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Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts

Code: 101096 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Political Science and Public Management OT 3
Political Science and Public Management OT 4
International Relations OB 3

Contact

Name:
Blanca Camps Febrer
Email:
blanca.camps@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no academic prerequisites.

You must be able to read English regularly and attend classes on a regular basis.

You must have the ability and habit of reading, watching, studying and consulting various general media, as well as following in particular news related to the international agenda and conflict and peace processes.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The main objective of this optional subject is to familiarise students with the evolution, concepts, theoretical tools and practical application of various subfields of International Relations, in a broad sense, as well as with their main biases or specific approaches for analysing and intervening in conflicts with the aim of managing, resolving or transforming them.

 

Specifically, the objectives are:

 

1. To situate the study of international conflicts and how to intervene in the general framework of the social sciences, as well as in a historical and evolutionary perspective.

 

2. To study the notion of conflict, its types and its logic and dynamics in international politics.

 

3. To provide conceptual and analytical frameworks for framing social and international conflicts, as well as their nature, recurrence and location, in particular with regional and sub-regional logics. In concrete terms, to apprehend a pattern of analysis applicable to different international conflicts, in particular to armed conflicts, or conflicts that could easily develop into such conflicts.

 

4. Apply the pattern to several conflicts over the last fifty years.

 

5. To become succinctly acquainted with the various instruments for conflict prevention, management, resolution and transformation.


Competences

    Political Science and Public Management
  • Applying theoretical and analytical knowledge of International Relations to practical and professional cases, in particular to the areas of conflict and cooperation between actors.
  • Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  • Assessing specific distinctive aspects and conceptual and methodological instruments of the different tendencies and analytical approximations of International Relations.
  • Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  • Demonstrating they know theoretical tendencies and classical and recent analytical approximations of International Relations.
  • Distinguishing the discipline's main theories and different fields: conceptual developments, theoretical frameworks and theoretical approaches underlying the discipline's knowledge and different areas and sub-areas, as well as their value for the professional practice through concrete cases.
  • Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  • Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  • Producing and planning researches or analytical reports.
  • Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  • Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  • Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  • Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
    International Relations
  • Analyse cases and phenomena in the international sphere and interpret different political texts using contemporary political theories.
  • Analyse the behaviour of international actors, both state and non-state.
  • Analyse the challenges to international security including the conditions that promote peace and generate conflicts and the evolutionary of international security architecture.
  • Analyse the structure and operation of international institutions and organisations (political, economic, military and security, environmental, development and emergency aid) both in the universal and regional spheres, with particular emphasis on the European Union, from either real or simulated cases.
  • Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  • Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  • Identify the main theories of international relations and their different fields (international theory, conflicts and security, international politics, etc.) to apply them in professional practice.
  • Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse the behaviour of different actors in the main topics and problems related to international security, international conflicts and the promotion of peace.
  2. Apply different theories and focuses to the analysis of the main problems related to security, foreign policy and armed conflict and the promotion of peace.
  3. Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  4. Applying theoretical and analytical knowledge of International Relations to practical and professional cases, in particular to the areas of conflict and cooperation between actors.
  5. Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  6. Assessing specific distinctive aspects and conceptual and methodological instruments of the different tendencies and analytical approximations of International Relations.
  7. Critically assessing the impacts of globalization in several areas: safety, environment, human rights, migrations and peace.
  8. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  9. Demonstrating they know theoretical tendencies and classical and recent analytical approximations of International Relations.
  10. describe the evolution of international security.
  11. Evaluate the conditions that lead to international peace and those which make it more difficult.
  12. Explaining the major approximations to the international relations (realism, transnationalism and structuralism).
  13. Identify and analyse some of the key challenges in international security and international conflicts from a multidimensional perspective.
  14. Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  15. Identify the main institutions with competences and working in international security, international conflicts and the promotion of peace and analyse the specific importance of these.
  16. Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  17. Make a reasoned application of different contemporary political theories to phenomena related to international security, international conflicts, foreign policies of the main states and the promotion of peace.
  18. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  19. Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  20. Producing and planning researches or analytical reports.
  21. Properly using the theory and concepts of international relations (traditions of Hobbesian, Grotian or Kantian thought).
  22. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  23. Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  24. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  25. Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  26. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  27. Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.
  28. Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  29. Working autonomously.
  30. Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  31. Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.

Content

Block I. The systemic and conceptual framework

1. Essential concepts for understanding political violence

2. War and power in the 20th and 21st centuries: the evolution of armed conflicts, war, security and peace

3. Social sciences and armed conflicts: why do we fight?

4. Feminism and conflict analysis

Block II. Tools for conflict analysis

5. How to approach the study of conflicts

6. Typologies of conflicts

7. Typologies of combatants

8. Tools for gender analysis

Block III - International society action: containing violent conflicts and establishing peace

9. Studies and practice of conflict analysis, resolution and transformation

10. International instruments: United Nations and international security

11. Containment of violent conflicts, peacekeeping and peace establishment

Block IV - Conflict resolution and transformation: peacebuilding

12. Preparation for peace: peace processes and agreements

13. Post-war reconstruction

14. Peacebuilding

15. Reconciliation and resolution of root causes


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Debates and Conferences 7 0.28
Exercise 4 0.16
Lectures 40 1.6
Seminaries 6 0.24
Type: Supervised      
Assignments and Readings 25 1
Type: Autonomous      
Individual work 60 2.4

Teaching methodology and training activities

The student's dedication to the subject is divided into different types of activities, which, in coherence, are materialised in different requirements and differentiated methodologies. This is a 6 ECTS course, therefore 150 hours.
These 150 hours are divided into activities articulated as follows:

a) Face-to-face or directed (50 hours, 33,3 %).
Lectures with the use of ICT and debates: 20 sessions (40 hours).
Classroom seminars: 2 sessions (6 hrs)
Assessable classroom practicals: 2 sessions (4 hrs)

b) Supervised activities: reading controls, group work, tutorials for assignments, etc: 25 hrs (16.7%).

c) Evaluation: Block exam, final evaluation work, and remedial evaluation: 7,5 hrs (5%)

d) Autonomous work of the student (study and work at home and/or library): 67,5 hrs (45%)

2. Practical instructions for the virtual campus material and classroom activity
Each theoretical lesson will have:

a) a specific outline to guide the face-to-face/directed sessions and other related activities;

b) one or two compulsory readings; and

c) some additional references.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exam 1 35% 2 0.08 4, 5, 9, 12, 22, 18, 16, 26, 29, 31, 7
Exam 2 50% 2 0.08 3, 5, 27, 9, 8, 20, 19, 22, 18, 14, 13, 15, 16, 25, 23, 24, 26, 30, 29, 31, 21, 28, 6
Group Research 20% 4 0.16 1, 2, 17, 5, 32, 9, 10, 18, 13, 15, 16, 25, 23, 26, 29, 21, 6, 7, 11

The evaluation of this subject consists of the following parts:

  1. A partial exam of the first two blocks of the program, which constitutes 35% of the final grade
  2. A partial exam of the rest of the syllabus, 35% of the final grade, which will be held on the last day of class
  3. A practical assignment, worth 20% of the final grade. The practical assignment will have several parts which may include the elaboration of a written work (the application of the analysis framework to an armed conflict), an oral presentation, the creation of visual support material and/or a debate.
  4. Continuous assessment: class participation and debates, text commentaries, and other activities scheduled by the teaching staff, 10% of the final grade. Active class participation is required.

Requirements to pass the subject:

To pass the subject, a final average grade (once all elements are weighted) of 5/10 must be obtained. To pass the subject, a MINIMUM GRADE of 5/10 is required in each of the two exams. Exams in which the minimum grade of 5/10 is not obtained can be retaken at the end of the course on the compensatory evaluation date indicated by the Faculty. Detailed information about this date will be provided during the course. It will be possible to pass the course with one of the two exams failed, provided that the grade of this exam is equal to or higher than 4/10 and that the average of the four exams is 5/10. The practical assignment will be done in groups and will include more than one activity or evidence. In the evaluation, both individual and group work will be assessed. Important:the practical assignment is not recoverable. In case the evaluation includes an individual question or exercise, to be entitled to the grade for this activity it will be essential to have done the group work. That is, the person who has not previously participated in the group work cannot present themselves for the individual activity.

The dates of the two Exams and the exercises linked to the practical assignment and any other activity will be specified within the framework of the subject programming (consult the Virtual Campus).

Single evaluation:

Students who have requested it in due time and form may opt for a single evaluation that will consist of an exercise composed of an exam (70% of the grade) and a practical activity (30%). The practical activity (30%) is mandatory to be evaluated. As in the case of continuous assessment, practical exercises cannot be recovered. This exercise will take place on the last day of class at the end of the semester. In case of not passing this test with a score of 5 points out of 10, the exercise can be retaken on the date set by the Faculty for ordinary evaluation (NOT compensatory) and will be made public with sufficient advance notice.


Bibliography

Compulsory bibliography will be specified at the beginning of the course.

 

Berdal, Mats, and David Malone, eds. 2000. Greed and Grievance: Economic Agendas in Civil Wars. Boulder: Lynne Rienner.

Brown, Seyom. 1994. The Causes and Prevention of War. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Calvo Rufanges, Jordi, and Alejandro Pozo Marín, eds. 2015. Diccionario de La Guerra, La Paz y El Desarme. Antrazyt 431. Barcelona: Icaria.

Calvo Rufanges, Jordi, ed. 2016. Mentes Militarizadas. Más Madera. Barcelona: Icaria.

Carter Hallward, M., J. E. Kim, C. Mouly, T. Seidel, and Z. Wai. The Sage Handbook of Peace and Conflict Studies. 1st ed. London: SAGE Publications, Limited, 2025.

Cohn, Carol, ed. 2013. Women and Wars. Cambridge, UK ; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

Duffield, Mark. 2004. Las nuevas guerras en el mundo global: La convergencia entre desarrollo y seguridad. Madrid: La Catarata. Originally published 2001.

Fisas, Vicenç. 2004. Procesos de paz y negociación en conflictos armados. Barcelona: Paidós.

Galtung, Johan. 1996. Peace by Peaceful Means: Peace and Conflict, Development and Civilization. London: Sage.

Gentry, Caron E., and Laura Sjoberg. 2015. Beyond Mothers, Monsters, Whores: Thinking about Women’s Violence in Global Politics. London: Zed Books.

Hampson, Fen Osler, Alpaslan Özerdem, and Jonathan Kent, eds. Routledge Handbook of Peace, Security, and Development. 1st ed. London: Routledge, 2020.

Jeong, Ho-Won. 2010. Conflict Management and Resolution: An Introduction. London: Routledge.

Job, Brian, ed. 1992. The Insecurity Dilemma: National Security of Third World States. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner.

Kagan, Donald. 2003. Sobre las causas de la guerra y la preservación de la paz. Madrid: Turner; Mexico City: FCE. Originally published 1995.

Kaldor, Mary. 2001. Las nuevas guerras. Barcelona: Tusquets.

Kriesberg, Louis; William; Dayton, Bruce W., Constructive conflicts: from escalation to resolution, [Malmö], Produced by Swedish Agency for Accessible Media, 2022.

Loewenstein, Antony. 2023. The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation around the World. London New York: Verso.

Miall, Hugh, Oliver Ramsbotham, and Tom Woodhouse. 2005. Contemporary Conflict Resolution: The Prevention, Management and Transformation of Deadly Conflicts. 2nd ed. London: Polity Press. Spanish edition: ICIP/Bellatera, October 2011.

Mishra, Pankaj. 2025. The World after Gaza. London: Fern Press.

Pruitt, Dean G., and Sung Hee Kim. 2004. Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate and Settlement. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Romeva i Rueda, Raül. 2003. Guerra, posguerra y paz: Pautas para el análisis y la intervención en contextos posbélicos o postacuerdo. Barcelona: Icaria.

Te Maihāroa, Kayla, Mele Ligaliga, and Heather Devere. Decolonising Peace and Conflict Studies through Indigenous Research. 1st ed. Singapore: Springer Singapore, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6779-4.

Wallensteen, Peter. Understanding Conflict Resolution. 4th ed. London: SAGE, 2023.

Wanis-St. John, Anthony, and Roger Mac Ginty, eds. Contemporary Peacemaking: Peace Processes, Peacebuilding and Conflict. 3rd ed. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9.

 

 

 

 

 

Instituts i centres de recerca especialitzats / Institutes and Research Centres / Institutos y centros de investigación

 


Software

Prohibited use: In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted in any of its phases. Any work that includes fragments generated with AI will be considered a breach of academic honesty and may result in partial or total penalty in the activity grade, or major sanctions in cases of severity. This is due to the effects on cognitive aspects of learning, and for environmental and ethical reasons.


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed