Graduate School of International Policy & Management

(International Trade & Economic Diplomacy)

COURSE SYLLABUS Fall 2017 (CHANGES HIGHLIGHTED)

ITDG 8535A: Economic Statecraft and Inter-Cultural Conflict Analysis and
Resolution 4 credits

Wednesdays/5:30-9:30/MIIS in DC Conference Room

Dr. Will David / wdavid@miis.edu
Office Hours by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The growing dominance of economic relations among nations requires a keen understanding of economic
statecraft. Statecraft is the resolution of conflicts between governments and private parties. An essential skill for
economic statecraft is to understand conflict.

To facilitate our exploration of conflict, the course draws from the field of conflict analysis and resolution, a field
which seeks to intervene constructively in conflicts. Constructive intervention demands that we think critically
about the internal, relational, and systemic factors that contribute to conflict to reveal the underlying causes of
conflict and to understand its dynamics. From such an understanding, you may develop meaningful objectives to
address, resolve, or perhaps even transform the conflict into something constructive. Moreover, objectives
grounded in a thorough understanding of the conflict should drive the intervention strategy. If the linkages
between analytic findings, objectives, and strategy are present, then the likelihood of a constructive outcome
increases substantially. The course is designed to help you to think more critically about conflict, providing you
with some tools to structure your analysis, shape your intervention objectives, and develop your strategy to achieve
those objectives.

This course is inherently multi and interdisciplinary, drawing on conceptual frameworks derived from psychology,
sociology, anthropology, international relations, political science, and economics, but also informed by all fields of
human inquiry. Students will critically apply theories and concepts to seek a better understanding of conflicts, to
intervene constructively, and to advance theory and practice related to statecraft.

This course explores a wide range of conflict-related theories and concepts. We begin by considering conflict
narratives and discourses and our ability to think critically about conflict. Then, we will examine the major, often
overlapping theories at work in the field, loosely categorized as theories related to internal, relational, or systemic
factors where factors are conceived as both conditions and processes.

Theories related to internal factors examine the internal features of potential adversaries, including
conflict-generating characteristics associated with specific individuals, groups, or societies or conflict-
generating characteristics by all persons, groups, and societies.

Theories related to relational factors examine the multi-faceted, multi-layered, and often hierarchical
past and current relations between potential adversaries.

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 Theories related to systemic factors examine the larger social context and social system in which
potential adversaries as well as their contemporaries exist.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

To conceptualize and develop a deeper understanding of social conflict

To learn theories related to the causes and dynamics of social conflicts
To apply the theories to a variety of historical and contemporary conflicts, including those in which
economic relations are prominent
To become more astute statespersons, conflict analysts, practitioners, and researchers in a multicultural
world

TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER MATERIALS

Required Texts:

Kriesberg, Louis and Bruce W. Dayton. 2017. Constructive Conflicts: From Escalation to Resolution. 5th Edition.
Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Other required readings/videos are listed in the course schedule and will require students to access CANVAS,
electronic reserves, electronic journals, and the internet.

METHODOLOGY AND POLICIES

The course blends lecture, seminar discussion, and group activities for which you must come prepared. The
expectation is that you will come to each class having completed all of readings, videos, and other requirements as
shown in the schedule. Lecture complements and builds on your preparation for each class, which will be
participative in design. Discussions and individual contributions are encouraged, expected, and count toward your
final evaluation. Unexcused absences will result in a significant lowering of your participation grade.

To effectively participate in a case assignment or classroom discussion, you should be able to accomplish one or
more of the following: demonstrate your understanding of class materials or a case by showing how to analyze and
evaluate a given situation; present creative solutions or alternatives during class discussion; present additional
material not contained in the case or class material; and assist in clarifying or settling a discussion.

The course consists of three blocks: Foundations, Theories, and Implications. Foundations explores and makes
prominent an emphasis on critical thinking. You will also define and conceptualize conflict, and then consider the
role of theory in analyzing and resolving conflicts. Theories will introduce you to the major theories used by
analysts and practitioners. In each class, we will explore social conflict more deeply, acquire working knowledge
of one or more theories, and work as a team of conflict analysts to apply our newly acquired knowledge to
semester-long case studies. Implications brings all course topics together, requiring you to present your analysis,
intervention objectives, and conflict resolution strategy for your semester-long, in depth case study. In our final
meeting, we will reflect on what we have learned, discuss the strengths and limitations of theory, and ponder the
future of conflict resolution in inter-cultural settings.

Class Expectations
Effective Preparation. Student preparation and interaction are essential elements of the learning environment.
Follow current affairs related to contemporary conflicts and use a variety of sources to contrast their coverage of
the same issues. Complete the readings and watch the videos prior to class. As you read/watch, you should ask:

What are the authors main concerns?

Are their arguments logically compelling? Why or why not?

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 How might their theories and ideas help us to better understand specific conflicts and their resolution?

Classroom Protocol. Attend to personal needs before and after class and during breaks. Computers, tablets, and
cell phones may be used for course-specific purposes only, and must not disturb others. Be mindful of the
sensitivities of others when contributing to discussions; however, critical thinking and open dialogue are our goals.
Some of your classmates may participate via video conferencing, so engage them in our discussion and activities.

Written assignments. Written assignments constitute a large part of your grade. I expect well-written papers.
Proofread your papers carefully as spelling and grammatical errors will lower your score. Your papers must:

Be typed in black ink, double-spaced, and printed single-sided on white paper with the body of the paper
left justified.
Use Times New Roman 12-point font and one-inch paper margins.
Properly cite material and ideas that are not your own. Use a single, standard citation format such as APA,
MLA, or Chicago.
Be within one-half page of the required length. Endnotes, works cited/bibliography, and title pages do not
count towards the paper length. Number your pages.
Submit no later than the start of class on the due date (paper and digital copies required). Late papers will
not be accepted unless an extension was granted at least three days prior to the due date.

ACADEMIC CONDUCT

All students will be held to all policies and procedures listed in the most current Policies and Standards Manual
(PSM). This includes but is not limited to our Student Honor Code and regulations on plagiarism. A complete
copy of the Policies and Standards Manual (PSM) can be found here:
http://www.miis.edu/system/files/miis20psm20sep-2015-2.pdf

Self-Plagiarism: Re-use of a students work, in part or in its entirety, for another course without the express
permission of the course instructor may be considered a form of plagiarism.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

Requirements
Participation 20 points All semester
Conflict Analysis Team / Presentation 20 points All semester / 29 November
Essay #1 10 points 4 October
Term Paper Introduction/Lens 1 Findings 10 points 8 November
Term Paper 40 points 6 December

Participation. Your grade is based on your class preparation and the quality, not quantity of your remarks. The best
remarks are succinct, relevant, and enhance our collective learning. You should integrate course concepts and
synthesize information from your experiences, courses, and research into your remarks. Each student should
contribute something to every class session. In addition, each student will be asked to lead a discussion, focused
on either the Kriesberg and Dayton text or the Nordstrom text. Each absence results in a 7-point deduction to your
final course grade. For excused absences, you can recover the points by submitting a written summary of the
readings and videos required for the missed class. You cannot recover points for an unexcused absence. Students
who miss more than three classes for any reason will fail the course.

Conflict Analysis Team / Presentation. You will be assigned to a team that develops expertise on a conflict. Each
team will have a shared conflict collaboration site (enable Google Docs under the collaboration tab in CANVAS).
All team members must become experts on the conflict and collaborate in accordance with scheduled due dates
(detailed guidance is provided at the end of the syllabus). Conflict analysis teams will promote in-class discussion
and the integration of course concepts. Most class sessions will include breakout sessions for applying theories to

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your conflict case study. Each team will also deliver a 30-minute presentation to the class. The presentation should
be worthy of an audience of statecraft/conflict resolution professionals. The presentation will be followed by a 20-
minute period for questions from the audience.

Essays. The essays require you to apply theories and concepts to specific case studies, seeking to discern the
underlying causes of the conflict and key dynamics evidenced in the conflict. Essay #1 requires you to analyze a
historical conflict using two theories and to present your findings in a 5-page paper. The primary sources for the
first essay will be lecture and the film The Battle of Algiers. Essay #2 requires you to analyze a contemporary
conflict using two different theories/conceptual lenses and to present your findings in a 5-page paper (DELETED).
The primary source for the second essay (term paper) will be your teams Google Docs collaboration effort and
thus entries must include source citations to facilitate essay writing.

Term Paper. This 15-page research paper presents your analytic findings (causes and key dynamics) for a conflict,
proposes objectives for addressing the conflict, and offers a general strategy for achieving your objectives. You
will use your conflict analysis team conflicts as the subject of your term paper. Your findings section must use
three different analytical lenses. You are not permitted to apply either of the lenses used for the essay. You will
submit your introduction and first set of findings from the application of one of the lenses for grade and
subsequently use the feedback for your completing/revising the remainder of the term paper. The entire term paper
will be graded.

Grading.

Points Mark Description

95-100 A Excellent. Demonstration of superior work in fulfillment of course requirements.
90-94 A-
85-89 B Good. Demonstration of good work in fulfillment of course requirements.
Accurate accounting and application of course concepts.
80-84 B-
75-79 C Satisfactory. Demonstration of satisfactory work in fulfillment of course
requirements. General knowledge of course concepts.
70-74 C-
65-69 D Poor. Unsatisfactory work in fulfillment of course requirements. Poor
knowledge of course concepts. Minimal contributions to class discussions and/or
conflict team work.
0-64 F Fail. Profoundly unsatisfactory/incomplete work in fulfillment of course
requirements. Failure to turn in one or more of the written assignments. Failure
to contribute to class discussions and/or conflict team work. Missing more than 3
classes for any reason.

POLICY FOR STUDENT DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS

Students with documented disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in class are encouraged to
contact Assistant Dean of Student Services, Ashley Arrocha, as early in the semester as possible to ensure that such
accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Assistance is available to eligible students through the
Office of Student Services. Please contact aarrocha@miis.edu or 831-647-4654 for more information. All
discussions will remain confidential.
SCHEDULE AND WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS

Overview
The course consists of three blocks: Foundations, Theories, and Implications. Foundations explores and makes
prominent our emphasis on critical thinking. You will also define and conceptualize conflict, and then consider the
role of theory in analyzing and resolving conflicts. Theories will introduce you to the major theories used by
conflict analysts and practitioners. In each class, we will explore social conflict more deeply, acquire working
knowledge of one or more theories, and work as a team of conflict analysts to apply our newly acquired knowledge

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 to one of four conflict case studies. Implications draws on all course topics, requiring you to present your analysis,
objectives, and strategy for your semester long, in depth case study. In our final meeting, we will reflect on what
we have learned, discuss the strengths and limitations of theory, and ponder the future of conflict resolution in
inter-cultural settings.

Schedule, Readings, & Assignments

Generally, each class will consist of three components: conceptualizing conflict, learning conflict-related theories
and concepts, and analyzing conflict case studies. We will explore social conflict, using the Kriesberg and Dayton
text as a vehicle for structuring your thinking about this complex social phenomenon. The Nordstrom text is based
on stories from war as compiled by an anthropologist employing ethnography, making it well suited to a more
leisurely, but reflective reading about conflict. We will add new theories and concepts each week that you will
apply to a historical case study and two contemporary case studies. The Wittes text will help us to deepen our
understanding of culture, particularly with regards to resolving inter-cultural conflict. Note that there are also
required videos. The assignments column will help you to track class/course deliverables. Assignment are due at
the beginning of class unless otherwise noted. Required readings/videos are annotated as follows:

Text Required textbook

CC Course Content (found in CANVAS)
ER Electronic Reserve (link in CANVAS)
EJ Electronic Journal (found through Middlebury Library)
I Internet (found via the listed web address)

Dates Requirements Assignments

Foundations
30 Aug Introductions, Critical Thinking, & Conceptualizing Conflict Selection of conflict for
conflict collaboration
72 pages Critical Thinking team case study (in
2 videos Kahneman, Daniel, Dan Lovalla, and Olivier Sibony. 2011. Before you class):
Make that Big Decision. Harvard Business Review, June: 50-60. (CC)
Burtt, Carey. 2013. How Not to be Stupid: A Guide to Critical Thinking. 1. Territorial Disputes in
the South China Sea
LudicFallacies (7:55) (I)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjdLsPHp0Ow 2. Contention over the
Gilbert, Dan, 2005. Why We Make Bad Decisions, TED Talks (33:38 Arctic Region
min) (I) http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness
3. Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict Conflict
Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 1: 1-25. (text)
Nordstrom, Ch. 1-3: 5-39. (text) 4. Kashmir Conflict
Council on Foreign Relations. 2017 Global Conflict Tracker. (I)
http://www.cfr.org/global/global-conflict-tracker/p32137#!/conflict [skim]

Recommended
Video Review for Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.
Callibrain (9:53) (I) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amnnX6grUls
6 Sep Introduction to Theories Conflict Update #1 Due
(see detailed
86 pages Conflict requirements at the end
1 video Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 2: 27-50. (text) of the syllabus)
Nordstrom, Ch. 4: 43-53. (text)
Battle of Algiers (0:00-34:30) (I) Conflict team breakout
session (in class)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_N2wyq7fCE [Turn on English

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 subtitles if needed]
Theory
Cheldelin, Sandra, Daniel Druckman, and Larissa Fast. 2003. Theory,
Research, Practice. In Conflict: From Analysis to Intervention, Cheldelin et.
al., eds. Bloomsbury Academic, Ch 2: 9-36. (CC)
Kelman, Herbert C. 2009. A Social-Psychological Approach to Conflict
Analysis and Resolution. In Handbook of Conflict Analysis and Resolution.
Dennis Sandole et. al. eds. New York: Rutledge, 170-183. (CC)
Dugan, Maire A. 1996. A Nested Theory of Conflict. In A Leadership
Journal: Women in Leadership 1: 9-19. (CC)
Theories
13 Sep Realism & Rational Choice Theory Conflict Update #2 Due

76 pages Conflict Conflict team breakout

1 video Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 3: 51-87. (text) session (in class)
Nordstrom, Ch. 5: 55-69. (text)
Battle of Algiers (34:30-1:00:50) (I)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_N2wyq7fCE
Theory
Morgenthau, Hans. 2006. Chapter 1: A Realist Theory of International
Politics. In Politics Among Nations, 7th edition. New York: McGraw Hill,
3-19. (CC)
Demmers, Jolle. 2012. Chapter 5: Rational Choice Theory: The Costs and
Benefits of War. In Theories of Violent Conflict: An Introduction. New
York: Routledge, 100-115. (CC)

20 Sep Marxism & Functionalism Conflict Update #3 Due

83 pages Conflict Conflict team breakout

1 video Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 4: 89-116. (text) session (in class)
Nordstrom, Ch. 6: 71-81. (text)
Battle of Algiers (1:00:50-1:30:20) (I) Essay #1 assignment
posted
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_N2wyq7fCE
Theory
Marx, Karl. 1848. Manifesto of the Communist Party. (I)
https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-
manifesto/ch01.htm
Coser, Lewis A. 1957 Social Conflict and the Theory of Social Change.
The British Journal of Sociology 8(3): 197-207. (CC)
Coser, Lewis A, 1956. Conflict and Group Boundaries and Hostility and
Tensions in Conflict Relationships. In The Functions of Social Conflict.
Routledge. 33-48 (stop at end of proposition 2). (CC)
27 Sep Structural / Cultural Violence Conflict Update #4 Due

89 pages Conflict Conflict team breakout

1 video Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 5: 117-145. (text) session (in class)
Nordstrom, Ch 7: 87-103. (text)
Battle of Algiers (1:30:20-2:01:39) (I)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_N2wyq7fCE
Theory

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 Galtung, Johan. 1990. Cultural Violence. Journal of Peace Research 27(3):
291-305. (CC)

Farmer, Paul. 2004. An Anthropology of Structural Violence. Current

Anthropology 45(3): 305-325. (CC)

Recommended
Rubenstein, Richard E. 1999. Conflict Resolution and the Structural Sources
of Conflict. In Conflict Resolution: Dynamics, Process, and Structure, Ho-
Won Jeong, ed. Vermont: Ashgate, 173-195. (CC)
4 Oct Culture & Conceptions of Power Essay #1 Due

78 pages Conflict
(excl.
Wittes) Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 6: 147-177. (text)
Nordstrom, Ch. 8-9: 105-137. (text)
1 video
Theory
Avruch, Kevin and Peter W. Black. 1993. Conflict Resolution in
Intercultural Settings. In Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice. Dennis
Sandole and Hugo van der Merwe, eds. Manchester University Press. 131-
145. (CC)
Talking Culture, Part 3, The Iceberg (4:40) (I)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-l-WCHlYB
Wittes (text): 3-147
Dugan, Maire and Heidi Burgess. 2012. Power. Beyond Intractability. (I)
http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/power
Recommended
Avruch, Kevin. 2009. Culture Theory, Culture Clash, and the Practice of
Conflict Resolution. In Handbook of Conflict Analysis and Resolution.
Dennis Sandole et al. eds. New York: Rutledge, 239-253. (CC)
11 Oct Relative Deprivation (Grievance) Theory & Greed Theory Conflict Update #5 Due

Conflict Conflict team breakout

Review Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 1-6 (text) session (in class)
Theory
Gurr, Ted R. 1970. Relative Deprivation and the Impetus to Violence. In
Why Men Rebel. Princeton. Ch 2: 22-30, 46-58. (CC)
Collier, Paul. 2007. Economic Causes of Civil Conflict and their
Implications for Policy. In Leashing the Dogs of War. Chester Crocker, Fen
Olser Hampson, and Pamela Aall, eds. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Institute of
Peace Press, 197-216. (CC)

18 Oct Social Identity Theory & Ethnic Tents / Collective Trauma Conflict Update #6 Due

Conflict
Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 7: 179-215. (text) Conflict team breakout
Theory session (in class)
Cook-Huffman, Celia. 2009. The Role of Identity in Conflict. In
Handbook of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. Dennis Sandole et al. eds.
New York: Rutledge, 19-28. (CC)
Volkan, Vamik 1997. Ethnic Tents and Chosen Trauma. In Bloodlines:

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 From Ethnic Pride to Ethnic Terrorism. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. 19-28,
36-49. (CC)

25 Oct Basic Human Needs Theory Conflict Update #7 Due

Conflict Conflict team breakout

Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 8: 217-247. (text) session (in class)
Theory
Burton, John. 1979. Institutional Values & Human Needs. In Deviance,
Terrorism, and War: The Process of Solving Unresolved Social and Political
Problems. 55-84. (CC)
Burton, John. 1997. Needs Theory. In Violence Explained. Manchester
University Press, 32-40. (CC)

8 Nov Globalization, Scarcity, & Geography Conflict Update #8 Due

Conflict Conflict team breakout

Theory session (in class)
Mittelman, James H. 2000. The Dynamics of Globalization. In The
Globalization Syndrome: Transformation and Resistance. Princeton Term Paper:
University Press, 15-30. (CC) Introduction and Lens
#1 findings due
Homer-Dixon, Thomas. 1994. Environmental Scarcities and Violent
Conflict: Evidence from Cases. International Security 19(1): 5-40. (CC)
Kaplan, Robert B. 2014. The Revenge of Geography. Washington and Lee
News (1:04:03) (I) https://vimeo.com/84407847 (DELETED)

Implications
15 Nov Resolving Conflict Conflict Update #9 Due

Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy. What is Multi-Track Diplomacy (I) Conflict team breakout
http://imtd.org/multi-track-diplomacy [Read about multi-track diplomacy and session (in class)
watch the embedded video by John McDonald, also available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAM3yxMUdV8&feature=youtu.be&t=
497 (30:09)
Responding to Conflict, The Wajir Story. 2010. (35:04) (I)
http://vimeo.com/9935744
Saunders, Harold H. 2009. Dialogue as a Process for Transforming
Relationships. In Conflict Resolution. Jacob Bercovitch, Victor Kremenyuk
and I. William Zartman, eds. Los Angeles: Sage, 376-391. (CC)

29 Nov Presentations 30-minute rehearsed,

professional
Conflicts (order of presentation): presentation by each
1. Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea conflict team, using
visual aids. Each
2. Contention over the Arctic Region followed by a 20-
minute Q&A period
3. Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict with questions posed by
students, instructors,
4. Kashmir Conflict and visitors

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6 Dec Resolving Inter-Cultural Conflict & Course Wrap Up Term paper due

Conflict Conflict team peer

Kriesberg and Dayton, Ch 11: 317-345. (text) assessments due
Final Reflections
Cole, Teju. 2012. The White Savior Industrial Complex. The Atlantic,
March 21. (CC)
Salem, Paul. 1993. In Theory: A Critique of Western Conflict Resolution
from a Non-Western Perspective. Negotiation Journal 9(4): 361-369. (CC)

Guidance for Conflict Case Study Collaboration Updates

General
Your conflict collaboration effort is essential to developing and demonstrating your expertise on your assigned
conflict. Your shared document is an archive for information about and related to your conflict; a vehicle for
critical thinking, analysis, and theory application; an aid for in-class discussions and group work; and the primary
source for your second essay and group presentation. You are welcome to structure your collaboration effort as
you please, but you must enable Google Docs through the course collaboration tab. All work must be posted in
Google Docs and all members of the team must contribute to each required update. You must share your
document(s) with the instructor, granting full edit/comment privileges. Data and other posted information must
include citations to facilitate essay writing. As you begin to apply theories as analytic lenses, you will likely
discover that you do not have all the information needed to fully apply the theory or concept. Thus, your
collaboration must be a living document, one that is dynamic and continuously updated, edited, and revised.
Your collaboration must exhibit critical thinking with group members actively engaging in critiques of one
anothers analytic findings. The following are the minimum collaboration requirements (see schedule for due
dates):

Conflict Collaboration Update #1

Conflict Overview / Summary
o Parties: parties are rarely unitary actors, so begin to identify key constituencies within the parties
o Contextual factors: political, economic, demographic, social, geographic, historical, cultural
o Relationships: initial characterization of the relationship between parties and between constituencies
within parties
o Interests: interests, aspirations, goals, objectives of the adversarial parties
o Issue(s) between parties: real or perceived incompatible objectives
o History of the conflict: situate the conflict temporally and spatially
o Third party involvement: other group, societal, state, international actors involved in the conflict

For Conflict Collaboration Updates #2-8

Update/revise previous entries
Theory/Concept: Summary & Questions Derived from Theory/Concept

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 Research: Information needed to answer questions derived from theories/concepts
Application: What does theory reveal about the conflicts causes and dynamics?

Conflict Collaboration Update #9

Key findings regarding conflict causation and dynamics
Conflict resolution objectives based on the findings
Conflict resolution strategy to achieve objectives

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