COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND DIPLOMATIC LANGUAGE

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
PIR 449	C	2	3	0	0	3	7.5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	NA
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Dr. Reina Shehi rzenelaj@epoka.edu.al , Friday 13:00-15:30
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Elective
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Master of Science in Political Science and International Relations
Classroom and Meeting Time:	Wednesday, 15:00-17:45 - D-204 building meeting room
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:
Course Description:	The course offers concepts such as conflict, conflict management, negotiation, mediation, reconciliation, etc. Conflict Resolution includes multidisciplinary studies and provides an alternative way to recognize and manage conflicts beyond judicial processes. Since the subject is offered under the Department of Political Science and International Relations, most of the themes affect the analysis and methods of resolving political conflicts, especially those that transcend national boundaries.
Course Objectives:	The basic purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the emerging field of conflict resolution and its relationship to planning and policy-making. Understanding the legal context is critical to recognizing the value of alternatives to litigation. Practitioners of conflict resolution use analytical and intervention skills to address organizational, policy and legislative concerns in areas as diverse as the workplace, the community, government and international relations. Increasingly, they build on innovations in negotiation, mediation, organizational development and communication to design systems to improve decision-making and to manage conflict. Accordingly, the focus of the course is also experiential; emphasizing the construction of knowledge and skill development, it provides students with opportunities to apply concepts and practice negotiation and intervention skills in hypothetical and factual policy and international contexts.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	conflict
2	perceptions
3	management
4	interests
5	dialogue
6	negotiation
7	mediation
8	resolution
9	conflict transformation
10	needs

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Why and How Conflict Happens? Introduction to the Field of Conflict Resolution
2	Understanding and Interpreting Conflict Styles/Modes; Conflict resolution skill training, critical tool to resolve inter-group conflict
3	Principled Negotiation& Mediation
4	Understanding Contemporary Conflict: Theories and Frameworks
5	Book Review_ Optional to Students’ Choice
6	On the Concept of Peace
7	Mechanisms and Methods of Non-Violence
8	Midterm Week
9	The Resolution of Conflicts between States
10	International Organizations in Conflict Resolution
11	Conflict Resolution in Civil Wars: Conflict Mapping- Albanian Civil War (1997)
12	Post-Settlement Peace-Building and Reconciliation: Case Study: International Organizations in Conflict Resolution
13	A discussion of Main Dilemmas in Conflict Studies: Justice, Human Rights and Economic Well-Being
14	Concluding Remarks

Prerequisite(s):	N/A
Textbook(s):	Bercovitch J., Kremenyuk V., Zartman W.I., (2009) The Sage Handbook of Conflict Resolution, Sage Publications Wallensteen P., (2017) Understanding Conflict Resolution, Sage Publications Nye J., (1997), Understanding International Conflicts: An Introduction to Theory and History, 2nd Edition, Pearson Longman Barash D.P., Webel Ch.P., (2009) Peace and Conflict Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, 2nd Edition, Sage Publications. Cunningham, E. (2011) Barriers to Peace in Civil War, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: UK UNESCO Yearbook on Peace and Conflict Studies (1984), Greenwood Press, and New York: USA Foundation for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation of Dipsutes, Tirane/ Albania, Manuals and Newsletters http://www.mediationalb.org/index.php?idr=79&mod=3&lang=2 Hagen, T (2013), Forgiveness, Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Balkans: A Survey of Albanian Students, International Balkan Annual Conference Smith, E.F; Pechous, E.J ( 1999), Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution in Late 20th Century Europe: Albania- A Case Study, Institute for Defense Analysis, file:///C:/Users/User1/Downloads/ADA359987.pdf
Additional Literature:
Laboratory Work:	N.A
Computer Usage:	N.A
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Students will understand advanced concepts of conflict and mechanisms of conflict resolution in different levels of politics.
2	Students will understand that context, the relationship of conflicts to politics, the limits of law and legal processes to resolve conflicts.
3	Students will understand the place that and conflict resolution occupy in the main social science disciplines.
4	Students are introduced to problem-solving scholarship and case studies.

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Master of Science in Political Science and International Relations Program
1	Having and using advanced knowledge and comprehension supported by textbooks including actual knowledge in political sciences and international relations literature, materials and the other scientific resources.	4
2	Analyzing data, ideas and concepts of current political issues and international relations, determining complex events and topics, making discussions and developing new suggestions in accordance with researches.	5
3	Having knowledge and thought about actual topics and problems together with their historical, social and cultural aspects.	5
4	Introducing those who are interested in politics and international events with the topics of Political Science and IR and teaching clearly the problems and the types of solutions.	5
5	Improving skills of working together with the main social science disciplines and other disciplines which are related to Political Science and International Relations.	4
6	Improving critical thinking and skills in making research independently.	4
7	Developing solutions about the problems and conflicts which are common in national and international arena.	5
8	Improving skills for leadership and research and analyze capacity of those who is responsible with national and international ones.	3
9	Knowing any foreign language enough to communicate with colleagues and understand actual researches and articles.	2
10	Gaining IT skills to use computer and technology) in order to reach actual knowledge.	2
11	Gaining skills to follow societal, scientific and ethic values during collecting, interpreting, conducting of data related to social and political developments.	3
12	Having consciousness about human rights and environment.	4
13	Gaining the skills to follow actual developments and pursue long-life learning.	4

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	25
Presentation	0	0
Project	2	25
Final Exam	1	25
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	4	64
Mid-terms	1	24.5	24.5
Assignments	2	13	26
Final examination	1	25	25
Other			0
Total Work Load:			187.5
Total Work Load/25(h):			7.5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			7.5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

The remarks will be added at the end of the course.