Since 1945, five times as many people have died in conflicts within countries (between governments and rebels/militias) than in conflicts between countries. This course digs into the big questions about civil wars: Why do they begin? Who participates? How do they end, and why do some never end? How do combatants treat civilians, and why? Class will be primarily discussion-based, evaluating common answers to these questions, and the evidence behind them, from conflicts all over the world. Along the way, students will design their own research question and a strategy to answer it. The course is especially appropriate for sophomores and juniors who are potentially interested in writing a thesis, but relevant to any student interested in war and peace. |