War Is Over! An Introduction to Post-Conflict Peacebuilding

War has shaped every aspect of human history–from the evolution of democracy to the construction of the Big House. It has thus become one of the most thoroughly researched and taught subjects across the world. Courses in security studies, international relations, and conflict resolution have all become lynchpins of university political science curriculums, with the goal of saving lives by ending war. However, the costs of war don’t stop when the fighting does; rather, some of the most devastating and long-lasting consequences of conflict actually occur after the end of formal combat. Nonetheless, researchers, governments, and society rarely pay attention to post-conflict settings: when the guns stop firing, we are accustomed to packing up and saying job well done. This course seeks to reverse that trend and emphasize the importance of post-conflict peacebuilding in the modern world. By covering some of the field's most relevant topics, like state-building, DDR, and transitional justice, this course will provide students with the foundation necessary to think critically about post-conflict studies and will help them develop the analytical skills needed to succeed in any field.

Intended Audience:

LSA Honors students in their first year at the University of Michigan

Class Format:

Class meets in the Honors Lounge located in the Honors Program office, 1330 Mason Hall.