This course is about strategic choice and bases for choosing strategies for dealing with human conflict. The course has two dimensions: (1) methodology and (2) applications. (1) We will critically examine current models of conflict and conflict resolution, including specific techniques for negotiating conflict in principled ways, methods for addressing moral conflicts and disagreement, for identifying, weighing and balancing conflicting values and interests. (2) We will apply strategies for conflict resolution on societal, inter-group, inter-personal and intra-personal levels; in particular, we will use in-depth case studies to examine the application of conflict-resolution methods to large-scale social conflicts (such as the Waco disaster) and to polarizing social controversies (such as abortion, euthanasia, gun control and violence in American society). We will make heavy use of video case studies and innovative multimedia technology developed at the Department's Center for the Advancement of Applied Ethics.
