DIPL 6001 Politics of Cultural and Ethnic Pluralism

This course surveys the politics of cultural and ethnic pluralism/diversity as manifested in terms of the plurality of political, economic, cultural, and socio-demographic variables shaping the contemporary world, and their impact on the international system and the practice of international relations. The course focuses on the salient issues that have taken center stage in the modem world, and deals with general issues related to the rise of politicized ethnicity and other cultural cleavages around the world. It also explores different theories and perspectives on identity formation, activation, and mobilization. Moreover, factors that contributed to the recent revival of ethnic, religious, and linguistic attachments, including globalization, are investigated. The lectures for this course are organized around three schools of thought - primordialism, instrumentalism, and constructivism — that purport to explain cultural solidarities. We will try to apply these three perspectives in our study of the politics of cultural pluralism in the contemporary world, with emphasis on why and how ethnic cleavages have become salient after the end of the Cold War. Towards the end of the semester, we will explore possible formulas for accommodation of cultural pluralism in multi-ethnic societies. To this end, this course surveys national and ethnic identities around the globe and their impact on the human condition. The instructor hopes that, by the time the course topics are covered, each student will have developed a heightened interest in the study of cultural pluralism and an appreciation of the extent to which parochial solidarities (e.g. ethnic, religious, and linguistic) have become salient in the late 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. As students majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations, you are expected to think in terms of theories and related policy issues that may potentially affect the domestic and foreign policies of culturally plural societies. Each student will write and present a research paper, subject to the instructor’s approval, on any topic related to cultural pluralism either in a specific country (that is, at the sub-national or national levels) or group of countries (that is, at the group level), or at the level of the international system. The course will conclude with student presentation of research findings and submission of the research paper

DIPL 6717 Conflict and Forced Population Movements in Africa

A few years after the African decade of independence (the 1960s), conflicts and the accompanying forced population movements spread dramatically, and the peoples of Africa faced enormous political, security, and economic challenges. The euphoria of independence from colonial powers that began in 1957 with the independence of Ghana and Guinea immediately gave way to dictatorships, political oppression, and instability and endless conflicts. The early optimism, which was shared by almost all of the newly liberated peoples, was replaced by uncertainty and even hopelessness. While it is true that there have been a few countries that had fared better then, and the state of African states has become more encouraging recently, many still find themselves in a political, social, and economic quagmire from which they could not easily extricate themselves. This course is an attempt at exploring the dynamics of conflicts and forced population movements, particularly refugees in Africa. Included in the course are such issues as colonial legacy and the nature of the present African state, political and economic dependence on outside powers, politicized ethnicity, and foreign interventions. All of these have directly or indirectly contributed to the massive forced population movements of the present and of the recent past. Such movements, on the whole, have posed enormous challenges and have had a more negative impact on the individual and on African inter-state relationships. This course will primarily examine these challenges but will also interrogate whether or not such forced population movements have also contributed positively to the well-being of the host nation. To this end, the course examines possible interrelationships between conflicts and forced population movements, settlement patterns, and repatriations. The instructor hopes that, by the end of the semester, each student will have developed an increased interest in the study of forced population movements in Africa, particularly refugee movements, and an awareness of the extent to which these population groups have the potential to negatively affect international peace and security. As students of Diplomacy and International Relations, you are expected to think in terms of policy issues that will contribute to the resolution of the seemingly intractable problem. Each student will write and present a well-developed research paper on any topic related to forced population movements in Africa, either in a specific country (that is, at the national level), or group of countries (that is, at the group or regional level), or at the continental level. You may conduct a comparative study of a conflict and accompanying refugee situation in Africa with a conflict and the accompanying refugee situation in other parts of the world. Prior approval of the topic by the instructor is required. The class sessions will conclude with student PowerPoint presentation of the study

DIPL 6311 Masters Research Project

This course is designed to be offered more as a continuation of DIPL 6310, a pre-requisite for this course. Indeed, the aim is to apply and to further develop the principles and practice of empirical scientific research covered in DIPL 6310 to actual research endeavors, and hopefully produce a quality, publishable paper. As in any legitimate research endeavor, therefore, the course begins with the development of a well-conceived and well-developed research proposal. To this end, all students are expected to include, among other things, the following both in the proposal and in the completed research paper: (1) description of the problem/issue and why it is significant. This section includes statement of the problem/issue and why it is important, and the research question(s) and hypothesis(es)/proposition(s) formulated. (2) literature review and how the study is related to works that have been conducted previously. What will the study add to existing knowledge on the issue? In other words, one needs to locate the problem within the extant literature and identify the gap to be filled; (3) variable definition/conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement (the latter is especially important if the study is quantitative), design, and data collection methods; (4) analysis techniques (statistical or otherwise); (5) result interpretation, discussion, and/or conclusion; (6) bibliography (of cited works). This course is may be seen as the Master’s program “capstone” course, where students are expected to apply what they have learned in the program (over the last two years) by producing a well-conceived, thoroughly-researched, and meticulously-prepared paper of publishable quality. Therefore, you are required to spend ample time to come up with the best paper you can possibly write. Note: Students who intend to conduct interviews may have to seek approval from the Office of Institutional Research Board (IRB) located in the Presidents Hall, especially if the data collection procedure(s) involves risk to human subjects and if the findings are to be disseminated outside of the classroom. This is an issue which Seton Hall University, the State of New Jersey, and the Federal Government see with utmost concern, especially if the interview and any other data collection method involve more than “minimal risk” to the research subjects. Since research involving human subjects may not begin without the IRB approval, you need to see the instructor to file the necessary papers as soon as possible. Given the lengthy process and the time needed for IRB approval, it is important to seriously think about the feasibility of conducting research involving human subjects. Completion of the research in one semester may be hard to meet unless IRB approval was granted well ahead of time

DIPL 4101/5101 Research Project and Diplomacy Thesis Honors Project

This course is designed to help students learn research, writing, and oral communications skills that they can apply to all academic and professional pursuits. The ultimate goal is to complete a well-written. strongly argued, and thoroughly documented paper. To this end, the course focuses primarily on the production of knowledge, while at the same time recognizing that knowledge production requires the ability to critically analyze knowledge produced by other scholars. The course includes both in class and one-on-one meetings with the instructor, all in an effort to turn a general research problem/topic/issue into a researchable question, develop hypotheses, conceptualize and operationalize variables, locate primary and secondary data sources, and identify an effective research design. In most of the class sessions, students will make presentations, and this includes PowerPoint presentation in order to formally present the research findings and constructively critique one another\u27s presentations. The one-on-one meetings with the instructor will focus on the instructor\u27s feedback to students. In addition, two articles published in reputable, peer-reviewed journals will be reviewed in class by the instructor to learn how accomplished scholars communicate with the academic community. It is hoped that, by the end of the semester, students should have acquired the ability to critically analyze published articles and reports, have an in-depth knowledge of a particular functional area and/or region of the world sufficient to contribute to the existing state of knowledge, and demonstrate an understanding of the social science research process, including skills to collect, sort, and evaluate information; analyze complex situations and synthesize information; and communicate effectively in oral and written form. Note: Students who intend to conduct interviews may have to seek approval from the Office of Institutional Research Board (IRB) located in the Presidents Hall, especially if the data collection procedure(s) involves risk to human subjects and if the findings are to be disseminated outside of the classroom. This is an issue which Seton Hall University, the State of New Jersey, and the Federal Government see with utmost concern, especially if the interview and any other data collection method involve more than minimal risk to the research subjects. Since research involving human subjects may not begin without the IRB approval, you need to see the instructor to file the necessary papers as soon as possible. Given the lengthy process and the time needed for IRB approval, it is important to seriously think about the feasibility of conducting research involving human subjects. Completion of the research on time may be hard to meet unless IRB approval is granted very early in the semester

Ethnopolitical Landscapes

This course surveys the politics of cultural and ethnic/national pluralism, understood in terms of the diversity in cultural, linguistic, religious and other socio-demographic variables that are shaping the contemporary world, and their impact on the international system and the practice of international relations. The course focuses on the salient issues that have taken center stage in the modern world, and deals with general issues related to the rise of politicized ethnicity and other cultural cleavages around the world. This includes examination of the possible factors that contributed to the rise of ethnic, religious, linguistic and other parochial attachments, and the accompanying political meanings they assume. In addition, theories that purport to explain ethnic/national group solidarities will be briefly explained. Towards the end of the semester, formulas for accommodation of cultural pluralism in multi-ethnic societies will be explored. Furthermore, the course will cover some important cases in greater detail. These cases include, Quebec, Serbia and Croatia (Former Yugoslavia, Kurdistan (Iraq), Ukraine, Quebec (Canada), and South Sudan. These cases have been selected for various reasons, including: (1) Representativeness: taken together, the cases are broadly representative of current ethno-nationalist currents around the world. (2) Currency: each case may be understood in the context of the emerging New World Order and global governance. That is, each has been affected by post-Cold War developments. (3) Contrast: Canada (and South Africa) has so far managed issues related to its multiculturalism in a civil way. However, in the remaining cases - Kurdistan, the former Yugoslavia, Ukraine, and South Sudan - - the ethnic/national conflicts have been violent, and the prevailing cultural divide have resulted in problems of mammoth proportions. Students will also have the opportunity to explore additional cases in-depth through research of different cases. The cases will be assigned to groups of three students, who together, will form a group and conduct a detailed study on the nature, evolution, causes, dynamics, actors, and attempted resolution mechanisms in each of the cases. The course concludes with student PPT presentation of research findings and submission of a term paper. To this end, the course examines national and ethnic identities around the globe and their impact on the human condition. The instructor hopes that, by the time the course topics are covered, each student will have developed increased interest in the study of cultural pluralism and an appreciation of the extent to which ethnicity and nationalism have become salient in national and international politics at the beginning of the 21st century

Conflict and Forced Population Movements in Africa

A few years after the African decade of independence (the 1960s), conflicts and the accompanying forced population movements spread dramatically, and the peoples of Africa faced enormous political, security, and economic challenges. The euphoria of independence from colonial powers that began in 1957 with the independence of Ghana and Guinea immediately gave way to dictatorships, political oppression, and instability and endless conflicts. The early optimism, which was shared by almost all of the newly-liberated peoples, was replaced by uncertainty and even hopelessness. While it is true that there have been a few countries that had fared better then, and the state of African nations has become increasingly more encouraging recently, many still find themselves in a political, social, and economic quagmire from which they could not easily extricate themselves. An important consequence of this is the massive human migration and refugee exodus from their countries of nationality. This course is an attempt at exploring the dynamics of conflicts and forced population movements, particularly refugees in Africa. Included in the course are such issues as colonial legacy and the nature of the present African state, political and economic dependence on outside powers, politicized ethnicity, and foreign interventions. All of these have directly or indirectly contributed to the massive, forced population movements of the present and of the recent past. Such movements, on the whole, have posed enormous challenges and have had a more negative impact on the individual and on African inter-state relationships. This course will primarily examine these challenges but will also briefly interrogate whether or not such forced population movements have also contributed positively to the well-being of the host nation. To this end, the course examines possible interrelationships between conflicts and forced population movements, settlement patterns, and repatriations. The instructor hopes that, by the end of the semester, each student will have developed an increased interest in the study of forced population movements in Africa, including migrant and refugee movements, and an awareness of the extent to which these population groups have the potential to negatively affect international peace and security. As students of Diplomacy and International Relations, you are expected to think in terms of policy issues that will contribute to the resolution of the seemingly intractable problem. Each student will write and make a PowerPoint (PPT) presentation of a well-developed research paper on any topic related to forced population movements in Africa, either in a specific country (that is, at the national level), or group of countries (that is, at the group or regional level), or at the continental level. You may conduct a comparative study of a conflict and accompanying refugee situation in Africa with a conflict and the accompanying refugee situation in other parts of the world. Prior approval of the topic by the instructor is required The class sessions will conclude with student PowerPoint presentation of the study

DIPL 4717 Conflict and Forced Population Movements in Africa

A few years after the African decade of independence (the 1960s ), conflicts and the accompanying forced population movements spread dramatically, and the peoples of Africa faced enormous political, security, and economic challenges. The euphoria of independence from colonial powers that began in 1957 with the independence of Ghana and Guinea immediately gave way to dictatorships, political oppression and instability, and endless conflicts. The early optimism, shared by almost all of the newly-liberated peoples, was replaced by uncertainty and even hopelessness. While it is true that there have been a few countries that faired better, and the state of African states has become more encouraging recently, many still find themselves in a political, social, and economic quagmire from which they could not extricate themselves. This course is an attempt at exploring the dynamics of conflicts and forced population movements, particularly refugees, in Africa. Included in the course are such issues as colonial legacy and the nature of the present African state, political and economic dependence on outside powers, politicized ethnicity, and foreign interventions. All of these have directly or indirectly contributed to the massive forced population movements of the present and of the recent past. Such movements, on the whole, have had a more negative impact on the individual and on African inter-state relationships. This course will primarily examine these challenges but will also interrogate whether or not such forced population movements have also contributed positively to the well-being of the host nation. To this end, the course examines possible interrelationships between conflicts and forced population movements, settlement patterns, and repatriations. The instructor hopes that, by the end of the semester, each student will have developed an increased interest in the study of forced population movements in Africa, particularly refugee movements, and an awareness of the extent to which these population groups have the potential to negatively affect international peace and security. As students of Diplomacy and International Relations, you are expected to think in terms of policy issues that will contribute to the resolution of -- in the words of one scholar - a problem of our time. Each student will write and present a well-developed research paper on any topic related to forced population movements in Africa, either in a specific country (that is, at the national level), or group of countries (that is, at the group or regional level), or at the continental level. You may conduct a comparative study of a conflict and refugee situation in Africa with a conflict and the accompanying refugee situation in other parts of the world. Prior approval of the topic by the instructor is required. The class sessions will conclude with student PowerPoint presentation of the study

DIPL 6717 Conflict and Forced Population Movements in Africa

A few years after the African decade of independence (the 1960s), conflicts and the accompanying forced population movements spread dramatically, and the peoples of Africa faced enormous political, security, and economic challenges. The euphoria of independence from colonial powers that began in 1957 with the independence of Ghana and Guinea immediately gave way to dictatorships, political oppression, and instability and endless conflicts. The early optimism, which was shared by almost all of the newly-liberated peoples, was replaced by uncertainty and even hopelessness. While it is true that there have been a few countries that faired better, and the state of African states has become more encouraging recently, many still find themselves in a political, social, and economic quagmire from which they could not extricate themselves. This course is an attempt at exploring the dynamics of conflicts and forced population movements, particularly refugees, in Africa. Included in the course are such issues as colonial legacy and the nature of the present African state, political and economic dependence on outside powers, politicized ethnicity, and foreign interventions. All of these have directly or indirectly contributed to the massive forced population movements of the present and of the recent past. Such movements, on the whole, have posed enormous challenges and have had a more negative impact on the individual and on African inter-state relationships. This course will primarily examine these challenges but will also interrogate whether or not such forced population movements have also contributed positively to the well-being of the host nation. To this end, the course examines possible interrelationships between conflicts and forced population movements, settlement patterns, and repatriations. The instructor hopes that, by the end of the semester, each student will have developed an increased interest in the study of forced population movements in Africa, particularly refugee movements, and an awareness of the extent to which these population groups have the potential to negatively affect international peace and security. As students of Diplomacy and International Relations, you are expected to think in terms of policy issues that will contribute to the resolution of -- in the words of one scholar – “a problem of our time.” Each student will write and present a well-developed research paper on any topic related to forced population movements in Africa, either in a specific country (that is, at the national level), or group of countries (that is, at the group or regional level), or at the continental level. You may conduct a comparative study of a conflict and refugee situation in Africa with a conflict and the accompanying refugee situation in other parts of the world. Prior approval of the topic by the instructor is required. The class sessions will conclude with student PowerPoint presentation of the study

DIPL 6700 International Relations of African States

This course examines international relations of African states, including relations between African states, African states and major powers outside of Africa, African states and other international actors, such as the United Nations and the European Union. In particular, the course interrogates whether there has been qualitative change in how and to what extent Africa, as a unit, has interacted with influential international actors, and if so, which factors accounted for the change. Therefore, mapping out the trajectory of the international relations of Africa over the last seventy years will be a critical component of the course. As students in the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, you are required to think in terms of bridging the gap between the theoretical and the practical issues related to the international relations of African states. To this end, each student will write and present a well-developed research paper (that is, a paper with academic and/or policy significance) on any topic related to the international relations of African states. This includes relations between two African countries, or two regional groupings within Africa, or between an African country and a country from outside of Africa, or between the African Union and other international actors, such as the EU, Arab League, etc. You may also choose a topic that examines a regional grouping and its/their relations with actors outside of Africa. Prior approval of the topic by the instructor is required. The class sessions will conclude with PowerPoint presentations of students’ research and submission of a well-written paper

DIPL 2144/6710 African Union Seminar

The beginning of the 21st century appears to be an exciting and a hopeful period in Africa. Unlike the 1960-1990, where various indicators pointed to Africa\u27s persistent dismal scores in terms of economic, political, social, and cultural development, the indicators in the last decade point in the opposite direction. These include decreases in the magnitude of war, increases in popular demand for more openness and transparency; popular resistance to extended tenure of long-time leaders, economic progress over the last few years that surpassed many other regions of the world, and increases in the frequency of elections and peaceful transfers of power. This trend, which began in the mid-1990s, continued at a more rapid pace, especially after the African Union (AU) was established in 2000. This course examines factors that gave rise to positive developments and the sense of optimism that prevails in Africa today, with emphasis on the role of the AU in the resolution and management of conflicts. That is, how does the AU see conflicts in Africa? What is its role in international affairs? How and in what ways does it manage its relationships with international organizations, such as the UN, EU, and the Arab League; and with sub-regional organizations, such as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and Southern African Development Community (SADC)? How does it function as an international organization consisting of more than 50 states, each having different political and economic systems, and national security objectives? How does it face the challenges posed by the plurality of religious, ethnic, and other cultural markers? How does it deal with African countries that have closer ties with western countries than with each other? Unlike some of the other courses I teach, this course is more policy-oriented. As students of Diplomacy and International Relations, you are also expected and encouraged to think in terms of whether or not the issues you raise have policy relevance. Therefore, the research paper should address policy-related, conflict and conflict resolution-related issues, relevant to the AU and the US. The instructor hopes that, by the end of the course term, each student will have developed an increased interest in the study of the AU, and how it navigates its way through the rough contours of international diplomacy