MVZ208 Ethnic Conflicts in South Caucasus

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2011
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.
Timetable
Mon 10:00–11:40 U43
Prerequisites
MVZ101 Introduction to Intl. Rel.
A prerequisite is to have completed MVZ101
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 familiarize the students with actual conflicts in the South Caucasus with respect to factors that generates those conflicts. Explain the logic of major theories of ethnicity and ethnic conflict, illustrating and critiquing them with empirical examples in the region of South Caucasus. Explaining conflict resolution theories the strengths and weaknesses of each and to identify alternative policy tools available to outside parties for helping to resolve ethnic conflicts.
Syllabus
  • Class Schedule: 1. Introduction. 2. What is conflict? Required readings: Bartos, O. J., Wehr, P. (2002): Using Conflict Theory, Cambridge University Press, chapter 2, pp. 12-28. Wallensteen, P. (2007): Understanding Conflict Resolution, War, Peace and Global System, chapter 2, pp. 12-16. 3. Theories of Ethnic Violence I: The Causes of Intra-state Wars. Required readings: Steven, D. R. (1997): Internal Wars: Causes and Cure, World Politics, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 552-576. Bartos, O. J., Wehr, P. (2002): Using Conflict Theory, Cambridge University Press, chapter 3, pp. 29-49 and chapter 5, pp. 70-81. Cornell, S. (2002): Autonomy as a Source of Conflict: Caucasian Conflicts in Theoretical Perspective, World Politics, Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 245-276. 4. Theories of Ethnic Violence II. Required readings: Evera, S., V. (1997): Hypotheses on Nationalism and War, in Michael Brown, Owen Cote, Sean Lynn-Jones, and Steven Miller (eds.) Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict, pp. 26-60. Kaufman, S.J.: Ethnicity as a generator of conflict, in Cordell, K., Wolff, S. (2010): Routledge Handbook of Ethnic Conflict, Routledge, chapter 8, pp. 91-102. Wolf, S. (2006): Ethnic conflict, a Global Perspective, Oxford University Press, chapter 3: what causes ethnic conflict? pp. 58-88. 5. Theories of Ethnic Violence (Civil War). Required readings: Kalyvas, S.N. (2008): Ethnic Defection in Civil War, Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 41, N. 8, pp. 1043-1068. Weinstein, J. M.(2007): Inside Rebellion, The politics of Insurgent Violence, Cambridge University Press, pp. 198-210 6. Theories of Ethnic Violence (Outside Intervention and Contagion Effects). Required readings: Saideman, S. (1997): Explaining the International Relations of Secessionist Conflicts, International Organization 51(4), pp: 721-753. 7. Conflict resolution. Required readings: Horowitz, Ethnic Groups in Conflict, chapter 15, pp: 601-652. 8. Historical Overview of the South Caucasus states. Required readings: Cornell, S.E. (1999): Small Nations and Great Powers – a study of ethnopolitical conflict in the Caucasus, Chapter 2, pp: 26-45, King,Ch. (2008): The Ghost of Freedom – A History of the Caucasus, Oxford University Press, Chapter V, pp: 200- 231. 9. South Ossetia – Abkhazia. Required readings: Christoper, Z. (2007): The post-soviet wars: rebellion, ethnic conflict, and nationhood in the Caucasus, Chapter 5, pp: 115 – 151. 10. The Russian-Georgian Armed Conflict 2008. Required readings: Felgenhauer, P. (2009): After August 7: The Escalation of the Russia-Georgia War, 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, 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. 11. Nagorno-Karabakh. Required readings: Cornell, S. E. (1999): The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, Uppsala University, chapter 1, 2, 3: pp. 3-44. 12. Solutions to Ethnic Wars in South Caucasus. Required readings: Jans, M. T.(1998): Theory and Experiences of Ethnonational Conflict Regulation: Their Relevance to the Georgian-Abkhazian Conflict, Chapter 8, Part 2, in Georgians and Abkhazians, The Search for a Peace Settlement, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, http://poli.vub.ac.be/publi/Georgians/chp0802.html, Georgia: Avoiding War in South Ossetia, Executive Summary and Recommendation(11/2004) , International cisis group Report N. 159, Tbilisi/Brussels http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNTC/UNPAN019224.pdf. 13. Discussion of research paper.
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminars, consultations, elaboration of research paper.
Assessment methods
The course is completed by an examination. To pass the examination, it is necessary to present presentations, to write a research paper and pass a written test.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2011, recent)
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