** Please Note: The following class schedule is the tentative schedule for the academic year 2020-2021 and is subject to change without prior notice on the website.
Fall Semester
Required courses
Course | Instructor | Day | Time |
Theories and issues in intergroup conflict: A multi-disciplinary perspective | Dr. Keren Sharvit | Tue | 12-16 |
Research Methods in Peace and Conflict Management | Dr. Carmela Lutmar | Tue | 16-20 |
Elective courses
Course | Instructor | Day | Time |
Building Consensus: Basic Negotiation, Mediation and Facilitation Skills | Dr. Ran Kuttner | Mon | 12-16 |
Relational Approaches to Conflict Engagement: Theory and Practice | Dr. Ran Kuttner | Wed | 16-20 |
The New World Order (Diplomacy Program) | Prof. Benny Miller |
Thu | 12-16 |
Theories of Diplomacy (Diplomacy Program) |
Prof. Ben Mor | Thu | 16-20 |
Spring Semester
Required courses
Course | Instructor | Day | Time |
Paths to Peace: Conflict Management, Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation | Dr. Ran Kuttner | Mon | 12-16 |
Practicum (3 meetings in the semester) | Dr. Keren Sharvit | TBA |
Elective courses
Course | Instructor | Day | Time |
Community Conflict and Civil Society (continues in summer semester) | Dr. Harry Frey | Mon | 16-18 |
Arab Israeli conflict (Diplomacy Program) | Prof. Zach Levey | Tue | 12-16 |
Diplomacy and communication (Diplomacy Program) | Prof. Avi Ben Zvi | Tue | 16-20 |
Social Psychology of Intergroup Conflicts and their Resolution (School of Psychological Sciences) | Dr. Keren Sharvit | Wed | 12-16 |
Multi-Track Diplomacy: Transforming Violent Conflict | Prof. Edy Kaufman | Wed | 16-20 |
Diplomatic Simulation (Diplomacy Program) | Dr. Carmela Lutmar | Thu | 16-20 |
Summer Semester
Elective courses
Course | Instructor | Day | Time |
Community Conflict and Civil Society (continues from spring semester) |
Dr. Harry Frey | Mon | 16-20 |
Ethics, War and Diplomacy (Diplomacy Program) |
Prof. Michael Gross | Tue | 16-20 |
The Digital Revolution: From Humans to Robots (Diplomacy Program) |
Dr. Yaniv Levyatan | Sun | 14-18 |
Course Descriptions
Dr. Keren Sharvit
(Fall, Tuesday, 12-4 pm)
This is a core course intended to lay the foundations for studying inter-group conflicts of different levels. Inter-group conflicts have been studied by scholars from different disciplines, who offer differing perspectives on similar issues. In this course we will survey different approaches, and will also compare, contrast and relate them to each other in an attempt to arrive at an integrative understanding of the issues at hand. To allow such comparison and integration, the course is arranged by themes that recur in the scholarly literature about conflicts rather than by scholarly discipline. Throughout the course, we will use examples from actual cases of inter-group conflicts in various regions of the world.
Dr. Carmela Lutmar
(Fall, Tuesday, 4-8 pm)
The first half of the course is meant to develop the student's skills in effective and critical reading of a variety of academic research, and to become acquainted with research writing. The second half of the course will acquaint the student with a wide variety of research methods, describing the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of research questions. In particular, we will focus on studies in conflict resolution and intractable conflicts. The course is planned and constructed as a seminar in which most of the work is done by the student, guided and advised by the lecturer and other guest lecturers.
Dr. Harry Frey
(Fall and Spring, Monday 2-4 pm)
Community is a changing, dynamic and multifaceted concept which is gaining attention in conflict studies. Firstly, this course examines conflict in the light of 'context.' In the course, we consider unique aspects of community conflicts and the interplay with exterior macro factors. Various theories explaining the causes of local conflict involving groups and institutions are examined. Different community characteristics which exacerbate or ameliorate conflict dynamics are also examined with reference to examples from Israel, Northern Ireland and other locations. Secondly, we will look at community as 'agency.' The emergence and relevance of various models of community practice, such as development, organization, problem solving and transformation of relations, will be considered. Finally, we will consider the building of shared communities as a 'target' and mode of intervention in conflict resolution.
Dr. Ran Kuttner
(Spring, Monday 4-8 pm)
This core course will survey various approaches to dealing with intergroup conflicts: preventing escalation, minimizing harmful consequences, ending violence, improving intergroup relations and building stable peace. We will begin by discussing processes of conflict management, which take place during an ongoing conflict. We will then discuss various routes to conflict resolution and a formal ending of the conflict. Finally, we will address processes of reconciliation and peace-building, intended to improve intergroup relations in post-conflict settings and prevent conflict recurrence. Throughout the course, we will survey the works of scholars from different disciplines on each of these topics in order to become familiar with different perspectives and arrive at an integrative understanding. We will also discuss real world cases in which different approaches to dealing with conflict have been implemented with varying degrees of success.
Dr. Keren Sharvit
This course is a supervised practicum/internship. During the spring semester, students will conduct a project in the field. Each student can choose an organization (governmental or non-governmental) in the area of peacemaking, human rights, democracy, minority affairs, the Israeli-Palestinian question, or any other ethnic-national and international conflict problem in the Middle East or elsewhere. The choice of the project will be facilitated and approved by the instructor. In addition to the individual work and supervision, students
will engage in class discussions on their projects and all students must submit a final paper summarizing and analyzing the work and experience.
Prof. Edy Kaufman
(Spring, Wednesday 4-8 pm)
The goal of this course is to develop the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate transformation of interpersonal, organizational, community or complex societal conflicts, including ethnic, religious or cultural tensions, using techniques of multi-track and citizens’ diplomacy. These techniques, applicable at all levels of society, provide an essential complement to official (“first track”) diplomacy and police work, from conflicts in the workplace or community, to dealing with political instability, terrorism or insurgent activities, as currently in our work in the Middle East, South Asia, Latin America and elsewhere.