Ethnic Conflict and Nationalism

Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne

Political Science Y200/401

Spring 2008

 

 

Professor James Toole                                  Class Times: MWF 10-10:50

Office: CM 215                                                Class Location: CM 210

Telephone: (260) 481-6885                            Office Hours: January: MW 1-2 and F 11-12;

Email: toolej@ipfw.edu                                               After January: MW 11-12 and F 11-12

Webpage: http://users.ipfw.edu/toolej/

 

 

Course Description:

 

Ethnic conflict is one of the most dangerous challenges to modern government. At worst, it can devastate entire societies and political systems. Yet while ethnic minorities exist in virtually all countries of the world, only some countries are afflicted by severe ethnic conflict. What causes conflict to arise, and what can be done about it? This course examines both ethnic conflict and the related phenomenon of nationalism. By the end of the course, students should be able to explain and discuss the origins and political mobilization of ethnic conflict and nationalism and to evaluate various strategies for the management and prevention of ethnic conflict. The readings used in the class discuss ethnic conflicts found in virtually all major regions of the world. Special attention is paid to conflicts in Rwanda, Darfur, Israel-Palestine, and the former Yugoslavia. When taken as Y401, this course is approved for General Education credit in Area VI (Inquiry and Analysis). As either Y200 or Y401, the course also counts toward completion of IPFW’s International Studies Certificate.

 

 

Course Objectives:

 

By the end of the semester, students who work hard in this class will be better able to: (1) understand and evaluate various points of view concerning the origins and dynamics of ethnic conflict and nationalism; (2) understand and evaluate various strategies for preventing or managing ethnic conflict; (3) think critically and solve problems using knowledge and skills gained in this and previous courses; and (4) apply the knowledge gained in the course across interdisciplinary boundaries. Because students in Y401 will also write a research paper, each Y401 student who works hard should also end up gaining added insight into one contemporary case of ethnic conflict. The research paper should strengthen the ability of Y401 students to gather, evaluate, select, organize, and synthesize analytical material.

 

 

Course Requirements:

Students are enrolled in the class as members of either POLS Y200 or Y401. The list of required readings is exactly the same for both sections, and both sections meet as a single class. The only differences between Y200 and Y401 concern the graded assignments and the grading systems.

 

Students enrolled in Y200 will take two in-class examinations (one mid-term and one comprehensive final) and will write two five-page papers based on the course readings. All exams are blue-book exams. Each of these four assignments will be worth 25% of the final course grade. My evaluation of class attendance, participation, and performance may affect the final grade in very close cases. All assignments must be completed to receive a passing grade in the course.

 

Students enrolled in Y401 will take the same two examinations and will write the same early-semester five-page paper as Y200 students. Y401 students will also write a fifteen- to twenty-page research paper on a contemporary case of ethnic conflict. Research paper topics must be approved by me. For students in Y401, grades will be determined as follows: the two exams and the five-page paper will be worth 22% each of the final grade, while the research paper will be worth 34% of the final grade. My evaluation of class attendance, participation, and performance may affect the final grade in very close cases. All assignments must be completed to receive a passing grade in the course.

 

Classes will feature both lectures and class discussions. Students should make every effort to participate in class discussions and to ask questions about things they do not understand. Examinations must be taken on the scheduled dates. Make-up examinations will only be permitted at the discretion of the instructor and will be granted only in unusual circumstances. Late papers will be subject to significant penalties, to be described in written paper instructions to be handed out in class. Plagiarism will be considered a very serious offence and will be punished as severely as IPFW regulations allow. Students are encouraged to take advantage of free individual paper-writing consulations offered by the IPFW Writing Center. The center is located in Kettler G19.

 

Students should not expect to do well in the class unless they attend all scheduled classes. They are also expected to complete all listed readings before the start of each class, since failure to do so will greatly impair their ability to understand class lectures and to participate intelligently in class discussions.

 

The following three books are required for purchase, and are available at the university bookstore:

 

Esman, Milton J. An Introduction to Ethnic Conflict. Malden, MA: Polity Press,

            2004.

Snyder, Jack. From Voting to Violence: Democratization and Nationalist Conflict.

New York: W.W. Norton, 2000.

            Taras, Raymond C. and Rajat Ganguly. Understanding Ethnic Conflict: The International

                        Dimension (3rd ed.). New York: Longman, 2006.

 

While much of the reading listed in the syllabus is from the above three books, many readings are available only through Reserves Express or via the Internet. Students will be held responsible for all assigned readings, whether it comes from purchased books, from Reserves Express, or from the Internet. All readings on the syllabus are required.

 

If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Walb, room 113, telephone number 481-6658), as soon as possible to work out the details. Once the Director has provided you with a letter attesting to your needs for modification, bring the letter to me. For more information, please visit the web site for SSD at http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd/.

 

Course Schedule and Required Readings

 

Date

Topic

Readings

1/14

Course Introduction

None

1/16

Terms and Concepts

Esman, ch. 1; Taras and Ganguly, pp. 1-11

1/18

Theories of Ethnic Conflict (1)

Esman, ch. 2; Taras and Ganguly, pp. 11-13

1/23

Theories of Ethnic Conflict (2)

Taras and Ganguly, pp. 13-43

1/25

Dynamics of Ethnic Conflict (1)

Esman, ch. 3

1/28

Dynamics of Ethnic Conflict (2)

Esman, ch. 4

1/30

Case Study: Rwanda (1)

Philip Gourevitch, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families, ch. 4 (RESERVE)

2/1

Case Study: Rwanda (2)

Philip Gourevitch, “Letter from Rwanda: After the Genocide” (read all except the repeated section on pp. 85-86) (RESERVE)

2/4

Case Study: Rwanda (3)

2/6

Nationalism and Democracy

Snyder, ch. 1

2/8

Nationalism and Elite Power

Snyder, ch. 2 (read) and ch. 3 (skim)

2/11

Nationalism and History

Walker Connor, “When is a Nation?” (RESERVE)

2/13

No Class

No reading. Work on five-page paper.

2/15

2/18

Types of Nationalism

Snyder, ch. 4

2/20

Post-Communist Nationalism

Snyder, pp. 189-220

 

Due on Friday February 22 (in class):

Five-page paper

 

2/22

Case Study: Yugoslavia (1)

Misha Glenny, “The Balkan Vortex” (RESERVE)

2/25

Case Study: Yugoslavia (2)

Steven L. Burg and Paul S. Shoup, “Conflict and Accommodation in Bosnian Political History” (RESERVE)

2/27

Case Study: Yugoslavia (3)

Steven L. Burg, “The Bosnian Debacle” (RESERVE)

2/29

Case Study: the Former Soviet Union

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 5

3/3

Nationalism in the Global South

Snyder, ch. 6

3/5

Nationalism in the Global North

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 6

3/7

Managing Ethnic Conflict: Domination

Esman, ch. 6

3/17

Managing Ethnic Conflict: Power-Sharing (1)

Esman, ch. 7; Ulrich Schneckener, “Making Power-Sharing Work: Lessons from Successes and Failures in Ethnic Conflict Regulation” (RESERVE), pp. 203-210

 

3/19

 

 

MID-TERM EXAM

 

None

 

3/21

Managing Ethnic Conflict: Power-Sharing (2)

Schneckener, “Making Power-Sharing Work” (RESERVE), pp. 210-226

3/24

Managing Ethnic Conflict:

Integration

Esman, ch. 8

3/26

Managing Ethnic Conflict:

Separation

Chaim Kaufmann, “Possible and Impossible Solutions to Ethnic Civil Wars” (RESERVE)

3/28

Managing Ethnic Conflict: Civil Society

Ashutosh Varshney, “Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond” (RESERVE)

3/31

Managing Ethnic Conflict: Failure in Sri Lanka

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 7

4/2

Managing Ethnic Conflict: Conclusions

Snyder, ch. 7

4/4

Ethnic Conflict and International Politics

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 2

4/7

Ethnic Conflict and International Security

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 3

4/9

Case Study: Israel/Palestine (1)

Peter Katel, “Middle East Tensions” (read “Background”, “Current Situation”, and “Outlook” only) (RESERVE)

4/11

Case Study: Israel/Palestine (2)

International Crisis Group, “The Israel-Palestinian Conflict: Annapolis and After” (INTERNET)

4/14

Case Study: Israel/Palestine (3)

4/16

International Intervention

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 4

4/18

Western Military Intervention

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 9

4/21

US Foreign Policy

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 10

4/23

State Collapse

Taras and Ganguly, ch. 8

 

Due on Friday April 25 (in class):

Second five-page paper (Y200 only)

 

4/25

Case Study: Darfur (1)

Samantha Power, “Dying in Darfur” (RESERVE)

4/28

Case Study: Darfur (2)

The Enough Project, “A Plan B With Teeth for Darfur” (INTERNET)

 

Due on Wednesday April 30 (in class):
Research paper (Y401 only)

 

4/30

The Future of Ethnic Conflict

Esman, ch. 10

 

May 2: Reserved for any required make-up class

 

 

Wednesday May 7 (8:00 to 10:00 AM): Y200/Y401 FINAL EXAMINATION