African Conflict Resolution in Comparative Perspective

Course Description

Summary

The prevention, management and resolution of African conflicts is a major challenge for the international community and the continent’s peoples. Africa accounts for the largest and highest number of United Nations’ peacekeeping operations, but these “stabilization” missions have mostly failed to stabilize the continent, and  large segments of the African population continue to live in deadly conflict zones. This course will explore the African conflict resolution experience from a comparative perspective. Topics will include conflict resolution theory and the African experience, the complex roots of African conflicts, the institutional designs and performance of the continent’s domestic and international conflict resolution mechanisms, and positive and negative comparative lessons from intermediation in selected major African conflicts.