Theory and Practice of Peace and Conflict Studies

Course Type	Course Code	No. Of Credits
Discipline Elective	SLG2LP222	4

Course coordinator and team: Dr. Salvin Paul

Does the course connect to, build on or overlap with any other courses offered in AUD?

This course complements both MA LP and the MA Criminology programme by providing conceptual and analytical tools to examine conflict, violence, and peace as interconnected socio-political processes. It builds upon foundational courses in criminological theory, governance, and social justice by deepening students’ ability to analyse conflict structures, diagnose drivers of violence, and evaluate mechanisms of peacebuilding. It does not overlap with existing offerings but enhances students’ competencies in conflict analysis relevant to law enforcement, restorative justice, human rights, and social policy.

2. Specific requirements on the part of students who can be admitted to this course:

(Pre requisites; prior knowledge level; any others – please specify)

No requirement

3. No. of students to be admitted (with justification if lower than usual cohort size is proposed):

As per cohort size

4. Course scheduling: (summer/winter course; semester-long course; half-semester course; workshop mode; seminar mode; any other – please specify)

Semester-long course

5. How does the course link with the vision of AUD?

Aligned with AUD’s vision of interdisciplinary and socially engaged learning, this course equips students to critically evaluate the structural, cultural, and political dimensions of conflict and peace. It develops reflective practitioners capable of analysing violence, designing conflict-resolution strategies, and understanding state and community responses to conflict. For the MA Criminology programme, the course deepens conceptual grounding in conflict processes essential for understanding crime, justice, and social transformation.

6. How does the course link with the specific programme(s) where it is being offered?

This course strengthens both MA in Law and Politics and MA Criminology by providing analytical tools to examine how conflict, governance, and international legal norms shape political authority, security, and justice. It complements core courses by deepening students’ capacity to interpret global processes, institutional responses, and India’s engagement with international frameworks.

7. Course Details:

a. Summary

This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary foundations of Peace and Conflict Studies, tracing its evolution from post-war peace research to contemporary debates on conflict management, conflict resolution, and conflict transformation. It analyses typologies of conflict, explores perspectives from Galtung, Gandhian thought, postcolonial scholarship, and critiques of structural violence. Students engage with mechanisms of peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peacebuilding, particularly within UN frameworks and emerging community-based approaches. The course emphasises analytical tools such as conflict mapping, diagnosis, human rights frameworks, and environmental peacebuilding, enabling students to critically examine the causes, dynamics, and resolution of conflicts across multiple scales.

8. Couse Objectives

The course aims to:

Introduce the interdisciplinary evolution and theoretical foundations of Peace and Conflict Studies.
Analyse diverse approaches to peace, conflict, violence, and justice.
Equip students with conceptual and methodological tools for conflict analysis.
Examine mechanisms of conflict management, resolution, and transformation.
Evaluate peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peacebuilding practices through UN and community perspectives.

9. Expected learning outcomes:

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

Explain major theories and interdisciplinary perspectives shaping Peace and Conflict Studies.
Analyse conflict dynamics using structured tools such as conflict mapping and typology frameworks.
Evaluate mechanisms of conflict management, resolution, and transformation, including their strengths and limitations.
Assess peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peacebuilding practices through institutional and community lenses.
Critically apply peace and conflict theories to contemporary case studies, including those relevant to South Asia and India.

Modules and Readings

MODULE 1 — Interdisciplinary Nature of Peace and Conflict Studies

Themes:

Evolution of the discipline
Interdisciplinarity
Genealogy of peace and conflict theory
Major debates

Readings

Tripathi, S., & Roepstorff, K. (2020). Decentering peace and conflict studies: Conceptualisations of peace in India.
Majumdar, A., & Chatterjee, S. (2020). Peace and Conflict Studies: Perspectives from South Asia.
Mishra, M. K., Upadhyaya, P., & Davis, T. (2023). Peace leadership in Asia.
Mac Ginty, R. (2019). Complementarity and interdisciplinarity in peace studies.
Richmond, O. (2020). A post-liberal approach to peace and conflict theory.

MODULE 2 — Approaches to Peace and Conflict

Themes:

Positive & negative peace
Gandhian, Galtungian, feminist, postcolonial approaches
Violence & justice

Readings

Jarstad et al. (2019). Three approaches to peace.
Webel, C. (2021). Philosophies of peace in the 21st century.
Albin, C. (2020). Negotiating justice in conflict resolution.
Jacoby, T. (2019). Understanding conflict and violence (updated edition).
Müller, H. (2021). Justice and peace: Contemporary debates.

MODULE 3 — Conflict Analysis

Themes:

Conflict mapping
Human rights in war
Management, resolution, transformation

Readings

Sandole et al. (2020). Handbook of Conflict Analysis and Resolution (Updated Ed.).
Betts & Gisvold (2021). Conflict mapping innovations.
Sriram et al. (2020). War, Conflict and Human Rights (Updated Ed.).
Väyrynen, R. (2019). From Conflict Resolution to Conflict Transformation.
O’Toole et al. (2022). Conflict transformation in practice.