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An Introduction to War & Peace - POL00014I

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  • Department: Politics
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Graeme Davies
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2021-22
    • See module specification for other years: 2022-23

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2021-22

Module aims

This module will focus on some of the main debates and controversies surrounding contemporary war and peacemaking in order to explain the patterns, dynamics and causes of societal conflict and international change. Rather than viewing conflict and peace through the commonly deployed statist, strategic or doctrinal realist perspectives, this module will emphasise human security perspectives and thus recognise the complexities brought about by gender, identity and uneven development. Issues to be covered include terrorism, just war theory, community peacebuilding and peace dividends. The module will be consciously multidisciplinary (drawing on insights from social psychology, anthropology, development and gender studies) and will place a heavy emphasis on comparative and critical perspectives.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to:

  • Examine contemporary war and peace through a human security lens.
  • Reflect upon and further refine our understandings of war and peace.
  • Develop the skills of collecting and analysing information from a variety of web and library sources and making a synthesis of this material via course work.
  • Deepen our understanding of the political processes involved in the prosecution of war and peace.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
2000 word essay		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
2000 word essay		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Students will receive written timely feedback on their formative assessment. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor’s feedback and guidance hours.

Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessment no later than 20 working days after submission; and the module tutor will hold a specific session to discuss feedback, which students can also opt to attend. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor’s regular feedback and guidance hours.

Indicative reading

Ramsbotham, Oliver, Tom Woodhouse and Hugh Miall, 2011. Contemporary Conflict Resolution: Third Edition. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Mary Kaldor (1999). New and Old Wars: Organized Violence in a Global Era (Cambridge: Polity Press).

Richmond, Oliver P. and Audra Mitchell, 2011. Hybrid Forms of Peace: From Everyday Agency to Post-liberalism. Basingstoke: Palgrave.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.