Violence in International Relations - Einzelansicht

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Violence has been a central theme of international relations for centuries. The spectrum ranges from large-scale collective violence such as interstate war and colonial expeditions to episodes of transnational societal violence like civil wars and interpersonal, human rights violating violence that pattern throughout the world. This seminar aims to capture all these types of international violence by analyzing its roots and outlining solutions to curb its effects and impact on societies. We focus on four types of international violence: (1) interstate wars, including colonial wars, (2) civil wars, (3) terrorism, and (4) severe transnational human rights violations. For each section, we study theoretical explanations and analyze empirical findings based on these approaches. Theoretical discussions help understand causes and strategies to end violent outbreaks and mitigate their effect on societies and individuals. Empirical research results provide specific insights into how international actors use violence in international relations and which effective measures exist to prevent outbreaks and provide relief. At the end of the seminar, successful students will be equipped with advanced knowledge about theoretical explanations of diverse types of international violence and major empirical findings based on the current scientific literature.

NOTE

The seminar's first session will be held on November 3, 2022. The number of sessions throughout the term reduces accordingly to 13 dates. All course material will be provided upon the first session.

REQUIREMENTS

The language of instruction and all assignments is English. To successfully participate, students must either present or lead a discussion on selected reading material. To complete the module, students must submit a term paper (9.000-11.000 words). The deadline for term papers in the winter term is March 31, 2023.