National and Ethnic Conflict Regulation (Spring 2005)

Related Links:

Overview of the Pilot Curriculum General Education Requirement
2004-2005 Pilot Curriculum General Requirement Course Descriptions


This course fulfills Category I of the General Education Requirement.

Faculty:

Brendan O'Leary
Political Science, Faculty
Suite 305, 3819-33 Chestnut Street
boleary@sas.upenn.edu
573-0645

Meeting Times:

LEC COLL 001 411 T & R 10:30 - 11:30
REC COLL 001 415 W 10:00 - 11:00
REC COLL 001 416 R 1:30 - 2:30


Course Description:

National and ethnic conflict is widespread; some would say it is ubiquitous. This course examines how governments respond to national and ethnic conflict. We will examine management strategies (control, arbitration, federation and consociation (power-sharing) and eliminationist strategies (genocide, ethnic expulsion, partition/secession, assimilation/integration). We shall explore whether the choice of these strategies is predictable, and what justifications are typically invoked to defend them. We shall look at particular policies sometimes commended to promote some of these strategies, such as affirmative action and electoral system changes, and key legal and political concepts such as self-determination. Each week one book will be the (critical) focus of attention. Case materials will include studies of Northern Ireland, Canada, Switzerland, Iraq, South Africa, Nazi Germany, Ireland, India, Israel/Palestine, the USA. There will be opportunities for students to focus their term paper and examination preparation on particular strategies and cases.

Students must register for both the lecture and one of the two recitations listed above.

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