Comparative Conflict Regulation: Israel/Palestine and Northern Ireland. Professor Thomas P. Flint Office hours by appointment

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1 Class Title Course Number(s) Comparative Conflict Regulation: Israel/Palestine and Northern Ireland POLS34557 Semester Spring 2014 Teachers(s) Points of Contact Course Overview Learning Objectives Dr. Julianna Füzesi Professor Thomas P. Flint Office hours by appointment This course introduces to the devices used to regulate ethnonational conflicts by examining two of the most prominent examples: Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine. It provides students with an understanding of the tools available to groups, states, and policy makers to both wage and manage such conflict. Following a thorough introduction to the twin concepts of nationalism and ethnicity, the course analyses these divided societies in three main thematic blocks: partition (Block A), hegemonic control (B), and power-sharing / negotiated settlements (Block C). As an introductory course to ethno-national conflicts, this class focuses on three essential targets: to introduce students to the discipline's main themes, terms and theoretical debates, thereby providing thorough foundation knowledge to introduce students to the respective history and main issues of the Northern Irish and Israeli- Palestinian conflict to enhance students understanding of the field by linking theory to detailed empirical case studies Teaching Method POLS34557 consists of lecture-discussion classes. Lectures will introduce new topics, which students will then discuss. It is therefore essential that readings be completed before class. Discussion in class, based on readings, will form the core element in understanding and evaluating theory and practice. Debates will include critical analysis of our source materials (online journal articles and our textbooks) as well as student presentations on the theories / case studies examined that week. Themes may vary according to interest and current news. More than one week may be spent on a theme. The course will involve guest speakers, visits to relevant sites, and watching in-class documentaries.

2 Assessment Structure Assessment is based on four differently weighted elements: contribution in class (10%) one oral presentation (25%) one research paper (25%) a mid-term exam (20%) a final exam (20%). Contribution in the lecture-seminars should reflect sustained preparation of class topics. Unexcused / unnecessary absences will result in an F grade in this element. Presentations should be well researched and reflect a good grasp of the topic. They should be minutes long. Presentations will be based on both the textbook and journal articles from our syllabus. Research paper: one word-processed paper of 3000 words is due on Wednesday 6 November Essay topics will be posted on our course site. Own suggestions are welcome, but subject to approval. The essay will be assessed in view of a) structure, language and presentation (25%) b) methodology and referencing (25%) c) content (50%) and will receive an overall composite mark. Late essays will not be accepted unless there is a plausible and verifiable reason (i.e. medical certificate for illness, stolen or crashed laptop computer etc.). In-class exam: the mid-term exam is scheduled for Wednesday 2 October, This will be a quiz-type exam of two hours, requiring short answers to knowledge-based prompts. The final exam will again last two hours and will present ten questions out of which three should be answered in short essays of two to three pages each. Required Resources Books: Milton J. Esman. "An Introduction to Ethnic Conflict" (Polity Press, 2004) priced on Amazon UK Jonathan Tonge. "Northern Ireland: Conflict and Change" 2nd ed. (Longman, 2001), priced again on Amazon James Gelvin. "The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War" (CUP, 2007), priced 17.09

3 Plus additional book chapters from the London Program Library as listed below. Journal articles: From our course website / e-reserves as listed below. See News articles: Students of this course need to follow current affairs in Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine. The best way to do this is by reading one or more of the major international newspapers (e.g. The Guardian, The International Herald Tribune, etc), or news agencies (e.g. BBC News). A selection of relevant websites can be found on the last page. Classroom Policies Standard London Undergraduate Program attendance policies apply. Foundations of Conflict Theme 1 Introductory overview (1) Nationalism and ethnicity Questions to consider: Definitions: why is ethnicity such a fuzzy concept? What are the problems in defining / recognising an ethnic group? Make a brainstorm list before coming to class. What is ethno-nationalism? Are there other types of nationalism too? (Muller, Esman, Connor) Class discussion: based on these concepts, can we identify the ethnonational groups in Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine? Muller, Jerry Z. (2008) Us and Them: The Enduring Power of Ethnic Nationalism. Foreign Affairs, March-April 2008, Vol. 86 No.2, pp Optional: Esman (2004), Chapter 2 Ethnic Sentiments and Solidarities Connor, W. (1994). Ethnonationalism: the Quest for Understanding. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Chapter 4 (first published as A

4 nation is a nation, is a state, is an ethnic group, is a..., Ethnic and Racial Studies Vol.1, 1978.) Theme 2 Introductory overview (2) - Nations vs states Questions to consider: What is ethno-national conflict about? Consider and rank the various claims ethnic groups put forward. (Esman, Gurr) Method: What choices does a challenged state face? Consider the range of repressive versus accommodative instruments. Which ones do you think are ethical and which prove successful? (O Leary & McGarry) What are the main group demands and state responses in our two case studies? Rank and describe Palestinian, Israeli, Irish Unionist and Republican positions based on these readings. Esman (2004), Chapter 1 Incidence and Scope of Ethnic Conflict and Chapter 4 For What do They Contend? O'Leary, B., & McGarry, J. (1993). The political regulation of national and ethnic conflict. Parliamentary Affairs, Jan 1994, Vol.47, No.1, pp Gurr, T.R. and Moore, W.H. (1997). Ethno-Political Rebellion. American Journal of Political Science, Vol.41, No.4, pp Theme 3 : The foundations of conflict - Nationalism in Northern Ireland, Israel, and Palestine 1. How were Zionism and Palestinian nationalism constructed against each other? How does this affect attempts to regulate the conflict? (Gelvin, Pappé) 2. Why are Irish Unionism and Republicanism mutually exclusive? (Tonge, McGarry) 3. Both cases involve settler nationalism: outline the commonalities and differences between them. Which group did each state side with? (Gelvin, McGarry)

5 Tonge (2001) Chapter 1 A Divided Island, and chapter 8 The Roles of Religion (optional: Chapter 4 Unionist and Loyalist Politics, Chapter 5 Nationalist and Republican Politics McGarry, J. and O Leary, B. (1993) The Politics of Antagonism: Understanding Northern Ireland. (London, Athlone Press). Chapter 2 The Colonial Roots of Antagonism, Gelvin (2007) Chapter 2 Cultures of Nationalism, chapter 3 Zionism and the colonization of Palestine and chapter 5 From nationalism in Palestine to Palestinian nationalism Milton-Edwards, B. (2008) The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A People's War (London, Routledge) Chapter 4 Israel Reborn Optional: Pappé, I. and Chomsky, N. (2010) Chapter 3 State of Denial: The Nakbah in Israeli History and Today Block A: Partitioning Ireland and the Palestinian Mandate Territory Theme 4 : Partition or carving up states 4. Fact: a third party separates warring ethnic groups by dividing up the state they reside in does that work? Think about possible practical implications as well as about issues of justice. (Esman, Mearsheimer, Kumar) 5. What are the immediate and long-term effects of partition? Is it an effective way to regulate ethno-national conflict? (Mearsheimer, Kumar) Class discussion: is partition ever a solution? Esman (2004) Chapter 5 The Contemporary State and Outsider Intervention Mearsheimer, J., & Van Evera, S. (1995). When peace means war: the partition that dare not speak its name. The New Republic, 213, pp Kumar, R. (1997). The troubled history of partition. Foreign Affairs, Vol. 76, No. 1, pp Revision and Mid-Term Exam!

6 Theme 5 The effects of partition on conflict: Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine 6. Were there viable alternatives to partition in either case? If so, what were they? If not, did the proposed boundaries take sufficient account of the distribution of both ethnic nations? (Tonge, Gelvin, Milton- Edwards) 7. How did British imperial interests affect the partition of both Ireland and the Palestinian Mandate Territory? Pinpoint commonalities and priorities. (Coakley, Milton-Edwards) Tonge (2001) Chapter 1 A Divided Island, section 1.7 Was Partition Inevitable? Coakley, J. (2004) Ethnic Conflict And The Two-State Solution: The Irish Experience Of Partition. IBIS working paper no. 42, University College Dublin. Available at MappingFrontiersworkingpapers/Filetoupload,175435,en.pdf Milton-Edwards, B. (2008) The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A People's War (London, Routledge) Chapter 2 Between The Wars, Chapter 3 Palestine after the Holocaust and Chapter 5 The Dispossessed Gelvin (2007) Chapter 6 From the Great Revolt through the 1948 War Block B: Hegemonic Control in Ireland and Palestine Theme 6 Exclusionary Domination aka Hegemonic control: Israel and Northern Ireland as Ethnic "Democracies" 8. Define and describe ethnic democracy a term that applies to both Israel and Britain ( ). Are such states really democracies? If so why, or conversely if not, name the problems. (Smooha, Peleg & Waxman)

7 9. How does / did control work in Israel and Northern Ireland? What methods do/did these states employ to enforce second-class citizenship? Compare and contrast the two cases. (Smooha) Esman (2004) Chapter 6 Patterns of Pluralism I Domination Smooha, S. (2001) The Model of Ethnic Democracy. Flensburg: European Centre for Minority Issues. Section on definition (pp ), Israel (pp.48-63) and Northern Ireland (pp.80-81). Available at Theme 7 : Hegemonic control: Israel and Northern Ireland compared 10. How can we explain the rise and decline of the hegemonic control regime that governed Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972? (McGarry, Tonge) 11. Why is Israel s control regime still intact? Or is it? Did the two intifadas change anything? (Gelvin, Peleg, Lustick) Gelvin (2007) Chapter 8 The Arab-Israeli Conflict, chapter 9 The Palestinian National Movement Comes of Age Peleg, I., Waxman, D. (2007) Losing Control? A Comparison of Majority- Minority Relations in Israel and Turkey. Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, Vol. 13 No. 3, pp Lustick, I. (1993) Unsettled States, Disputed Lands: Britain and Ireland, France and Algeria, Israel and the West Bank Gaza (Cornell: Cornell University Press). Chapter 9 Israel and the West Bank and Gaza Strip and Chapter 10 Hegemonic Failure and Regime Crisis in Israel Tonge (2001) Chapter 2 An Orange State? : Northern Ireland McGarry, J. and O Leary, B. (1993) The Politics of Antagonism: Understanding Northern Ireland. (London, Athlone Press). Chapter 3. Exercising control: the second Protestant ascendancy, and Chapter 4. Losing control: the collapse of the Unionist regime, Wednesday 6 November : Research Paper Due!

8 Block C: Power-Sharing and Negotiated Settlements Theme 8 : Consociationalism: Sharing power in Northern Ireland 12. What are the basic tenets of powersharing? How is it working out in Northern Ireland? (Esman, Lijphart, McGarry) 13. Why did the 1973 Sunningdale power-sharing system fail in contrast? (Tonge) 14. What incentives and disincentives does the Agreement offer the various players in Northern Irish politics? (Tonge, McGarry, Mitchell) Esman Chapter 7 Patterns of Pluralism II - Power-sharing (pp ) Lijphart, A. (1969) Consociational Democracy. World Politics, Vol.21 No.2, pp Plus EITHER: Tonge (2001) Chapter 12 The Development of the Peace Process, Chapter 13 War and Peace, Chapter 14 The Good Friday Agreement, and chapter 15 Political Stability in Northern Ireland? OR: McGarry, J. ed. (2001) Northern Ireland and the Divided World: The Northern Ireland Conflict and the Good Friday Agreement in Comparative Perspective. (Oxford: OUP). Chapter 4 The Northern Ireland Agreement: Clear, Consociational and Risky, and chapter 5 Northern Ireland, Civic Nationalism, and the Good Friday Agreement Optional: Mitchell, P., Evans, G. and O Leary, B. (2009) Extremist Outbidding in Ethnic Party Systems is not inevitable: Tribune Parties in Northern Ireland. Political Studies, Vol. 57, pp

9 Theme 9 : A Tale of Two Peace Treaties: Settlement (Northern Ireland) versus Stalemate (Israel) 15. Compare the Oslo (1992) and Belfast (1998) agreements. What made the latter succeed and the former fail? (Gelvin, Tonge, Maney) 16. What are the main obstacles to implementing a two-state solution in the Middle East? (Pappé, Milton-Edwards) 17. Given the stalemate of the two-state solution, consider the main advantages and drawbacks of a one-state solution in which Palestinians are granted equal rights within a greater Israel. (Pappé) 18. Militancy ( terrorism ) is and was seen as an obstacle to peace in both cases. What are/were the differences in dealing with this problem? Compare and contrast. (Milton-Edwards, Tonge, Mitchell above) Gelvin (2007) Chapter 10 The Rise and Fall of the Oslo Accord Milton-Edwards, B. (2008) The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A People's War (London, Routledge) Chapter 9 Moving From Zero Pappé, I. and Chomsky, N. (2010) Chapter 5 Blueprint for a One-State Movement: A Troubled History Maney, G., Ibrahim, I., Higgins, G., et al. (2006) The Past s Promise: Lessons from Peace Processes in Northern Ireland and the Middle East. Journal of Peace Research, Vol.43 No.2, pp Optional: Milton-Edwards, B. (2010) Hamas Strategic Challenges to the Peace Process. Norwegian Peace Building Resource Centre, NOREF Publication: 872b74cefbe24326f836ca67f1fb.pdf

10 RELEVANT WEBSITES A SELECTION General: Truth Commission website: Crimes of War Project: Coalition for International Justice: Institute for War and Peace Reporting: International Crisis Group: International Alert: Middle East: Israeli government site: Ha aretz Israeli newspaper online PLO Negotiations Affairs site: Israeli-Palestinian site Bitterlemons: Historical maps of Palestine/Israel link collection: Changing maps of the Middle East Map of Palestinian Refugees in Middle East (2000): British map of the partition of Palestine Map of the 1947 UN Partition McGill Palestinian Data resources: Middle East Peace Process Northern Ireland: The Northern Ireland Assembly: UK Government Northern Ireland Office: Sinn Fein Party site: Social Democratic and Labour Party site: Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) site: Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) site: Elections in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Elections site: The Northern Ireland conflict website: Irish Historical Documents: Irish News daily newspaper: The Belfast Telegraph: