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Questions of war and peace are at the very heart of the study of international relations. The objective of this course is to diagnose the causes of war. Why do wars begin? Is war a permanent fixture of human civilization or can it be eradicated? What do we need to know to prevent wars and maintain peace? This course covers the major international relations theories that explain war and peace, and explores the biases, misperceptions, security dilemmas, decision-making blunders, and pathological thinking that have led organized groups of people to kill one another. In the process, we will examine some of the most important wars of the past century, including World War I, World War II, and several Cold-War and post-Cold War conflicts. We will also consider whether and how the nature of war has changed in recent years and what the future of war is likely to be.

GEP Social Sciences

Typically offered in Fall only