F1ID 4105 - Development for Peace: Thinking Politically

Goal: This graduate course aims to shape strategic thinkers and global responders, equipped to tackle pressing international challenges with highly-tailored development approaches. Our vision is to cultivate a community of peacebuilders who advocate for and implement sustainable solutions.

Target audience: This course is designed for graduate students in international development who are eager to understand and address violent conflicts through a multidisciplinary approach, combining political analysis with development cooperation. It focuses on “development for peace”, i.e. the intersection of development and peace, highlighting how development actors can contribute to peace by working alongside the intelligence, foreign policy, peace and security, humanitarian aid, trade, and investment communities.

Context and rationale: Recent global events underscore the urgency for new peacebuilding strategies. The UN Secretary-General's calls for global ceasefires in 2020 and in Gaza in 2024 have not halted the sharp rise in battle-related deaths, which have been on a high plateau since 2017. There has also been a steady increase in violence against civilians and a decline in adherence to long-held humanitarian principles. At the same time, official development assistance reached a record high of $223 billion in 2023, with 90,000 peacekeepers deployed across 12 UN missions. Yet, these efforts have often fallen short of achieving sustainable peace. This high-conflict situation, the apparent ineffectiveness of aid as it stands, as well geopolitical shifts and technological revolutions, all call for a rethink and reset of peacebuilding approaches: What can development for peace really achieve when realpolitik interests collide? What is local peace worth if conflicts are increasingly internationalized (e.g. wars by proxy) and caused by global challenges (e.g. climate change)? Why is only a small fraction of development cooperation aiming to strengthen social cohesion? Can a development-for-peace approach do (much) better to help reverse tensionswhether horizontal among groups and vertical between the state and society?

Curriculum and methodology
Development for peace (D4P) can include (i) specific projects that support mediation, reconciliation, transitional justice, the reintegration of former combatants, etc.; but also (ii) “normal”, bricks-and-mortar projects (roads, bridges, markets, buildings) that have a social cohesion component; and (iii) broader governance programmes that promote better state capacity and legitimacy and better state-society relations. Some of these development for peace efforts have been recognized: humanitarians and developers that have received the Nobel Peace Prize include the European Union, ICRC, MSF, WFP, UNHCR and Grameen Bank, and figures such as Malala Yousafzai and Denis Mukwege. But more of the development resources being mobilized should be designed to contribute to peace, and development for peace itself should become more cognisant of the power relations that underpin a conflict. Renewed or prolonged war if often the result of underlying interests and power plays. This class employs a political economy analysis to dissect development and conflict, focusing on identifying and understanding key actors and their influences. Students will learn to navigate beyond simplistic assertions like "all aid is good aid," to recognize the nuanced realities of conflict-affected settings. Development cooperation, done without understanding the forces at play, can be ineffective or harmful (cases of Afghanistan; Haiti; and Iraq). Or it can promote peace, by purposefully building bridges across communities; restoring state-society relations; and keeping spoilers in check (cases of Côte d'Ivoire; Indonesia; and Sierra Leone). The first session introduces key concepts, which are revisited and deepened mid-semester, followed by immersive case studies and interactive learning experiences. Apart from that, the bulk of the classes consist of case studies spanning Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and North Africa and the Middle East, students will explore various conflict types—from microlocal tensions to nation-wide and international wars fuelled by geopolitical tensions and global issues such as climate change. These case studies will include countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Libya, and Yemen.
Because this class is case-study based, it can only work if students take the reading requirements seriously, as the latter provide the theoretical framework and the research-action link. A practioner who fails to read is bound to repeat mistakes made before in countless war-to-peace transitions. If readings are taken seriously (ability of students to summarise main take-aways and gauge their value-added), then guest speakers with first-hand experience will enhance learning, particularly in the second half of the semester.

Learning Outcomes
1. Conduct a political economy analysis (or as relevant: conflict analysis; risk and resilience assessment; strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities analysis) presented both in writing and graphically
2. Identify ways development cooperation can make a difference in these dynamics, e.g. providing incentives, sending signals, building alliances, and managing spoilers
3. Design a project or programme that will create social cohesion across social groups and/or trust between citizens and their government, and help implement a peace agreement (where there is one)
4. Measure and demonstrate peace and development results (basic monitoring and evaluation skills)
5. Being able to both synthesise and create concepts and approaches; adapting theoretical frameworks and past experience to current challenges.

Professional Skills
1. Understanding stakeholders: Understanding and taking into account the values, priorities and ability to influence peace and development outcomes of the main stakeholders in a conflict situation
2. Leadership and management: Leading, influencing and guiding other members of an organization
3. Conflict Resolution: Facilitating the peaceful outcome of conflict and retribution.

Xavier LHOTE,Juana DE CATHEU

Séminaire

English

- Class: 24 hours a semester
- Reading and preparing for class: 48 hours a semester
- Research and preparation for group work (one oral briefing in teams of two): 12 hours a semester.
- Research and writing for individual assessments (i.e. two short policy briefs and one short oral pitch): 36 hours a semester.
o OPTIONAL: If interest, this can include interviews with practitioners and researchers.
o OPTIONAL: The policy briefs and pitch can be uploaded online for public viewing.
- Other: 24 hours a semester

Ability to absorb academic literature and exploit grey literature (qualitative and basic quantitative data)

Autumn 2024-2025

To prepare for the peace and development professions, the course will emphasise both oral and written work, both group and individual. Guidance and examples for each assignment will be given well ahead of time.
- Session 3 to 11: Ten-minute oral briefing (as pairs). This should target an audience of directors or ambassadors and therefore deliver value to them. Another option is for the pair to argue opposite positions: 20%
- Session 4: First two-page policy brief (individual). This should target an audience of ministers, directors or ambassadors and therefore deliver value to them: 20%
- Session 6: In-class mid-term essay (two topics to choose from): 10%
- Session 8: Three-min pitch for a peacebuilding idea (individual). This should target the UN Secretary-General director or a major philanthropist and convince them: 20%
- Session 10 : Second two-page policy brief (individual). This should target an audience of ministers, directors or ambassadors and therefore deliver value to them. Based on feedback provided for the first policy brief, all students should be able to write a professional-standard second brief: 20%

- Session 1 through 12: Individual participation: critical analysis of assigned readings/videos (“What is the big idea? And what do I think about it?); and engagement in group discussion: 10%
- Session 2 through 12: OPTIONAL: options for a group project to discussed, if there is interest. Not graded: 0%

• Although there will be some podcasts and videos, readings are an important part of any graduate studies course, and will have to be done in preparation for each course. Students should be able to answer two basic questions for required readings: What is the big idea? And what do I think about it?
• Each student will “own” a country of her/his choosing throughout the semester, and be the go-to reference on it.
• To enable collective learning and promote professional standards, all papers could be published on the group's page (Sciences Po intranet) and publicly for those who so wish.
• This course uses UK English and bibliographic references are footnotes in APA style. The first session will go over style guides on how to write logically and effectively. As in the workplace, any tardiness is frowned upon and will result in loss of points.