This module is designed to support the students’ understanding of the theoretical and
empirical pillars of the War/Peace Cycle as one specific field of inquiry and equip them
with the skills to learn this subject matter further.
The students will:
1. Develop independent and critical thinking about the War/Peace Cycle and engage
with the related theoretical concepts and apply them to the world.
2. Develop the ability to present and defend arguments and interpretations about both
war and peace in an appropriate and scholarly manner.
3. Understand the War/Peace Cycle from the state, non-state, as well as international
perspectives.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the module, the students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major concepts and theories relating
to the War/Peace Cycle, including visions, causes and justifications, prevention and
preservation, termination, and restoration, as well as transcultural perspectives.
2. Critically analyse the events, processes, relationships, institutions, and core actors
involved in the War/Peace Cycle.
3. Apply a critical understanding of the competing concepts and theories relating to
patterns of war and peace and associated historical and contemporary events.
4. Analyse war and peace from the state, non-state, and international perspectives.
Notes
There is more to understanding the War/Peace Cycle than uniquely reading, watching,
or listening to the news. What do ‘war’ and ‘peace’ mean and how do they interact with
each other? This module provides insights into the War/Peace Cycle by examining the
theories, concepts and authors in this field that help us to answer this vital question. It
interrogates how these theories, concepts and authors can help explain the world and
be applied to real-world case studies.
Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Learning activities will include:
1. Tutor input via online formative and summative assessments.
2. Online learning discussion forums, which will allow peer to peer exchanges between
students.
3. Online tasks to enhance subject knowledge, with the inclusion of VLE and electronic
tools, directed reading and formative and summative assessments.
4. Online interaction with the tutor to support students with knowledge consolidation,
development of skills, application of theory to practice, and assessments.
resources: Steven Metz & Phillip Cuccia, Defining War for the 21st Century (SSI, 2010)
Lacy Pejcinovic, War in International Society (Routledge, 2013), pp. 1-18
Monika Wohlfeld, An Overview of the Conflict Cycle (2010)
Matthew O. Jackson and Massimo Morelli, The Reasons for Wars – an Updated Survey (2009
