War and Peace in Northern Ireland

Catalog description

This course is an interdisciplinary examination of various theories of the causes of conflict and conflict resolution within the general historical context of the rise and demise of the British Empire, and particularly the Northern Ireland question. Using those historical events and the questions they raise as a test-case, the course will try to come to some general conclusions about the nature and causes of ethnic conflict and how it differs from interstate conflict; the reasons for and methods of international intervention, including negotiation, arbitration, adjudication, and mediation; the factors that contribute to the success or failure of various methods of intervention and conflict resolution; the challenges involved in re-building societies after prolonged civil war; and the long-term prospects for fostering peace, security, justice, and human rights through such efforts. Code 1. RE.