This course examines the theoretical and policy debates surrounding the issue of how to achieve successful transitions from war to peace by focussing on the processes through which a political economy of peace may emerge after wartime. In addition to looking at key debates every week on issues such as intervention, peacebuilding and post-war reconstruction, students are invited to explore the practical implications of war to peace transitions by exploring in detail three case studies from around the world: Afghanistan, Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The first half of the course will look at the idea of intervention in conflict-affected states, focussing on both efforts to prevent conflicts from breaking out in the first place and efforts to bring conflicts to an end. After reading week we will then move to look at different aspects of post-conflict reconstruction, including the idea of a ‘triple transition’.