POLS 308: Political Violence and Conflict Resolution

Professor Anika Leithner

This course will provide a general overview of the main theories on the nature, causes and consequences of political violence and international conflicts. Students will learn how and why such violence and conflicts occur, as well as discuss existing knowledge on conflict prevention and resolution techniques. In particular, the course will focus on problem-based learning in the form of case studies designed to develop collaborative problem solving.  

As an underlying theme throughout the quarter, we will explore the heavy “Western bias” in international conflict resolution approaches and discuss how they impact chances for success. As an alternative, we will read non-Western literature and study bottom-up, local approaches to conflict to determine if and how they might serve as an alternative to current practices.  

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