Conflict Management, Termination, and Bargaining

Catalog description

Research on termination and resolution of international conflicts, focusing on theory building and empirical assessment of theories of conflict resolution. PL SC 566 Conflict Management, Termination, and Bargaining (3)This graduate seminar introduces and examines the dominant theories, hypotheses, and research concerning the termination and resolution of international and civil wars. Topics include international mediation, rational bargaining theory, conflict resolution vs. termination, third party intervention, peacekeeping, and peace duration. The focus is theoretical and research oriented; arguments about the causes of conflict resolution are assessed both logically and empirically, using both case study and statistical methods. The course examines whether and how theories of conflict management have been tested, and allows/encourages students to develop their own testable hypotheses about conflict management and termination. Existing research (primarily from political science, but also drawing on economics) is evaluated on its merits, and students then seek appropriate ways to extend that research.