Admission requirements
Only students of the Advanced MSc International Relations and Diplomacy programme can take this course.
Description
This elective is a Master Class as a capstone on the Courses on International Negotiations and Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in the first year of MIRD, as well as on the Course on International Mediation and Private Diplomacy. The idea is to practice conflict management through negotiation and mediation in a diplomatic context in order to get as better understanding of theory through practice. The aim of the programme is to enhance the awareness of process, performance and productivity. Management of conflict and complexity through mediation and negotiation will be practiced in order to get a better understanding about the possibilities and impossibilities to solve these crises in a peaceful manner. In international relations we try to use peaceful means to solve or at least to mitigate problems.
Course objectives
Students should emerge from this seminar with an advanced set of tools to understand, analyse and manage conflicts, especially those who have a clear perspective to escalate into various forms of confrontation. At the same time, students will learn how to select for the most effective responses – strategy and tactics – aimed at managing conflicts so that the probability and intensity of competition is minimised, while the potential to build enduring cooperation is maximised, or at least optimised.
Timetable
On the right-hand side of the programme front page of the studyguide you will find a link to the online timetables.
Mode of instruction
The course is seminar-based. The students are expected to participate actively in structured discussions on assigned readings for each class.
Study load: 140 hours
Attendance Policy
Attendance is mandatory, subject to course structure (see syllabus for details).
Assessment method
30% on the basis of class discussions
30% on the basis of class exercises
40% on the basis of a paper
Details for submitting papers (deadlines) are posted on Brightspace.
Failed partial grades or components should be compensated by passed partial grades or components. The calculated grade must be at least 5.50 to pass the course. It is not possible to re-sit a partial grade or component once you have passed the course.
Passed partial grades obtained in the academic year 2023-2024 remain valid during the academic year 2024-2025.
Passed partial grades obtained in the academic year 2024-2025 remain valid during the academic year 2025-2026.
Should a student fail the overall course, the student can complete the course in the next academic year. In cases of exceptional circumstances, a student may apply to the board of examiners for a resit to complete the course in the same academic year.
The assessment method has changed from last academic year. Students that have valid partial grades from last academic year, may complete the course according to last years assessment methods.
Reading list
Readings will be from:
Jacob Bercovitch, Victor Kremenyuk and I William Zartman (eds.). 2009. The Sage Handbook of Conflict Resolution. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC: Sage publications.
Registration
The programme will register the students in Usis based on the group division. Use Brightspace for course information.
Contact
Dr. Paul Meerts pwmeerts@gmail.com
Remarks
This course is an elective designed for MIRD students.
This elective is conditional on at least 5 students registering for this course.
Second year students have priority for the registration to this course.
This course is intensive, with all sessions taking place in the month of January.