(POSC 338) The Economics of Political Violence

Course Learning Outcomes

The purpose of this course is to work toward an answer to one of the most pressing questions facing the international community today. How can the international community avoid, terminate, and prevent the occurrence and re–occurrence of civil wars and other types of internal violence, especially in the developing world? To answer this question (or rather questions) we will consider the causes of civil wars (especially as those causes relate to poverty), and then discuss how potential outside actors may attack these causes to help bring about the end of internal conflict and build lasting peace. The class will be a mix of theoretical arguments and cases studies where we examine how valid those arguments are. We will use the “scientific method” inasmuch as possible. This class is directly related to the goal of the university to be an instrument of peace throughout the world. It also counts toward the International Development certificate and the Peace Building certificate offered by the university.