Summary Violence & Security Readings and Lecture notes.
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Course
Violence and Security: Paradigms & Debates
Institution
Universiteit Van Amsterdam (UvA)
The document includes detailed summaries of the readings and also includes the main points/ key points of each reading. It is very helpful and helped me get a high grade on this exam. The document has the notes for both the mid-term and the final exams (everything of the whole course). It really he...
Mid Term Content:
Lecture one: Concepts and approaches.....................................................................................1
Lecture two: Violence and state formation............................................................................... 3
Lecture three: Nuclear weapons...............................................................................................4
Lecture four: Democracy and War........................................................................................... 5
Lecture five: Gender and Conflict............................................................................................ 6
Lecture six: Ethnic Conflict ...........................................................................................7
Final Term Content:
Lecture eight: Genocide.........................................................................................................15
Lecture nine: Civilian Rescue.................................................................................................17
Lecture ten: Peacebuilding and its Limits + Responsie College........................................... 19
Lecture one.
Reading one:
Therése Pettersson et al. 2021. “Organized violence 1989-2020, with a special emphasis
on Syria.” Journal of Peace Research 58(4): 809-825.
Therése Pettersson and her co-authors conducted a study titled "Organized violence
1989-2020, with a special emphasis on Syria" that provides an overview of trends and
patterns in organized violence worldwide between 1989 and 2020. The study covers a broad
range of violent events, including armed conflicts, state repression, and communal violence.
The authors analyze data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, which tracks violent
events across the world.
The study finds that the overall number of violent events has declined since the end of the
Cold War, but the severity of violence has increased. The authors attribute this trend to the
proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which have made it easier for non-state actors
to launch attacks. The study also finds that conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa have
become more protracted and intractable, with the conflict in Syria being a particularly salient
example.
,The authors argue that the Syrian conflict is distinct from other conflicts in the region due to
its complexity, duration, and involvement of external actors. They suggest that the conflict
reflects a broader trend towards the fragmentation of power and the proliferation of armed
groups in the Middle East. The authors also highlight the impact of external interventions,
particularly the involvement of Russia and Iran on the side of the Syrian government and the
United States and its allies on the side of the opposition. The study concludes by emphasizing
the need for sustained efforts to prevent and resolve violent conflicts, particularly in regions
that are prone to fragmentation and external intervention.
KEY POINTS:
● The article examines organized violence worldwide from 1989 to 2020, with a focus
on the Syrian conflict.
● The authors define organized violence as "violence that occurs within the context of
an organized group, whether it is a state or non-state actor, and that is conducted by a
chain of command."
● They find that the number of organized violence events worldwide increased sharply
in the early 1990s and has remained relatively stable since then.
● The Syrian conflict is the most deadly and intense conflict of the past decade, with
over 500,000 people killed and an average of 51 events per day.
● The authors analyze the geographic and temporal patterns of organized violence,
finding that it is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle
East.
● They also identify a trend towards the use of more lethal weapons and tactics in
organized violence, including the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
● The article concludes by arguing that the study of organized violence is crucial for
understanding conflict and promoting peace, and calls for more research on the root
causes and dynamics of organized violence.
Reading two:
Amelia Hoover Green (2013). “How to Read Political Science: A Guide in Four Steps.”
Amelia Hoover Green's article "How to Read Political Science: A Guide in Four Steps"
provides a framework for understanding and engaging with political science scholarship. The
author argues that reading political science requires a different set of skills than other forms
of reading, such as reading fiction or news articles.
, Green outlines four steps for effective reading of political science literature. The first step is
to identify the research question or puzzle that the author is addressing. This involves
understanding the motivation behind the research and the specific problem that the author is
trying to solve. The second step is to understand the theoretical framework that the author is
using to analyze the problem. This includes identifying the key concepts and assumptions that
underlie the author's argument.
The third step is to examine the evidence that the author uses to support their argument. This
involves evaluating the quality and relevance of the data and methods that the author
employs. The fourth and final step is to evaluate the author's conclusions and their
implications. This involves critically assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the argument
and considering its broader implications for political science and society at large.
Green emphasizes that effective reading of political science requires an active and critical
approach. She encourages readers to engage with the text and to ask questions at each step of
the process. By following these four steps, readers can develop a deeper understanding of
political science literature and engage more effectively with political issues and debates.
KEY POINTS:
● Political science reading requires a different set of skills than other forms of reading
● Effective reading of political science involves four steps: identifying the research
question, understanding the theoretical framework, examining the evidence, and
evaluating the conclusions and implications
● Identifying the research question involves understanding the problem the author is
trying to solve
● Understanding the theoretical framework includes identifying key concepts and
assumptions
● Examining the evidence involves evaluating the quality and relevance of the data and
methods used
● Evaluating the conclusions and implications involves critically assessing the strengths
and weaknesses of the argument and its broader implications
● Effective reading of political science requires an active and critical approach
● Readers should engage with the text and ask questions at each step of the process.
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