Issues of War & Peace Poli334 Spring 2008

The Basics Reading: Richard K. Betts Conflict after the Cold War: Arguments on Causes of War and Peace, 3rd Edition. ISBN:

The Basics Requirements –Midterm exam take home due around spring break –Final exam in class 12 May at 7:00 p.m.

The Basics Research Project –Oral presentation to the class –10-15 page written report –Topics due by early February –Outlines by March –Final copies early May

Overview International Political System War –Causes –Types –Strategy –Weapons and Tactics Peace

International Political System Basic political unit –State Other Actors –IGOs international orgs multinational orgs –NGOs interest groups corporations political organizations

International Political System Basic feature –anarchic “self help” system –implication? No formal institutional means to prevent conflict No formal institutional means to resolve conflict and that in turn means…

Warfare is much more likely to occur. That is, without any real means to promote and protect peace, world politics is much more violent than its domestic counterpart.

International Political System So we can prevent war by changing the international political system If international politics were more like domestic politics, violence would occur, but be much more manageable, right?

Causes of War We’ll study a series of explanations offered to explain why wars occur, including:

Causes of War Biological and social evolutionary theories –non human primate studies –“primitive” warfare

Causes of War Culture –beliefs, values, norms shape how we act –in group/out group oppositions

Causes of War Economic Interests Scarcity fuels competition, competition -- in conditions of anarchy -- generates conflict

Causes of War Ideology –promote and defend political, cultural, moral etc., ideals

Types of War “Conventional” Non Conventional –Guerrilla –Insurgency –Civil –Nuclear –Chemical/Biological –Computer

Peace Ending War Sources of Contention Energy Water Food Land Immigration Ideologies Religion … Peace plans…