INTR 490 Peace & Conflict/Capstone Seminar
This course focuses on some of the major themes in Peace and Conflict research, with a special emphasis on the place of war and nonviolence in political and ethical thought. We will begin by reading some of Homer's Iliad, one of the greatest works of literature in the Western tradition. We will use Homer's ruminations on war as a point of departure: is there a duty to obey? Can war be justified? How does war affect those who participate in it? Are we required to follow the orders of incompetent leaders? Can war have positive outcomes, and are they worth the cost? In addition to our reading of Homer, we will explore several writings on the psychology of war and the pacifist movement.