Map and analyse a current or recent (e.g. post 1945) international conflict of your choosing.
Please contact the module convenor or your assistant lecturer if you wish to discuss your selection of a conflict.
The essay should include three sections:
The first section should identify primary and secondary parties, positions, interests, options and the strategic environment.
The second section should apply one of the theories of conflict onset that we cover in the module to explain why the conflict (or particular episode of the conflict) began.
The final section should discuss (referring to appropriate literature and theories) the most appropriate method(s) of conflict resolution to be applied in your conflict and why. If the conflict has ended, then analyse how it ended and whether the conflict termination has been short term or long term. Make sure to you substantiate your opinions with relevant literature.
The theory for the Rwanda genocide that the essay will use is: Lake, D. A. and D. Rothchild. (1996). Containing Fear: The Origins and Management of Ethnic Conflict. International Security 21(2): 41-75.
Please ensure it is written in UK grammar
Module specific essay guidance
The first section of your essay can benefit from the inclusion of supportive material like conflict maps and an onion analysis. These can be included as an appendix and will not be included in the word count.
The first section can draw heavily on news (or other similar non-academic) sources to provide background to the conflict. However, this section should be very concise and only used to set the scene for the subsequent discussion. DO NOT WASTE TOO MUCH TIME, ENERGY, or SPACE writing the history of the conflict or other unnecessary descriptive detail.
The second section should apply ONLY ONE theory to explain the onset of your conflict. You will not be able to explain all of the reasons why a conflict occurred- please don’t try. It is possible to gain the highest marks applying only one theory in a relevant manner.
The final section should try to go beyond simply suggesting a particular method, put differently, be as specific as possible, e.g. What style of mediation? Which mediator? What form of peace operation? What type of court?
If you are focusing on a long or complex conflict it might be useful to focus on one specific region or time period. For example, if you wish to focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict then you might want to focus on the year prior to the Oslo accords. Alternatively, if you were to focus on the conflict in the Democratic of Congo you might want to focus specifically on the conflict in the Kivu region.
Marking Criteria:
In addition to the general criteria listed in the Pol/IR Student Guide (available on Moodle), essay will be marked according to:
Knowledge of the key issues covered in the module. Each week the lectures will signpost a number of key concepts and debates in conflict research. It is important that essays demonstrate a working knowledge of the relevant parts of the course content.
Range and quality of reading and bibliography. Students are expected to provide evidence of engagement with key literature.
Critical understanding of relevant literature. Importantly, students achieving the higher grades will go past simple descriptive accounts and offer evidence of a critical engagement with the topic.
Independent understanding, analytical skills and evidence provided. Good essays will move past simple descriptive accounts and demonstrate analytical skills and a deeper understanding by relating theoretical arguments to their case in a relevant and critical manner.
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