Spring 2025 - POL 348 D100

Theories of War, Peace and Conflict Resolution (4)

Class Number: 4749

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    POL 141 and three lower division units in political science or permission of the department.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Examines the origins and causes of several major conflicts during the last century. This course reviews various theories on the causes of conflict and war in the international system. It also examines the techniques of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping, crisis management and coercive diplomacy as they have been used to try to forestall open warfare and maximize the opportunities for peaceful change and the negotiated resolution of international disputes. Both documentary and feature films will be used to illustrate many types of conflict and warfare in the international system. Course simulations, when employed, will concentrate on the problems and risks that are involved in international efforts to contain and reverse the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

COURSE DETAILS:

Course Details:

Why do wars occur?  How can we maintain peace?  Are we destined for another big war among competing great powers?  These are fundamental and perennial questions in world politics, and many thinkers have wrestled with them.  This course provides an overview of these theories, as well as common ways of scholarly inquiry via qualitative methods, with which all students of international security should be familiar.  In short, this is a survey course on the foundational knowledge at the intermediate level in the sub-field concerned.  Its grading scheme, including two major exams, is organized accordingly. 

Course Times:

3 hours per week.   Lecture: Monday  2:30pm-5:20pm         

Grading

  • Participation (attendance and weekly journals) 25%
  • In-class mid-term exam 35%
  • Final examination 40%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Reading materials (book chapters, journal articles, etc.) will be available in the course’s Canvas.


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

The Department of Political Science strictly enforces a policy on plagiarism.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.