The course presents concepts and theories related to the peaceful transformation of international violent conflicts, particularly in the context of the current and future climate emergency. illustrating them with examples driven from global, European and Italian peace initiatives.
Students will be asked to work on concrete cases of international conflicts and their transformation.
Lederach, J.P., The moral imagination. The art and soul of building peace. Oxford / New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Kriesberg, Louis / Dayton, Bruce. Constructive conflicts: from escalation to resolution. Rowman & Littlefield, 2012.
ADDITIONAL TEXTS: SEE DETAILED PROGRAM
FURTHER REFERENCE TEXTS:
Additional references for consultation
Escola de Cultura de Pau. Peace Talks in Focus. Report on Trends and Scenarios. Barcelona: Icaria, 2021
https://escolapau.uab.cat/img/programas/alerta/negociaciones/21/negociaciones20i.pdf
- Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation; https://berghof-foundation.org/library/berghof-handbook-for-conflict-transformation
All texts are available on the Moodle platform of the course (access at www.e-l.unifi.it.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: Impact of climate emergenciy on the world system;
Main models and theories of conflict analysis and transformation; role of international actors (International Organizations, Civil Society) in peace processes
COMPETENZE [skills]:
Negotiation, mediation, case study work.
Capacità acquisite al termine del corso [abilities gained at the end of the course]:
After completing this course, students will:
have a clear understanding of international conflict transformation, the key underlying ideas and theories
have an in-depth understanding of modes of intervention and current concepts related to peacekeeping, peacebuilding and reconciliation
have gained an insight in concrete examples of conflict transformation work performed both by global and Italian organizations.
Understand and be able to apply basic skills and strategies of conflict resolution and transformation
Teaching Methods
Classes will be held combining different forms of teaching and learning: lectures, group discussions on assigned readings, students presentations, experiential training and in class exercises, and videos shown in order to present actual case studies and encourage reflection and discussion. Handouts and other materials will be distributed in class by the instructor.
Further information
Attendance to the course is mandatory for Syracuse University in Florence students, highly recommended for UNIFI and Erasmus students.
Having good quality conversation means that you must also possess knowledge and ideas from which our discussions can be launched. Thus, every student is expected to have completed the readings for that day. A successful course is an act of “co-creation”: it is both the lecturer's and the participants' responsibility. And, so that we may better make our points and enjoy the intellectual companionship the classroom offers us, students are expected to bring the texts to class each time we meet.
Classroom Etiquette: Being a class offered by the University of Florence, the audience will be quite diverse, comprising students from Italy, the European Union (“Erasmus” program), the US (Syracuse University study abroad program) and from the global South. This enriches the learning experience, but requires at times some patience and a degree of intercultural sensitivity. Please be respectful of the opinion of others, and do not be afraid of articulating your own.
Remember to turn cell phones and similar devices off during class. Please do not leave the classroom during class time –use the restrooms or visit the bar before or after class but not during. Please refrain from using electronic devices for social media, chatting and the like in class!
Finally in order to discourage mindless consumption of plastic, student are encouraged to use refillable bottles instead of disposable ones.
Type of Assessment
I. For SUF students and Erasmus undergraduates:
Students will have to complete:
- short assignments during the course – participating in group work, practical exercises and role plays;
- groups of students will make presentation and conduct practical exercises on one of the books . Each student will then write a short report (up to 3 pages) on the part of the book s/he has used and the type of work proposed in class.
- The final exam will consist in a written exam: you will have to respond to 3 questions regarding the content of the course out of a list of 5.
The final grade will reflect your performance in each of the areas above and is divided as follows:
20% Participation, short assignments and personal contribution to class, including practical exercises
40% project work / student-led sessions
40% Final exam
II. For MSc students in Economics & Development
Instead of the final written exam, MSc students will submit a written paper analyzing a conflict and specific strategies, concepts and tools for its peaceful transformation and/or a societal crisis induced by climate change and possible responses. The essays have to be about 15 pages, double spaced.
Writing the paper you should:
- choose a relevant title and divide the text into paragraphs, with a brief introduction and a conclusion;
- formulate a guiding question you want to answer to with your work;
- use what has been written in the literature to back up your argument: concepts, theories and empirical findings;
- critically assess the quality of sources: avoid to quote Wikipedia, use partisan sources with care and discuss them critically. Avoid one-dimensional, one-sided descriptions of conflict.
- include a complete bibliography at the end. You are expected to use at least 10 different texts.
FOR STUDENTS TAKING THE EXAMS WITHOUT ATTENDING THE COURSE (studenti non frequentanti - UNIFI and Erasmus only):
Students should prepare the exam studying: Lederach, J.P., The moral imagination (2005) and the list of additional texts for all sessions.
In addition to the required reading, students will submit a written paper analyzing a conflict and / or specific strategies, concepts and tools for its peaceful transformation. The essay has to be about 15 pages, double spaced (see above for essential guidelines).
Course program
The detailed program will be provided at the beginning of the course.