CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND PEACE-BUILDING

Department of Development Studies

Kampala International University (KIU), Uganda
Academic Year: 2018/2019
_______________________________________________________________________

Lecturer Name: (Ms.) Abaasa Sheila Atwine

Email: abaasasheila@gmail.com
Phone: +256774302067
+256705184350

Introduction:

This course is a three-credit unit course for undergraduate students in the School of Arts
and Social Sciences. The materials have been developed with the Ugandan context in view.
This Course Guide gives you an overview of the course. It also provides you with information
on the organization and requirements of the course.

Course Aims

The aims are to help you to understand the Meaning/Definition of Conflict, Types of
Conflict, Causes/Sources of Conflict, Conflict Theories, Conflict Analysis/Mapping,
Definition of War, Causes of War, Types of War, Theories of War, Effects of War, Origin of
International Law, International Law and War, Criticisms of International Law, War Crime and
War Guilt, United Nations and War, International Humanitarian Law, Prisoners of War and
War Victims, Human-Rights, Peaceful and Forceful means of settling dispute/conflict and war,
Methods of ameliorating, if not preventing violent conflicts.

These broad aims will be achieved by:

Introducing you to meaning of Conflict, types, causes theories of as well as conflict

analysis/mapping, broadening your knowledge on the meaning, causes, theories and effect of
war. Explaining the stands of international law on war, peaceful and forceful methods of
conflict/war settlement.

Course Objectives

Here are the wider objectives for the course as a whole. By meeting the objectives, you
count yourself as having met the aims of the course.
On successful completion of the course, you should be able to: Define what conflict is, explain
types and causes/sources of Conflict, list the attributes conflict theories, explain conflict
analysis/mapping
Define war, identify causes of war and types of war, differentiate between different types of
theories of war, be able to enumerate consequences of war, state origin of international law,
know what the international law says about war, highlight criticisms of international law,
differentiate between various forms of international criminal tribunal, discuss shortcomings of
international criminal tribunal, discuss peaceful means of settling dispute/conflict and war;
have a broad understanding of forceful means of settling conflict/war.
Working through this Course

To complete the course, you are required to read the study units and other related
materials. You will also need to undertake practical exercises for which you need a pen, a note
book, and other materials that will be listed in this guide. The exercises are to aid you in
understanding the concepts being presented.. At the end of the course, you will write a final
examination.

Course Materials

The major materials that we will need for this course are:

(i) Course guide.

(ii) As beginners, you need to read newspapers and interact with other mass media and
internet as often as possible.

Study Units

There are 20 units (of four modules) I have developed for this course. They are listed below:

Module 1 Understanding Conflict

Unit 1 Definition Causes and Types of Conflict

Unit 2 Conflict Theories (Sociological Perspective)
Unit 3 Conflict Theories (Psychological Perspective)
Unit 4 Dynamics of Conflict
Unit 5 Conflict Analysis
Module 2 Understanding War

Unit 1 Meaning/Definition of War, Causes of War, War and State of

Hostility
Unit 2 Theories of War
Unit 3 Theories of Just War
Unit 4 Wars in Traditional African Society
Unit 5 Appraisal of Contemporary and Traditional African War making
and Conflict Resolution

Module 3 International Law War and Conflict

Unit 1 Origin and Nature of Law of Nations

Unit 2 Criticisms about Why International Law Should be Regarded as
Law
Unit 3 International Humanitarian Law and War Crimes
Unit 4 The International Criminal Tribunal/Court
Unit 5 The Impact of Conflict / War and Post-Conflict Reconstruction
and Peacebuilding

Module 4 The Settlement of Disputes

Unit 1 The Peaceful or Amicable Settlement of Disputes in International

Law I
Unit 2 The Peaceful or Amicable Settlement of Dispute in International
Law II
Unit 3 The Coercive or Forcible Means of Dispute
Resolution/Settlement in International Law
Unit 4 The Coercive or Forcible Means of Dispute Resolution
Unit 5 The Coercive or Forcible Means of Dispute Resolution
(Intervention)

Textbooks and References

Certain books have been recommended in the course. You may wish to purchase them for
further reading.

Burton. John (1990). Conflict: Resolution and Prevention, London: Macmillan.

Cohen, Percy S. (1968). Modern Social Theory. London: Heinemann.

Coser, Lewis; The Functions of Social Conflict. New York: Free Press.

Gurr, Ted R. (1970). Why Men Rebel. Princeton University Press.

Yates, A. (1962). Frustration and Conflict. London: Methuen.

Akehurst M. (1982). A Modern Introduction to International Law. (2nd ed.)London: George

Allen and Unwin Ltd.

Bowett, D. W. (1958). Self-defence in International Law. Manchester University Press.

Casses, A. (1968). International Law in a Divided World. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Glahn, G. V. (1976). Law Among Nations: An Introduction to Public International Law. (3rd
ed.) New York: Macmillan Publishing Co.Inc.

Lloyd, D. (1987). The Idea of Law. London Penguin Books.

Abu-Lughod, I. (1970) (ed.) The Arab-Israel Confrontation of June 1967: Arab

PerspectiveEvanston, Northwest: University Press.

Akehurst, M. (1975). (2nd ed.) A Modern Introduction to International Law. London:

Macdonald and Jones.
Blic, H. (1970). Sovereignty, Aggression and Neutrality; Almquist and Wksell Stockholm, the
Daq Hammarskjold Foundation.

Brownlie, I. (1983). International Law and Use of Force by State. (ed) Oxford: Oxford
Clarendon Press.

Churchill, R. R. and Lowe, A. V. (1988). The Law of the Sea; Manchester: University Press.

Dixon, Chapter 11: ‘The Use of Force’, pp. 301 – 04.

Kaczorowska, Chapter 16: ‘The Use of Force’, pp. 432 – 37.

Goevel, Jr. J. (1971). The Struggle for the Falkland Islands: A Study in Legal Diplomatic
History. London: Kennikat Press.

Henken, L. (1989). Right V. Might: International Law and the Use of Force. London: Council
on Foreign Relations Press.

Kalshoven, F. (1971). Belligerent Reprisals. London, A. W. Sijthoff.

Lloyd, D. (1987). The Idea of Law. London: Penguin Books.

Denzin, N. (1989 (a) ). Interpretive Interactionism. Newbury Park, C. A. Sage.

_________(1989 (b) ). The Research Act: A Theoretical Introduction to Sociological Methods.

Third Edition. Englewood Cliffs, N. J: Prentice-Hall.

Folger, J. P. (1997). Working Through Conflict: Strategies for Relationships. New York.

Burton, John (1990 (a) ). Conflict: Human Needs Theory. London: Macmillan.

Burton, John (1990 (b) ). Conflict: Resolution and Prevention. London: Macmillan.

Cohen, Percy S. (1968) Modern Social Theory. London Heinemann.

Coser, Lewis; The Functions of Social Conflict. New York: Free

Copson, Raymond (1994). Africa’s War and Prospects for Peace. London: Sharp.

Deng, Francis ., and I. William Zatman, eds. (1991) Conflict Resolution in Africa. Washington:
The Brooking Institution.

Grundy, Kenneth (1971). Guerrila Struggle in Africa: An Analysis and Preview. New York:
Grossman.
Hans Morgeuthau, (1960). Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. New
York.

S. Stadman, “Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Africa: A Conceptual Framework”, in D

Deng and I Zartman, Op. Cit p 369.

Y. Diallo, (1986), African Traditions and Humanitarian Law: Similarities and Differences,
ICRC.
Azar, Edward (1990). The Management of Protracted Social Conflict: Theory and Cases.
Worcester: Dartmouth.

Burton, John (1990). Human Needs Theory. London: Macmillan.

Fisher, Simon, et al. (2000). Working With Conflict: Skills and Strategies for Action. London:
Zed.

Mitchell, Chris (1988). The Structure of International Conflict. London, Macmillan.

Otite, Onigu and Albert, Isaac A. (1999). Community Conflict in Nigeria. Ibadan: Spectrum,
Academic Associates Peace Works.

Final Examination and Grading

The final examination will be a test of three hours. All areas of the course will be examined.
Find time to read the unit all over before your examination. The final examination will attract
70% of the total course grade. The examination will consist of questions, which reflects the
kinds of self-assessment exercises and tutor marked assignment you have previously
encountered. And all aspects of the course will be assessed. You should use the time between
completing the last unit, and taking the examination to revise the entire course.

Course Marking Scheme

The following table lays out how the actual course mark allocation is broken down.

Assessment Marks
Assignments (Best Three Assignments out of Four = 30%
marked)
Final Examination = 70%
Total = 100%

Presentation Schedule

The dates for submission of all assignments will be communicated to you. You will also be
told the date of completing the study units and dates for examinations.