INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ORGANIZATION
DIPLOMA PROGRAMME
PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES
Developed at the United World College of the Atlantic
School-based Syllabus
Revised by Lodewijk van Oord and Rianne Siebenga (2005)
For first examinations in May 2007
This is an edited version of the subject guide, for use with extended essay
candidates. Assessment details for the subject are not included: please refer
to the assessment criteria in the Extended Essay guide.
Notes
1. This document should be read in conjunction with the Handbook of procedures for the
Diploma Programme, section 7, School-based syllabuses.
2. As a school-based syllabus (SBS) subject, Peace and Conflict Studies may only be
offered by schools authorised by the IB to do so before the commencement of teaching.
3. An SBS may not be combined within the same Diploma with a pilot subject or another
SBS subject.
Any queries arising from this documentation should be directed in the first instance to
[e-mail].
CONTENTS
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT 3
AIMS 4
OBJECTIVES 4
SYLLABUS OUTLINE 5
SYLLABUS DETAILS 5
BIBLIOGRAPHY 7
IB Diploma Programme guide: SBS Peace and Conflict Studies, 2005 (extract for extended essay use)
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NATURE OF THE SUBJECT
Peace and Conflict Studies takes up the challenge of the International Baccalaureate
Organization s mission statement to promote an understanding of social and global
affairs and help create a world of greater justice and peace.
For the purpose of this course the term  conflict is used in a sense broader than that
of open violence or warfare. It includes, for instance, conflicts of interest and
examples of  structural violence. Traditionally peace has been understood as the
absence of war. Peace research, however, has suggested strongly that there are two
complementary concepts of peace. The absence of war and direct violence
(sometimes referred to as negative peace) is the first fundamental condition for and
a step towards the achievement of positive peace. The latter is based on notions of
justice, liberty, equality and co-operation; although of course these terms themselves
are open to many definitions and interpretations. Progress towards peace is
therefore a dynamic process, a movement first towards the absence of war and
violence and then towards genuine, lasting, positive peace.
Peace and Conflict Studies demands a transdisciplinary approach, combining
elements of subjects such as History, Economics, Political Thought, World Religions,
Social Psychology and Anthropology. The course is  value-based insofar as it
encourages peace rather than violence, but the intention is not to  pacify students or
to persuade them to ignore or avoid conflict. Indeed, Peace and Conflict Studies
values conflict as a means of achieving positive change. The course will inevitably
concern itself with the analysis of aggression and violence, since only by
understanding those phenomena can students learn how they might be reduced or
eliminated.
The educational philosophy that underpins this course values student discussion
over lecturing by the teacher, and values learning through experience over the
studying of vast amounts of content. The teacher should therefore set out to create a
learning environment where students feel free to speak their minds and engage in
critical and constructive debate. This will enable students to learn from peers who
might have different or even contradictory perceptions of peace and conflict. By
using different instructional formats, Peace and Conflict Studies will be a real
learning experience that will encourage students to think and reflect on their own and
others attitudes and behaviour.
IB Diploma Programme guide: SBS Peace and Conflict Studies, 2005 (extract for extended essay use)
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AIMS
The aims of the Peace and Conflict Studies course are to enable students to:
1. explore the concepts of peace, violence and aggression within and between
individuals and societies.
2. develop an understanding of the origins and causes of conflict between and
within individuals, groups and states.
3. develop an understanding of different processes and strategies of conflict
transformation and the conditions and circumstances necessary for lasting
peace at various levels.
4. recognize the preconceptions and assumptions of their own social and
cultural environment.
5. promote the need for social justice, equality and respect for others; appreciate
diversity; combat bias, prejudice and discrimination.
6. develop an awareness of the existence of different interpretations relating to
the topics studied in the course.
OBJECTIVES
Having followed the Peace and Conflict Studies course, candidates will be expected
to:
1. define for working use certain key concepts such as peace, violence and
aggression, and grasp their importance and implications for the study of
individuals and societies.
2. interpret, explain, and distinguish between different theoretical and practical
approaches to key concepts.
3. compare, criticise and evaluate different sources and approaches to and
interpretations of the topics studied in the course.
4. apply and evaluate approaches to conflict transformation and concepts in
relation to specific conflicts at the personal, social and global level.
5. communicate their awareness and understanding of conflict and conflict
transformation on a personal, social and global level.
6. demonstrate the ability to collect, select, analyse and evaluate evidence;
organise evidence into clear, logical, coherent and relevant arguments, both
orally and in writing.
IB Diploma Programme guide: SBS Peace and Conflict Studies, 2005 (extract for extended essay use)
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SYLLABUS OUTLINE
The Peace and Conflict Studies course consists of four topics. The course includes
the study of peace and conflict at three analytical levels  the personal, social and
global. It is expected that peace and conflict theories will be introduced throughout
the course in relation to the specific examples studied. While it may be useful to
begin with an analysis of different concepts of violence and peace, the following
does not prescribe a particular teaching order.
The four topics are:
Topic 1: Concepts of peace, violence and aggression
Topic 2: Social conflict
Topic 3: Conflict around the globe
Topic 4: Transforming conflict
SYLLABUS DETAILS
Topic 1: Concepts of peace, violence and aggression
·ð Concepts of Peace and Conflict Studies
- Concepts of peace, violence and conflict
- Meaning of peace in different political traditions and religions
- Conflict dynamics (e.g. Galtung s conflict triangle)
- Parties in conflict: positions, needs and interests.
·ð Theories of human aggression
- Instinct theories
- Frustration / aggression theories
- Social learning theories.
·ð Warfare
- Experimental studies of authority and obedience
- Just war theory (Jus ad bellum and Jus in bello)
- Nature of contemporary warfare.
Topic 2: Social conflict
·ð Prejudice and discrimination
- The nature of human difference (concepts of race, culture, identity)
- Causes of prejudice and discrimination
- Methods of tackling prejudice and discrimination.
·ð Conformity and group influence
- Experimental studies of conformity
- Social influence.
IB Diploma Programme guide: SBS Peace and Conflict Studies, 2005 (extract for extended essay use)
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·ð Minority groups within society
- Racial / ethnic minorities
- Gender / sexual minorities
- Religious / political minorities.
Topic 3: Conflict around the globe
·ð A topical regional conflict (e.g. the Balkans, Arab-Israeli, N. Ireland, Iraq)
- History of the conflict (social, economic and political causes)
- Outside influences (e.g. foreign influence, arms trade)
- Proposed and partly tried solutions to the conflict.
·ð Development
- Measures of development
- Third world debt and its consequences
- Aid and aid dependency.
·ð Globalisation
- Concepts of globalisation
- Global problems and global problem solving
- The military industrial complex.
Topic 4: Transforming conflict
·ð Violent and non-violent conflict transformation
- Violent protest (e.g. guerrilla and terrorism)
- Philosophy and objectives of non-violence
- Two historical or current examples of non-violent protest (e.g. Gandhi,
Martin Luther King, Aung San Suu Kyi): their successes and failures.
·ð Third party intervention
- State sovereignty and international law
- The role of international organisations (e.g. UN, NATO, OSCE)
- Mediation strategies.
·ð Post-conflict
- Peace agreements and immediate basic needs
- Reconstruction
- Reconciliation in theory and practice.
IB Diploma Programme guide: SBS Peace and Conflict Studies, 2005 (extract for extended essay use)
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Although there is no single textbook that covers the Peace and Conflict Studies
syllabus completely, there are many books that discuss important aspects of the
course. These books are documented below under the heading General. The more
specialised books and academic journals (useful for specific topics) are collected
under the heading Further reading. Only titles published after 1985 are listed.
General
Author Title Publisher / year edition
Barash, D & Webel, C. Peace and conflict studies. Sage 2002
Barash, D. (ed) Approaches to peace: A reader in peace Oxford UP 2000
studies.
Brown, S. The causes and prevention of war. St. Martin Press 19942
Christie, D., Wagner, R. Peace, conflict and violence: Peace psychology Prentice Hall 2001
& Winter D. (eds) for the 21st century.
Galtung, J. Peace by peaceful means: Peace and conflict, Sage / PRIO 2003
development and civilization.
Gross, R. Psychology: The science of mind and Hodder & Stoughton
behaviour. 20014
Miall, H., Ramsbotham, Contemporary conflict resolution: The Polity Press 2000
O. & Woodhouse, T. prevention, management and transformation of
deadly conflict.
Further reading
Author Title Publisher / year edition
Archer, C. International organizations. Routledge 19992
Augustinos, M. & Understanding prejudice, racism and social Sage 2001
Reynolds, K. conflict
Avruch, K. Culture and conflict resolution. Institute of Peace
Press 1998
Baylis, J. & Smith, S. The globalization of world politics: An Oxford UP 2001
(eds) introduction to international relations.
Bellamy, A., Griffin, S. & Understanding Peacekeeping. Polity Press 2004
Williams, P.
Brown, R. Prejudice Blackwell 1995
Coker, C. Human warfare. Routledge 2001
Copley, A. Gandhi: Against the tide. Blackwell 1987
Freedman, L (ed) War. Oxford UP 1994
Gurr, N. & Cole, B. The new face of terrorism: Threats from IB Tauris 2000
weapons of mass destruction.
Hecht, M. (ed) Communicating prejudice. Sage 1998
Hirst, P. War and power in the 21st century. The state, Polity Press 2001
military conflict and the international system.
Hocking, B. & Smith, M. World politics: An introduction to international Prentice Hall 19952
relations.
Jabri, V. Discourse on violence: Conflict analysis Manchester UP 1996
reconsidered.
Landes, D. The wealth and poverty of nations: Why some Abacus 1999
are so rich and some so poor.
Lederach, J. P. The little book of conflict transformation. Good Books 2003
Lederach, J. P. Building peace: Sustainable reconciliation in US Institute of Peace
divided societies. 1998
Lederach, J. P. Preparing for peace: Conflict transformation Syracuse UP 1996
across culture.
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Leeds, C. Peace and war: A first sourcebook. Stanley Thomas 1987
Morton, J. The poverty of nations: The aid dilemma at the IB Tauris 1996
heart of Africa.
Nye, J.S. Understanding international conflicts: An Harper Collins 1993
introduction to theory and history.
Paris, R. At war s end: Building peace after civil conflict. Cambridge UP 2004
Patterson, L. Martin Luther King Jr. and the freedom Fact on File 1989
movement.
Peters, W. A class divided Yale UP 1987
Rischard, J. F. High noon: 20 global Issues, 20 years to solve Perseus Press 2002
them.
Sen, A. Development as freedom. Oxford UP 2001
[United Nations] Basic facts about the United Nations. United Nations 1995
Walzer, M. Just and unjust wars: A moral argument with Basic Books 19922
historical illustrations.
Whittaker, D. United Nations in the contemporary world. Routledge 1997
Whittaker, D. (ed) The terrorism reader. Routledge 2001
Journals and series
Publisher
Title
Peace, Conflict and Development. An Department of Peace Studies, Bradford University.
Interdisciplinary Journal
The International Journal of Peace Studies International Peace Research Association.
Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Network of Peace and Conflict Studies.
Journal of Peace Education Routledge and the Peace Education Commission
(PEC).
Journal of Peace Research Sage and the Peace Research Institute Oslo.
The no-nonsense guide to& (globalisation, Several authors published by the New
terrorism, arms trade, development etc.) Internationalist.
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