In this course we will examine three very different conflicts from the Twentieth Century that still shape our world. From the years of the Great War, we will see how conflicting promises to Jews and Arabs set in train the problems of Palestine and the wider Middle East. In the late 1930s the Spanish civil war was a cause celebre across Europe and beyond. Spain still struggles to come to terms with the legacy of those years. More recently, the break up of Yugoslavia, whether seen as a civil war or a nationalist disintegration, leaves unhealed scars and a legacy of mistrust. During the course we will consider whether lasting settlement is possible in each case and what might facilitate that.
Course aim
The legacy of conflict can be long lasting. If we understand how conflict arose, we are helped to understand the world we live in and to see why efforts to resolve geopolitical problems are often elusive.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
- No prior knowledge is necessary though insights from students' reading or travel will assist our understanding of both the history and current situation.
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Describe how events from the C20th continue to shape our world, with reference to the three case studies.
- Describe how local conflicts have deep seated socio/economic/political causes and why these often remain unresolved by conflict.
- Describe how local conflicts are affected by the actions of outside Powers pursuing their own perceived national interests.
- Describe the efforts of international organisations to limit conflicts and help the search for lasting, if often elusive, solutions.
What else do I need to know?
Not applicable.
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