Conflict and Violence                            Fall  2006

Anthropology   230                                          Dr. Kate McCaffrey

Tuesday and Thursday                          Phone: 973-655-7560

10:00-11:15 DI 181                                         E-mail: mccaffreyk@mail.montclair.edu

1:00-2:15 DI 276                                             Office: Dickinson 412

Office Hours: T 11:15-12:15; Th 3:00-5:00 or by appointment

 

Course Syllabus

Why have we witnessed more carnage and atrocity in the 20th century than any other period in human history? Why do people remain silent during horrific events of murder they have the power to stop? Why are certain people attracted to apocalyptic beliefs and extremist ideologies? This course will examine conflict and violence in the 20th century from a global perspective. We will focus on war, ethnic violence, genocide and terrorism. Central concerns will be to consider and explain the brutality of the 20th century.

 

The following books are required and are available in the campus bookstore:

 

· Glover, Jonathan. Humanity: A Moral History of the 20th Century.

· Hinton, Alexander Laban. Why Did They Kill? Cambodia in the Shadow of Genocide.

· Juergensmeyer, Mark. Terror in the Mind of God. 3rd Edition

 

The following are the readings to be completed by the indicated class period. As the course relies on classroom participation (which will constitute a significant part of your course grade) rather than course lectures, it is essential to do the reading on time.

 

Date                            Topic                                                   Assignment

9/7                               Introduction                             

 

9/12                             Ethics and Morality                               Glover Chp 1-5

 

9/14                             Ethics and Morality                               Glover Chp 6-7

 

9/19                             Morality and War                                 Glover Chp 8-10

                                                                                                E-Reserve “Haditha”

 

9/21                             Morality and War                                 Glover Chp 11-13

 

9/26                             Tribalism                                              Glover Chp 14-16

                        Film: The Triumph of Evil                             Paper One Due

 

9/28                             Tribalism                                              Glover Chp 17-18

                                                                                               

10/3                             War as a Trap                                      Glover  Chp 19-23

 

10/5                             No Class                                                                                                                                            

10/10                           Belief and Terror                                  Glover Chp 24-28

 

10/12                           Belief and Terror                                  Glover Chp 29-32                               

10/17                           Holocaust                                             Glover Chp 33-37

                                                                                    Read www.prisonexp.org and

                                                                                    www.stanleymilgram.org

 

10/19                           Holocaust                                             Glover Chp 38,40,41

 

10/24                           Recent Moral History                           Glover Chp 42-Epilogue                                                                       Paper Two Due

 

10/26                           In the Shadow of Genocide                   Hinton 1-44

                                   

10/31                           Disproportionate Revenge                     Hinton 45-95

 

11/2                             Prison without Walls                             Hinton 96-169

                                   

11/7                             Fire Without Smoke                             Hinton 173-210           

 

11/9                             Manufacturing Difference                      Hinton 211-251

                       

11/14                           Why People Kill                                   Hinton 252-298

 

11/16                           No class                                               Paper Three Due

                       

11/21                           In a Homeland Far From Home            E-Reserve Sontag 2003

 

11/23                           No Class

 

11/28                           Terrorism                                             Juergensmeyer Chp 1-2                       

 

11/30                           Terrorism                                             Juergensmeyer Chp 3-4

 

12/5                             Terrorism                                             E-Reserve “Humiliation”                                   Film: Human Weapon        

12/7                             Terrorism                                             Juergensmeyer Chp 5-7

 

12/12                           Terrorism                                             Juergensmeyer Chp 8-9

 

12/14                           Conclusions                                          E-Reserve “Conclusions” Paper Four Due                            Juergensmeyer Chp 10-11