Socio-Psychological Approaches to Local and International Conflicts

Brandeis University

FALL 2015

SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS

Prof. Mari Fitzduff

Class time: Thursday9.00 – 11.50. Location:Heller-Brown 163.

Contact information for Prof. Fitzduff: Email Room 243 Heller.

Office: Fall Office Hours: Thurs: 2.00 – 5.00p.m or by appointment.

Course Description:

What social psychological and neurological processes and needs are important to understand in order to do successful peacebuilding work throughout the world? The courseaddresses questions such as: Are conflicts between peoples and nations inevitable? Why do they erupt, and at particular times? Why do they often take so long to resolve? Why are so many people willing to lose their lives in fighting? How do groups develop ahatred of other groups? Do different people respond to violence in different ways? How do you deal with racial, ethnic, political or religious fundamentalism?

Objectives for the course:

To introduce students to basic socio-psychological and neurological needs that are useful in understanding the causes of conflict and violence at local and international levels, and how to better manage them

The course will address:

the sociopsychologicaland neurological causes of hatred, genocide, social and identity violence

fundamentalist,ethnic, racial, social and religious ideologies, how they serve the individual and the group, and how they can be addressed.

How inter-societal conflicts erupt, escalate, and can be better prevented and managed through understanding social psychological and neurological frameworks

thesociopsychologicalfunctions and roles of leaders in local and international conflicts.

social psychological processesthat are involved in successful coexistence work, peace building and post-conflict reconciliation.

Course Requirements

Attendance, Punctuality, and Active Participation

You are required to attend every class, barring documented illness. Please also arrive on time at the beginning of class and after the break. If you know you will be absent or late, for a legitimate reason, make sure you warn in advance your instructor and teaching assistant, who cannot accept unexcused absences. Should you miss more than two classes, you will not qualify for credit. Attendance is more than just coming to class. You are expected to actively participate. Students enjoy complete academic freedom in the classroom, within the limits defined by the standards of mutual respect.

Assignments and Readings

In order to ensure active participation in the best possible conditions, make sure undertake all of the readings that are required in advance of each class. It is highly recommended that students annotate personal copies of, or make notes from the readings.

Please check on website before each class to see if extra readings have been added – or substituted. Students will be called upon to discuss the readings in class and to participate in group and individual presentations. They must therefore come to class prepared to allow well-informed discussions. Students enjoy complete academic freedom in the classroom, within the limits defined by mutual respect.

Writing Requirements

The writing requirements listed below are intended to encourage students to approach reading materials critically, to foster improved research and writing skills, and to serve as a basis for contributing to class discussion and a diversity of opinions. Students are expected to devote careful attention to the technical quality of their written work, as well as its substance. They must be honest in all academic work.

(See:

All written work for this course must include appropriate citation of the sources used.

See section 56c (“Avoid Plagiarism”) of the Concise English Handbook.
See ‘Truth even unto its Innermost Part’ and in particular the section dealing with citations.

The university policy on academic honesty is distributed annually, as section 5 of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook. Academic integrity is critical in all that you write and say, and transgressions are treated severely. Instances of alleged dishonesty will be forwarded to the Office of Campus Life for possible referral to the Student Judicial System. Potential sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the university. If you have any questions about this, please ask.

Individual Written and Group Assignments

All written assignments must be typewritten, 1.5 spaced in 12-point font (this syllabus is in 12 point), and submitted electronically via email to as a Microsoft Word attachment (if you are not using Word, you may format your file in Rich Text Format [RTF]). They will be returned via email with comments embedded in the text.

Assignments:

A. Students will be required to participate in small group presentations on identified socio psychological or neurological topics of interest to the development and management of conflict. (20%)

B. Following the presentation, each presenter will write a short paper of about 3-4 pages on the theories and concepts that relate to the issue presented. (25%).

C. For their final requirement the students will write a conceptual, and/or review paper (up to 10 pages) that identify 5 important sociopsychologicalor neurological concepts addressed in the class, and their possible relevance for work in the field at a local, institutional, and international level. (This assignment will be discussed beforehand with the class.)

All written assignments must be typewritten, 1. 5 spaced in 12-point font (this syllabus is in 12-point), and submitted by email to .

Class Sessions and Required Readings

Session 1Thursday27th August 9.00 – 11.50 a.m.

This session will look at the characteristics of Social Psychology and Neuroscience, and their importance in addressing group conflicts.

This class will look at the history of Social Psychology in the peacebuilding field and clarify terminology in common usage in the field, such as beliefs, attitudes, emotion, cognitive and motivational biases, social identity, collective identity, intergroup relationships etc. It will also address the question of the ‘innateness’ or otherwise of human aggression and violence, and look at whether or not different brain structures can contribute to group tensions and violence.

(Note: Required readings are compulsory for all students, and will be necessary for class discussion.

Suggested Readings cover the topics in the class in more depth – useful for those of you who want to follow up an issue. They are available on the web, on latte, or in the Library.)

Required reading:

Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder: Read Introduction and Section 1.

Kent, Michael SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (1996-2010)

Wikipedia: What is Social Psychology?

Fitzduff, Mari:Ending Wars: Theories, Developments and Practice. (2006) In Fitzduff, Mari, and Stout, Chris: The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From War to Peace,pages ix - xi. Vol 1. Nature Vs Nurture. Praegar Security International. (Latte)

Suggested Readings:

Konner, Melvin: (2006) Human Nature, Ethnic Violence and War, Chapter 1 pg. 1-40. in Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris (2006) The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From War to Peace. Vol 1. Nature Vs Nurture, Praegar Security International. (Latte)

Bar-Tal, Ed (2011). Introduction: Conflicts and Social Psychology. p.1-38 Intergroup conflicts and their resolution: Social psychological perspectives. New York: Psychology Press (Latte)

LeFebvre, Rebecca and Franke, (2013) Culture Matters: Individualism vs. Collectivism in ConflictDecision-Making: Societies 2013, 3, 128–146; doi:10.3390/soc3010128

Group selection. Choice of case study will be done at next class.

Session 2. Thursday 3rdSeptember 9.00-11.50 a.m.

The Importance of Belonging

This session will look at the human need to belong to, and identify with, a group, and how this valuable characteristic can, if not carefully addressed and managed, lead to prejudice, intolerance, discrimination, fundamentalism, violence and genocide.

Required Reading:

Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder. Read Section 3 (Vive La Difference) and Section 4 (Us and Them)

Tajfel, H. & Turner, J.C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup relations in S.

Worchel & W.G. Austin (Eds.) (1986) Psychology of intergroup relations. (2nd ed., pp. 7-24). Chicago: Nelson-Hall.

Plus listen to BBC program on Henri Tajfel's Minimal Groups

How a Psychological Bias Makes Groups Feel Good About Themselves And Discredit Others

Suggested Readings:

Zartman, I. W. (2000). Ripeness: The hurting stalemate and beyond. In P. C. Stern & D. Druckman (Eds.), International conflict resolution after the cold war (pp. 225-250). Washington DC: National Academy Press (Latte)

Session 6. Thursday 8th9.00-11.50 a.m.

Coexistence Interventions from a social psychological/neurological perspective.

This chapter looks at the latest research about social change in situations of conflict, and how to positively foster it, in situations of tension and violence between communities and nations.

Required Reading:

Shapiro, Ilana. Theories of practice and change (2006) chap 1 in Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris: The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From War to Peace. Vol 3Interventions. Praegar Security International. Pg 1-32.

Hamber, Brandon: Transitional Justice and Intergroup Conflict: Chapter 19 (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict Edited byLinda R. Tropp, Chapter 7. Oxford Press (Latte)

Elizabeth Levy Paluck: (2012) Interventions Aimed at the Reduction of Prejudice and Conflict. The Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict. Edited byLinda R. Tropp, Chapter 11. Oxford Press (Latte)

Suggested Readings:

Tausch, Nicole, Kenworthy, Jared, and Hewstone, Miles: 2006 Intergroup contact and the improvement of Intergroup relations. Pg 67-108 In Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris: The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From War to peace. Vol 2, group and Social factors. Praegar Security International. (Latte)

Session 7. Thurs 15th October 9.00-11.50 a.m.

Eliciting our better angels: Latest research on social psychological processes/ neurological processes in relation to the avoidance of intergroup, and ensuring cooperation across group boundaries.

Required Reading:

Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder: Read Section 6. Questions for the field on Neuroscience and Peacebuilding .

Bar-Tal, D., (2011).Conclusions: To open the closet. In Bar-Tal, D. (Ed.), Intergroup conflicts and their resolution: Social psychological perspective. New York: Psychology Press (Latte)

Bonta, Bruce and Fry, Douglas. (2006) Lessons for the rest of us: learning from peaceful societies. Chapter 7 p175-210 in Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris: The psychology of resolving Global Conflicts: From War to peace. Vol 1. Nature Vs Nurture. Praegar Security International. (Latte)

Pinker, Steven. On Angels Wings (2011) The Better Angels of our Human Nature. Allen Lane/Penguin London. (Latte)

Suggested Readings:

Vollhardt, J. K., & Bilali, R. (2008). Social psychology's contribution to the psychological study of peace: A review. Social Psychology, 39, 12-25 (Latte)

Klaus Boehnke, Henning Schmidtke and MaorShani: (2011) Peace making: Socio Psychological Aprpoaches In Bar-Tal, D. (Ed.), Intergroup conflicts and their resolution: Social psychological perspective. New York: Psychology Press (Latte)