GV4E8      Half Unit
Conflict and Institutional Design in Divided Societies

This information is for the 2020/21 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Vesna Popovski

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Comparative Politics, MSc in Conflict Studies, MSc in European and International Public Policy, MSc in European and International Public Policy (LSE and Bocconi), MSc in European and International Public Policy (LSE and Sciences Po), MSc in Global Politics and MSc in Political Science and Political Economy. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Priority will be given to students on the MSc in Conflict Studies. This course is capped at 1 group.

The deadline for applications is 17:00 on Tuesday 29 September 2020. You will be informed of the outcome by 17:00 on Wednesday 30 September 2020.

Course content

The internal resolution of serious ethnic and national conflicts almost inevitably involves some form of power sharing and/or power division (autonomy and federation). While power sharing is often invoked in normative and comparative accounts of conflict resolution, it is less frequently systematically examined. Conflict and Institutional Design (CID) is a comparative analysis of the making, maintenance and too often breaking of power sharing agreements. When and how are peace agreements negotiated? Does UN peacekeeping make a positive difference? What role than transitional justice mechanisms perform? Do they help? What type of power-sharing and federal designs are available? Under what conditions is power sharing likely to help contain conflict, and when does it fail? The course will pay particular attention to what happens after a power-sharing agreement is reached. The institutional focus will include analysis of electoral system design for divided societies, the dynamics of electoral and party competition within ethnic segmentation and consociational governance (power-sharing constitutions, executives, legislatures and federations). Why do some power-sharing regimes succeed while others fail?

Teaching

This course is delivered through a combination of seminars and lectures totalling a minimum of 30 hours in Lent Term. Some or all of this teaching will be delivered through a combination of online and on-campus lectures and seminars. There will be a reading week in Week 6 of the LT.

Formative coursework

Two briefing papers on pre-selected key concepts/cases.

Indicative reading

Lijphart, Arend (2008). Thinking about Democracy: Power Sharing and Majority Rule in Theory and Practice. London: Routledge; .Noel, Sid (2005, ed), From Power Sharing to Democracy. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press; Norris, Pippa (2008). Driving Democracy: Do Power-Sharing Institutions Work? Cambridge University Press; Reynolds, Andrew (ed) The Architecture of Democracy: Constitutional Design, Conflict Management and Democracy. Oxford UP; Powell, G. Bingham (2000). Elections as Instruments of Democracy: Majoritarian and Proportional Visions. New Haven: Yale UP; Hayner, Priscilla (2011, 2nd edition). Unspeakable Truths: Transitional Justice and the Challenge of Truth Commissions. Routledge; Shugart, Matthew Soberg and John Carey (1992). Presidents and Assemblies: Constitutional Design and Electoral Dynamics. Cambridge UP; Roeder, Philip and Donald Rothchild (2005). Sustainable Peace: Power and Democracy After Civil Wars. Cornell UP; Lijphart, Arend (1977). Democracy in Plural Societies: A Comparative Exploration. New Haven: Yale University Press; Nordlinger, Eric (1972). Conflict Regulation in Divided Societies. Occasional Papers in International Affairs. Cambridge, MA: Center for International Affairs, Harvard University; O'Leary, Brendan, Ian Lustick and Thomas Callaghy (2001, eds). Right-Sizing the State: The Politics of Moving Borders. Oxford UP; Diamond, Larry and Marc Platter (2006, eds). Electoral Systems and Democracy. Johns Hopkins UP; Gallagher, Michael and Paul Mitchell (2005, eds, The Politics of Electoral Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press; Reilly, Benjamin (2001). Democracy in Divided Societies: Electoral Engineering for Conflict Management. Oxford UP; Birnir, Johanna Kristin (2007). Ethnicity and Electoral Politics. Cambridge University Press.

Assessment

Essay (100%, 5000 words) in the ST.

The research essay will be on a topic of your choice. Having said that the topic will be discussed between each of you and myself and I must approve the topic. The research paper should ideally examine a research question using relevant concepts and theories, and must have an empirical dimension that is relevant to the themes of the course. 'Empirical' is understood in the broadest sense: your material could be a case study set in an appropriate theoretical framework, it could examine a theme with comparative case studies, it could be quantitative or qualitative. Whatever is deemed appropriate to the research question at hand. Bear in mind though that broad surveys are generally not a good idea. After all 5000 words is about half the standard size of a journal article. Much more advice about the essay will be given as the course progresses both collectively and in individual meetings with each of you. One of the aims in asking participants to write a paper is to help you to think about research questions and appropriate research design. Thus we are aiming at more than a traditional essay (which largely summarizes what significant others have said), and to begin to make the transition towards ‘postgraduate research’ in which you help develop new insights and/or new empirical knowledge. This should also help you when approaching the planning and writing of your MSc dissertation. Since you will be working on something that really interests you I hope that this will be an enjoyable experience.

Important information in response to COVID-19

Please note that during 2020/21 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the situation of students in attendance on campus and those studying online during the early part of the academic year. For assessment, this may involve changes to mode of delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.

Key facts

Department: Government

Total students 2019/20: 31

Average class size 2019/20: 15

Controlled access 2019/20: Yes

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Communication