Peace, War, and Defense
Peace, War, and Defense
401 Hamilton Hall, CB# 3200
(919) 962-3093
First Session, 2023
PWAD 120 (GEOG 120) World Regional Geography (3)
A survey of the geographic structure of human activity in major world regional and nations. Emphasizes current developments related to population, urbanization, and economic activity.
PWAD 245 (HIST 248) The US and the Cold War: Origins, Development, Legacy (3)
MAYMESTER. ONLINE. This is both a wide-ranging and detailed course that looks at the origins, the evolution, and the termination of the Cold War from 1945 to 1989/90. It also considers the “New Cold War” with Russia that developed in 2014. The course is based on an international and multinational perspective.
PWAD 248 (HIST 248) Guerillas and Counterinsurgencies in Latin America (3)
MAYMESTER. This course examines the leftist guerrilla movements that swept Latin America and the Caribbean during the latter half of the 20th century. Students will analyze the origins, trajectories, and legacies of these insurgencies, paying particular attention to the roles of race, class, and gender.
PWAD 250 Introduction in Peace and Security Studies (3)
MAYMESTER. In this course, we will examine global security challenges such as international wars, internal wars, non-state violence, economic disputes, financial crises, and problems of coordination and cooperation. We will adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on lessons from political science, economics, history, sociology, and anthropology. We will begin by examining problems of international security, such as interstate crises and war, and develop an understanding of the bureaucracies tasked with managing these issues. In the second section of the course, we will first examine conflict associated with non-state actors, and will then discuss non-traditional security issues, such as financial crises and problems of common pooled resources. Throughout, we will use scientific research and historical analyses to gain a better grasp on the dynamics of security problems in the international system.
PWAD 272 The Ethics of Peace, War, and Defense (PHIL 272) (POLI 272) (3)
An analysis of ethical issues that arise in peace, war, and defense, e.g., the legitimacy of states, just war theory, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction.
PWAD 277 (ASIA 277, HIST 277)The Conflict over Israel/Palestine (3)
ONLINE. Explores the conflict over Palestine during the last 100 years. Surveys the development of competing nationalisms, the contest for resources and political control that led to the partition of the region, the war that established a Jewish state, and the subsequent struggles between conflicting groups for land and independence.
PWAD 287 (POLI 287) Strategy and International Relations (3)
MAYMESTER. Introduction to the study of strategic decision making in international relations, with an emphasis on the application of basic game theoretic models. Incorporates in-class simulations of international relations scenarios.
PWAD 425 (ASIA 425) (JWST 425) Beyond Hostilities: Israeli-Palestinian Exchanges and Partnerships in Film, Literature, and Music (3)
Maymester. Focuses on the various collaborations, exchanges, and mutual enrichment between Israelis and Palestinians in the realm of culture, particularly literature and cinema. These connections include language (Israeli Jewish authors writing in Arabic and Palestinian writers who choose Hebrew as their language of expression), collaborating in filmmaking, and joint educational initiatives.
PWAD 450 (PLCY 450) Internal and Interpersonal Conflict Management (3)
MAYMESTER. This course aims to provide students with the tools necessary to most effectively engage in interpersonal conflicts. Students engage with diverse conflict management practitioners–from formally incarcerated individuals to public policy negotiation to international conflict mediators and role-play cross-cultural communication, inter-governmental negotiations, human rights, and workplace negotiations. Students will learn new negotiation and mediation skills, build upon existing ones, and learn to cope with stress, discomfort, and emotions when in conflict.
The second half of the course will be dedicated to managing conflicts externally: How can we communicate our interests to others and understand theirs? What actions can we take with others to come to a mutually agreed solution? And what happens if we cannot resolve our disputes? Students will learn new negotiation skills, build upon existing ones, and learn how to cope with stress, discomfort, and emotions when in conflict. Previously offered as PLCY/PWAD 330. Course flyer.
Second Session, 2023
PWAD 120 (GEOG 120) World Regional Geography (3)
A survey of the geographic structure of human activity in major world regional and nations. Emphasizes current developments related to population, urbanization, and economic activity. Course flyer.
PWAD 272 (PHIL 272, POLI 272) The Ethics of Peace, War, and Defense (3)
An analysis of ethical issues that arise in peace, war, and defense, e.g., the legitimacy of states, just war theory, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction.
PWAD 364 Post-Conflict and Peacebuilding (3)
This course considers theories of peacebuilding and state-building, investigates the various challenges facing post-conflict states, and assesses the role that international actors play in this process. Case study based. War is hell, but trying to establish peace after years of bloody conflict and genocide can produce its own pain. What should war-torn countries do to promote reconciliation and healing? Is it possible to establish peace without politicizing the pain of a traumatized nation? What legal options are available to deter future atrocities? Can the victors hold the perpetrators accountable by putting them on trial without destabilizing the country or being accused of “victor’s justice”? This course examines the range of judicial and non-judicial mechanisms for dealing with a country’s large-scale abuses of human rights, as well as violations of international humanitarian law. These mechanisms are intended to transition a country from war to peace, and in many cases from authoritarian to democratic forms of government. The goal is to rebuild a society based on the rule of law, but this process is often fraught with controversy, as the road to peace is seldom easy. By analyzing examples since World War II, students will understand why a one-size-fits-all approach to transitional justice is deeply flawed and why context is the key to securing lasting tranquility between warring factions.