DAFF 25A02 - The Politics & Strategy of UNPK

This course is a 12 weeks seminar aiming at bringing back politics but also strategy in the study of UN peacekeeping (UNPK) operations. To do this, the class will be inspired by the works of Prussian officer and philosopher Carl von Clausewitz. In effect, if “war is the continuation of politics by other means” so is peacekeeping. That's why the course will mobilize clausewitzian concepts like “means and ends”, “trinity”, “fog”, “friction”, or “center of gravity” to examine their effects on the politics of UN peace operations. One assumption of this course is that UNPK is often undertaken when it is not the “appropriate instrument of policy”. One of the problems of UN operations is that they are not guided by a clear strategy (the final objectives). This problem can be traced to the political processes leading to their creation. The UN Security Council is not a single actor deciding about the aims of those operations. If this situation did not pose a problem for “traditional” UN operations, it is no longer the case with robust missions. That's why it is important to understand the politics and strategy of UNPK. The general objective of the course is to give the students the intellectual tools to analyze more critically how UNPK is organized. Students should be warned from the beginning that the epistemological approach adopted by the professor is “problem-solving” or “mainstream” rather than “critical”. In other words, the theories used to examine UNPK are mostly Realism (Classical, Structural), Liberalism and Constructivism. Those looking for a post-structural/critical analysis will be disappointed. The class aims at criticizing but not rejecting UNPK. The goal is rather to try to look at possible solutions to fix the political and strategic problems surrounding this military-diplomatic tool “invented” between 1945 and 1956. The teaching method is based on a kind of teamwork between the teams that are doing the oral presentations and the professor. The teams start with their presentations followed by the intervention of the professor. Interactivity is the defining word for this class.

Ronald HATTO

Séminaire

English

A basic knowledge of international relations

Autumn 2023-2024

1) An Oral Presentation (40% of the grade). Each week, two or three students will be assigned a UN peacekeeping operation to investigate. Students will report their findings to the class. The team will be investigating a peacekeeping operation carried out by the United Nations. It will be the job of your team to sufficiently outline and explain the fundamental mission of the UN. Moreover, you are responsible for outlining the successes and drawbacks of the mission. Each member of the team will have a role in gathering the information, preparing the information for presentation, and presenting the information to the class. Please note that the historical presentation should not be too long compared to the operation's analysis itself. 2) Final Take-Home Exam (40% of the grade) during the last week of the session (between 1,800 and 2,000 Words). Please be aware that a Take-Home Exam implies the use of various sources including your notes and other academic documents. 3) Class Participation & Discussion (20% of the grade). Your participation in this class is important. As such, class participation will constitute 20 % of your final grade. The class participation grade will derive from regular attendance and everyday discussion and analysis. Please be aware that skipping class (unexcused absences) will impact your grade in this area.