- Author:
- Katherine Michel
- Subject:
- Political Science
- Material Type:
- Module
- Level:
- Community College / Lower Division
- Tags:
- License:
- Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
- Language:
- English
- Media Formats:
- Downloadable docs
lesson plan, conflict
Reading #1: Strand, et al. (2019), "Trends in Armed Conflict"
Reading #2: Fearon (2006), "Iraq: Democracy or Civil War?"
Reading #3: Brown (2017), "Transnational Terrorism"
Reading #4: Khalfey (2013), "The Duality of Syria--Civil War and the War on Terror"
worksheet, conflict, Iraq
Conflict
Overview
Module on conflict in international relations. Intended for community college students and aligned with the requirements for POLS 140: Introduction to International Relations within the California Community College system. Includes lesson plan, required readings, and ancillary materials (lecture slides and worksheet).
Lesson Plan: Conflict
Lesson Plan: Conflict
Topic: Key Topics and Contemporary Issues: Conflict | |
Week #: 8 | Estimated Time: 150-180 minutes |
Assigned Readings:
Total page count: 33 pages |
Learning Objectives: By the end of this lesson plan, students will be able to:
|
Misconceptions of Topic:
|
Lesson Component | Ancillary(ies) |
Lecture: Review learning objectives | Lecture slides |
Lecture: What is conflict? | Lecture slides |
Think-pair-share: theoretical approaches and conflict | Lecture slides
|
Lecture: Why does conflict occur?
| Lecture slides
Online video resource (embedded in slides, 5:42): Vox. 2019. “This photo almost started a nuclear war.” Available online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HRU5yonyK8. |
Lecture and discussion: (Select) types of militarized conflict
| Lecture slides Readings 1, 2 |
Discussion: Iraq--interstate, intrastate, or “internationalized” intrastate conflict? | Worksheet |
Optional:
| Frontline. 2009. “Endgame.” PBS documentary. Available online at https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/endgame/. |
Lecture and discussion: (Select) types of militarized conflict
| Readings 3, 4 Lecture slides |
Optional:
| Frontline. 2015. “Obama at War.” PBS documentary. Available online at https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/obama-at-war/. |
Conclude and wrap-up | Lecture slides |
Required Readings: Conflict
Contents:
- Reading #1: Strand, et al. 2019
- Reading #2: Fearon 2006
- Reading #3: Brown 2017
- Reading #4: Khalfey 2013
Introducing the readings:
This unit's readings introduce students to militarized conflicts where there is use of deadly force (as opposed to other types of conflict, such as economic or cultural). Strand, et al. (2019) offer a brief overview of trends in armed conflict from 1946-2018, focusing on the categories of extrasystemic conflict, interstate conflict, internal conflict, and internationalized internal conflict. The Fearon (2006) reading (testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006) provides a discussion of Iraq, which instructors can use to facilitate a debate among students of whether Iraq constitutes a case of interstate, internal (intrastate), or internationalized internal (intrastate) conflict.
The Brown (2017) reading expands the unit's focus from war to include transnational terrorism--another form of conflict--and provides an overview of terrorist motivation, goals, activities, organization, and resources. The Khalfey (2013) reading (adapted by Katherine Michel) builds on the first three readings by considering how the case of Syria simultaneously presents two challenges: (1) internal (intrastate) war and (2) the "war on terror." This reading serves to remind students that while intrastate war is the most common type of war, this type of war can be very messy and sometimes the line between insurgent or guerrilla tactics and terrorism can become unclear.
Ancillary Materials: Conflict
Contents:
- lecture slides
- worksheet