Conflict and Peacebuilding: Local and Global Perspectives - Period 2

Since the early twentieth century, the world has been shaken by war, ethnic cleansing, terrorism, crimes against humanity and genocide. Often, these traumatic events have been followed by a transitional and transformative phases and initiatives of conflict resolution, reconcilation and dealing with the past. In order to understand the process through which (post-)conflict transformation/reconciliation is constructed after violent political conflicts, and how it shapes individual as well as collective identity, it is necessary to focus on the everyday experiences, interests, and needs of the different actors involved in this process on the micro-level. Given the changing nature of conflict, this seminar discusses and examines some of the key concepts and recent developments in the field of (post-)conflict reconstruction, peacemaking and reconciliation research, providing students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the causes and dynamics of violent ethnic/religious conflicts, models of conflict transformation and resolutions. It will pay particular attention to these practices and initiatives in different national, cultural and political environments. Students will be sensitized to political, historical, religious, ethical and gender perspectives. Therefore, the seminar has a strong interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise in conflict studies, gender studies, psychology (trauma), religious studies, anthropology, history, and media studies. This interdisciplinary perspective allows a comprehensive understanding of conflict transformation/peace-making in (post-)conflict societies.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.