COURSE Anth 345 AGGRESSION, WAR, AND PEACE (Theory)
TIME 10:30-11:45 am. TTh Spring Semester 2003
PLACE Kuykendall 310 University of Hawaii - Manoa
INSTRUCTOR Dr. Les Sponsel, Professor
Office: Saunders Hall 317
Hours: 4:00-5:30 Tuesdays
12:00-1:30 Thursdays
(or by appointment)
Phone: 956-8507
Email: sponsel@hawaii.edu
ORIENTATION
True security rests on a supportive and sustainable ecological base, on spiritual as well as material well-being, on trust and reliance in one's neighbors, and on justice and understanding in a disarmed world (Frank Barnaby, ed., 1988, The Gaia Peace Atlas, NY: Doubleday, p. 212).
This course explores contemporary as well as enduring questions, problems, and issues of violence, war, nonviolence, and peace. These matters are far more than merely academic, and they are assuming new meaning and significance as a result of 9/11 and its aftermath, including the recent "war on terrorism" and the threatened U.S. attack on Iraq which many fear will further destabilize the Middle East and beyond. Among the primary questions to be considered are these:
(1) Are violence and war the inevitable expressions of human nature?
(2) How do war and peace vary temporally, spatially and culturally?
(3) How do geographic, ecological, economic, political, religious, ethnic, and historical factors influence war and peace?
(4) How are morality and ethics involved in violence, war, nonviolence, and peace, including the study of them?
(5) What happens when a society is militarized?
(6) What is terrorism, and what are the differences between state and non-state terrorism?
(7) How does anthropology help inform our understanding of terrorism and in particular the recent "war on terrorism"?
(8) How does anthropology help inform our understanding of conflicts in the Middle East and adjacent culture areas?
(9) What are the future possibilities of war and peace?
(10) How have anthropology and anthropologists been involved in war and peace throughout the history of the discipline?
These questions and related matters are critically analyzed through anthropological perspectives on the tribal, ethnic, ritual, and symbolic aspects of nonviolence and peace as well as violence, war, and terrorism. The class also examines the phenomena of positive peace (absence of war plus presence of nonviolence, social and economic justice, and human rights). Course material is covered through selected case studies within a regional and historical survey of the world. However, attention will be concentrated primarily on the Middle East broadly defined.
This semester the class follows a dual track. First, on Tuesdays, through mainly discussions of readings, we survey contemporary as well as enduring questions, problems, issues, and cases of violence, terrorism, war, nonviolence and peace. The emphasis is on anthropological approaches and special attention will be afforded to the political ecology of resource competition and violent conflicts from tribe to state, and especially with regard to oil.
Second, starting with Part III of the course (February 27th), on Thursdays through mainly lectures, we explore cases of the direct and indirect involvement of anthropologists and anthropology in war and peace, emphasizing warfare on the American colonial frontier through history into the present era of terrorism. This focus offers a unique new critical perspective on the historical and sociopolitical context and functions of anthropology as well as on American history, society, culture, and politics.
In short, this semester Anth 345 is in effect two courses in one--- (1) Tuesdays surveying phenomena of war and peace in anthropological perspective, and (2) Thursdays surveying the history of anthropological involvement in war and peace.
OBJECTIVES
This semester the 345 course has four main objectives:
(1) familiarize students with selected topics, problems, issues, and resources about the phenomena of nonviolence, peace, violence, war, and terrorism in anthropological perspective, this with a regional emphasis on hot spots currently in U.S. public discourse on terrorism and especially the Middle East broadly defined;
(2) explore, critically analyze, and debate primary and related questions about these phenomena; and
(3) explore the history of the involvement of anthropology and anthropologists in war and peace as a critical reflection on anthropology and society in the U.S.A.; and
(4) compare and contrast the anthropological and geographical perspectives on these phenomena for members of the Learning Community.
LEARNING COMMUNITY
Anth 345 is part of a Learning Community with Geog 336 Geography of Peace and War taught by Susan Dixon. (Geog 336 meets 9:00-10:15 TR in the same room). Students may take both courses as a Learning Community, or elect only one. The instructors will loosely coordinate their courses as well as attend most of each other's classes and contribute to discussion as they deem appropriate.
FORMAT
This class is not writing or reading intensive, but it certainly is thinking and discussion intensive. Toward that end, for each class meeting where some reading from one of the three textbooks is assigned, students will be required to turn in a 1-page reaction paper at the start of the period. This paper should be typed in three parts:
(1) list three main points that best summarize the readings;
(2) write reaction to each of the three points; and
(3) pose three insightful questions for class discussion.
The purpose of the reaction papers is to prove to the instructor that the course textbooks are being read as well as to bring that information and the student's own ideas to class to contribute actively to an informed and meaningful discussion. Also the reaction papers together with notes from class discussion will provide an important part of the basis for answering questions on the mid-term and final essay examinations.
The course format emphasizes general class and small group discussions as well as debates. Tuesday classes will often include a segment for open discussion of current news events, especially on the recent "war on terrorism" and related matters, and stressing an anthropological perspective as much as possible. These segments will often draw on recent newspaper clippings or a video clip from the recent news media.
Also students are encouraged to regularly monitor, explore, and briefly report orally or in writing relevant cases of nonviolence, peace, violence, war, and terrorism for class discussion and/or on the course website from sources such as:
(1) television news and discussion programs like CSPAN, Crossfire (CNN weekdays 2:00 p.m.), Frontline and NOW (PBS see schedule), Larry King Live (CNN week days 4:00 p.m.), Lehrer Newshour (PBS weekdays 6:30 p.m.), Nightline (ABC week nights 11:00 p.m.), the Capital Gang (CNN Saturdays 2:00 p.m.), and This Week (ABC Sundays 3:00 p.m.).
(2) newspapers and news magazines like The Honolulu Advertiser, The Nation, The New York Times, Newsweek, The Progressive, Time, U.S. News and World Report, Washington Post, World Press; and/or
(3) internet resources (see course website document called "War and Peace Internet Sources").
In all instances, the emphasis should be placed as much as possible on anthropological information, analysis, criticism, and insights.
Outside resource persons will be invited as guest participants in three special panel discussions: nonviolence, Middle East, anthropologists on war and peace (see Schedule below).
FREEDOM
U.S. Constitution First Amendment rights (freedom of speech) and academic freedom will be respected (see the first course document "Freedom of Speech" on the course website). Anyone is welcome to say or write anything with only three restrictions--- it is relevant, polite, and concise. Being polite includes respecting the sensitivities of others and allowing others an opportunity to join in the class discussion. There is no "party line" in this course, in fact students are encouraged to disagree with the instructor, course material, and each other whenever they wish to do so. The ultimate purpose of this course is to cultivate anthropologically informed critical analysis, discussion, and debate about significant matters regarding the phenomena of nonviolence, peace, violence, war, and terrorism. In a genuine democracy education is supposed to open minds, not close them. A democracy can be threatened as much by ignorance and apathy as by enemies, foreign or domestic.
GRADE
The grade will be evenly divided as follows:
50% regular reaction papers and class discussion (including on the course website: http://www.blackboard.hawaii.edu );
20% midterm take home essay examination (student's choice of two from questions 1-7 on pages 1-2 of syllabus - due March 4th); and
30% final take home essay examination (required to answer questions 8, 9, & 10 on p. 2 of syllabus - due May 15th by 4:30 p.m. in instructor's mailbox in Saunders Hall 346).
Obviously the regular completion of reaction papers and regular active participation in class discussions are imperative to pass this course. Students who are not prepared or willing to fulfill these essential course requirements should drop the course. Reaction papers will only be accepted and credited on the date due following reading assignments. No exceptions will be made to submitting assignments on the date due without a written excuse from a medical doctor or other appropriate official.
Students are expected to arrive at class on time, remain attentive, and avoid conversation or other behavior that distracts other students and the instructor. Cellular phones should be turned off before class and remain so throughout class. Students who disrupt class in any way, or sleep in class, will be asked to leave the room. The second time this happens one whole letter grade will be deducted from the final course grade, likewise for a third time, and so on.
Extra credit may be earned by writing special reaction papers on extra readings (books, book chapters, or journal articles), guest panels, and/or videos (in class or recommended). Major extra credit may be earned with a book review or research report. The book review may be based on one or more of the course texts or other appropriate titles. (Prior approval from the instructor must be obtained for book reviews of titles not mentioned in class, or for topics of any research reports).
READINGS
Every student is required to thoroughly read and critically discuss these three textbooks:
William Ury, 2000, The Third Side: Why We Fight and
How We Can Stop, New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Michael T. Klare, 2001, Resource Wars: The New Landscape
of Global Conflict, New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.
Daniel Bates and A. Rassam, 2000, Peoples and Cultures of
the Middle East, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
There are no additional readings required except for some of the Course Documents on the course website and occasional class handouts; however, other sources will be recommended when especially relevant. (See Course Documents on the course website for bibliographic resources).
The following are especially recommended for reference:
A good current world map such as National Geographic or Rand McNally (check in bookstores).
Rand McNally 2000, World Facts and Maps, Chicago, IL: Rand McNally (or latest edition).
Glasse, Cyril, 2002, Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
Kurtz, Lester, Editor-in-Chief, 1999, Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict, San Diego, CA: Academic Press, Volumes 1-3 (Hamilton Library Reference HM886 .E53 1999).
Foreign Affairs journal current and back issues D410 .F761
Country volumes in "The World Bibliographical Series" of ABC-CLIO Press
(Also see special and annual reports and other website material from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and related non-governmental organizations or NGOs available through links on the course website in the Course Document "War and Peace Internet Sources").
SCHEDULE
PART I - WAR OR PEACE? RESEARCH OR ACTION?
January
14 T Orientation: Course syllabus, website, instructor
16 Th What is war?
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21 T What is peace? Ury - Introduction & Ch. 1
23 Th Is human nature inevitably aggressive? Ury 2-4
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28 T Can aggression be stopped? Ury 5-7, Conclusions
30 Th PANEL: Nonviolence
Video assignment: "Mahatma Gandhi: The Great Soul Lives" (2000, 60 min.) VHS 19342
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PART II - OIL AND OTHER RESOURCE COMPETITION
AND MILITARIZATION OF THE PLANET
February
4 T Resource competition and conflict Klare - Intro & 1-2
6 Th Oil Klare 3-5
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11 T Other resources Klare 6-8
13 Th Conclusions on resource wars Klare 9
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18 T Video in class: "In the National Interest" (ABC News Nightline 2001, 44 min.) VHS 20284 v. 1-2
20 Th OPEN
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PART III - REGIONAL SURVEY: MIDDLE EAST, ETC.
25 T Middle East Bates-Rassam Preface, Intro, 1
27 Th * Anthropology and the American Colonial Frontier
(1492 to today)
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March
4 T Islam Bates-Rassam 2
Recommended videos:
"Muslims" (Frontline 2002 117 min) DVD 1402,
"Islam: Empire of Faith" (2000, 163 min.)
VHS 18958, DVD 0287
"Muslims in America" (Nightline 1995 23 min.) VHS 17238
6 Th * Anthropology and the Civil War (1861-1865)
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11 T Islam and Identity Bates-Rassam 3-4
13 Th * Anthropology and World War I (1914-1918)
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18 T Economies Bates-Rassam 5-7
20 Th OPEN
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25 T SPRING RECESS
27 Th continued
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April
1 T Social organization Bates-Rassam 8-9
3 Th * Anthropology and World War II (1939-1945)
________________________________________________________________
8 T * Political organization Bates-Rassam 10
10 Th * Anthropology and the Vietnam War (1961-1975) _________________________________________________________________
15 T Contemporary problems and issues Bates-Rassam 11
17 Th * Anthropology and the Cold War (1980s)
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22 T PANEL: Middle East
24 Th * Anthropology and Terrorism (1990s)
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29 T OPEN
Recommended video: "Pakistan Frontline: Staring Into the Nuclear Abyss" 19702
PART IV - CONCLUSIONS
May
1 Th * Anthropology--- War or Peace? Research or Action?
(21st Century)
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6 T PANEL: Future of War and Peace
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15Th FINAL EXAMINATION Due in instructor's mailbox in
Saunders Hall 346 by 4:30 p.m.
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