PL31010: War and conflict in Africa: causes and transformation
[Page last updated: 15 October 2020]
 Academic Year: | 2020/1 |
| Owning Department/School: | Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies |
| Credits: | 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 120 |
| Level: | Honours (FHEQ level 6) |
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| Assessment Summary: | CW 100% |
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| Description: | Aims: The aim of the course is to: * acquire knowledge and understanding of the complex origins of violence and war; * develop knowledge of a wider theoretical and comparative literature in relation to specific case studies from the region; * foster in-depth and critical reflection on key concepts such as violence, war, conflict and peace as well as key purported drivers of conflict such as natural resources, identity or political grievances; * locate the importance and effects of memory, narration, representation and history/historiography vis-à-vis conflict, its roots, dynamics and resolution. Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the unit module, the students should be able to: * competently evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of competing models of violence/war causation and transformation; * apply theories of conflict and war to concrete real-life scenarios (beyond just those covered in the course); * offer detailed empirical evidence from a set of cases to support their claims about conflict causation and transformation; * engage in competent comparative analysis across cases; * have a clear sense of both the diversity of conflict modalities and the common trends prevalent in the post-Cold War era. Skills: Students will develop skills in critical analysis, teamwork and collaboration, and presentation skills (both oral and written). They will hone transferable writing skills, including the ability to present an argument clearly, concisely, and effectively. Content: The course explores the nature and drivers of conflict in Africa after the Cold War from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. This is a comparative course offering a critical look at causality/etiology, considering factors such as resources, collective grievances, identity and international influence. The course reviews competing explanations for why and how violent conflicts commence, escalate and transform over time. Teaching will make use of key case studies of war and conflict on the continent including the genocide in Rwanda, the civil war in the DRC, state dissolution and warfare in Somalia, the violent border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as confrontations with terrorism on the continent from Mali to Kenya. The selection of cases aims to showcase the diversity of conflict modalities that we encounter in the post-Cold War era. |
| Programme availability: |
PL31010 is Optional on the following programmes:Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
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