GOVT2442 - Comparative Politics of Ethnic Conflict

Semester 1, 2013  |  Credit Points: 6

Coordinator: Diarmuid Maguire
Phone: +61 2 9351 4510
Email: diarmuid.maguire@sydney.edu.au

Description

This unit examines the role that ethnic conflict plays in national and international politics. Under modernity, settler societies, former colonies, ex-communist nations and liberal democracies have had to deal with the political consequences of ethnic tensions. This unit considers ethnicity and nationalism as perennial forces often released when imperial systems break up. The systems of the European, Ottoman, and Soviet empires all produced species of nationalism and ethnic conflict. From this conjuncture, the nation states of modern Europe emerged while statehood was built in modern Africa and South America out of the break up of the modern European empires. The so-called "new nationalism" of the post-Soviet Empire is yet another round of de-colonization, in which power is devolved to elites on the periphery but popular movements are also involved. This unit is comparative and covers competing theoretical approaches.

Assessments

1x2hr final exam (40%), 1x2500wd essay (50%), and tutorial participation (10%)

Classes

2x1-hr lectures/week, 1x1-hr tutorial

Prerequisites

12 Junior credit points from Government

Prohibitions

GOVT2402

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