CONF 501

INTRODUCTION TO

CONFLICT ANALYSIS AND RESOLUTION

Semester:            Spring, 2003

Course Number: 501 Section: 003

Class Time:            Thursdays 1:30 p.m. to 4:10 p.m.

Location:            ICAR building, CBR2 Room # A105/Robinson Hall A, Room # A246

The ICAR is located at 4260 Chain Bridge Rd. Fairfax, VA 22030.

Office Hours: By appointment or e-mail

                        Idil P. Izmirli        [email protected] and [email protected]

Sezai Ozcelik       [email protected]

     COURSE DESCRIPTION

             This course is an introduction to the field of conflict analysis and resolution and is intended to provide a solid foundation for further inquiry and application. This course examines definitions of conflict and diverse views of its resolution; introduces the major theoretical approaches to conflict and conflict resolution; surveys theories that attempt to explain causes, dynamic, courses, and resolution of conflicts; and finally focuses on the practice of conflict resolution. It explores various current intervention models in the field of conflict resolution, which is being applied on interpersonal, community, and international levels (such as mediation, facilitation, negotiations, and various types of problem solving, etc). In short, this course is designed to introduce you to academic thinking about conflict analysis and resolution and to help you think systematically and analytically about conflict and conflict resolution.

 COURSE OBJECTIVES

·          Familiarize Students with terminology and concepts of the field;

·          Help students think systematically and analytically about conflict in a variety of contexts;

·          Connect theory to practice through discussion, research and case studies of real events and   interventions

 COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 Attendance and participation:  (5%) Attendance is extremely important because the course will be interactive and elicitive in nature.  Participation in the class discussions is critical to student learning and to evidence to the instructors that the required reading is being completed.  Students will be expected to carry the discussion and engage each other in discussions about the assigned readings.  You can also participate by asking questions, circulating e-mails, organizing study groups, exchanging writing or introducing new ideas and resources.

It is the responsibility of any student who misses classes during the semester to confer with the instructor to see whether he or she should continue the course.

 Reading summaries: (10%) To insure consistent readings of the material each student is expected to provide a summary of the assigned readings for each class no more than two typed pages. The summary should relate to the main points raised in each article and end with a brief expression of your opinion and evaluation of these articles.  These reports are considered as a part of your final grade.  

Mid-term Exam:  (30%) The mid-term will be a take-home essay exam.  There will be no tricks in this exam.  If students come to class, think for themselves, and do the required reading, they should not fear this exam.  This will be discussed further in class. 

Group Presentation:  (25%) At the beginning of the term, the class will be asked to choose from a number of pre-selected conflicts representing a range of analysis from interpersonal to international.  At the end of the term, each group will be expected to make a presentation providing an overview and synthesized analysis of your group case.   

Research Paper:  (30%) Each student will be expected to select a single conflict, with instructors’ approval, and write a 5000 to 6000 word (18-20 pages) analytical research paper.  The paper should be a case study, emphasizing and utilizing conflict analysis and resolution concepts to both describe the conflict and possible resolution strategies. In other words, students are expected to select a conflict; analyze it according to the one or more theoretical approach of conflict resolution; and design an intervention plan that can be implemented for resolution/transformation of the conflict. We strongly urge you to use one of the conflict analysis models in your paper. Conflict 501 is a graduate seminar, which means that the instructors expect your research paper – and all of your work – to reflect graduate level research and analysis. Your research paper should show that you have undertaken research; we expect sources from books, refereed journals, and news sources as well as possible Internet sources.  Papers should be double-spaced and legible.  Please choose Chicago, MLA or APA citation styles.  You will find style guides in the reference section of the library.   

CLASS POLICIES & PROCEDURES

 - You are responsible for completing individual and group assignments on time. For the mid-term and the research paper, no extension will be granted. Papers and exams that will be turned late will lose ½ of a grade for each day.  Assignments that are overdue by more than one week will not be accepted. Further information and more specific instructions will be provided on each of the assignments.

- If an emergency prevents you from attending class, you should let us know ahead of time when possible and contact a group member to find out what you missed.  You are responsible for all announcements, assignments, and date changes made in class and for all material covered in class, even if you are not there. 

- In this modern age, the use of the internet for discussion and dissemination of information has become commonplace.  Some class announcements and readings may be sent via e-mail.  Students are responsible for keeping up-to-date with announcements and assignments sent via e-mail. The course web address is: http://www.geocities.com/conf501

In order to have an easy e-mail access, we created a mailing-list group for the class. Here are the instructions about list: 

Post message: [email protected]

Subscribe: [email protected]

Unsubscribe: [email protected]

List owner: [email protected]   

TEXTS/REQUIRED READING:

 Jeong, Ho-Won.  Peace and Conflict Studies:  An Introduction.  Ashgate Publishing Ltd., Hants, UK, 2000.

 Lederach, John Paul. Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies, USIP, Washington D.C., 1997.

 Rubin, Jeffrey, Dean P. Pruitt, and Sung Hee Kim.  Social Conflict:  Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement.  McGraw-Hill, New York, NY (2nd ed.), 1994.

 Wilmot, William W. and Joyce L. Hocker. Interpersonal Conflict. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY 6^th ed., 2001.

 TEXTS/RECOMMENDED READING:

 Assefa, Hizkias and Wahrhaftig, Paul.  The MOVE Crisis in Philadelphia: Extremist Groups and Conflict Resolution.  University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 1990.

 Sandole, Dennis J.D. and Hugo van der Merwe Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice: Integration and Application, Manchester University Press, New York, 1993.

 TEXTS/GROUP PROJECTS:

             There are six recommended texts for use in this class.  Each text corresponds to one of the group projects.  After groups are determined, you should acquire the text for that group project.  The groups and associated texts are:

 Inter-group Conflict (Waco)

Docherty, Jayne. Learning Lessons from Waco: When the Parties Bring their Gods to the Negotiation Table, Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, 2001

 Inter-group Conflict (Hopi/Navajo)

 Brugge, David M.  The Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute:  An American Tragedy (1^st ed.)  University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque (1994)

Intra-state Conflict (Cyprus)

 Joseph S. Joseph. Cyprus Ethnic Conflict and International Politics: From Independence to he Threshold of the European Union. Palgrave MacMillan (1999)

 Intra-state Conflict (Northern Ireland)

Holland, Jack. Hope against History: The Course of Conflict in Northern Ireland. 1st ed. New York: Henry Holt, 1999.

 Intra-state Conflict (Kurdish Question in Turkey)

 Kemal, Kirisci. The Kurdish Question and Turkey: An Example of a Trans-state Ethnic Conflict, London ; Portland, Or. : Frank Cass, (1997)

Intra-state Conflict (Israel-Palestinian Conflict-Intifadas)

Gerner, Deborah. One Land, Two Peoples: The Conflict Over Palestine, Westview Press, 2^nd, (1994).

Interstate Conflict (Azerbaijan/Armenian Conflict)

Croissant, Michael. The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Causes and Implications, Praeger, Westport, CT (1998).

Global Conflict (Global Climate Change Negotiations)

Sprinz, Detlef and Urs Luterbacher. International Relations and Global Climate Change, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, (2002) or Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Report, no.21. http://www.pik-potsdam.de

READING BINDER/ELECTRONIC JOURNALS

             All material will be reserved in a binder at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution library. It is four blocks from the Fairfax Campus. This course will use the library electronic resources and online papers in addition to readings passed out in class.  All students are responsible for downloading and reading assignments before they are discussed in class.  The library e-journal address is http://library.gmu.edu/phpzone/ej.php

CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

 Note:  Reading and assignments listed for a class must be prepared and completed before the date the class is scheduled.

 Class 1:  January 23

             Themes:         Welcome, administrative matters.  Introduction to the field of Conflict

                                    Analysis and Resolution.

             Assignment:   In class, begin to form small groups for case study.

Class 2:  January 30

 Class will meet at Fairfax Campus/Fenwick Library Instruction room (2^nd floor Instruction room, above circulation) for introduction to library resources

Themes: Basic concepts in conflict analysis and resolution:  Definition of Conflict and the Field of Conflict Resolution

Conflict, analytical frameworks, classifying conflicts. 

             Assignment:   Finalize case study groups

            Reading:         - Jeong, 19-38 (chs. 2 & 3)

                                    - Rubin, et al., 1-11 (Ch. 1)

                                    Optional Reading:

- Kriesberg, Louis, “The Development of the Conflict Resolution Field”, in William Zartman and Louis Rasmussen, eds., Peacemaking in International Conflict: Methods and Techniques, US Institute of Peace, Washington D.C., 1997. (Binder)

-  Scimecca, J., "Conflict Resolution in the United States: The Emergence of a Profession?" In: K. Avruch, P. Black, and J. Scimecca, Conflict Resolution in Cross-cultural Perspectives. Westport, CT.: Greenwood Press, 1991, 19-36. (Binder) 

Class 3:  February 6

            Themes:          Sources and causes of conflict: Micro theories of conflict resolution

             Assignment:   Submit individual paper topic to instructors

Reading:         - Dougherty, James E. and Robert L. Pfaltzgraff, Jr., Contending Theories of International Relations, p.261-293 (ch.7), 1996.(Binder)

- Jeong, 65-74 (Ch. 6)

- Rubin, et al.,

                                    - Sandole, Dennis. Capturing the Complexity of Conflict, 109-134 (ch 6) (Binder)

Optional Reading:

- Gurr, Ted Robert. “Minorities, Nationalists, and Ethnopolitical Conflict”, in Crocker and Hampson Managing Global Chaos, 53-78 (Binder)

- Stein, Janice Gross. “Image, Identity, and Conflict Resolution”, in Crocker and Hampson, Managing Global Chaos, p.93-112 (Binder)                                  

Class 4:  February 13

             Themes: Sources of conflict: Basic Human Needs, Relative Deprivation, Worldview theories.

Reading:         - Burton, John. “Human Needs Theory”, in John Burton, Conflict: Resolution and Provention, p.36-47.(Binder)

- Docherty, Jayne. Learning Lessons from Waco, 49-69 (ch.2) (Binder)

                                                - Rubin, Pruitt & Kim, Chapters 11-26 (ch. 2)

                                                - Gurr, Ted Robert. Why Men Rebel, Princeton UP, 1970, p.22-58 (Binder)

- Galtung, J. International Development in Human Perspective,           301-335 (ch.15) (Binder)

Optional Reading:

- Burton, John, “Conflict Resolution: Towards Problem Solving”, Peace and Conflict Studies, 4:2, December 1997

http://www.gmu.edu/academics/pcs/burton.htm 

Class 5:  February 20 

Themes:            Conflict strategies, tactics, timing, and stages.

             Reading:         - Wilmot & Hocker, 129-177 (ch.5)

                                    - Rubin, Pruitt & Kim, 27-67 (chs 3 & 4)

                                    -Miall, Hugh, et al. Contemporary Conflict Resolution, 1-38 (ch.1) (Binder)

Class 6:  February 27

                                    Themes: Beginning dynamics, analyzing and assessing conflicts

                                     Reading: - Sandole, Dennis. “A Compherensive Mapping of Conflict and Conflict                                         Resolution: A Three Pillar Approach”, Peace and Conflict Studies,

http://www.gmu.edu/academic/pcs/sandole.htm

- Wilmot, William and Joyce Hocker, Interpersonal Conflict, 6^th ed., 180-208 (ch 6), McGraw Hill, NY, 2001.

-Wehr’s Conflict Map: http://spot.colorado.edu/~wehr/40GD1.HTM

Class 7:  March 6

 Assignment: TAKE-HOME MID-TERM EXAM. (The questions will be e-mailed on this day and distributed in the class).

Class 8:  March 13 NO CLASS!

Spring Break: March 9-16

 EXAMS ARE DUE ON MARCH 13^TH BEFORE 5 P.M. (Answers should be placed on the mail-box of the instructors).

 Class 9:  March 20

            Themes:          Dynamics of Escalation and De-escalation  

Assignment:     In class, view video:  “The bombing of Philadelphia”

            Reading:         - Rubin, Pruitt & Kim, 68-116 (chs 5, 6 & 7)

                                    - Mitchell, C.R.“The Anatomy of De-escalation” in Ho-Won Jeong (1999) (Binder)

Optional Reading:

- C. Mitchell, "Problem Solving Exercises and Theories of Conflict Resolution."In: Sandole Dennis and Hugo Van Der Merwe, (eds.), Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice, 78-94.(Binder)

- Assefa & Wahrhaftig (entire book) 

Class 10:  March 27 

Themes:            Psychological Processes in Conflict Analysis   

Reading:         - Volkan, Vamik. “Psychoanalytic Aspects of Ethnic Conflicts”, in Conflict and Peacemaking in Multiethnic Societies, p. 81-91. (Binder)

- Rabbie, Jacob M. “A Behavioral Interaction Model”, in Knud Larsen, Conflict and Social Psychology, p.85-109 (Binder)

- Fisher, Ronald. “Toward a Social-Psychological Model of Intergroup Conflict”, in Knud Larsen, Conflict and Social Psychology, p.109-122.(Binder)

Optional Reading:

- Kelman, Herbert. “Social-Psychological Dimensions of International Conflict, in Zartman and Rasmussen, Peacemaking in International Conflict, p.191-239.(Binder)                                   

Class 11:  April 3 

Themes:            Third-Party Intervention and Conflict Management and Resolution 

            Reading:         - Jeong, 167-203 (ch 11)

                                    - Wilmot & Hocker (ch 9)

- Rubin, Pruitt & Kim, 168-222 (chs 10 & 11)

- Abu-Nimer, Dialogue, Conflict Resolution and Change, (ch 2) (Binder)

                                    Optional Reading:

- Kelman, Herbert. “The Interactive Problem-Solving Approach”, in Crocker et al., Managing Global Chaos, 501-20. (Binder)

- Zartman, William I. & Saadia Touval. “International Mediation in the in Crocker et al., Post-Cold War Era”, Managing Global Chaos, 445-62. (Binder)

-  J. Bercovitch and A. Houston, The Study of International Mediation: Theoretical Issues and Empirical Evidence." In: Bercovitch, J., (ed.), Resolving International Conflicts: The Theory and Practice of Mediation, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1996, 11-35.(Binder)

- M. Abu-Nimer," Western and Non Western Approaches Of Conflict Resolution." American Journal of Economic and Sociology January, 1997. (Binder)

Class 12:  April 10 

Themes:            Outcomes, conflict transformation, reconciliation 

            Reading:         - Lederach, John. P. (ch. 4-5-6)

- Jeong, 367-73 (ch. 19)

-Ronald J. Fisher and Loraleigh Keashly, “The Potential Complementarity of Mediation and Consultation within a Contingency Model of Third Party Consultation,” Journal of Peace Research 28:1 (1991): 29-42. (Binder/e-journal)

Optional Reading:

                                    - Diamond, L. “Training in conflict-Habituated Systems: Lessons from

Cyprus”, International Negotiation, vol.2, 1997, 353-80 (Binder)

- Fisher, R.  “Training as interactive conflict resolution: characteristics and

Challenges”, International Negotiation, vol.2, 1997, 331-51 (Binder)

- Clements, Kevin, “Peace Building and Conflict Transformation”, Peace and Conflict Studies, 4:1, June 1997

                                    http://www.gmu.edu/academics/pcs/clements.htm 

Class 13:  April 17 

Themes:            Critical issues in the field continued:  culture, gender, power, globalization, and environment 

Assignment:   Submit first draft of individual papers for peer review 

            Reading:         - Jeong, 75-103 (chs 7, 9 & 10)

                                    - Avruch, K. and Black, P.  “Conflict resolution in intercultural settings:

Problems and prospects”, in Sandole and van der Merwe, Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice, 131-145 (Binder)

- Avruch K. and Black, P. “The Culture Question and Conflict Resolution”, Peace and Change, vol. 16. no.1, January 1991, 22-45 (Binder)

- Stephens, John B. “Gender Conflict: Connecting Feminist Theory and Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice”, in Conflict and Gender, ed. Anita Taylor and Judi Beinstein-Miller, Cresskill, NJ, p.217-35, 1994 (Binder)

Optional Reading:

- Cohen, Raymond. “Negotiating Across Cultures”, in Crocker et al., Managing Global Chaos, 487-99  (Binder)

Class 14:  April 24 

Case Study Group Presentations

 Class 15:  May 1 INTEGRATION (LAST CLASS)

 Case Study Group Presentations

 Class 16: MAY 15  -- FINAL PAPERS DUE BEFORE 4:30 p.m. 

(Papers should be placed on the instructors’ mail-boxes).

GOOD LUCK !!!