COURSE UNIT TITLE

Offered By

International Relations (English)

Level of Course Unit

Third Cycle Programmes (Doctorate Degree)

Course Coordinator

PROFESSOR DOCTOR NAZIF MANDACI

Offered to

International Relations (English)

Course Objective

Conflict resolution is an interdisciplinary field of study that allows students and practitioners to examine and formulate effective approaches to deep disagreements. Scholars in the field link their work to the study of development, human rights and humanitarian affairs, security policy, psychology and social psychology. The course of study integrates elements of these and other approaches into a framework that allows students to sharpen their understanding of root cause of and dynamics of conflicts, and methods and toolkits required to prevent, manage, resolve and transform them. Conflict resolution is about ideas, theories and methods that can improve our understanding of conflict and our collective practice of reduction in violence and enhancement of political processes for harmonizing not only political but also economic, social, psychological and cognitive interests. The course purports to make student familiar with those involving theoretical views regarding the causes and possible solutions of inter-state conflicts and help them attain the skill of analysis that would enable them to figure out the root causes, parties, subjects of conflicts and ways and methodology to deal with them.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Recomended or Required Reading

Jacob Bercovitch, Victor Kremenyuk and William Zartman (eds.), The Sage Handbook of Conflict Resolution, London: Sage, 2009.

Supplemental:

Hugh Miall, Oliver Ramsbotham, Tom Woodhouse, Contemporary Conflict Resolution, Blackwell, 2005, chapters 1 and 3.
--------- Conflict Tansformation: A Multidimensional Task, Berghoff Handbook of Conflict Resolution, Berghoff Stiftung Press, 2004, pp. 1-20.
Keith Shimko, International Relations Perspectives and Controversies, Woodsworth 2010, pp. 115-139.
Yaacov Bar-Simon Tov (ed), From Conflict Resolution to Reconciliation, Oxford Press, 2004, pp. 11-38; 111-124; 177-198.

Additional documents may be offered in accord with the changing agenda.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Course Requirements:
There will be a mid-term exam. Students are obliged to prepare a term-paper as outlined below, which will be factored into the calculation of the final grade. Naturally, the quality of content, form, and style of the papers will be considered during grading.
Student Responsibilities:
a) The instructor is very firm regarding the submission deadlines for the proposal and research paper. Any transgression will impact the final grade.
b) The course is based on the reading and discussion of texts and topics determined by the instructor, through perspectives offered in academic resources provided or recommended for students.
c) Students must submit a one-page proposal (approximately 500 words) outlining the topic of their research paper and the major theoretical or substantive issues to be examined. This proposal will help the professor assess progress and development, as well as provide feedback and support for the independent study.
d) Students are required to write and present a at least 3.000-word research paper, addressing the themes and topics of the course. This paper should be an original piece of research incorporating sources beyond those directly covered in class. Students are expected to collaborate with the professor to produce a high-quality piece of academic work. As mentioned above, the term papers are to be assessed as final-exam, hence students are obliged to submit their final form in the announced final-exam date.
NOTE: syllabus is earmarked as tentative for, if needed, the instructor may make some changes if he sees a new topic too critical to omit.

Assessment Methods

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Identify and analyze the root causes and dynamics of inter-state and intra-state conflicts.

Apply major theoretical perspectives of conflict resolution to contemporary and historical cases.

Critically evaluate the parties, issues, and processes involved in international and domestic conflicts.

Design and carry out independent academic research through proposals and research papers.

Utilize practical methods and toolkits (such as negotiation, mediation, dialogue, peacebuilding) for preventing, managing, and transforming conflicts.

Integrate interdisciplinary perspectives from development, human rights, security studies, psychology, and related fields into conflict analysis.

Communicate ideas effectively through analytical writing, class discussions, and oral presentations.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1. Plagiarism of any type will result in disciplinary action.
2. Attending at least 70 percent of lectures is mandatory.
3. All assignments should be submitted on time. Otherwise will not be accepted.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

nazif.mandaci@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

To be announced.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes