|
MSFS-566 Violence, Cooperation and Non-State Actors
Spring only
This seminar will combine elements from all three MSFS Concentrations—International Relations and Security, International Commerce and Business, and International Development—in the analysis of emerging non-state actors.
The rise of violent non-state actors (terrorists, insurgents, and international criminal organizations) challenging the national security interests of the world’s major powers shows no signs of abating. As events in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Columbia demonstrate, once non-state actors decide to utilize violent means, it becomes exceedingly difficult to channel them towards non-violence through political and economic participation. Identifying and preempting groups from violence will be critical to stability and security in the years ahead. Central to this foreign policy and security challenge is the identification of vacuums (ungoverned spaces—both rural and urban—within a country’s national territory) left by failed, failing, incapable, or disinterested states. Once identified, it will be critical to engage early with potentially violent, emerging groups within these vacuums to influence them away from embracing violence.
Seminar participants will be divided into four “regional teams” responsible for examining the Middle East, South Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Each team will focus on inter alia security, rule of law, grassroots development, business investment, and political participation. Students will play the roles of “specialists” (intelligence, security, judicial, public works, health, education, and business) serving in a Fusion Center from donor countries. The mission of these Centers is to examine non-state actors and offer programs that will encourage political and economic participation. Course readings and exercises will be further supplemented by guest speakers and student interviews with foreign diplomats.
Course requirements include oral and written presentations in each of the three course segments. The first two segments will emphasize informal forecasting of potential threats emanating from ungoverned spaces as well as lessons learned from past and contemporary cases of violent non-state actors. The third segment will involve the identification of emerging non-state actors and the potential threat they pose, the application of specific development programs, and the construction of specific strategies to minimize the potential for violence.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
|
 |
More information
Look for this course in the schedule of classes.
The academic department web site for this program may provide other details about this course.
|
