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7/17 Brandeis University Department of Politics Fall 2017 Politics 127b Seminar: Managing Ethnic Conflict Mr. Burg Contact information for Prof. Burg: Office: Olin-Sang 203 (Politics Department Office), Phone: x 2752 email (best): [email protected] Fall Office Hours: Tu/F 11-2, Th 11-3; other times by appointment Course Description This is a research and writing seminar, focused on the sources, nature, and politics of ethnic conflict, beginning with an exploration of alternative analytical perspectives on these issues. The course examines the means by which political leaders manage (and mismanage) such conflicts, based on comparative study of cases of ethnic conflict, focusing on the experience of democratic states. It is designed for Junior and Senior Politics majors, and others with prior advanced study in comparative politics, history, or political sociology. It is a discussion- and writing- based course with a demanding reading load . Course Requirements 1. Students must complete the assigned readings in advance of each class and prepare a short (one paragraph – definitely not more than one page) “critical/analytical response” to the reading. These are to be turned in at the end of each class. Each session will begin with a student being asked to initiate discussion of the assigned readings. (Multiple readings mean multiple students will be asked to do this.) The critical/analytical responses are intended to provide a basis for this discussion. Well-informed classroom discussion is required of each student (although not necessarily in every class session). It is highly recommended that students annotate personal copies of, or make notes from the readings. The readings may include

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Page 1: Brandeis University Web viewBrandeis University. Department of Politics. ... or political sociology. ... Fueling the Fire or Dampening the Flames of Ethnic Conflict and Secessionism?”

7/17

Brandeis UniversityDepartment of Politics

Fall 2017Politics 127b – Seminar: Managing Ethnic Conflict

Mr. Burg

Contact information for Prof. Burg: Office: Olin-Sang 203 (Politics Department Office), Phone: x 2752

email (best): [email protected] Fall Office Hours: Tu/F 11-2, Th 11-3; other times by appointment

Course DescriptionThis is a research and writing seminar, focused on the sources, nature, and politics of ethnic conflict, beginning with an exploration of alternative analytical perspectives on these issues. The course examines the means by which political leaders manage (and mismanage) such conflicts, based on comparative study of cases of ethnic conflict, focusing on the experience of democratic states. It is designed for Junior and Senior Politics majors, and others with prior advanced study in comparative politics, history, or political sociology. It is a discussion- and writing-based course with a demanding reading load.

Course Requirements1. Students must complete the assigned readings in advance of each class and prepare a short (one paragraph – definitely not more than one page) “critical/analytical response” to the reading. These are to be turned in at the end of each class. Each session will begin with a student being asked to initiate discussion of the assigned readings. (Multiple readings mean multiple students will be asked to do this.) The critical/analytical responses are intended to provide a basis for this discussion. Well-informed classroom discussion is required of each student (although not necessarily in every class session). It is highly recommended that students annotate personal copies of, or make notes from the readings. The readings may include contending, competing and opposing perspectives and interpretations. One goal of seminar discussions will be to try to sort these out.

Responses should focus on the nature and/or quality of the argument presented in the reading, including the evidence presented to support the argument. Students are encouraged to reflect on each reading in the context of prior readings and discussions, and especially on relative merit of varying arguments.

One student will be called upon to initiate discussion of each of the assigned readings.

2. Students must prepare three short essays (not more than three pages each), to be based on the assigned readings (this means you must use, as appropriate, the readings assigned for the course up to that point – including appropriate citation thereof – in constructing your essay). Essay topics are as follows:

Page 2: Brandeis University Web viewBrandeis University. Department of Politics. ... or political sociology. ... Fueling the Fire or Dampening the Flames of Ethnic Conflict and Secessionism?”

(a) What is ethnic conflict? How does it differ from other politically salient conflicts? Are these differences significant? Due September15 . (b) Does devolution encourage or moderate ethnic conflict? Due October 17 . (c) Why do some ethnic conflicts turn violent? Due November 17 .

3. The third written requirement consists of an empirical research study of not more than 12 pages including citations and bibliography . Students are required to identify, in consultation with Professor Burg, an interesting, narrowly defined, empirical question about a particular ethnic conflict, or a theoretical question to be answered empirically. A one paragraph statement of the topic must submitted electronically before class on September 26. (NOTE: this is the only written assignment that will be accepted electronically.) Final papers are due in class on December 8 (last class session). Students are strongly encouraged to meet with Prof. Burg to discuss potential topics, bibliography, the rough outline of the paper/argument, etc. as the semester progresses.

4. Twenty-minute in-class presentation of student research (15-minute presentation, 5 minutes of Q&A). Each student will present his/her preliminary research findings in class beginning November 11 (I have reserved six class sessions at the end of the semester for presentations). Dates of individual presentations to be determined by in-class lottery). NOTE: Attendance and attention to the presentations of peers is required, and a sign of mutual respect. There will be no excused absences from presentation sessions.

All written assignments must be typewritten, double-spaced in 12-point font (this syllabus is in 12-point), with one-inch margins. Pages must be numbered. Your name, the date, and the title of the assignment must appear at the top of the first page (left, or right). Assignments must be submitted in class, in hard copy. No electronic submissions will be accepted.

The writing assignments 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 discussions. Students are expected to devote careful attention to the technical quality of their written work as well as its substance. The ability to edit one’s own work is a critical skill. Technical quality will be a significant determinant of the grade for each assignment. Because this is a writing intensive (WI) course, students may revise and re-submit any of the three short assignments (final grade will be average of initial and revised grade). In some cases, an assignment may be returned with the requirement that it be “revised and resubmitted” (“R&R”) for a letter grade. Students unsure of the quality of their writing are advised to bring a draft to the Writing Center for consultation in advance of submitting it.

Expected workload for this course:In addition to three hours of class time per week, success in this class is estimated to require students to spend, on average over the course of the semester, a minimum of 9-10 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, reading responses) and and completion of written assignments (short essays and research papers).  

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Learning Goals: This course addresses the learning goals established by the Department of Politics(see departmental website for full statement). Specifically, it is designed to encourage and enable students (a) to think critically about arguments, based on the evaluation of evidence [reading responses and classroom discussions](b) to articulate reasoned arguments clearly, both orally and in written form [classroom discussions, written assignments, oral presentation](c) to become familiar with a variety of research methods [“case study” readings, “historical/analytical narrative” readings, and readings based on quantitative statistical analysis](d) to use the concepts and methods of political science in research and analysis [term paper]

Academic Honesty[The following is a statement of university policy:] Students are expected to be honest in all academic work. All written work for this course must include appropriate citation of the sources used. See section 56c ("Avoid Plagiarism") of the Concise English Handbook for guidance. The university policy on academic honesty is distributed annually as part of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook. Instances of suspected dishonesty will, without exception, be forwarded to the Office of Student Affairs 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.

Use of cell phones in class is prohibited. If you use your phone in class (e.g., texting), you will be asked to leave. If you wish to leave your phone on, in “silent” mode, because of an ongoing emergency situation to which you may need to respond, please speak to me at the start of class to let me know. If you need to respond, please leave the class to do so. If your phone goes off because you forgot to turn it off (we all do it), just apologize and turn it off (and try not to let it happen again!).

Use of laptops during class is restricted to class-related activity This includes, but is not restricted to, note-taking, accessing your annotated version of the assigned reading, source-checking, looking up facts quickly to add to classroom discussion, accessing the latte site in connection with class discussion, etc. Using your laptop for non-class related activities (e.g., surfing the web, using Facebook, checking email) is disrespectful to others, denies us the potentially important contribution you otherwise might make to the discussion were you paying attention, and is potentially distracting to those around you. Please do not disrespect others. You will be asked to leave class for “inappropriate use of a laptop”.

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Course AttendanceAll students are required to attend every class, except in case of illness (especially “flu-like symptoms”!) or a dispensation granted in advance by Prof. Burg. This includes all student presentation sessions.

If you miss two class sessions (one week worth of class time) without prior dispensation, you can expect your term grade to be lowered by the equivalent of a “+” or “-” ( i.e., a “B” will become a “B-”). Four unexcused absences (two weeks worth) will produce a reduction of a full letter grade.

Varsity athletes, debaters, performers, and others with conflicting extra-curricular obligations must seek dispensation from Prof. Burg in advance, and are responsible for making up the work missed (including responses to assigned readings).

Accommodation of DisabilitiesIf you are a student who needs academic accommodations because of a documented disability, please contact me and present your letter of accommodation as soon as possible. If you have questions about documenting a disability or requesting academic accommodations, you should contact Academic Services. Letters of accommodation should be presented at the start of the semester to ensure provision of accommodations. Letters must be presented in advance of any exam or test. Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively. <http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/disabilities/faculty.html>

EvaluationStudents enjoy complete academic freedom in the classroom, within the limits defined by the standards of mutual respect and responsible discourse (we will discuss these concepts briefly at the outset of the course).

Evaluation will be based on the critical response paragraphs (~10 percent), three assigned essays (~10 percent each), seminar participation (~20 percent), the research exercise (~30 percent), and the presentation (~10 percent). (“~” means grading will take into account improving performance over time.) The presentation will be evaluated in terms of the quality/substance and organization of the presentation. “Style” should be serious and professional. The exercise is intended to give students experience “presenting” in front of peers, fielding questions (aka “being interrogated”), and leading discussion. Nervousness will not affect the evaluation; lack of preparation will. All written work for this writing intensive course will be evaluated in terms of the technical and stylistic quality of the writing as well as the intellectual substance; i.e., spelling, syntax, word usage, etc. all “count.”

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NOTE: ALL readings are available electronically on the LATTE site for this course.

Schedule of Classes, Readings, and Discussion TopicsFriday, September 1

Introduction to the course and course requirementsRequirements, expectations, goals of the course“You are what you write.” Guidelines for discussion of sensitive issues, criticism, and mutual respect.What is ethnic conflict? – What we know, …or think we know!Handouts

Tuesday, September 5Alternative explanations for ethnic conflict: primordialism vs. instrumentalism (“rationality”) Clifford Geertz, "The Integrative Revolution: Primordial Sentiments and Civil

Politics in the New States," in Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (NY: Basic Books, 1973), pp. 255-277 and 306-310 only.

Robert Bates "Modernization, Ethnic Competition, and the Rationality of Politics in Contemporary Africa" in D. Rothchild and V. Olorunsola, eds. Ethnicity, State Coherence, and Public Policy: African Dilemmas (Boulder: Westview, 1983), pp. 152-171.

Leo A. Despres, "Toward a Theory of Ethnic Phenomena" in Despres, ed., Ethnicity and Resource Competition in Plural Societies (The Hague: Mouton, 1975), pp. 187-207.

Ashutosh Varshney, “Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Rationality,” Perspectives on Politics 1, 1 (March 2003), pp. 85-95.

Friday, September 8Mobilization and ethnic conflictTed Robert Gurr, “Etiology of Ethnopolitical Conflict,” Chapter 3 in Peoples

Versus States (Washington, DC: USIP, 200), pp. 65-95.Lars-Erik Cederman, AndreasWimmer and Brian Min, “Why Do Ethnic Groups

Rebel? New Data and Analysis” World Politics 62, 1 (January 2010), pp. 87–119Ulrike G. Theuerkauf, “Institutional Design and Ethnic Violence: Do Grievances

Help to Explain Ethnopolitical Instability?” Civil Wars 12, 1–2 (March–June 2010), pp. 117–139

Tuesday, September 12Cooperation, or violence? James D. Fearon and David Laitin, “Explaining interethnic cooperation,” in

American Political Science Review 90, 4 (December 1996): 715-735 Rogers Brubaker and David Laitin, “Ethnic and nationalist violence,” in Annual

Review of Sociology 24, 1 (1998), pp. 423-452.Barry Posen, “The Security Dilemma and Ethnic Conflict,” Survival 35, 1

(1993): 27-47.

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Friday, September 15ASSIGNED ESSAY (a) DUE TODAY

Nationalism in Quebec Rudy Fenwick, “Social Change and Ethnic Nationalism: An Historical Analysis

of the Separatist Movement in Quebec,” Comparative Studies in Society and History 23, 2 (April 1981), pp. 196-216.

Harold D. Clarke, et.al, A Polity on the Edge: Canada and the Politics of Fragmentation (Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2000), pp. 79-119, 153-186, 263-289.

Tuesday, September 19Sources of Support for Quebec Independence Sarah Belanger and Maurice Pinard, “Ethnic Movements and the Competition

Model: Some Missing Links” American Sociological Review 56 (August, 1991), pp. 446-457.

Maurice Pinard, “The Dramatic Reemergence of the Quebec Independence Movement,” Journal of International Affairs 45, 2 (Winter 1992), pp. 471-497.

Daniel M. Shapiro and Morton Stelcner, “Language and Earnings in Quebec: Trends over Twenty Years, 1970-1990” Canadian Public Policy / Analyse de Politiques, 23, 2 (June 1997), pp. 115-140

NO CLASS SEPTEMBER 21

Tuesday, September 26TOPIC OF RESEARCH PAPER DUE TODAY

Quebec: why no secession? Stephane Dion, “Why is secession difficult in well-established democracies?

Lessons from Quebec,” British Journal of Political Science 26, 2 (April 1996), pp. 269-283.

Peter Leslie, “Canada: The Supreme Court Sets Rules for the Secession of Quebec,” Publius 29, 2 (Spring, 1999), pp. 135-151.

Nadine Changfoot and Blair Cullen, “Why is Quebec separatism off the agenda? Reducing national unity crisis in the neoliberal era,” Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue canadienne de science politique 44, 4 (2011), pp. 769–787.

Handouts: data on recent public opinion in Quebec

Friday, September 29Flemings, Walloons and Belgium Lieven de Winter and Pierre Baudewyns, “Belgium: Towards the Breakdown of a

Nation-State in the Heart of Europe?” Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 15 (2009), pp. 280–304.

Wilfried Swenden, “Conclusion: The Future of Belgian Federalism—Between Reform and Swansong?,” Regional & Federal Studies, 23, 3 (2013), pp. 369-382.

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NO CLASS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3 – “BRANDEIS THURSDAY”

Friday, October 6Scottish Independence MovementCharles Pattie, et.al, “Partisanship, national identity and constitutional

preferences: an exploration of voting in the Scottish devolution referendum of 1997,” Electoral Studies 18 (1999), pp. 305-322

Ben Jackson, “The Political Thought of Scottish Nationalism,” The Political Quarterly 85, 1 (Jan-Mar 2014), pp. 50-56

ScotCen Social Research, Has the Referendum Campaign Made a Difference?Handouts: tables from BSA 31 on referendum

Tuesday, October 10Spain: Basques, Catalans and Spanish Identity Diego Muro and Alejandro Quiroga, “Building the Spanish Nation: The Centre-

Periphery Dialectic,” Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism 4, 2 (2004), pp. 18-37.Xosé-Manoel Núñez, “What is Spanish nationalism today? From legitimacy crisis

to unfulfilled renovation (1975-2000),” Ethnic and Racial Studies 24, 5 (September 2001), pp. 719-752.

Alfred P. Montero, “The Politics of Decentralization in a Centralized Party System: The Case of Democratic Spain,” Comparative Politics 38, 1 (October 2005), pp. 63-82.

Friday, October 13Basque v. Catalan nationalism/secessionismDiego Muro, “ETA during democracy, 1975-2011” (pp. 34-53) and Oscar Jaime-Jimenez, “Democratic politics and the strength of the rule of law,

1992-2015” (pp. 69-84) in Rafael Leonisio, Fernando Molina and Diego Muro, Editors. ETA’s Terrorist Campaign: From violene to politics, 1968-2015 (Routledge, 2017).

Steven L. Burg, “Identity, Grievances, and Popular Mobilization for Independence in Catalonia,” Nationalism and Ethnic Politics 21, 3 (2015), pp. 289-312

Handout: Multinomial regression tables

Tuesday, October 17ASSIGNED ESSAY (b) DUE TODAY

Ethnic conflict in India Paul R. Brass, “The Punjab Crisis and the Unity of India” in Atul Kohli (ed.),

India’s Democracy: An Analysis of Changing State-Society Relations (Princeton, 1988), pp. 169-213

Eric Kolodner, “The Political Economy of the Rise and Fall (?) of Hindu Nationalism,” Journal of Contemporary Asia 25, 2 (1995), pp. 233-253

–or– G.K. Lieten, “Hindu Communalism: Between Caste and Class,” Journal of

Contemporary Asia 26, 2 (1996), pp. 236-252.

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-and- Bethany Lacina, “The Problem of Political Stability in Northeast India: Local

Ethnic Autocracy and the Rule of Law” Asian Survey 49, 6 (Nov. 2009), pp. 998-1020

Friday, October 20Managing Conflict in India Amit Ahuja and Ashutosh Varshney, “Antecedent Nationhood, Subsequent

Statehood: Explaining the Relative Success of Indian Federalism,” in Philip G. Roeder and Donald Rothchild, editors. Sustainable Peace: Power and Democracy after Civil Wars (Cornell, 2005), pp. 241-264.

Atul Kohli, “Can Democracies Accommodate Ethnic Nationalism? Rise and Decline of Self-Determination Movements in India,” Journal of Asian Studies 56, 2 (May 1997): 325-344.

Tuesday, October 24Sri Lanka: Protracted, Violent ConflictJonathan Spencer, “A Nationalism without Politics? The illiberal consequences of

liberal institutions in Sri Lanka,” Third World Quarterly 29, 3 (2008), pp. 611-629.Neil DeVotta, “From ethnic outbidding to ethnic conflict: the institutional bases

for Sri Lanka’s separatist war,” Nations and Nationalism 11, 1 (2005), pp. 141–159Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, “Socio-economic inequality and ethno-political

conflict: some observations from Sri Lanka,” Contemporary South Asia 14, 3 (September 2005), pp. 341-356.

Friday, October 27When negotiations fail: militarized “solutions” to conflictNeil DeVotta, “The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Lost Quest for

Separatism in Sri Lanka” Asian Survey 49, 6 (Nov 2009), pp. 1021-1051Jonathan Goodhand, “Sri Lanka in 2011: Consolidation and Militarization of the

Post-War Regime,” Asian Survey 52, 1 (January/February 2012), pp. 130-137

Tuesday, October 31Northern Ireland: Conflict and Settlement T.G. Fraser,  Ireland in conflict, 1922-1998   London: Routledge, 2000.

[pdf on latte, but also available as a library ebook.]John Coakley, “Ethnic Conflict and its Resolution: The Northern Ireland Model

Nationalism and Ethnic Politics 9, 3 (Autumn 2003), pp. 25-53.Donald Horowitz, “Explaining the Northern Ireland Agreement: The Sources of

an Unlikely Constitutional Consensus,” British Journal of Political Science, 32, 2 (April 2002):193-220.

Dochartaigh, “The Longest Negotiation: British Policy, IRA Strategy and the Making of the Northern Ireland Peace Settlement,” Political Studies 65 (2015), pp. 202-220.

Text of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement online at www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/cds

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Friday, November 3Northern Ireland: A successful settlement?

Denis Haughey, “The Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement…,” in Implementing Negotiated Settlements, edited by Miek Boltjes (The Hague: Asser Press, 2007), pp. 96-113 only.

Paul Dixon, “In Defence of Politics: Interpreting the Peace Process and the Future of Northern Ireland” Political Quarterly 83, 2 (April-June 2012), pp. 265-276.

Frampton, “Disident Irish Republican Violence? A Resurgent Threat?” Political Quarterly 83, 2 (April-June 2012), pp. 227-237.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, “Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland” (19 October 2015)

Friday, November 7ASSIGNED ESSAY (c) DUE TODAY

Possible “solutions:” Power sharingUlrich Schneckener, “Making Power-Sharing Work: Lessons from Successes and

Failures in Ethnic Conflict Regulation,” in Journal of Peace Research 39, 2 (2002), pp. 203-228.

Friday, November 10LOTTERY FOR DATES OF INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATIONS OF RESEARCH

Possible “solutions:” DevolutionDawn Brancati, “Decentralization: Fueling the Fire or Dampening the Flames of

Ethnic Conflict and Secessionism?” International Organization 60 (Summer 2006), pp. 651-685.

Steven L. Burg and Lachen T. Chernyha, “Asymmetric Devolution and Ethnoregionalism in Spain: Mass Preferences and the Microfoundations of Instability,” Nationalism and Ethnic Politics 19, 3 (2013), pp. 255-286.

Tuesday, November 14Possible “solutions:” PartitionChaim Kaufmann, “Possible and Impossible Solutions to Ethnic Civil Wars,” in

International Security 20 4 (Spring 1996), pp. 136-175. Nicholas Sambanis, “Partition as a Solution to Ethnic War,” World Politics 52, 4

(2000): 437-483. [NOTE: Read for substantive argument, skip statistical sections.]

Friday, November 17Student presentations

Tuesday, November 21Student presentations

NO CLASS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (THANKSGIVING)

Tuesday, November 28Student presentations

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Friday, December 1Student presentations

Tuesday, December 5Student presentations

Friday, December 8FINAL PAPER DUE IN CLASS TODAY

Wrap-up session: Lessons for Managing Ethnic Conflict

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