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From the interpersonal to the international, are we destined to live in a world of destructive conflict—or can we negotiate our way out?
How should we understand conflict in our own lives and in the world around us? At all levels of society, people tend to approach conflict as an adversarial battle—communities polarize, ethnopolitical groups clash, and nations and international institutions face daily political tensions. To prepare you for a lifetime of civic engagement, this course empowers you with new pathways for examining enduring questions about the roots of conflict and interdisciplinary approaches for resolving it.
We will explore rational, emotional, and identity-based perspectives on conflict resolution and connect these aspects to your own life challenges and to conflicts ranging from on-campus divisions to large-scale political disputes. Because conflict resolution often involves tough decisions and moral dilemmas, we also will examine models for understanding its broader sociopolitical and ethical dimensions.
The hope is that, by the end of this course, you will have a deeper understanding of conflict resolution and will be better equipped to navigate its many contours to advance the vision of a more peaceful world.