Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
15007:IR18‐CA201 Bridge to International Studies I (Order & Peace / Administration)(RA) § 15008:IR-CA201 Introduction to International Studies in English Ⅰ(RA) 2023 Spring Tue1 College　Of　International　Relations O’MOCHAIN ROBERT、STRAUMANN CHISATO 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

RYOYUKAN　RY308

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

"There Is No Way to Peace, Peace Is the Way", A. J. Muste

At the World Summit in 2005, world leaders reached agreement on the “Responsibility to Protect (often referred as R2P)” initiative to protect people from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. It states, “Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations… through appropriate and necessary means,” and “The international community, through the United Nations, also has the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means, in accordance with Chapters VI and VIII of the Charter, to help protect populations”. However, more tensions and conflicts in different parts of the world are happening.

This course explores the reasons for the continuing prevalence of war and violence and seeks to understand how we might build a more peaceful world. It aims to introduce students to the knowledge which has been accumulated in the field of peace studies, for example, analyzing historical and political background to understand the reasons behind the war or understanding the past events are still detectable. Ultimately this course will lead up to the essential questions, such as; What is peace? What is justice? What does it take to create peace?

This course requires students to be the "active learner", and they will be continually challenged to think for themselves; How do you think we can manage conflict, what is your own responsibility, what is the best way for you to help personally?

Student Attainment Objectives

1. To study about the rational for war, peace, justice, and non-violence
2. To learn the various definitions of ‘peace’
3. To understand the challenges we face in securing peace
4. To apply the learnings to global and local current events and personal peace practice and experience
5. To try to think about the answers for the following questions:
        - How do you think we can manage conflict?
        - what is your own responsibility?
        - what is the best way for you to help personally?

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Introduction to the course and overview of the syllabus
What’s Peace Study?

Overview and explanation of the course - reading assignment, presentation assignment, & writing assignment

2

Definition of Peace
Eastern concepts and Judeo-Christian concepts

Extension activities

3

Positive vs. Negative Peace
The Role of Structural Violence

Discussion about John Galtung's discipline of peace and conflict studies
Extension activities

4

Achieving Positive Peace
Measuring peace – The Global Peace Index (GPI) – Result of 2022
Review I

The Global Peace Index (GPI) analysis
Extension activities

5

Social justice
Students Mini-presentations on “Structural Violence”

Is war justifiable?
Extension activities

6

The peace-war continuum
Discussion: Afghanistan

Extension activities
Discussion: Afghanistan

7

Biological justification for war
Conflict between Kurdish and Türkiye

Justifiable or simply catastrophic?
Discussion: The Kurds and Türkiye

8

Social and political justifications for war
Conflict between Israeli and Palestinians

Extension activities
Discussion: Israel and Palestine

9

The conservative viewpoint
Conflict in Africa by Islamist militancy

Compare and contrast viewpoints
Discussion: Islamist military in Africa

10

The liberal viewpoint
Conflict in Myanmar

Compare and contrast viewpoints
Discussion: Myanmar

11

The radical leftist viewpoint
Conflict in Iran and USA

Progressive and Leftist viewpoints
Discussion: Iran and USA

12

Is war inevitable?
Conflict in Heiti

Peace-war behavior
Discussion: Heiti

13

Can nations change?
Japan’s role in WW2; The battle of Okinawa; Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Discussion: Peace Declarations from Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Extension activities

14

Student case analysis and presentations

Details: TBA

15

Future directions of conflict and peace: Crisis in Ukraine
Review and Summary

Discussion: Crisis in Ukraine, Are weapons the way to peace?
Extension activities

Class Format

BCP停止の場合は、BCPレベル0～2の記載どおりに授業が行われます。
During the suspension period of BCP, classes will be as described in BCP levels 0-2.

The class Format for each class will be announced on manaba+R’s course news. Also, the class format for the first class will be notified on manaba+R’s course news before the first class(*).
For “Special Consideration”, please check manaba+R’s College of IR Student Page and the “Study Support Site”.

College of IR Student Page：https://ct.ritsumei.ac.jp/ct/course_1728150
Study Support Site：https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/pathways-future/eng/

(*)To check the class format for the first class of the course, you will need to apply for the “early use request function.” Refer to the Registration Guidebook AY 2023 for details. Please be careful that applying for the early use request does not sign you up for the course. You will need to register for courses during the designated period separately.

Recommendations for Private Study

Students are expected to come to class prepared (readings, short assignments) and spend about 120min on course-related studies outside of class per week. Students are strongly encouraged to keep up to date with class work and consult with the teacher for any questions they might have.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

- Active participation in discussion(15%)
- Homework(15%)
- Weekly journal writing (10 @3% each) (30%)
- Research (design) paper: Step 1&2(20%)
- Research paper presentation(20%)

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

(1) Be responsible for your owning learning (Responsibility/Self Management);
(2) Keep up with the assignments and do not fall behind (Meeting the deadline/Time Management)
(3) Read (understand) the designated readings in the textbook thoroughly (Preview).
(4) Make vocabulary notes and terminology notes (Organizing Skills).
(5) Make notes on quotes that you do not understand, and form questions or explain why you find it difficult to understand or unsure in 2-3 sentences. (Preview, Critical Thinking Skills)
(6) Type/copy quotes from the reading that either you are interested or you really disagree with. (Critical Thinking Skills, Academic Communication Skills)

Textbooks

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
Introduction to Peace Studies: The Meaning of Peace 『平和を創るー平和学入門』 David P. Barash, Kyoko Okumura and Aiko Saito Eihōsha Ltd. 978-4-269-12111-9

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Reference Books

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
Peace: A Very Short Introduction Oliver P. Richmond Oxford University Press 078-0-19-965600-4
Peace by Peaceful Means: Peace and Conflict, Development and Civilization Johan Galtung Sage Publications 0-8039-7510-4-2
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life Thich Nhat Hanh Bantam; Reissue edition 978-0553351392

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Web Pages for Reference

- United Nations Peacekeeping: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en
- United Nations Peacebuilding: https://www.un.org/peacebuilding/
- Global Peace Index 2022: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/global-peace-index-2022
- Kyoto Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan University: https://www.ritsumeikan-wp-museum.jp/en/
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum: https://hpmmuseum.jp/?lang=eng
- Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims: https://www.peace-nagasaki.go.jp/

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Talk with Students,Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

Please note that class schedule and contents may be subject to change depending on the circumstances.
【科目ナンバリング・カリキュラムマップはこちらから/Click here to see the Curriculum-Map and Course-Numbering】
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/