The international context and the politics of peace and development

The course provides an overview of contemporary global trends and shifts in power, and the major international players / organizations relevant for poor countries and conflict areas future opportunities for a sustainable peaceful development. Theories of peace and development are analysed, as well as important theories of political development, good governance and the democratization processes - and the link between political and economic development, and conflicts in developing countries. Processes for peace and development is analysed as a political process in which conflicts of interest, power, identity, gender, religion and how these politicized can be analysed and managed as part of a multi-level analysis including structures, processes and actors in the peace and development process, at local, national, regional and global levels, including processes of state and nation building, governance, democratization, horizontal and vertical accountability and human rights. The challenges - and opportunities - globalization creates for development from local, to the international level are discussed, as is the issue of global governance. The international development cooperation actors and policy for promoting democracy, political development and human rights are presented and problematized - and how international interventions to promote peace and development can influence the political aspects of peace and development at the local and national level. Through role-plays and exercises the student train practical skills in data collection, analysis, writing and oral presentation.