University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 9

Semester: 2

Planned timetable: Thursday 2pm

Bloodshed is what tends to keep divided societies in the headlines: yet the nature of this violence often remains under-examined as a political force in its own right. This module seeks to explain what drives processes of violence in deeply divided societies with particular emphasis on what happens at the grassroots and between communities. The module combines theory with in-depth consideration of case studies from across the world (in previous years this has included Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia, Iraq and Lebanon) to understand what causes conflict, how conflict is resolved and whether deep societal divisions can be healed.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must pass IR2006

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 1 x 1-hour lecture (x 10 weeks), 1 x 1-hour tutorial (x 10 weeks), 2 consultation hours with Coordinator (x 12 weeks).

Scheduled learning hours: 22

Guided independent study hours: 278

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%


Re-assessment: 3-hour Written Examination = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr T K Wilson
Module teaching staff: Dr Tim Wilson
Module coordinator email tkw2@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• Understanding of the recurrent and (often) intractable nature of political violence in deeply divided societies.
• Understanding of the challenges facing both top-down and bottom-up attempts to build peace in deeply divided societies.
• Understanding of the current state of theoretical debate about how communal identities and conflict dynamics may or may not be inter-related.
• Knowledge and understanding of the conflicts in Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia and Sri Lanka.