Conflict Management in a Polycentric World Order (DHP-D262)

Spring 2024 · DHP D262 · Tufts University · 3 credits · Undergraduate

As conflicts have become more diffuse and fragmented in a “multiplex” world order, conflict management has equally become distributed, polycentric, and fuzzy. A plethora of actors including governments, states, organizations as well as informal actors seek to shape conflict outcomes and intervene at different stages of the conflict resolution (CR) process. Against this backdrop, how do various actors’ strategies compete, interact, and intersect at the same time? The course is structured around three core parts: theory, methodology and case studies. The first part introduces students to theoretical frameworks that inform the field of conflict, conflict management and polycentric governance. The second part discusses various methods that enable students to “see” and “analyze” polycentricity as well as evaluate its impact in conflict management. The third part provides a palette of case studies that explore multi-actor interventions in violent/armed conflict, negotiations in peace processes, and multi-scalar peacebuilding initiatives etc. The course offers a variety of interactive activities such as in-class discussions, group work, guest lectures and a final role-playing exercise.

Course codes: DHP-D262

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