Introduction to Peace Studies
Syllabus and Course Guide
IIPS 30101, Section 2
Spring 2008
M-W 11:45-1:00 PM
David Cortright
336 Hesburgh Center
1.8536
and
Fourth Freedom Forum
1.800.233.6786, Ext. 14
dcortright@fourthfreedom.org
Teaching assistant:
Readings:
David Cortright, Peace: A History of Movements and Ideas (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2008), on reserve
Mary Kaldor, New Wars, Old Wars (Stanford University Press 1999)
Human Security Center, Human Security Report (Oxford University Press 2005)
Uniting Against Terror: Cooperative Nonmilitary Responses to Global Terrorist Threats, eds. David Cortright and George A. Lopez (MIT Press, 2007)
John Paul Lederach, The Little Book of Conflict Transformation (Good Books, 2005)
Other readings and pamphlets are available on reserve or will be distributed during the semester
Occasional DVDs and guest lecturers will be featured
Course requirements:
Attend all classes. No more than two unexcused absences.
Participate in class discussions. Peacemaking is a cooperative exercise, and all questions and informed opinions are valuable. If you sit silently through the semester, your grade will suffer.
Participate in ScreenPeace film festival. View at least two of the films on the schedule. Submit a two page commentary on each film.
Attend occasional required lectures, and submit two-page commentary on the lectures.
Be prepared for pop quizzes. On a few occasions during the semester class we will have an unannounced short quiz.
Mid-term exam. Essay responses to a series of questions, prepared out of class and submitted the day before break.
Final exam. Essay responses to a series of questions, prepared out of class and submitted two weeks prior to the end of the semester.
Team projects. Students will divide into 5-person teams. Each team will study and work together during the semester to prepare a 15-20 minute presentation on an approved topic. Teams will meet with instructor prior to the break to gain approval for their project. Team presentations will occur in the last 2-3 weeks of the semester.
Grading:
Grades will be based on class attendance and participation (reduced grade for non-attendance and non-participation), scores on pop quizzes (20 per cent), mid-term exam (25 per cent), final exam (25 per cent), film and lecture reviews (15 per cent), and the team projects (15 per cent).
Course content:
Unit One
Defining peace, understanding war, responding to terrorism
Cortright, Peace, Chapters One and Two
Kaldor, New Wars, Old Wars, all
Cortright and Lopez, Uniting Against Terror, Chapters One and Eight
Unit Two
The evolution of an ideal: a history of movements, campaigns and institutional developments for international cooperation and peace
Cortright, Peace, Chapters Two-Six
Unit Three
The nuclear dilemma: dealing with the threat of nuclear war and weapons of mass destruction
Cortright, Peace, Chapters Seven, Fifteen
Cortright and Lopez, Uniting Against Terror, Chapter Five
Unit Four
Paths to peace: nonviolence, democracy, social justice, human rights, conflict transformation, human security
Cortright, Peace, Chapters Nine-Fourteen
Human Security Report, all
Lederach, The Little Book of Conflict Transformation, all
Unit Five
Current Dilemmas
Exploring solutions to current security challenges related to global terrorism, Iraq, Iran
Cortright and Lopez, Uniting Against Terror, Chapters Two, Three, Four, Six and Seven