Diplomacy and Conflict Management Master's Program (with Thesis) (M.A., 1 - 2 Years)

Governance refers to the systems of authoritative rules, norms, institutions, and practices by means of which individuals, states and international organizations manage global problems absent a world government. The course aims to help students gain a deeper appreciation of how the world of global governance works (or doesn’t). It provides an overview of the evolving architecture, processes and outcomes of global governance, as well as the constraints and opportunities for policy processes, whether at the national or international levels. Following the discussion of theoretical perspectives on global governance, the course applies these approaches to issues related to international peace and security, the management of global economy, and finally, efforts to protect human rights and the environment.

The objective of this course is to prepare graduate students for the task of thesis research through the development of a scientifically sound thesis proposal. Inter alia, it covers such issues as introduction to the research process; research design in the disciplines of International Relations and Comparative Politics; debates and examples in the literature; epistemological and methodological issues; formatting issues; and the preparation of individual thesis proposals.

This course will survey the theory and the actual practice of both international and ethnic conflicts, and investigate possible methods of resolving these conflicts. Special attention will be put on the processes of peacemaking and reconciliation between the adversaries through real life examples. Within the broader conflict resolution field, processes as bargaining (negotiation), mediation by the "third party" involvement and other alternative dispute resolution processes will be analyzed.

The survey of the theory and the practice of international negotiations and mediation. The ingredients and processes of bargaining (negotiation).  Conflict prevention. Understanding and development of negotiation and mediation skills.