Description
All students in the Political Science MA programme are required to enrol in a Thesis Seminar in the subfield of their choice. The theme of this year’s Seminar in International Security is “International Politics: Democracy, War and Peace”. The main focus of this thesis seminar will be on the relationship between international politics and the employment of military force. It will focus especially on the causes, conduct, effects and resolution of war and conflict in general (See “Part I Session Themes” below).
Part I will seek to provide an outline of the major theories and debates related to the subfield of security and strategic studies as well as that relating to the study of warfare and its resolution. It will then go on to address the debates as well as empirical case studies that will highlight the ethical and political complexities surrounding the nature of warfare and of conflict termination processes since the end of the Cold War. Students are expected to write a thesis on a particular topic that fits broadly within the seminar theme.
Based on the training students received in the “Theories and Methods” course from the previous semester, students are expected to write a comprehensive literature review as well as a thesis proposal by the end of Block 3, that will form the basis of the MA thesis they will write during Part II of the Thesis Seminar.
Part II will consist of small group as well as individual meetings to discuss progression in the research and writing process in order to enable the student to complete his/her MA thesis by the end of Block 4.
Part I Session Themes
1. Nature of war and the role of strategy
2. Causes of War
3. Democracy, military organisations, and civil-military relations
4. Revolution of Military Affairs and Transformation of strategic affairs
5. The end of major wars?
6. Asymmetric conflicts: terrorism, civil wars, ethno-nationalist conflicts and military intervention
7. War termination and conflict resolution processes
Methods of instruction
Class discussions, presentations and supervision.
Study material
Approximately 1000 pages for Part I based on the course reader, plus additional material made available through Blackboard. A reading list and a more detailed syllabus will be available a week prior to the pre-enrolment thesis seminar project meeting.
Readings for Part II consist of students’ own research.
Examination
Part I: literature review, research proposal, attendance and active participation.
Part II: MA thesis evaluated by seminar supervisor and second reader.
Time table
Tuesday February 3, till May 26, 13.00 -15.00 p.m. in SA15 (except 5/5 Liberation Day) and
Thursday February 5, till May 28, 13.00 -15.00 p.m. in SA15 (except 30/4 Koninginnedag and 21/5 Ascension Day)