POL 449: POLITICS OF CULTURAL CONFLICTS

Course Structure

This course is divided is two distinct parts: Theory and Applications. The first five weeks will present an overview of the philosophical and theoretical foundations of the study of nationalism. More specifically, we will try to answer the following questions: Why and how did nationalism become a powerful driving force in world politics? Is nationalism a conceptual creation or is it grounded in the historical process of human socialization? Why have some cultural conflicts remained peaceful while others have generated ethnic violence and genocides? And finally, which conflict management strategies are successful/unsuccessful for different types of ethnic conflicts?

The second part of the course will be centered on case studies of countries in which nationalism has been a prevalent force or in which cultural conflicts have had a significant impact on the nation-building process. Students are encouraged to apply there theoretical knowledge learned during the first few weeks and develop their own understanding of the nationalist dynamic of the studied cases. In all, each case illuminates a particular feature of nationalism or conflict management strategy, but in no way do they reflect all the possible expressions of nationalism.

Students are thus encouraged to apply their skills in a research paper, by selecting any country, except those studied in class, in which nationalism or cultural conflicts have played a significant role in the last 50 years. A list of possible countries will be distributed to the students early during the semester. Students are expected to provide an analysis of a conflict, which identifies its historical sources, the actors and their claims, the important events and a theoretical interpretation of the conflict's causes and management strategies that have been used over time. The essay should not be longer than 10 double-spaced pages, double-space.

To help you in designing your final essay, you will be required to submit a 1 page Abstract explaining why the country you selected is interesting in terms of cultural conflict and presenting a tentative outline of your essay. A midterm exam and a final take-home exam will complete the mandatory course requirements.