The History of Ethnic Conflict

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HIST 335: The History of Ethnic Conflict
TR 9:30-10:45, Fall 2005, AD 28
Professor Jan Bender Shetler, Wyse 311, email jans@goshen.edu, phone 535-7108
Office Hours – MTWF afternoons or by appointment, or by email

Course Description
A comparative studies in world history course. The world seems plagued with increasing conflict between ethnic groups. This course explores the historical roots of this problem through a comparative case-study and an inter-disciplinary approach both to analysis of the problem and its solution. Students will present an in-depth research paper on the historical roots of one conflict.
The class will be structured around four big questions/case studies

Why and under what circumstances does ethnicity lead to violent conflict? Sudan
How does historical memory shape ethnic conflict? Palestine
What part does religion play in ethnic conflict? India
What models do we have of successful ways to prevent or stop genocide? South Africa

Course Objectives
1. To gain knowledge, various perspectives and insight in respect to the history of ethnic conflict.

To develop a general framework and tools for thinking about and evaluating ethnic conflict as it appears in many different places and situations.
To challenge common assumptions about ethnic identity and ethnic conflict.
To have each student become knowledgeable about particular ethnic conflicts and be able to analyze those conflicts comparatively.
To develop a sympathetic understanding of various perspectives within any conflict.

2. To practice the historian's craft —

To develop the art of reading critically, evaluating historical sources, articulating ideas in a group setting, and expressing arguments clearly in writing.
To learn and apply the cross-cultural comparative method of historical analysis – an inductive method that generalizes from case studies throughout the world by comparing similarities and differences.
To learn how to use tools of historical analysis from different disciplinary approaches including political science, anthropology, psychology and peace studies.

3. To discover the relevance of historical study and the historical mode of inquiry to peacemaking and critical issues that affect our lives and the world today.

To discuss and evaluate peacemaking efforts in situations of ethnic conflict.
To become introspective about the development of our own social identities.
To think about the intersection of these issues with faith.

Required Books
Ted Robert Gurr and Barbara Harff. Ethnic Conflict in World Politics. (Boulder: Westview Press, 1994).
Douglas O. Johnson. The Root Causes of Sudan’s Civil Wars (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003)
Susan Slyomovics. The Object of Memory: Arab and Jew Narrate the PalestinianVillage (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998)

Sudhir Kakar. The Colors of Violence: Cultural Identities, Religion, and Conflict (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996).
Desmond Tutu. No Future Without Forgiveness (New York, Doubleday, 1999)
Rebecca Rich, ed., Case Studies in Ethnic Conflict: Creation of the "Other" as Historical Process (Goshen: Pinchpenny Press, 2000)

Reading Packet: Library Reserve
            Hutchinson, John and Anthony D. Smith, "Introduction," in Ethnicity (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), pp. 3-14.
            Pieterse, Jan Nederveen, "Varieties of Ethnic Politics and Ethnicity Discourse," in The Politics of Difference: Ethnic Premises in a World of Power, edited by Edwin Wilmsen and             Patrick McAllister (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1996), pp. 25-44.
            Myers, Garth, et. al. "The Inscription of Difference: News Coverage of the Conflicts in Rwanda             and Bosnia," Political Geography 15 (1): 21-46, 1996.
            Malkki, Liisa, Purity and Exile: Violence, Memory, and National Cosmology Among Hutu             Refugees in Tanzania (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995), pp. 1-17, 52-104.
Other on-line readings posted on the Blackboard site.

Course Requirements

Attendance at all classes is mandatory. After three unexcused absences your grade will drop 1 percentage point each day you are absent. You demonstrate respect for the teacher and fellow students by prompt arrival and attentiveness in class. A tardy is the same as an absence after the attendance has been taken. Plagiarism in written assignments will not be tolerated. Exams and discussion participation on days of unexcused absences cannot be made up. Extensions on papers are granted only in unusual circumstances and at least 3 days in advance of the deadline. If you are sick or for some medical reason could not complete the assignment let me know as soon as possible. Any late work, which has not been cleared with me in advance, will be reduced by ten percentage points for each day that it is late. If you have a scheduled school activity, please turn your assignment in ahead of time.

The success of this class depends on developing a community of learning in the classroom with active participation in discussions each day. Reading assignments must be completed before the class for which they are assigned. I will take points on the assignments that are marked “DUE” on the syllabus. Think about the question for the day in light of the reading even if you do not hand in a reading response. No later than 8:00 a.m. on each class day that an assignment is DUE, students will post their brief responses to three questions concerning the reading on the Blackboard site under “Assignments.” You should bring more detailed responses and their reading notes to class. The first half of the class period will be taken up in discussing student responses. The three questions for response each class period are as follows:
Response to question on the syllabus for the day.
What is the main point of the reading and what evidence is used to support it?
What question(s) do you want to raise/discuss in class?

There are 15 times that this will be called for. Each is worth 3 points. In addition you can post up to 10 times on the blackboard discussion site. Each posting is worth 1 point. I will give up to 20 points for participation in class discussions, and up to three points each time the small group discussions meet.

Students will write a mainly essay exam at the conclusion of each section in the course based on the readings and lectures covered during that period. A satisfactory performance is one that develops a thesis that connects your conclusion with the readings and class lectures.

Students will write a 10-15 page research paper on a particular case study in ethnic conflict, to be chosen in consultation with the professor. See examples in the Case Studies book. Highlights from this paper may be presented orally in class. The paper will be focused around one of the four questions in the syllabus and will be due in place of the paper that other students are writing for that section. During the section that you are writing a research paper you will answer the same questions for the daily assignment but use material from your research reading instead of the required reading from the class. Your paper should however make reference to the material covered in class for that section. We will agree on your due date after you turn in your preliminary topic proposal. Requirements for research papers:
Choose a case study that focuses on a specific question regarding ethnic identity and conflict. Unless special permission is given choose one of the four course questions.
Must be a thesis-style paper that shows change over time.
Must be based on scholarly research and/or primary sources.
Must incorporate and show a relationship to class material.
If you are taking this for SST alternative you must do a service/learning project unless you have permission from the professor for doing a regular research paper.
Another option is connected with the MCC UN Seminar in NYC. See me for details.

Grades will be determined by the following:
                                                                        Participation in class and group discussion                                    55 points
                                                                        Reading preparation                                                                      45 points
                                                                        3 exams (75 x 2 + 100)                                                            250 points
            Research paper and proposals                                                  110 points
            TOTAL POINTS                                                                    460 points

90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D

Tentative Schedule

Thursday, August 25: Introduction

ETHNIC IDENTITY AND CONFLICT: SUDAN

Tuesday, August 30: The Historical Map of Ethnic Conflict/Defining Ethnicity
Read:              Read over syllabus and come with questions/ideas
Gurr & Harff, Ethnic Conflict, Chs. 1 and 2, pp. 1-26 + appendix 158-66.
Intro to Rebecca Rich, ed., Case Studies, pp. 5-8, browse papers.
                                    Library Reserve-- Hutchinson, John & Anthony D. Smith, "Introduction," in Ethnicity (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), pp. 3-14
Optional: Pieterse, Jan Nederveen, "Varieties of Ethnic Politics and       Ethnicity Discourse," in The Politics of Difference, pp. 25-44
Question:       DUE-- Why is ethnic conflict so prevalent today? What is the political importance of how one defines ethnicity?

Thursday, September 1: Discussion Groups: Ethnic Conflict in the Media
Read:                          Library Reserve -- Myers, Garth, et. al. "The Inscription of Difference: News Coverage of the Conflicts in Rwanda and Bosnia," Political Geography 15 (1): 21-46, 1996.
                                    Look at news articles on Genocide and Ethnic Conflict, bring examples to class, check out some of the websites.
                                    Gurr and Harff, Ethnic Conflict, Chs. 3-4, pp. 27-75
Question:       DUE -- How does the media influence our perceptions of ethnic conflict today?

Tuesday, September 6: The Sudan Civil War
Read:             Gurr and Harff, Ethnic Conflict, Ch. 5, 77-95
                                    Johnson, The Root Causes, Chs. 1 and 2
Question:        What conclusions can you draw from these case studies about why or under what circumstances does ethnic identity lead to violent conflict?

Thursday, September 8: The Story of Rwanda in Comparison
Read:             Johnson, The Root Causes, Chs. 3 and 4
Question:        DUE -- What are the root causes of genocide? Turn in together with preliminary research proposal.

Tuesday, September 13: Discussion Groups: Is There a Logic of Genocide? Sudan
            Read:              Johnson, The Root Causes, Chs. 5 and 6
            Question:        DUE -- Is There a Logic of Genocide?

Thursday, September 15: The Role of Outside Players
            Read:              Johnson, The Root Causes, Chs. 7, 8 and 9
            Question:        How do international actors influence ethnic conflict?
                                    DUE – Turn in final research proposals

Tuesday, September 20: The Peace Process
            Read:              Johnson, The Root Causes, Chs. 10 and 11
                                    Blackboard – Peace Plan posted
            Question:        How do political peace processes bring the end of conflict?

Thursday, September 22: Darfur
            Read:              Watch video and read from peace agreement on Blackboard
                                    UN Report on Darfur and
                                    PBS Documentary: The Quick and the Terrible
            Question:        DUE -- How do the Root Causes of the Darfur conflict compare with the case of Southern Sudan?

Tuesday, September 27: Exam in class
Why/under what circumstances does ethnic identity lead to violent conflict?

HISTORICAL MEMORY AND ETHNIC CONFLICT: PALESTINE/ISRAEL

Thursday, September 29: Small Group Discussions: Mythico-History
Read: Library Reserve -- Malkki, Liisa, Purity and Exile: Violence, Memory, and National Cosmology Among Hutu Refugees in Tanzania (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995), pp. 1-17, 52-104.
Question: DUE -- What is mythico-history and how does it contribute to ethnic conflict?

Tuesday, October 4: Historical Background: 1948 and 1967
            Read:              Slyomovics, The Object of Memory, Preface and Ch. 1, pp. xi-xxii, 1-28.
                                    Janna Bowman, "Palestinian Textbooks" in Case Studies, p. 18-32
            Question:        How is a Palestinian mythico-history constructed and to what end?

Thursday, October 6:    Palestine-Israel Mythico History
            Read:              Slyomovics, The Object of Memory, Ch. 2 pp. 29-81.
            Question:        DUE -- How is Israeli mythico-history constructed and to what end?

Tuesday, October 11: MIDTERM BREAK, NO CLASS

Thursday, October 13: Small Group Discussions: The Politics of Place
Read: Slyomovics, The Object of Memory, Ch. 3 and 4, 82-168
Question: DUE -- Does an objective post-1948 history of Ein Houd exist?

Tuesday, October 18: Gender in Ethnic Conflict
            Read:              Slyomovics, The Object of Memory, Chs. 5 and 6, 169-209
            Question:        How is exile status and gender used in the construction of identity?

Thursday, October 20: Exam in class
            How does historical memory shape ethnic conflict?

RELIGION AND ETHNIC CONFLICT: INDIA

Tuesday, October 25: Background on India – Hindu/Muslim Relations
            Read:              Kakar, The Colors of Violence, Chs. 1 and 2, pp. 1-51
            Question:        What are the historical roots of religious conflict in India?

Thursday, October 27: A Psychological Analysis of Religion
            Read:              Kakar, The Colors of Violence, Chs. 3, pp. 52-86
Question:        DUE -- What new insights into the role of religion does this analysis offer?

Tuesday, November 1: Small Group Discussions
Read: Kakar, The Colors of Violence, Chs. 4 and 5, pp. 87-142
Question: DUE – What are the effects of ethnic violence on its victims?

Thursday, November 3: Religious Nationalism
Read: Kakar, The Colors of Violence, Chs. 6-7, pp. 143-185
Question: DUE -- How is religious nationalism related to ethnic conflict?

Tuesday, November 8: Small Group Discussions: Religious Fundamentalism
            Read:              Kakar, The Colors of Violence, Conclusion, pp. 186-197
                                    Gurr and Harff, Ethnic Conflict, Chs. 6 and 7, pp. 97-138
            Question:        DUE -- What is the role of religious fundamentalism in the world today?

Thursday, November 10: Exam
What part does religion play in ethnic conflict?

PART IV: PEACEMAKING AND ETHNIC CONFLICT: SOUTH AFRICA

Tuesday, November 15: Background to South Africa
Read:              Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness, Chs. 1-3, pp. 1-46
                        Gurr and Harff, Ethnic Conflict, Chs. 8-9, pp. 139-157
Question:        Is a lasting peace with justice possible if the perpetrators receive amnesty?

Thursday, November 17: Video: Long Night's Journey into Day
            Read:              Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness, Chs. 4-6, pp. 47-87
                                    Blackboard: “Victims' Perspectives about the Human Rights Violations Hearings”
Question:       DUE -- How does telling so many painful stories bring reconciliation and healing?

Tuesday, November 22: Small Group Discussions: The Truth and Reconciliation Model
Read: Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness, Chs. 7 and 8, pp. 121-192
Question: DUE -- Are the dynamics of racial conflict different from ethnic conflict?

Thursday, November 24: THANKSGIVING BREAK

Tuesday, November 29: Applying the Model to other cases?
Read:              Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness, Chs. 9-10, pp. 195-254
                        Websites posted on Blackboard
Question:        DUE -- What part did gender play in the TRC?

Thursday, December 1: Last Day of Class Final Comments
Read: Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness, Ch. 11, pp. 255- 287
What models do we have of successful ways to prevent/stop genocide?

Wednesday, December 7: FINAL EXAM, 3:30 pm

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