Courses

Diplomacy Studies courses 2021-2022

Diplomacy Studies and Dual-Degree Program

 2021-2022

MA in International Relations with Specialization in Diplomacy Studies - one year - Non-Thesis Track

Requirements to complete the degree:

9 Courses - 36 credit hours . Students should take 7 courses from Diplomacy & Dual Degree Program ) Does not include a course of research methods ( and 2 elective courses from PCM program

Final project (35-45 pages).

In this track students will be required to complete at least two seminar papers (20-30 pages each) and one final paper – final project (35-45 pages). Students should obtain the consent of one of their faculty member to supervise their final project. The final project should be submitted, and its approval by its supervisor is one of the preconditions for graduating.

 More information about the Final Project  https://poli.hevra.haifa.ac.il/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=833&Itemid=433&lang=en

MA in International Relations Dual Degree with University of Warsaw - two years - Thesis Track

Requirements to complete the degree:

First year in Haifa: three semesters -  6 Courses – 24 credit hours . Students should take a course of Research Methods and 5 courses from the Diplomacy & Dual Degree Program. Students may convert one course from the Diplomacy & Dual Degree Program to one elective course from the PCM program

Second year in Warsaw: two semesters - 12 Courses - 60 ECTS: 27 ECTS - obligatory modules, 03 ECTS - general elective modules and 30 ECTS - restricted choice modules.
Final assignment: Thesis Research Paper.

By the end of second year students must submit the final thesis (60-80 pages) under supervision of two lecturers. Students are responsible for finding two supervisors: one from the Department of International Relations in Warsaw University and one from the Division of International Relations in Haifa University. A master’s thesis is an independent research project, and the pace of progress largely depends on the student’s efforts. Completion of a thesis may often require more than two years. Students, who begin their studies in Dual degree program, are expected to begin their research on MA thesis during their first year and to conclude it during the second year of studies in Warsaw. Extension of the studies beyond the two- year limit will require an additional fee.  

During the first year Dual Degree program students will be required to write at least one seminar paper (20-30 pages each).

More information for both tracks

https://poli.hevra.haifa.ac.il/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=831&Itemid=431&lang=en

List of Courses – Diplomacy & Dual Degree Tracks

List of Elective courses from the Peace and Conflict management Studies Program

***YEARLY COURSE  (4 credit hours in total)- it is mandatory to take both parts of the course

Diplomacy - Course descriptions:

The Digital Revolution: from humans to robots 205.5523 Dr. Yaniv Levyatan

From the democratic renaissance of the 2011 Arab Spring, to the notorious fake news campaigns of the 2016 American elections,
Digital media is reshaping our reality. Smartphones, Social media networks, The Internet of Things, Deeplearing algorithms and Deepfake,
these terms are just a small portion of the big picture (not to mention Big-data). Is Cyber war becoming more relevant then Physical war?
Is the Megabyte stronger then the Megaton? The course objective is to analyse the basic elements of the digital revolution and its effects of national security, politics, society, economy etc’. 

Research Methods in Peace and Conflict Studies 217.4002

Dr. Carmela Lutmar

The first half of the course is meant to develop the student's skills in effective and critical reading of a variety of academic research, and to become acquainted with research writing. The second half of the course will acquaint the student with a wide variety of research methods, describing the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of research questions. In particular, we will focus on studies in conflict resolution and intractable conflicts. The course is planned and constructed as a seminar in which most of the work is done by the student, guided and advised by the lecturer and other guest lecturers.

Theories of Diplomacy 205.4691

Prof. Ben D. Mor

This course is designed as a broad introduction to perspectives and theories of diplomacy, its practice, and its evolving role in international relations. We will review a variety of theories in IR, psychology, sociology, and communications that highlight different aspects of diplomacy and seek to account for its role and operation in foreign policy, world order, crisis management, and conflict resolution. Although the emphasis of the course is on theory, in-depth analysis of prominent case studies in the history of diplomacy will serve to illustrate the various approaches and to highlight the importance of analogical thinking in the practice of diplomacy. Students should note that this course assumes prior background (at least one undergraduate course) in diplomacy and negotiation.

Human Rights, Ethics and Diplomacy 205.4694

Prof. Michael L. Gross

Should ethics and human rights be a central component of diplomacy in a democratic country? Or, should democratic nations simply look out for their own economic and political interests while generally neglecting ethics and human rights in other nations? To address this question, we will review two reigning paradigms: a realist tradition that emphasizes sovereignty, territory and reason of state; and a liberal tradition highlighting the important role of ethics and international law in international diplomacy. We will then consider a range of case studies that emphasize various aspects of this debate. This includes “amoral” diplomacy in places like Chile and the Shah-era Iran; “persuasive” diplomacy and its use of economic aid by organizations like USAID to encourage nations to promote and safeguard human rights and “coercive” diplomacy that sees Western nations using economic sanctions to punish human rights violators in countries like South Africa, Myanmar and China. All of these cases reflect diplomacy during peace time. In war time, we also see examples of persuasive diplomacy as nations intervene to win the hearts and minds of the local population by guaranteeing human security. Coercive diplomacy in the name of human rights occurs as nations intervene militarily to overthrow repressive regimes. Finally, we will consider the diplomatic role of just war as we consider Israel’s diplomatic difficulties following Operation Cast Lead.

Diplomacy and Communication 205.5509

Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi

The chief objective of the course is to provide the students with concepts, theories and analytical tools for analyzing complicated diplomatic processes of negotiation between states. These theoretical concepts and tools are primarily designed to identify abroad cluster of misperceptions and communications gaps between the negotiating parties that are inherent in different cultural, ideological and strategic factors and attributes. On the basis of these theoretical insights, several case-studies, which will seek to illustrate these recurrent communication failures, with emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, will be examined.  

Diplomatic Simulation 205.4693

Dr. Carmela Lutmar

This simulation will illustration and demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages for decision-makers, inherent in the highly tense dynamics of having to manage crises under stress and a severe time pressure. The simulation will experiment with such emotion-laden crisis situations, and will focus on crucial phases in the course of their evolution, and in the context of the Middle East, both in connection with crisis-management and with conflict-resolution.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict: History and Diplomacy 205.4690

Prof. Zach Levey

This course deals with the conflict in both historical and contemporary terms. The first part of the course deals with the growing clash between the Zionist Yishuv and Arabs of Palestine and then confrontation between Israel and the Arab states. We will examine Arab and Jewish nationalism, early attempts at a diplomatic solution, and the rise of conflict during the Mandate period. The second part of this course analyzes the causes and effects of six wars; those of 1948, 1956, 1967, 1969-70, 1973, and 1982. Emphasis is on diplomacy and strategy in both the regional and global contexts. The third part begins with the Palestinian intifada of 1987-1993 and 1993 Oslo Accords and concludes with an examination of the conflict since the mid-1990s, including Israel’s clashes with Hizballah and Hamas.

Selected Issues in Israel`s Foreign and Security Policy 1948-2020

Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi

The course will identify and analyze the main objectives that Israel has sought to accomplish since 1948 to the present in its foreign and security policy, as well as the strategies it used in order to promote these goals. It will combine both  an analytical review of the main concepts which have shaped Israel's "operational code" in its local, regional and global environment, and an empirical study of the formative diplomatic events, crises and wars, in which these concepts were implemented. At the conceptual level, the course will address such notions as deterrence, coercion, preventive war, and low- intensity wars, which shaped Israel's strategy and constrained its diplomacy in the Israeli- Arab zone for decades. At the empirical level, it will address a broad cluster of events, such as the 1956, 1967 and the 1973 wars, the Camp David accords of 1978 which precipitated the conclusion, in 1979, of an Israeli- Egyptian peace accord, " the Periphery Alliance" which israel concluded, in the late 1950s, with Turkey, Ethiopia and Iran, and the evolution of its "Special Relationship" with the United States.  

PCM Course descriptions:

Theories and issues in intergroup conflict: A multi-disciplinary perspective 217.4001

Dr. Keren Sharvit

This is a course intended to lay the foundations for studying inter-group conflicts of different levels. Inter-group conflicts have been studied by scholars from different disciplines, who offer differing perspectives on similar issues. In this course we will survey different approaches, and will also compare, contrast and relate them to each other in an attempt to arrive at an integrative understanding of the issues at hand. To allow such comparison and integration, the course is arranged by themes that recur in the scholarly literature about conflicts rather than by scholarly discipline. Throughout the course, we will use examples from actual cases of inter-group conflicts in various regions of the world.

Building Consensus: Basic Negotiation, Mediation and Facilitation Skills 217.4027

Dr. Ran Kuttner

The emergence of the discipline of Peacebuilding and Conflict Management has involved the development of both theory and practices. This course focuses on best-practices in conflict management – mainly negotiation, mediation and group facilitation – aiming to equip students with basic skills for professional and personal usage. The students will be exposed to foundational theories and models of negotiation, mediation, and group facilitation/consensus building and will engage in practical experience through roleplays, simulations and exercises. Through reflective analysis of their performances, students will challenge some foundational assumptions regarding negotiation and conflict interaction, gaining first-hand experience of transformation of adversity into collaboration. Thus, students will gain proficiency in serving as third party neutrals who strive to build consensus in interpersonal and intergroup conflicts.

Paths to Peace: Conflict Management, Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation 217.4014

Dr. Ran Kuttner

This core course will survey various approaches to dealing with intergroup conflicts: preventing escalation, minimizing harmful consequences, ending violence, improving intergroup relations and building stable peace. We will begin by discussing processes of conflict management, which take place during an ongoing conflict. We will then discuss various routes to conflict resolution and a formal ending of the conflict. Finally, we will address processes of reconciliation and peace-building, intended to improve intergroup relations in post-conflict settings and prevent conflict recurrence. Throughout the course, we will survey the works of scholars from different disciplines on each of these topics in order to become familiar with different perspectives and arrive at an integrative understanding. We will also discuss real world cases in which different approaches to dealing with conflict have been implemented with varying degrees of success.

Community Conflict and Civil Society – yearly course 217.4021

Dr. Harry Frey

Community is a changing, dynamic and multifaceted concept which is gaining attention in conflict studies. Firstly, this course examines conflict in the light of 'context.' In the course, we consider unique aspects of community conflicts and the interplay with exterior macro factors. Various theories explaining the causes of local conflict involving groups and institutions are examined. Different community characteristics which exacerbate or ameliorate conflict dynamics are also examined with reference to examples from Israel, Northern Ireland and other locations. Secondly, we will look at community as 'agency.' The emergence and relevance of various models of community practice, such as development, organization, problem solving and transformation of relations, will be considered. Finally, we will consider the building of shared communities as a 'target' and mode of intervention in conflict resolution.

Relational Approaches to Conflict Engagement: Theory and Practice

Dr. Ran Kuttner

More and more scholars in the ADR field claim that the interest-based models, developed by the “founding fathers and mothers” of ADR, cannot suffice if our goal is to transform adversarial mindsets and create space for dialogue when engaging in a conflict in negotiation and mediation. Relational approaches to conflict interaction are not just set of skills but have a philosophical foundation regarding the human Self that offers an alternative to the more common individualistic worldview that the Western world holds as foundational. In this course we will explore the philosophical and psychological underpinnings of the relational worldview and engage in mindfulness-based practices to help cultivate the qualities of mind and skills that are vital for making dialogue present in human interaction. We will use the Transformative and Narrative Approaches to mediation as a starting point and move to Buddhist philosophy and interpersonal meditation practices designed to help cultivate a dialogic mindset. We will explore the question - what philosophy and skills do we, as conflict specialists, need to cultivate, in order to recognize the potential of dialogue and create space for dialogue in interpersonal interactions and ADR processes?