SS490B: THINKING BEYOND COUNTERINSURGENCY: CIVIL WAR AND INTERNAL CONFLICT
Department of Social Sciences
United States Military Academy
Spring 2013(AY 13-2)
Instructors: Dr. Arie Perliger
1. Introduction and Scope: This course goes far beyond discussions about counterinsurgency operations and instead focuses more generally on all conflicts that happen between warring factions and armed groups INSIDE state borders. Some of these conflicts are conventional wars, some involve insurgencies and guerilla warfare, and still other operate via economic systems resembling mafia and organized crime rings as well as gang warfare. These so-called “civil wars” are anything but civil and tend to escalate to more extreme levels of violence than wars between states. The course will begin with a discussion of terms of reference for internal conflict and some historical background and context for internal conflict. It then moves into theories about the causes of internal conflict and the reasons that citizens rebel against their governments. The course then shifts into the conduct of civil wars, the escalation and de-escalation of violence, and the role of intervention forces. The course concludes with a series of lessons on how civil wars end with and without intervention by third parties. Case studies are incorporated into each block of instruction to better illustrate theories of internal conflict.
2. Course Goals: At the end of the course, students should be able to:
a. Identify different types and forms of internal conflict.
b. Identify how and why internal conflicts start.
c. Explain how internal conflicts can escalate and deescalate and why some conflicts are more prolonged than others.
d. Understand the role and impact of third party intervention in internal conflicts.
e. Understand different means and mechanisms by which civil wars can end.
f. Apply theories of internal conflict to a specific case study and conduct critical research and analysis of a specific case study.
3. Course Materials: All required articles/chapters for the course are available via the blackboard system and/or the electronic collections of USMA library.
4. Graded Events. There are 1,000 points available in the course broken down as follows:
Graded Event / Lesson (Due Date) / Points / Percentage of GradeMemo 1 / 5 (8 Feb) / 200 / 20%
Memo 2 / 13 (11 Apr) / 225 / 22.5%
Individual presentation I / 12 (1, 3, 5 Apr) / 75 / 7.5%
Individual presentation II / 17 (7 May) / 100 / 10%
Class Participation / 18 (9 May) / 150 / 15%
TEE / TBD / 250 / 25%
TOTAL / 1000 / 100%
Grading Standards are IAW the Department of Social Sciences and USMA Policy:
Course Grades
Letter Grade / % / Quality Points / Subjective InterpretationMASTERY / A+
A
A- / 97-100
93-96.9
90-92.9 / 4.33
4.0
3.67 / Mastery of concepts.
Can apply concepts to new situations.
PROFICIENCY / B+
B
B- / 87-89.9
83-86.9
80-82.9 / 3.33
3.0
2.67 / Solid understanding of concepts. Strong foundation for future work.
PASSING / C+
C / 77-79.9
73-76.9 / 2.33
2.0 / Acceptable understanding. Questionable foundation for future work.
NON-PASSING / C-
D / 70-72.9
67-69.9 / 1.77
1.0 / Doubtful understanding.
Weak foundation
FAILING GRADE /
F
/ 0-66.9 / 0 / Definitely failed to demonstrate understanding.
5. Writing Requirements: At the beginning of the course students will select an internal conflict / civil war to study and carry with them for the duration of the course. Students will use that case study to apply concepts learned in class and to develop in two separate writing requirements:
Memo I: (Due at 1700, 8 Feb): In 1800-2500 words, students will evaluate the roots of the internal conflict they selected as follows: a) provide a brief description of the political, social and cultural characteristics of the relevant region/territory; b) write a critical analysis of the processes and dynamics which led to the outbreak of the conflict; c) explain the role (or lack of) of the international community in the eruption of violence; d) what we can learn from the conflict in general about the causes which facilitate the outbreak of domestic violence.
Memo II: (Due at 1700, 11 Apr): In 3000-5000 words, students will evaluate the evolution of the conflict they selected as follows: a) which factors influenced escalation and de-escalation of the conflict?; b) describe the decision-making processes of the groups/parties involved?; c) what, if any, was the role of international /foreign intervention in the conflict?; d) Explain the processes which led to the end of the conflict, and if the conflict is ongoing, explain why conflict resolution failed? ; e) conclude with some policy-relevant recommendations for the government of the state in question or how the international community should respond to the conflict.
6. Individual Presentation I: Each cadet will focus on one international actor (such as the UN; NGOs and NAT; International sub-state violent groups) and will analyze this actor’s role in internal conflicts. Questions that should be addressed include: are international actors positive facilitators for ending internal conflicts? Under which conditions should they intervene and how? What can we learn from their past interventions?
7. Individual Presentation II: Towards the end of the semester, each cadet will present his/her conflict to the class. Each cadet will need to explain what are the theoretical, conceptual and practical lessons we can draw from the analysis of the conflict under review.
8. Schedule of Lessons and Reading Assignments:
BLOCK 1:
Conceptual Foundations: Terms of Reference, History of Internal Conflict, types of Internal Conflict
Lesson # / Title and questions / Assignment / Notes1 (8, 10 Jan) / Conceptualization:
discussing definitions and types of internal conflicts / 1. Michael Brown, “Introduction,” in The International Dimensions of Internal Conflict, ed. Michael Brown (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1996), pp. 1-29.
2. Stathis N. Kalyvas, “‘New’ and ‘Old’ Civil Wars: A Valid Distinction?” World Politics, Vol. 54, October 2001, pp. 99-118.
3. Bard O’Neill, Insurgency and Terrorism: From Revolution to Apocalypse, Chapter 2. “The Nature of Insurgency” pp. 15-38. / Readings posted on Blackboard
2 (14, 16 Jan) / History and foundational concepts of Internal conflicts / 1. Beckett, Ian, Modern Insurgencies and Counter-Insurgencies, Ch. 4, “Mao Tse-Tung and Revolutionary Warfare,” pp. 70-84, and Ch. 7, “The Transition to Urban Insurgency,” pp. 151-182.
2. David Kilcullen, The Accidental Guerilla, Chapter 1, pp.1-38. / Electronic copies available via USMA library.
(18 Jan) / Guest lecture: Mr. Michael Sheehan - Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict
BLOCK 2: Causes of Internal Conflicts
Lesson # / Title / Reading Assignment / Notes3 (23, 25 Jan) / Relative deprivation and structural factors (security dilemma and the “commitment problem”) / 1. Gurr, Ted Robert. 1970. Why Men Rebel, Chapter 1 “Explanations of Political Violence,” pp. 3-15, Chapter 2, “Relative Deprivation and the Impetus to Violence,” pp. 22-30.
2. James D. Fearon, “Commitment Problems and the Spread of Ethnic Conflict,” in The International Spread of Ethnic Conflict, ed. David Lake and Donald Rothchild (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1998), pp. 107-126.
3. Barry Posen, “The Security Dilemma and Ethnic Conflict,” Survival, Vol. 35, No. 1, Spring 1993, pp. 27-47. / Readings posted on Blackboard
4 (29, 31 Jan) / Nationalism, ethnicity and criminal causes of Internal conflict / 1. James Fearon, “Ethnic Mobilization and Ethnic Violence,” pp. 1-12.
2. Stephen Van Evera, “Hypotheses on Nationalism and War,” International Security, 18(4), pp. 5-33.
3. Paul Collier, “Rebellion as a Quasi-Criminal Activity” pp. 839-852 / Readings posted on Blackboard
5 (4, 6, 8 Feb) / Material and Economic Causes of Internal Conflicts / 1. David Keen, The Economic Functions of Violence in Civil War”, Chapter 1, “The Economic Benefits of Civil War” pp. 15-22; Chapter 2, “Top-Down Economic Violence,” pp. 23-33; Chapter 3, “Bottom-up Economic Violence” pp. 45-54
2. Paul Collier and Anke Hoeffler, “Greed and Grievance in Civil War” pp. 1-8, 10-14, pp. 34-35 (focus on content, not models)
3. Michael L. Ross, “How Do Natural Resources Influence Civil War? Evidence from Thirteen Cases,” International Organization, Vol. 58, No. 1, Winter 2004, pp. 35-67. / Readings posted on Blackboard
BLOCK 3: The Conduct of Internal Conflicts
Lesson # / Title / Reading Assignment / Notes6 (12, 14 Feb) / Theory of internal conflict: violence, control and intimacy / 1. Kalyvas, The Logic of Violence in Civil War, Ch. 3. “Barbarism” pp. 52-86.
2. Kalyvas Ch. 4, 5, “Collaboration” and “Control” – pp. 87-145
3. Kalyvas Ch. 10 – “Intimacy” pp. 330-363 / Readings posted on Blackboard
7 (21 Feb) / Guest Lecture: Stathis Kalyvas
8 (25, Feb) / Guest Lecture: Thomas Hegghammer
9 (5, 7 Mar) / Who fights? recruitment / 1. Jeremy Weinstein. 2005. “Resources and the Information Problem in Rebel Recruitment,” Journal of Conflict Resolution, pp. 598-623.
2. Macartan Humphreys and Jeremy Weinstein. 2006. “Handling and Manhandling Civilians in Civil War,” American Political Science Review, 100(3), pp. 429-437, pp. 443-445 / Readings posted on Blackboard
10 (18, 22 Mar) / Who suffers? / 1. Kalyvas Ch. 7 “A Theory of Selective Violence” pp. 173-209
2. Jean-Paul Azam and Anke Hoeffler. 2002. “Violence Against Civilians in Civil Wars: Looting or Terror?” Journal Of Peace Research, 39(4): 461-485. / Readings posted on Blackboard
11 (26 Mar) / CTC Conference
11 (28 Mar) / How do intervention forces impact the progress of internal conflicts? / 1. David Keen, The Economic Functions of Violence in Civil Wars,” Chapter 4, “External Intervention and Economic Violence,” pp. 55-70.
2. Richard Betts, “The Delusion of Impartial Intervention,” Foreign Affairs, Vol. 73, No. 6, November/December 1994, pp. 20-33. / Readings posted on Blackboard
12 (1, 3, 5 April) / Individual presentations I
BLOCK 4: Ending Internal Conflict
Lesson # / Title / Reading Assignment/ Guest lecturer / Notes13 (9, 11 Apr) / Who Wins? / 1. Merom, Gil, How Democracies Lose Small Wars, pp. 14-23.
2. Andrew Mack, “Why Big Nations Lose Small Wars: The Politics of Asymmetric Conflict” pp. 175-200.
3. Jason Lyall and Isaiah Wilson III “Rage Against the Machines: Explaining Outcomes in Counterinsurgency Wars” pp. 67-103.
4. John Nagl, “Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife,” Chapter 8 “Hard Lessons” pp. 192-208. / Readings posted on Blackboard
14 (15, 17, 19 Apr) / Predicting the outcome and length of Civil Wars / 1. James Fearon, “Why do some Civil Wars Last so Much Longer than Others?” pp.275-298.
2. David T. Mason and Patrick J. Fett, “How Civil Wars End: A Rational Model Approach,” Journal of Conflict Resolution 40.4 (1996), pp. 546-68.
3. David T. Mason, Patrick J. Fett and Joseph Weingarten. 1999. “Win, Lose, or Draw: Predicting the Outcome of Civil Wars,” Political Science Quarterly, 52 (2), 239-268 / Readings posted on Blackboard
15 (24, 26 Apr) / Intervention and ending internal conflict – Ideas / 1. Gareth Evans and Mohamed Sahnoun, “The Responsibility to Protect,”
2. Edward Luttwak, “Give War a Chance,” Foreign Affairs 84.1 (January/February 2005), pp. 123-33.Chance,”
3. Tony Addison. 2002. “Credibility and Reputation in Peacemaking,” Journal Of Peace Research, 39(4): 487-501. / Readings posted on Blackboard
16 (30 Apr, 3 May) / Guest Lecture: Mr. Gabriel Koehler-Derrick (Case Study: Yemen) / TBD
17 (7 May) / Individual presentations II and summary Discussion
18 (9 May) / Partition, Power-Sharing and “Soft” intervention
TEE Review, TEE requirements, discussion, concluding Remarks. / 1. Chaim Kaufmann, “Possible and Impossible Solutions to Ethnic Civil Wars,” International Security 20.4 (1996), pp. 136-75.
2. Misa Shojiya. 2009. Does Power-Sharing Approach Work for Peace building? – Lessons Learnt from Bosnia for Afrasia.”
3. CTC White Paper on the Arab Spring / Reading Posted on Blackboard
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