Politics of Civil War

3 credits · Graduate

This course provides an overview of the causes and consequences of civil war. The course is organized around three units. First, we investigate some of the structural conditions and individual reasons for engaging in rebellion. Why do people fight? The second unit turns to the internal dynamics of conflict. How are civilians treated during the war? Why do rebels and civilians cooperate? The third unit explores conflict resolution and post-war politics, where we explore issues of peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and post-war reconstruction. In the end, students should leave with an understanding of why civil wars occur and an improved capacity to devise solutions for ongoing contentious political events around the world.