Academic Course Listings

Not Repeatable

Brief history of field, survey of key conflict resolution themes and theories, and intervention methods. Overview includes general factors of conflict and its resolution; and nature of conflict in interpersonal, group, organizational, and international situations.

Fulfills Mason Core requirement in social and behavioral science.

Schedule Type: LEC, RCT

When Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Students will utilize critical thinking and analytical skills to begin an in-depth examination of the major theories of conflict analysis and resolution. Theories and case studies will include root causes and dynamics of conflict and methods of conflict analysis and resolution.

Required course for all CONF majors (BA and BS) beginning Fall 2011.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per Week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Not Repeatable

Advanced consideration of CONF 101 topics, introduction of core notion of reflective practice, conflict resolution techniques, practice, third party roles, and ethics.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Lecture: 0

Not Repeatable

Introduces social science research methods at undergraduate level. Covers basic epistemology of social research, including quantitative and qualitative methods, emphasizing participatory action research, and evaluation and assessment work.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Covers deeply rooted, intractable, or protracted social conflicts around core issues of identity, including race, ethnicity, religion, and nationalism. Explores cultural, symbolic, and discursive approaches to identity conflict.

Fulfills writing intensive requirement in the major.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Repeatable within Term

Examines selected topics related to practice in the field of conflict analysis and resolution. Topics vary, but will address practical skills and knowledge base necessary to conflict resolution practice.

When Offered: Fall, Summer, Spring

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-6

May be repeated for up to 6 credits if topics vary.

Not Repeatable

Examines issues and opportunities relevant to CONF majors to enhance their overall success in the program. Topics may include academic planning, field experience processes, critical thinking in coursework, career exploration and readiness, and co-curricular opportunities.

Equivalent to CONF 190 (2014-2015 Catalog).

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Not Repeatable

Covers conflict at micro level, introducing theories drawn from various disciplines including psychology, anthropology, and conflict resolution. Uses readings, case studies, and role plays to develop ability to analyze and intervene in interpersonal conflicts. Also prepares for further course work for interpersonal conflict concentration.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Covers challenges of communicating across differences of age, gender, language, culture, political orientation, and contextual situations. Students will engage in preparing and analyzing communication strategies in conflict situations and will participate in a dialogue over the term that explores the meaning and experience of difference on the Mason campus.

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Spring

Not Repeatable

Covers conflict at mezzo level, introducing theories of social harmony and conflict, drawing on sociology, social psychology, community psychology, organizational psychology, administration of justice, philosophy, and conflict resolution. Uses case studies, class presentations, and group projects to develop ability to analyze conflict and make recommendations for change. Also prepares for further course work for community and organizational conflict concentration.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Builds on the theories and concepts presented in CONF 330 to focus on the practice of group and community conflict. Through intensive simulations using conflict cases, students will have the opportunity to practice conflict resolution skills such as dialogue, problem solving, mediation and negotiation and gain a practical understanding of third party roles and intervention strategies in community, group, and organizational settings.

Schedule Type: LAB

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 0

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 1-12

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Not Repeatable

Covers conflict at macro level, introducing theories of international and global violence and conflict, drawing from disciplines of international relations, political science, intercultural communication, and conflict resolution. Covers impact of globalization and structural causes of conflict. Uses class discussions, case studies, and final paper to develop analytical skills to help in analysis of conflict. Prepares for further course work for international conflict concentration.

Schedule Type: LEC, RCT

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Focuses primarily on global conflict resolution practice. Using the methodologies of dialogue, problem-solving, and intensive simulation, students will increase their theoretical and practical understanding of peace making, peace building, and transformation processes within a specific international case.

Schedule Type: LAB

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Presents students with analytical frameworks to account for terrorist acts and organizations and explore social dynamics underlying the development of, and response to, terrorism. Topics may include recruitment into violent groups, counterterrorism and human rights concerns, role of religious and political ideologies in terrorism and counterterrorism, media coverage of terrorism, and effects of terrorism on social structures and processes.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Repeatable within Degree

Internships will provide an opportunity for students to gain practical experience, reflect on those experiences, and apply academic theories outside of the normal classroom environment. Students will apply academic theories learned in the classroom to situations that arise in the work environment. Students must obtain approval and complete an internship proposal application in order to be registered for the course.

Course does not have a regular meeting time; students submit work via blog and e-mail; some meetings with instructor.

Schedule Type: INT

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-9

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 1-12

When Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Repeatable within Degree

Learning experience in the application of conflict analysis and resolution (CAR) skills in special program settings. Provides supervised practice in CAR techniques, leadership, program implementation, and strategies to facilitate conflict resolution in educational institutions or community settings.

Schedule Type: INT

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 2

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Repeatable within Degree

Investigates conflict theory through international field experience including participation in formally organized course offered by Center for Global Education or another form of international field experience approved by program director.

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

May be repeated for up to 6 credits.

Not Repeatable

Examines inequality, social justice, and human rights in an age of globalization. Topics may include international law and order, welfare-and social policy, regionalism and multilateralism, environmental protection, gender equality, terrorist and transnational criminal networks, human trafficking, modern slavery, world poverty, corporate military firms, governance of global financial institutions, security, and transnational social movements.

Schedule Type: LEC, SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Repeatable within Term

Transfer credit for relevant coursework taken during direct exchange study abroad trips.

When Offered: Fall, Summer, Spring

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Repeatable within Term

Examines selected topics relating to conflict resolution techniques and practices. Topics vary but may include mediation, negotiation, reflective practice, and facilitation.

May be repeated for up to 9 credits if topics vary.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Summer, Spring

Repeatable within Term

Examines selected topics relating to analysis or resolution of conflict. Topics vary but may include historical examination of conflict, social issues stemming from conflict, ethical issues in intervention, globalization, human rights, sources of conflict, or relationship of particular identity domains to conflict.

May be repeated for up to 9 credits if topics vary.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

May be repeated for up to 9 credits if topics vary.

Not Repeatable

A skill development course connecting conflict resolution theory and practice to the mediation process through lectures, discussion. self-reflection, experiential learning, and role-plays. This course has been approved to meet the 20-hour basic education requirements for mediation certification by the Judicial Council of Virginia and the Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia.

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Not Repeatable

A major challenge to peacebuilding efforts domestically and globally are the boundaries that communities believe separates themselves from others. The boundaries have ethnic, racial, religious or cultural roots, often with long histories of division and violence. This class will examine case studies and strategies from around the globe of peacebuilding in complex communities.

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Repeatable within Term

Provides students with real-world setting to link conflict theory to resolution practice. Students will engage with grassroots organizations in conflict assessment, resolution process designs, trainings, and project implementation in domestic and international settings.

When Offered: Fall, Summer, Spring

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

May be repeated for up to 12 credits. May require additional fees.

Not Repeatable

Capstone course in which students reflect on what they have learned, integrating knowledge from course work and synthesizing it to cogent body of knowledge. Includes class discussion and final project that demonstrates understanding of conflict theory and reflective practice.

Fulfills Mason Core requirement in synthesis.

Designated as a research and scholarship intensive course.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Repeatable within Degree

Readings and research conducted on individual basis in consultation with instructor.

Student may not present more than 3 credits for graduation credit.

Schedule Type: IND

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-6

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Prerequisite or corequisite for all MS CONF majors. Introduces field of conflict analysis and resolution. Examines definitions of conflict and diverse views of its "resolution." Explores thinking about human behavior, and social systems as they relate to origins of conflict and role of conflict in violent and peaceful social change. Considers appropriate responses to conflict at interpersonal, intergroup, industrial, communal, and international levels.

Permission of instructor not required for this course.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Introduces field of conflict analysis and resolution. Examines the origins of social conflict, the practices and strategies for responding to conflict, and frameworks for constructive intervention. Considers interpersonal, community, and large-scale intergroup conflict.

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

This course offers an integration of theory, research and practice to investigate the inner workings of our field. It includes conflict theories, models and modes of practice that function as the grounding to subsequent courses in the curriculum, and exploration of some of the key contemporary debates. The course includes opportunities for linking theory to practice with experimental learning activities. 

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 6

When Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Not Repeatable

Examines major theories of conflict causation and motivation. Emphasizes need for theories to inform processes of conflict resolution. Weaves together ideas from conventional disciplines with new approaches, especially with regard to causes and methods of resolving deep-rooted conflict.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Introduces students to the philosophies behind social science research and the methods for conducting research in the field of conflict resolution. Focuses on the identification of research problems associated with particular conflict situations, selection of appropriate research methods, and the design of effective research projects.

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Not Repeatable

Introductory skill-building course integrating conflict theory and practice using reflective practitioner model. Students learn necessary skills for third-party facilitation and mediation, including active listening, empathy, paraphrasing, reframing, and negotiation, in addition to analytical skills of problem solving and creation of transformational processes. Cases for practice focus on interpersonal and intergroup conflict.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501.

Schedule Type: LAB

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 0

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 3

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Repeatable within Degree for Credit

This course will provide students an experiential opportunity to consider the relationship between social science theories and conflict analysis and resolution work; and engagement in a variety of forms with real world conflict. Each course will provide students the opportunity to engage in research and practice activities, choosing the appropriate modalities for the conflict they are engaging with. 

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

When Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Not Repeatable

Taken in last semester of master's student course work. Assists in developing students' own theories of conflict and conflict resolution by reviewing and integrating prior course work. Students expected to demonstrate holistic comprehension by writing a major essay of publishable quality.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501, 601, 610, 713

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Introduces innovative practices and provides structure to reflect on and improve ability to work within conflict settings. Considers the intersection of theory and practice, with special attention to the challenges of translation, adaptation, and transfer of skills and models.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Covers designing collaborative processes to work with diverse stakeholders to build meaningful and lasting shared agreements. Considers applications in land use, development, or other community planning contexts.

Designated a Green Leaf Course.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502.

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Considers conflict analysis and resolution approaches to designing, implementing, and evaluating holistic cross-sectoral, conflict-sensitive initiatives in areas of potential violence and postconflict reconstruction and stabilization contexts.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Analyzes ways world religions play role in conflicts, war, diplomacy, peace making, and conflict resolution.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Covers range of skills in group facilitation processes, with emphasis on conflict analysis and resolution approaches to improve group communication. Includes skill-building exercises.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Covers elements of cultural diversity, understanding, and awareness, as well as creative ways of approaching issues of diversity, identity, worldviews, and territory. Considers individuals, organizations, communities and nations.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Covers roles and styles of leadership in interpersonal, organizational, community, group, and international conflicts. Considers cultural roles of leaders as insider-partials, negotiators, facilitators, and mediators.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Covers assessment methods appropriate to conflict contexts and related evaluation approaches and techniques for use in areas of peace building, community processes, or interpersonal conflict.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or 502

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Repeatable within Degree

In-depth study of contemporary areas of conflict resolution practice.

Fulfills elective requirement for certificate program.  Topics vary.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Capstone course facilitating integration of learning in the graduate certificate programs and appropriate mentored application and experiential learning.

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Repeatable within Degree

In-depth field study of ongoing conflict situations, and design and delivery of intervention processes to manage or resolve conflicts.

Two semesters, 3 credits per semester.

Schedule Type: INT, LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 5

Grading: Graduate Special

Repeatable within Term

Students are expected to mesh theory and practice through observation and experience. Includes comprehensive report analyzing experiences.  For 3 credits of internship students must complete 160 hours of work on site.  Students must receive permission of the Internship Coordinator prior to registering.

Under direction of internship coordinator, students spend at least 160 hours on project involving study, resolution of conflict for each 3-credit internship.

Schedule Type: INT

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-6

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 1-6

Grading: Graduate Special

Repeatable within Term

Topics vary; announced each academic year.

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Repeatable within Term

Independent reading at master's level on specific topic related to conflict analysis and resolution, as agreed to by student and faculty member.

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-6

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 1-3

May be repeated up to 6 credits.

Not Repeatable

Examines diverse meanings of peace, conflict, and violence, and then reviews different issues relevant to understanding peace and conflict, including the sources of war, poverty and economic disparities, and ecological degradation. Other topics to be covered are peace keeping, peace building, sustainable development, ecological preservation, nonviolence, and peace movements.Designated a Green Leaf Course.

Green Leaf Course

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

This course provides participants with the analytic tools needed to conduct their own research on conflict and conflict resolution, using a narrative perspective. This course enables students to a) review the key narrative research in the field of conflict resolution; b) design a narrative analysis of conflict; c) conduct a narrative analysis of conflicts.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501, 801, or permission by instructor.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Students explore issues and controversies in our field about what is just and unjust, morally right and wrong, and good and bad. Such issues are relevant to analysis and practice before, during, after the occurrence of conflict; The major topics include: validity of pacifism, the notions of a just war, the challenges of genocide prevention, non-violent resistance, humanitarian interventions, and human rights activism.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall, Summer

Not Repeatable

This course will address gendered dimensions of violent conflict and its transformation. Key themes to be explored include gender and post-conflict justice and reconciliation; the gendered politics of memory, speech and representation; militarism and masculinity; sexual violence and discourses of trauma, victimization and agency; and the ethics and politics of analytic and practice approaches. Case studies will include the partition of India/Pakistan; wartime sexual assault in Bosnia/the DRC; and domestic violence in the U.S. and South Asia.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Summer

Not Repeatable

Explores complex interrelations of social identity and postmodern conflicts in society. Emphasizes the role of identity in processes of conflict resolution and transformation. Critical rethinking of ethnic, national, and religious identities as both generators and outcomes of conflict are an important part of the course. Extends knowledge on structure and dynamics of identity-based conflicts and develops a framework for their resolution. Course includes lectures, simulations, and case studies.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Examines the role culture plays in genesis, structuring, and resolution of processes of conflict within and between groups. Special attention to ethnicity and other subcultural markers of identity in complex social systems as generators and outcomes of conflict. Explores relevance of variables to success or failure of conflict resolution.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Addresses historic analyses of racial and ethnic identity conflicts and their resolution.

Equivalent to SOCI 523

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Explores role of religious ideas, practices, and organizations in conflict, war, peace making, and conflict resolution.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Examines constructs of gender and conflict as they relate to critical analysis of theory and practice. Reviews feminist theories for contributions to social and conflict theories. Uses narratives to explore how gender, power dynamics interact in conflict.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Explores major historical and contemporary positions on the intellectual, moral, and religious foundations for analyzing and resolving conflict. Enhances critical abilities in metacritique, dialectics, and intellectual self-appropriation.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Introduces major controversies and debates surrounding use of human rights theory and practice cross-culturally. After basic study of human rights philosophy, uses case studies from around the world to examine problems and potential of human rights in today's globalized world.

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Explores violence from variety of intellectual and political perspectives. Readings are wide-ranging and interdisciplinary, addressing levels of analysis from biological to nation-state and transnational processes.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Examines how structures and institutions affect behavior and give rise to conflictual relationships at all social levels, from interpersonal to the international. Explores role of conflict resolution as political process providing opportunities for nonviolent system change.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Explores intersection and dynamics of organizational behavior and dimensions of conflict. Involves theoretical perspectives and cases examining conflict analysis and resolution. Practices strategies for prevention and intervention. Field research in greater metropolitan area integrates course content.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Examines the relationship between processes of political and economic change and conflict; the relationship between democratization and conflict; the relationship between structural adjustment policies and conflict; and the challenges of postconflict reconstruction.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Contrasts legal processes and institutions with alternative approaches to dispute resolution. Defines and distinguishes among law, "alternative dispute resolution," and problem-solving analysis as methods for resolving rather than controlling conflict. Examines to what extent legal procedures are truly applicable to resolving deep-rooted conflict.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Uses negotiating experiences to construct framework for thinking about and analyzing negotiation processes. Framework then used to organize review of research literature on rhythms and patterns of negotiation and to analyze actual cases. Interweaves exercises, class projects with state-of-the-art concepts and findings.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Building on initiatives of United Nations and other multilateral organizations, explores dynamics of post-conflict peace building. Prepares students of conflict resolution to play innovative roles in reconstruction of civil societies.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Explores processes of acknowledgment, reconciliation, forgiveness, and restitution. Reviews literature, case studies, and other research to assess applicability and impact of these efforts.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Examines how world religions play a role in conflict and conflict resolution. Investigates how values, world view, and hermeneutics influence strategies for successful conflict interventions.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

The course will cover the latest research, theories, and case analysis on civil wars and peacebuilding, including topics such as: The social, economic, and political institutional origins of conflict; The roles of resources, institutions, and social formations in shaping dynamics of civil war and other related forms of contentious politics; War termination and comparative peace processes; Components and dynamics of peacebuilding and the relationships among peacebuilding, democratization, and state-building; Roles of third parties in promoting negotiations, peace implementation and sustainable peacebuilding and reconciliation.  Case studies of contemporary civil wars will be used to illustrate and test these conceptual frameworks. This course is the first in a year-long seminar. Students are required to take the second course in the seminar CONF 752.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall

Not Repeatable

The course will cover the latest research, theories, and case analysis on civil wars and peacebuilding, including topics such as: The social, economic, and political institutional origins of conflict; The roles of resources, institutions, and social formations in shaping dynamics of civil war and other related forms of contentious politics; War termination and comparative peace processes; Components and dynamics of peacebuilding and the relationships among peacebuilding, democratization, and state-building; Roles of third parties in promoting negotiations, peace implementation and sustainable peacebuilding and reconciliation.  Case studies of contemporary civil wars will be used to illustrate and test these conceptual frameworks. This course is the second in a year-long seminar. Students are required to have taken CONF 751 in the previous semester.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall

Not Repeatable

The goal of this course is to explore theoretical approaches to psychological processes, personality, in-group and intergroup dynamics, and social processes in the society as a whole with the emphasis on their role in the processes of conflict resolution and transformation. Critical understanding of psychological and socio-psychological phenomena as both generators and outcomes of conflict will be an important part of the course. This course has three main parts: psychological processes, approaches to person, and group processes and society.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall

Not Repeatable

The Insight approach is best understood as an applied human science. Like other applied sciences, it requires students to master an explanatory framework that enables them to frame their questions, formulate their hypotheses, verify their findings, and plan their actions.
Thus, the course is designed follow an activity-based, problem-solving approach to learning and using the Insight approach. The objective is to enable students to master the Insight approach by putting it to work, with course meetings build around analytical exercises and activities designed to illuminate assigned readings.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall

Not Repeatable

This course is about the biggest problems facing our communities, our nation, and our world today. Our communities, our nations (the US and others), and the world have proven remarkably unable to "solve" any of these problems. Why? We assert it is because they are all underlain by a more fundamental problem — the inability to constructively deal with difficult and intractable conflicts. These conflicts prevent us as individuals, organizations, and governments (at all levels) from making wise decisions or taking effective action that will address any of these pressing problems.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall

Not Repeatable

The purpose of this course is to teach students to read/interpret written and oral texts; explore what imaginative literature can teach us about the causes, motives, dynamics, and possibilities of resolving violent social conflicts; deepen our understanding of the human dimensions of conflicts involving mass movements for social transformation; and practice creating imaginative works of our own.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Fall

Not Repeatable

Presents students with analytical frameworks to account for terrorist acts and organizations and explore social dynamics underlying the development of, and response to, terrorism. Topics may include recruitment into violent groups, counterterrorism and human rights concerns, role of religious and political ideologies in terrorism and counterterrorism, media coverage of terrorism, and effects of terrorism on social structures and processes.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 or CONF 801.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

When Offered: Spring

Repeatable within Term

These 1- and 2-credit courses are scheduled non-conventionally using weekends, concentrated presentations, and intersession periods to develop advanced professional skills. Possible topics include marketing conflict resolution services, academic course design, training design, mediation, facilitation, family practice, fundraising, writing for publication, advanced field research techniques, and grassroots applications of conflict resolution.

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-3

May be repeated.

Not Repeatable

Covers development of research proposal for master's thesis, including framing a question, literature review, and designing appropriate methodology. Students form master's thesis committee and review Human Subjects Review Board's guidelines and procedures.

Corequisite(s): CONF 501 and 610

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Grading: Satisfactory/No Credit only

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Repeatable within Term

Two semesters, usually taken as 3 credits per semester. Original research or analysis under direction of thesis committee.

Schedule Type: IND, INT

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1-3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 1-6

Grading: Satisfactory/No Credit

Not Repeatable

Introduces field of conflict analysis and resolution for doctoral students. Examines definitions of conflict and diverse views of resolution. Explores thinking about human behavior and social systems as they relate to origins and role of conflict in violent and peaceful social change. Considers appropriate responses to conflict at interpersonal, intergroup, industrial, communal, and international levels.

Prerequisite or corequisite for all PhD CONF students

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Understanding human conflict requires knowledge of human behavior, motivation, and perception. Reviews and critically analyzes several psychological theories for application to conflict analysis and resolution theory and practice.

Corequisite(s): CONF 801

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Understanding social conflict and potential for conflict resolution requires that both conflict and cooperation be perceived in relation to patterns of social change. Reviews and critiques significant theories of social change to establish a basis for creative conflict analysis and resolution.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Familiarizes students with the ideas generated by the Frankfurt School of social theorists and others who have extended or altered these ideas. Students will use these insights to deepen an understanding of serious social conflicts and to explore the implications of critical theories for conflict resolution processes.

Corequisite(s): CONF 801

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Building on logic of inquiry, introduces steps in research process to prepare dissertation and implement published research. Covers wide array of quantitative research approaches in social sciences, with emphasis on conflict analysis.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Continuation of steps in research process to prepare dissertation and implement published research. Builds on CONF 811 by examining qualitative research approaches used in social sciences, with emphasis on conflict analysis.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Explores qualitative research design as it pertains to the humanities, including the methods and epistemology behind the various issues likely to emerge in the process of conducting research. In addition to material on research design and methodology, reading assignments include several monographs that employ different qualitative methodologies.

Corequisite(s): CONF 801

Schedule Type: SEM

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0

Not Repeatable

Introductory skill-building course integrating conflict theory and practice using reflective practitioner model. Students learn necessary skills for third-party facilitation and mediation, including active listening, empathy, paraphrasing, reframing, and negotiation, in addition to analytical skills of problem solving and creation of transformational processes. Cases for practice focus on interpersonal and intergroup conflict.

Corequisite(s): CONF 801

Schedule Type: LAB

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 0

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 3

When Offered: Fall, Spring

Repeatable within Degree

In-depth field study of ongoing conflict situations. Design and delivery of intervention processes to manage or resolve conflicts.

Schedule Type: INT

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 1

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 5

Grading: Graduate Special

Repeatable within Degree

Independent reading at doctoral level on a specific topic related to conflict and conflict resolution as agreed to by student and faculty member.

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Not Repeatable

Analyzes theoretical basis undergirding methods of research in conflict resolution. Explores how theory is built through reciprocal influence of research and practice. Assists students to fill in gaps in their knowledge and prepare for comprehensive examinations. Prepares students to write integrated research proposals.

Schedule Type: LEC

Hours of Lecture or Seminar per week: 3

Hours of Lab or Studio per week: 0