Dr William Kissane

This course is available on the MSc in Comparative Politics, MSc in Conflict Studies, MSc in Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe, MSc in Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe (LSE & Sciences Po) and MSc in Gender, Peace and Security. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

The course examines social science explanations of the origins, intractability and outcomes of civil wars. It does this through the comparative analysis of various cases. These cases may vary from year to year. Particular stress is on: Civil war and civilization. The concept of civil war. Patterns of civil war since 1945. Large N approaches. Decolonisation and democratisation as causes of civil war. The emergence of security dilemmas. Partition and civil war. The idea of global civil war.

This course provides a combination of seminars and lectures totalling a minimum of 30 hours in the Lent Term. There will be a reading week in week 6 of the LT for private study and assessment preparation.

All students are expected to submit one non-assessed essay of 1500 words.

Bill Kissane, Nations Torn Asunder; The Challenge of Civil War, OUP 2016.

Essay (100%, 3000 words) in the ST.