In this twelve-week class, the instructor (anonymous) explores the history and content of influential theories in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict studies. These were developed in the humanities and social sciences and draw on political science, anthropology, sociology, philosophy and economics.
The main takeaway is that conflict doesn't come out of nowhere. It's the result not only of political, but also of social, cultural, economic and other factors that are often ingrained into societies where violence or conflict come from. Influential theorists of conflict are the ones who tried to find frameworks that attempt to explain or predict when/why this happens.
Note that the content comes from a more progressive point of view. Not all readers will agree with the presuppositions and values discussed here. The authors and ideas discussed can be broadly thought of as progressive and left-of-center. The main takeaway is that building peace requires focusing not only on visible actions, but on the social systems and structures that are thought to produce and reproduce violence on different levels. Not all readers will share this approach, though I hope that the information shared will be of use to folks coming from a variety of ideological positions. For a more center/right-of-center approach to conflict, see the course
History of Conflict Resolution.
Each page was written using notes from each lecture. Additional readings are found at the bottom of each entry. Currently, only the first three lectures are available, hopefully with more to come soon.