- 1 - 2007 Summer Program Citizens’ and Multi-Track Diplomacy: Transforming Violent Conflict This year’s applied focus – Peacemaking in the Middle East University of Maryland at College Park June 25 - July 12, 2007 GVPT 409D/808D Summer Program 2007 Syllabus Dr. John Davies Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM) Tydings Hall #0145 or Tawes #3120E (by appointment only) Phone: 240-441-8712 (cell); Email: [email protected] Dr. Edy Kaufman Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM) Tydings Hall #0139B Phone: 301-314-5907 (office); Email: [email protected] TA: Caryn Bruyere [email protected] Seminar times: Tuesdays and Thursdays June 26th – July 12th, 6.00 - 9.20 pm Workshop: Friday July 6th, 6.00 – 9.20 pm; Sat-Sun July 7th-8th 9.00 am – 1.00 pm and 2.00 – 6.00 pm. Location: Both seminars and workshop will be held in Tydings Hall # 1101. Objectives: The course is designed to provide multiple perspectives and experiential learning on ways to bring about conflict mitigation and stability on all levels, personal through community or organizational, to international. The aim is to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate the transformation even of protracted ethnic, nationalist or religious conflicts within or across borders, into constructive processes of social change and sustainable peace using the techniques of citizens’ and multi-track diplomacy. These techniques provide essential complements to official, “first track,” diplomacy, especially for complex societal conflicts involving non-state actors. Multi-track diplomacy has become an increasingly important tool not only for diplomats, government and international organization (IO) agencies and civil society organization (CSO) staff working in development, democratic reform, relief, refugee and humanitarian aid and peacekeeping, but also for other concerned citizens or stakeholders in areas of conflict and instability. The great majority of violent conflicts are now internal rather than inter-state, with at least one party a non-state community, and no mutually acceptable official structure- 2 - through which disputes can be settled. In the context of mistrust and uncertainty, the sustainability of constructive programs often depends on our ability to encourage local communities to find common ground on implementation of planned initiatives. Trust building, skills building in areas such as nonviolent communication, prejudice reduction and integrative problem solving, along with consensus building and action planning methodologies may become essential elements for success. The seminars will introduce participants to concepts and issues in the field of multi-track diplomacy, including conflict transformation and peacebuilding, through readings, discussions and role-play exercises. A workshop will be conducted over the second weekend, in which these concepts will be applied in face-to-face role-plays in the context of current tensions in the Middle East. The course is designed to bring to participants the experience of researchers and scholar-practitioners at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM) in working with Partners in Conflict and Partners in Peacebuilding around the world, including Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Lesotho, India, India/Pakistan (Kashmir), Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Burma/Thailand/China, Georgia (Abkhazia and South Ossetia), Armenia/Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Ecuador (Galapagos Islands), Argentina (Falklands/Malvinas Islands), Venezuela, Guyana/Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador/Peru, Bolivia, and Canada (First Nations). Participants normally include some professionals already working with conflict in other countries, and one or more experienced practitioners will be invited as guest speaker, to expose participants to different styles or approaches to multi-track diplomacy, conflict transformation and peacebuilding. Certification: The University will offer a certificate of course completion for satisfactory completion of the program either as a three-credit program (A or B grade required) or as a non-degree, advanced training program for professionals (short policy/concept paper or proposal required). Readings: Seminar topics and required readings are listed below, and are subject to revision during the course. The readings will be taken from the following texts. The first is required and may be purchased from the University Book Center or Maryland Book Exchange. The second is also available there and recommended for purchase but not required. The third, fourth and sixteenth are accessible on-line. Copies of required readings not in the prescribed text or accessible via the web will be available for purchase as a course packet at the first seminar on June 26th. All texts listed are recommended but not required for purchase, and include much useful material for work in the field beyond what will be required during the program: 1. John Davies and Edy Kaufman (eds.) Second Track/Citizens’ Diplomacy: Concepts and Techniques for Conflict Transformation. Lanham MD: Rowman and Littlefield 2003. 2. Paul van Tongeren, Malin Brenk, Marte Hellema and Juliette Verhoeven People Building Peace II: Successful Stories of Civil Society. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2005 (see www.euconflict.org). 3. Judith Large and Timothy D. Sisk (eds.) Democracy, Conflict and Human Security: Pursuing Peace in the 21st Century (Vol. 1) Stockholm: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA), 2006 (see www.idea.int/publications/dchs/dchs_vol1.cfm) 4. Peter Harris and Ben Reilly (eds.) Democracy and Deep-Rooted Conflict: Options for Negotiators. Stockholm: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), 1998 (www.idea.int/publications/democracy_and_deep_rooted_conflict/). 5. Dean Pruitt and Sung Hee Kim Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate and Settlement (2nd ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 6. European Center for Conflict Prevention People Building Peace: 35 Inspiring Stories from Around the World. Utrecht, The Netherlands: European Center for Conflict Prevention, 1999. 7. Louise Diamond and John McDonald Multi-Track Diplomacy: A Systems Approach to Peace (3rd ed.) West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press, 1996. 8. John Paul Lederach Preparing for Peace: Conflict Transformation Across Cultures.