Ethnic Conflicts: Causes and Resolution

Bachelor 2023/2024

Type: Elective course (Political Science and World Politics)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Where: Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences

When: 4 year, 3 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Andrey N. Scherbak

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

Contact hours: 28

Full Syllabus Ask Question

Abstract

The course focuses on recent ethnic conflict across the world – from post-Soviet space and the Yugoslav succession wars – to the genocide in Rwanda and conflicts in the Middle East. The goal of the course is to explore the reasons of ethnic conflicts in the post-Cold war era as well as key approaches to their resolution. Theoretical explanations vary from the classic nationalism theories to “new wars” approaches. Finally, we will examine the role of national governments, civil society, international organizations and military in ethnic conflict resolution.

Learning Objectives

The course aims to explore the variety of ethnic conflicts (mostly on the post-Soviet space) and eaplain the reasons for their onset and resolution
The course aims to explore the variety of ethnic conflicts (mostly on the post-Soviet space) and explain the reasons for their onset and resolution

Expected Learning Outcomes

Student is capable of retrieving, collecting, processing and analyzing information relevant for achieving goals in the professional field
Able to do research, including the problem analysis, setting goals and objectives, defining the research subject, selecting research methods including its quality control
Student is capable of executing applied analysis of the political phenomena and political processes - by using political science methods - and in support of practical decision making process
Active participation in discussions on seminars Work with literature on the class
Active participation in discussions on seminars, analysis of various cases
Group work on seminars and preparation of course-related texts
Work with literature on the class and preparation of course-related texts
Identifies main cases and reasons of ethnic conflicts worldwide, but especially with the focus on the post-communist space
Learns about the most significant ethnic conflicts in recent years, especially on the post-Soviet space
thinks critically about recent developments in ethnic conflicts prevention policy in Russia and post-communist region in general
understands the main approaches to the resolution of ethnic conflicts in the 20 and 21 centuries;

Course Contents

Sources and reasons for ethnic conflicts.
What is an ethnic conflict?
Genocide in Rwanda
Ethnic wars in Yugoslavia.
Ethnic conflicts on the post-Soviet space-1
Ethnic conflicts on the post-Soviet space-2.
Ethnic conflicts on the post-Soviet space-3
Resource curse and incidence of ethnic conflicts
Multiculturalism, ethnic tolerance as policy goals: theory and practice
Ethnic conflicts in the 21th century: prospects and potential for resolution

Assessment Elements

participation
As the course is grounded on discussion of problems with no sole optimal solution, each student must take part in the discussions during seminars. The assessment of students` work is based on individual participation and individual oral presentations on the issues raised in the compulsory readings. Grading is based on answers to the instructor’s questions addressed to the audience and particular students; students’ questions to the instructor; discussions among students in smaller groups. Students are assessed for the quality of their arguments and ability to analyze critically the problem, engage with the arguments of the book, peers and the instructor, ability to find links between different parts of the course and its readings. Attendance is obligatory. Students must not skip classes without valid reason. If a student misses more than one class without a valid cause, he/she needs to submit a reaction paper by the deadline. A reaction paper is a 2-pages long brief overview of the reading assignment. The failure to submit a reaction paper to cover the missed seminar results in grade '0' for the missed seminar.
Quizzes
A quiz is a written assignment, usually containing 2 questions on the reading assignment for a particular seminar (to test student's completion of the reading assignment). Each question requires a few sentences-long response. Students will have no more than 15 min to complte the assignment. An instructor reserves the right to announce quiz without prior notice. There will be 2 quizzes per class.
Mid-term exam
Each student will require writing a mid-term exam – a multiple-choice test, where he/she needs to identify essential names, dates, events related to ethnic conflicts (based on literature to the course)
Final exam (essay)
to pass exam each student has to submit an essay on the topic related to the course. The topic of an essay should be approved by instructor and submitted by student no later than two weeks before deadline.

Interim Assessment

2023/2024 3rd module
0.4 * Final exam (essay) + 0.24 * Mid-term exam + 0.12 * Quizzes + 0.24 * participation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Laitin, D. D. . (DE-588)122143310, (DE-576)164254927. (2007). Nations, states, and violence / David D. Laitin. Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.266901123
Laitin, D. D. (2007). Nations, States, and Violence. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=216029
Mary Kaldor. (2013). In Defence of New Wars. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.96C32171

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Brubaker, R., & Laitin, D. D. (1998). Ethnic and Nationalist Violence. Annual Review of Sociology, 24, 423. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.24.1.423
Clogg, R. (2008). The Politics of Identity in Post-Soviet Abkhazia: Managing Diversity and Unresolved Conflict. Nationalities Papers, 36(2), 305–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/00905990801934371
Darden, K., & Mylonas, H. (2012). The Promethean Dilemma: Third-party State-building in Occupied Territories. Ethnopolitics, 11(1), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449057.2011.596127
Fearon, J. D., & Laitin, D. D. (2011). Sons of the Soil, Migrants, and Civil War. World Development, (2), 199. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.eee.wdevel.v39y2011i2p199.211
Identities in between: political conflict and ethnonational identities in multicultural states. (n.d.). https://doi.org/10.25384/SAGE.6814907.v1
Kalyvas, S. N. (2006). The Logic of Violence in Civil War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=165326
Kamola, I. (2007). The global coffee economy and the production of genocide in Rwanda. Third World Quarterly, 28(3), 571–592. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436590701192975
Oberschall, A. (2000). The manipulation of ethnicity: from ethnic cooperation to violence and war in Yugoslavia. Ethnic & Racial Studies, 23(6), 982–1001. https://doi.org/10.1080/014198700750018388
Pål Kolstø, Andrei Edemsky, & Natalya Kalashnikova. (1993). The Dniester conflict: Between irredentism and separatism. Europe-Asia Studies, (6), 973. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668139308412137
Roland Hodler. (2006). The curse of natural resources in fractionalized countries. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.252805D
Sharafutdinova, G. (2000). Chechnya Versus Tatarstan. Problems of Post-Communism, 47(2), 13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10758216.2000.11655873
Vujacic, V. (1996). Historical legacies, nationalist mobilization, and political outcomes in Russia and Serbia: A Weberian view. Theory & Society, 25(6), 763–801. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=sih&AN=9710285467
Yanagizawa-Drott, D. H. (2014). Propaganda and Conflict: Evidence from the Rwandan Genocide. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qju020

Authors

Shcherbak ANDREY NIKOLAEVICH

Course Syllabus