violent conflict.
Course overview
• This class is organized around discussion.
• Respectful environment is therefore crucial.
• Our starting point will be the weekly analytical
summaries.
• Lectures will focus and/or supplement the reading
material.
Next week: analytical summaries
• GoogleDocs
• Template distribution
• Summarizers