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MASARYK UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND EUROPEAN STUDIES
Spring 2020
NATIONS IN CONFLICT- Updated Syllabus
IRE223
Maya Hadar, Ph.D. hadar@fss.muni.cz1
Office Hours: Thursdays, 13:30-14:30
Credits: 4 ECTS points
Course Description
This course will take the students through the history, realities and challenges pertaining to
several of the most prominent armed conflicts of our time. Students will be exposed to multiple
approaches and school of thoughts necessary in order to understand the complex nature of
violent conflicts.
The course is composed of two parts: the first part will provide students with an introduction to
the topic of conflicts in international relations. We will explore and discuss the nature of war
and the factors used to define and characterize it. Upon discussion of the three levels of war and
the unique issues encountered at each level, students will become familiar with elements of
national power and their potential impact on strategy and the conduct of war. We will proceed
by defining diverse types of armed conflicts and discuss various theories of conflict (what
causes war?) and the various ways to terminate them.
In the second part of the course, students will be introduced to various historical and political
trajectories of specific conflicts. Conflicts will vary in type, causes, time and location, and
include The Balkan conflicts, ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, The Syrian civil war (2011)
and the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Upon presenting each conflict, we will turn to the analysis
of the conflicting narratives of the parties involved, alongside the multi-layered effects of the
conflicts (social, political, economic, etc.). Paying special attention to the offset of the
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You are always welcome to contact the lecturer via email! When you do, please be sure to include
your name and the title of the course.
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aforementioned conflicts, we will explore, explain and discuss politics, religion and
nationalism.
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
During the course, students would acquire knowledge concerning various theories, types, and
underlying motivation for conflicts in international relations.
Upon completion of the course:
• Students would be able to critically engage with different theories of nationalism and
ethnic conflict.
• Students will gain a solid understanding of various theories of conflicts, reasons for
conflict offset and mechanisms of conflict resolution/de-escalation.
• Students will gain a solid understanding of the various actors and history of the main
conflicts of our time.
• Students should be able to identify and discuss the major events and themes pertaining
to each conflict.
• Students would possess basic skills and competences to analyse and discuss narratives
and challenges faced by conflicting actors, people and societies.
Prerequisites
Proficiency in English to an academic standard. Background in the history and politics of the
Middle East is helpful, but not required.
Course requirements
Students are required to read the assigned literature. While attendance is not mandatory,
material covered in the lectures is part of the final exam and may not fully overlap with the
assigned literature. Students are required to submit a conflict report (in groups). The course is
concluded by a final exam.
*** Successful completion of the course requires the successful completion of ALL
assignments.
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1. Mandatory Reading
Students are expected to read the assigned literature for each session. Lectures and literature
must not fully overlap. Further reading is optional and meant to broaden students’ horizons in
specific topics mention in class. Active participation in class discussions is encouraged.
2. Conflict Report
Students will submit a short report, surveying one of the following conflicts:
1. The Argentine-British War of 1982
2. The Iraq-Iranian War (1980’s)
3. The Gulf war (1991)
4. The Balkan Wars (1991-2001)
5. ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland (1968-1998)
6. The Syrian civil war (2011-)
7. The Israeli Palestinian conflict (1948-)
8. The armed conflict between NATO and Yugoslavia in 1999
9. The South African Border War (1966-1989)
10. Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (1988-)
11. The Independent Conflict in Catalonia
12. The Vietnam War (1959–1975)
13. Afghanistan War (2001-Present)
Reports will include a summarized historical background to the conflict, the main actors and
motives for its onset, the way it was terminated (if applicable) and the current state of affairs.
Students shall submit their reports in groups of three (1000-1500 words) or four (2000-2500
words). Students are welcome to suggest other conflicts for the assignment. Off-list conflicts
should be discussed with the lecturer by week 4 (March 12). Reports are to be submitted by
May 15 (via IS). Reports will be evaluated based on the reports’ grading scheme (attached).
Conflict reports will be graded according to the following category scale: “check plus” exceeds
expectations; “check” satisfies expectations; “check minus” falls short of expectations but is
minimally satisfactory; and ‘F’, either not acceptable or no submission.
3. Final Exam
An exam coving all lectures and required literature will be held at the end of the semester. The
exam will be administered online, at 12:00 CET on June 4 (first sitting), July 9 (second sitting),
and September 10 (third sitting). You need to write the exam only once! Choose the date which
you favour, and register for the exam in advance using the IS. The exam is likely to be
composed of open questions based on the course materials (required readings, PowerPoint
presentations, hand-outs, narrated presentations and Zoom sessions). More information
concerning the exam will be communicated via email towards the end of the semester.
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Grades
This is a fail/pass course. A passing grade will be awarded to students who submitted a
satisfactory report and received a passing grade in the conflict report and the final exam.
General Notes
This course is offered in English with all readings and discussions in this language. Don't worry
if English is not your native language- minor linguistic errors will not affect the assessment of
your work. However, you should be able to clearly communicate your ideas and arguments in
English (academic level). Your active participation in class is particularly valued.
Important Deadlines:
- Topics lock-in for conflict reports => March 12
- Submission of conflict reports => May 15
- June 4 => Final Exam: First sitting
- July 9 => Final Exam: Second sitting
- September 10 => Final Exam: Third sitting
Detailed Course Plan
Session 1, February 20th: Introduction to the Course
Assigned Reading
Marc, A. Conflict and violence in the 21st century, current trends as observed in empirical
research and statistics. World Bank Group
Session 2, February 27th: Introduction to Conflict Research
Introduction to the topic, main concepts and their definitions, conflict research, war and peace
in International Relations
Assigned Reading
Bartos, J. O. & Wehr, P. 2002. Using Conflict Theory. Cambridge University Press, 1-11
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Fukuyama, F. The End of History. In: Betts, R. 2008. Conflicts after the Cold war: arguments
on cause of war and peace. New York: Columbia University, 6. – 17
Further Reading
Huntington, S. P. The Clash of Civilizations. In: Betts, R. 2008. Conflicts after the Cold
war: arguments on cause so war and peace. New York: Columbia University, 34-52,
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20045621?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Gleditsch, N. P. (ed.) 2013. The Forum: The Decline of War. International Studies Review
Vol. 15, 396–419.
Cashman, G. 2000. What Causes War. An Introduction of Theories of International
Conflict. Lanham: Lexington Books, 1 – 13
Pinker, S. 2012. The Better Angel of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. Penguin
Books, 31-128
Session 3, March 5th: Theoretical Reflections of the Causes of Armed
Conflicts I
What causes conflict? Biological and psychological theories, Marxist and neo-Marxist
theories
Assigned Reading
Kříž, Z., & Urbanovská, J. (Eds.). (2014). Examining Armed Conflict: Theoretical
Reflections on Selected Aspects. Masaryk University. 13-31
Further Reading
Cashman, G. (2013). What causes war?: an introduction to theories of international
conflict. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Session 4, March 12: Theoretical Reflections on the Causes of Armed
Conflicts II
What causes conflict? Liberal theory of the causes of war, systemic approaches (realism
and neorealism), cyclical theories and historical-structural theory of war
Assigned Reading
Kříž, Z., & Urbanovská, J. (Eds.). (2014). Examining Armed Conflict: Theoretical
Reflections on Selected Aspects. Masaryk University. 31-63
Further Reading
Waltz, K. N. 2000. Structural Realism after the Cold War. International Security, Vol. 25,
No. 1 (Summer 2000), pp. 5–41
Mansfield, E. D – Snyder, J. 1998. Democratization and the Danger of War. In: Brown, M.
E. Theories of War and Peace. Cambridge: MIT, s. 221-254.
Sørensen, G. 1992. Kant and Processes of Democratization: Consequences for Neorealist
Thought Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 29, No. 4, 397-414, Sage,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/425541
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Session 5, March 19: De-escalation of Conflicts
Assigned Reading
Wall Jr, & Callister, (1995). Conflict and its management. Journal of management, 21(3),
515-558
Further Reading
Bartos, J. O. & Wehr, P. 2002. Using Conflict Theory. Cambridge University Press, 98–
121
Zartman, I. W. (2015). Preventing deadly conflict. John Wiley & Sons
Helge Holtermann. Explaining the Development–Civil War Relationship Conflict
Management and Peace Science, 29, 56–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/0738894211430279
Session 6, March 26: Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
Assigned Reading
Sinisa Vukovic, (2014) "International mediation as a distinct form of conflict management",
International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 25 Issue: 1, pp. 61-80
Further Reading
Beardsley, K. (2013). Using the right tool for the job: Mediator leverage and conflict
resolution. Penn St. JL & Int'l Aff., 2, 57.
Karlsrud, J. 2015. The UN at war: examining the consequences of peace-enforcement
mandates for the UN peacekeeping operations in the CAR, the DRC and Mali. Third World
Quarterly, 36(1), 40–54
Knight, M. and Ö. A. 2004. Guns, Camps and Cash: Disarmament, Demobilization and
Reinsertion of Former Combatants in Transitions from War to Peace. Journal of Peace
Research, 41(4), 499–516. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343304044479
No session on April 2nd => Time to write your reports and prepare for the
Midterm exam
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Session 7, April 9th: The Balkans War- Narrated Presentation
Assigned Reading
Finlan, A. (2014). The collapse of Yugoslavia 1991–1999. Bloomsbury Publishing. Pp 11-
55.
Further Reading
Bieber, F. (2006). After Dayton, Dayton? The evolution of an unpopular peace.
Ethnopolitics, 5(1), 15-31.
Devic, A. (1998). Ethnonationalism, Politics, and the Intellectuals: The Case of Yugoslavia.
International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 375-409.
Gagnon Jr, V. P. (1994). Ethnic nationalism and international conflict: The case of Serbia.
International security, 19(3), 130-166.
Dragovic-Soso, J. (2008). Why did Yugoslavia disintegrate? An overview of contending
explanations. State Collapse in South-Eastern Europe: New Perspectives on Yugoslavia’s
Disintegration, 1-39.
Dyrstad, K. (2012). After ethnic civil war: Ethno-nationalism in the Western Balkans. Journal
of Peace Research, 49(6), 817-831.
Session 8, April 16: ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland- Part I
Assigned Reading
Darby J. (2003) Northern Ireland: The background to the Peace Process (online text by CAIN
Wed Services
Further Reading
Gillespie G. (2009). The A to Z of the Northern Ireland Conflict. Scarecrow Press, 95 edition,
978-0810868823 (partly available online via google books)
Session 9, April 23: ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland- Part II Zoom
Session
Assigned Reading
Tomlinson, M. (2012). War, peace and suicide: The case of Northern Ireland. International
Sociology, 27(4), 464-482. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268580912443579
Further Reading
Shirlow P & Coulter C. (2014) Northern Ireland: 20 Years After the Cease-Fires, Studies in
Conflict & Terrorism, 37:9, 713-719, DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2014.931224
Graham, B., & Nash, C. (2006). A shared future: territoriality, pluralism and public policy in
Northern Ireland. Political Geography, 25(3), 253-278
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Session 10, April 30: The Israeli Palestinian Conflict
Assigned Reading
Mahler, G. S. (2016). Politics and government in Israel: the maturation of a modern state.
Rowman & Littlefield. Chapter 11.
Karsh, E. (2014). Peace in the Middle East: the challenge for Israel. Routledge. Introduction
+ Chapter 1.
Further Reading
Shapira, A. (2012). Israel: A History. Brendeis University Press, Chapter 19.
Berger M. ASSASSINATION IN ISRAEL; Yitzhak Rabin, 73, an Israeli Soldier Turned
Prime Minister and Peacemaker, The New York Times Nov. 5, 1995.
Scham, P., Pogrund, B. and Ghanem A. (2013). Introduction to shared narratives--a
Palestinian-Israeli dialogue. Israel Studies. 18.2 p1.
Session 11, May 7: The Syrian civil war Zoom Session
Assigned Reading
Syrian Civil War- Timeline and short history. Encyclopaedia Britannica online (2019)
Carpenter, T. G. (2013). Tangled web: The Syrian civil war and its implications.
Mediterranean Quarterly, 24(1), 1-11.
Further Reading
Ahmed, S. S., & Shahabuddin, S. (2019). Syrian Civil War in International Perspective.
Pakistan Journal of International Affairs, 2(1).
Karakus, D. C., & Svensson, I. (2017). Between the bombs: Exploring partial ceasefires in
the syrian civil war, 2011–2017. Terrorism and Political Violence, 1-20.
Ivanova, M. A. (2020). Syrian Civil War: Global Impact and Implications for Neighboring
Countries (Doctoral dissertation, National Research University Higher School of
Economics).
Session 12, May 14: Comparative Analysis, Concluding + Feedback : Zoom
Session
Assigned Reading
Mitchell, T. G. (2000). Native vs. Settler: Ethnic Conflict in Israel/Palestine, Northern
Ireland, and South Africa (No. 200). Greenwood Publishing Group, pages 1-15
Further Reading
Mitchell, T. G. (2000). Native vs. Settler: Ethnic Conflict in Israel/Palestine, Northern
Ireland, and South Africa (No. 200). Greenwood Publishing Group (rest of the book).
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Reports’ grading scheme
Check + (Excellent) Check (Good) Check - (satisfactory) Fail
Overall
Impression
Author directly
addresses main
question or issue and
adds new insight to the
subject which was
NOT provided in class
or the readings. The
author has retained
nearly all of the
knowledge presented
in class. One is able to
synthesize this
knowledge in new
ways and relate to
material not covered in
the course.
Author competently
addresses main
question/issue but
does not add much
new insight into the
subject. The author
clearly learned a lot
and is able to
communicate the
knowledge to others.
Author attempts to
address main
question/issue but fails.
The author has retained
some information from
the course/readings/own
research but does not
fully understand its
meaning/context and
cannot clearly convey it
to others.
Report does NOT
address main
question/issue,
and it is obvious
that author has not
retained any
significant
information from
the course/his
research
Argument Report contains a clear
argument— the reader
can easily follow the
authors’ train of
thought and line of
argumentation.
An argument is
present, but reader
must reconstruct it
from the text.
Author attempts to make
an argument (e.g., starts
with a question/anecdote
that is never put into
context) but fails.
No attempt is
made to articulate
an argument.
Evidence and
Counter-
Evidence
Provides compelling
and accurate evidence
that convinces reader
to accept main
argument.
The
importance/relevance
of all pieces of
evidence is clearly
stated. There are no
gaps in reasoning—
i.e., the reader does not
need to assume
anything or do
additional research to
accept main argument.
The author considers
the evidence, or
alternate
interpretations of
evidence, that could be
used to refute or
weaken his/her
argument, and
Provides necessary
evidence to convince
readers of most
aspects of the main
arguments. The
importance/ relevance
of some evidence
presented may not be
totally clear to the
reader without
additional research.
Author acknowledges
that counter-evidence/
alternative
interpretations exists
and lists them but
does not effectively
explain why the
argument still stands.
Not enough evidence is
provided to support
author’s argument/
evidence is incomplete,
incorrect, or
oversimplified.
Information from
lectures.
Readings/additional
sources is not effectively
used.
Author acknowledges
some of the most obvious
counter-evidence and
alternative explanations
but a comprehensive
discussing is missing.
There is little or no
attempt made to respond
to them.
Either no
evidence is
provided, or there
are numerous
factual mistakes,
omissions or
oversimplificatio
ns. There is little
or no mention of
information from
lectures and
readings.
No
acknowledgemen
t of counterevidence
or
alternative
interpretations.
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thoughtfully responds
to it.
Sources and
citing
Evidence is used from
a wide range of
sources (e.g. lectures,
readings). Author also
consults scholarly
books, websites,
journal articles, etc.
not discussed in class.
All evidence is
properly cited in
footnotes or endnotes.
Evidence is used from
many sources, but
author relies heavily
on a more limited set
of sources. If outside
sources are used, they
are primarily/nonscholarly
(intended
for a general
audience) and/or web
based.
All evidence is cited
in footnotes or
endnotes, but there are
some minor problems
with
completeness/format
of some citations.
Does not use extensive
sources (other than those
provided in
class/syllabus).
Some pieces are
unreferenced or
inaccurately referenced,
and there are problems
with completeness and
format of citations.
Only minimally
uses new sources/
relies exclusively
on non-scholarly
outside sources.
No attempt is
made to cite
evidence.
Organization Report contains an
intro, main body and a
conclusion.
Introduction lays out
main argument and
gives an outline of
what the reader can
expect in the report.
The conclusion brings
everything together,
acknowledges
potential shortcomings
of the paper, and gives
the reader a sense of
what further work
might be done to
advance the subject
matter described in the
paper.
Report contains an
intro, main body, and
a conclusion. The
introduction lays out
the main argument but
gives the reader little
idea of what to expect
in the report. The
conclusion
summarizes the main
argument and
evidence but does not
move beyond what
has already been
presented in the paper.
Report contains an intro,
main body, and a
conclusion. The
introduction gives the
reader an idea of what to
expect in the paper but
does not effectively lay
out the main argument.
It may begin with a set of
rhetorical questions, or
an anecdote that is never
fully explained. The
conclusion does little
more than restate the
introduction. Intro and/or
conclusion may be too
wordy or short.
Report has no
clear
organizational
pattern.
Clarity and
Style
All sentences are
grammatically correct
and clearly written.
Technical terms and
foreign words are
always explained. All
information is accurate
and up to date. Paper
has been spell-checked
AND proofread and
contains no errors.
All Sentences are
grammatically correct
and clearly written.
The occasional word
is misused. Technical
terms and foreign
words are usually, but
not always, explained.
All information is
accurate and up to
date. Paper has been
spell-checked AND
proofread, and
A few sentences are
grammatically incorrect
or not clearly written.
Several words are
misused. Technical
terms and foreign words
are rarely explained. Not
all information is
accurate and up to date.
Paper has been spellchecked
AND proofread,
but still contains several
errors. Reader’s ability
Paper is full of
grammatical
errors and bad
writing. Several
words are
misused.
Technical terms
and foreign words
are rarely
explained. Some
info is not
accurate/ up to
date. Paper has
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Adapted from Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University
contains no more than
a few minor errors,
which do not
adversely affect the
reader’s ability to
understand the report.
to understand report may
be compromised by these
errors.
not been spell-
checked/proofrea
d and contains
numerous errors.
Reader has a
difficult time
understanding
report because of
errors.