Brandeis University
FALL 2015
SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS
Prof. Mari Fitzduff
Class time:
Thursday 9.00 – 11.50. Location: Heller-Brown 163.
Contact information for Prof. Fitzduff: Email fitzduff@brandeis.edu Room 243 Heller.
Office: Fall Office Hours: Thurs: 2.00 – 5.00p.m or by appointment.
Course Description:
What social psychological and neurological processes and needs are important to
understand in order to do successful peacebuilding work throughout the world? The
course addresses questions such as: Are conflicts between peoples and nations inevitable?
Why do they erupt, and at particular times? Why do they often take so long to resolve? Why
are so many people willing to lose their lives in fighting? How do groups develop a hatred
of other groups? Do different people respond to violence in different ways? How do you
deal with racial, ethnic, political or religious fundamentalism?
Objectives for the course:
To introduce students to basic socio-psychological and neurological needs that are useful in
understanding the causes of conflict and violence at local and international levels, and how
to better manage them
The course will address:
 the sociopsychological and neurological causes of hatred, genocide, social and
identity violence
 fundamentalist, ethnic, racial, social and religious ideologies, how they serve the
individual and the group, and how they can be addressed.
 How inter-societal conflicts erupt, escalate, and can be better prevented and
managed through understanding social psychological and neurological frameworks
 the sociopsychological functions and roles of leaders in local and international
conflicts.
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 social psychological processes that are involved in successful coexistence work,
peace building and post-conflict reconciliation.
Course Requirements
Attendance, Punctuality, and Active Participation
You are required to attend every class, barring documented illness. Please also arrive on
time at the beginning of class and after the break. If you know you will be absent or late, for
a legitimate reason, make sure you warn in advance your instructor and teaching assistant,
who cannot accept unexcused absences. Should you miss more than two classes, you
will not qualify for credit. Attendance is more than just coming to class. You are expected
to actively participate. Students enjoy complete academic freedom in the classroom, within
the limits defined by the standards of mutual respect.
Assignments and Readings
In order to ensure active participation in the best possible conditions, make sure undertake
all of the readings that are required in advance of each class. It is highly recommended that
students annotate personal copies of, or make notes from the readings.
Please check on website before each class to see if extra readings have been added –
or substituted. Students will be called upon to discuss the readings in class and to
participate in group and individual presentations. They must therefore come to class
prepared to allow well-informed discussions. Students enjoy complete academic freedom
in the classroom, within the limits defined by mutual respect.
Writing Requirements
The writing requirements listed below are intended to encourage students to approach
reading materials critically, to foster improved research and writing skills, and to serve as a
basis for contributing to class discussion and a diversity of opinions. Students are expected
to devote careful attention to the technical quality of their written work, as well as its
substance. They must be honest in all academic work.
(See: http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/srcs/corevalues.html)
All written work for this course must include appropriate citation of the sources used.
 See section 56c (“Avoid Plagiarism”) of the Concise English Handbook.
 See http://www.brandeis.edu/studentaffairs/sdc/ai/index.html: ‘Truth even unto
its Innermost Part’ and in particular the section dealing with citations.
http://guides.library.brandeis.edu/coex
The university policy on academic honesty is distributed annually, as section 5 of the Rights
and Responsibilities handbook. Academic integrity is critical in all that you write and say,
and transgressions are treated severely. Instances of alleged dishonesty will be forwarded
to the Office of Campus Life for possible referral to the Student Judicial System. Potential
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sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the university. If you have any
questions about this, please ask.
Individual Written and Group Assignments
All written assignments must be typewritten, 1.5 spaced in 12-point font (this syllabus is in
12 point), and submitted electronically via email to Fitzduff@brandeis.edu as a Microsoft
Word attachment (if you are not using Word, you may format your file in Rich Text Format
[RTF]). They will be returned via email with comments embedded in the text.
Assignments:
A. Students will be required to participate in small group presentations on identified socio
psychological or neurological topics of interest to the development and management of
conflict. (20%)
B. Following the presentation, each presenter will write a short paper of about 3-4 pages on
the theories and concepts that relate to the issue presented. (25%).
C. For their final requirement the students will write a conceptual, and/or review paper (up
to 10 pages) that identify 5 important sociopsychological or neurological concepts
addressed in the class, and their possible relevance for work in the field at a local,
institutional, and international level. (This assignment will be discussed beforehand with
the class.)
All written assignments must be typewritten, 1. 5 spaced in 12-point font (this syllabus is
in 12-point), and submitted by email to fitzduff@brandeis.edu.
Class Sessions and Required Readings
Session 1 Thursday 27th August 9.00 – 11.50 a.m.
This session will look at the characteristics of Social Psychology and Neuroscience,
and their importance in addressing group conflicts.
This class will look at the history of Social Psychology in the peacebuilding field and clarify
terminology in common usage in the field, such as beliefs, attitudes, emotion, cognitive and
motivational biases, social identity, collective identity, intergroup relationships etc. It will
also address the question of the ‘innateness’ or otherwise of human aggression and
violence, and look at whether or not different brain structures can contribute to group
tensions and violence.
(Note: Required readings are compulsory for all students, and will be necessary for
class discussion.
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Suggested Readings cover the topics in the class in more depth – useful for those of
you who want to follow up an issue. They are available on the web, on latte, or in the
Library.)
Required reading:
Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder: Read
Introduction and Section 1.
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/forum/topics/an-introduction-toneuroscience-for-peacebuilders-mari-fitzduff#.VZZY6GAtZLo
Kent, Michael SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (1996-2010)
http://www.trinity.edu/%7Emkearl/socpsy.html
Wikipedia: What is Social Psychology?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_psychology
Fitzduff, Mari: Ending Wars: Theories, Developments and Practice. (2006) In Fitzduff,
Mari, and Stout, Chris: The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From War to
Peace, pages ix - xi. Vol 1. Nature Vs Nurture. Praegar Security International. (Latte)
Suggested Readings:
Konner, Melvin: (2006) Human Nature, Ethnic Violence and War, Chapter 1 pg. 1-40. in
Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris (2006) The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From
War to Peace. Vol 1. Nature Vs Nurture, Praegar Security International. (Latte)
Bar-Tal, Ed (2011). Introduction: Conflicts and Social Psychology. p. 1-38 Intergroup
conflicts and their resolution: Social psychological perspectives. New York: Psychology Press
(Latte)
LeFebvre, Rebecca and Franke, (2013) Culture Matters: Individualism vs. Collectivism in
Conflict Decision-Making: Societies 2013, 3, 128–146; doi: 10.3390/soc3010128
www.mdpi.com/journal/societies
Group selection. Choice of case study will be done at next class.
Session 2. Thursday 3rd September 9.00-11.50 a.m.
The Importance of Belonging
This session will look at the human need to belong to, and identify with, a group, and how
this valuable characteristic can, if not carefully addressed and managed, lead to prejudice,
intolerance, discrimination, fundamentalism, violence and genocide.
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Required Reading:
Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder. Read
Section 3 (Vive La Difference) and Section 4 (Us and Them)
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/forum/topics/an-introduction-toneuroscience-for-peacebuilders-mari-fitzduff#.VZZY6GAtZLo
Tajfel, H. & Turner, J.C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup relations in S.
Worchel & W.G. Austin (Eds.) (1986) Psychology of intergroup relations. (2nd ed., pp.
7-24). Chicago: Nelson-Hall.
Plus listen to BBC program on Henri Tajfel's Minimal Groups
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00yw6km
How a Psychological Bias Makes Groups Feel Good About Themselves And Discredit
Others http://www.spring.org.uk/2013/07/how-a-psychological-bias-makesgroups-feel-good-about-themselves-and-discredit-others.php
Suggested Reading:
Roccas, Sonia and Elster Andrey, Group Identities (2012) in The Oxford Handbook of
Intergroup Conflict Edited by Linda R. Tropp, Chapter 7. Oxford Press (Latte)
Wilson, Edward. (2012) Tribalism is a Fundamental Human Trait: The Social Conquest of
Earth. Liveright publishing. New York (Latte)
Jan E. Stets and Peter J. Burke: (2005) A Sociological Approach to Self and Identity
http://wat2146.ucr.edu/Papers/02a.pdf
John F. Dovidio, , Tamar Saguy, Tessa V. West, Samuel L. Gaertner: (2012) Divergent
Intergroup Perspectives in The Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict . Edited by
Linda R. Tropp, Chapter 10. Oxford Press (Latte)
Walton, Gregory, Cohen Geoffrey. A question of belonging: Race, Social Fit and
Achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 92, No 1, 82962007http://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgibin/drupalm/system/files/QuestionOfBelonging-1.pdf
Session 3: Thursday 17th September 9.00 a.m. – 11.50 a.m. Why do conflicts erupt and
escalate ?
This session will look at the mobilization and development of local and international
conflicts, at the social psychological theories about why they erupt and become so violent
as to lead to the murder of ones neighbor, mass killing and genocide.
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Required Reading:
Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder. Read
Section 2 (The Rider and the Elephant)
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/forum/topics/an-introduction-toneuroscience-for-peacebuilders-mari-fitzduff#.VZZY6GAtZLo
Chang, Bettina (2014)
What Makes Normal People Commit War Crimes?
http://www.psmag.com/politics-and-law/makes-normal-people-commit-warcrimes-77182
Danna K Counant, Stephen Worschel, and Marcelo Hanza : (2012) Pigs Slingshots
and other Foundations of Intergroup Confict. : Chap 1 The Oxford Handbook of
Intergroup Conflict. Ed by Linda R. Tropp, Chapter 12. Oxford Press (Latte)
Suggested reading:
Ferguson, Brian: Tribal, Ethnic and Global Wars: (2006) Chapter 2, pages 41-70 in Fitzduff,
Mari and Stout, Chris: The psychology of resolving Global conflicts: From War to peace. Vol 1.
Nature Vs Nurture. (Latte)
Waller, James: (2006) Becoming Evil: How ordinary people commit Genocide and Mass
killing. Chapter 4, pages 89 10 108. in Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris: The psychology of
resolving Global conflicts: From War to peace. Vol 1. Nature Vs Nurture. Praegar Security
International. (Latte)
Baumeister, R. F., & Gastings, S. (1997). Distortions of collective memory: How groups
flatter and deceive themselves. In J.W. Pennebaker, D. Paez, & B. Rimé (Eds.), Collective
memory of political events: Social psychological perspectives (pp. 277-293). Mahwah, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum. (Latte)
Praegar Security International.Eidelson, R. J. (2003) Dangerous Ideas: Five beliefs that
propel groups toward conflict
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6566/is_4_31/ai_n29055985/
Volkan, Vamik: (2004) Chosen trauma, the political ideology of entitlement and violence
http://www.vamikvolkan.com/Chosen-Trauma,-the-Political-Ideology-of-Entitlement-andViolence.php
Session 4. Thursday 24th September 9.00-11.50 a.m.
Why are identity conflicts so difficult to resolve?
This session will look at why so many conflicts are so difficult to resolve, and often
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intractable for years. Why are people and groups so intransigent so as to continue fighting,
even at the cost of their own or their communities/nations lives? What are the
characteristics of ethnic, social or religious fundamentalism and how can they be
addressed? Why is it often easier to find leaders for war than leaders for peace?
http://fetzer.org/resources/neuroscience-compassion-love-and-forgiveness-fetzerinitiative
Required Reading:
Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder. Read
Section 5 (The Believing Brain)
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/forum/topics/an-introduction-toneuroscience-for-peacebuilders-mari-fitzduff#.VZZY6GAtZLo
Bar-Tal, D., & Halperin, E. (2011). Socio-psychological barriers to conflict resolution.
In D., Bar-Tal (Ed.), Intergroup conflicts and their resolution: Social psychological
perspective. New York: Psychology Press (Latte)
Bar-Tal, Daniel Lily Chernyak-Hai, Noa Schori andAyelet Gundar : A sense of self
perceived Collective victimhood in intractable conflicts
http://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/other/irrc-874-bartal-chernyakhai-schorigundar.pdf
Upal, Afzal (2015) Using Social Psychology to Counter Terrorism
http://ciceromagazine.com/opinion/using-social-psychology-to-counter-terrorism/
Stern J. (2002). Chapter 10: Conclusions. Terror in the name of God: Why religious
militants kill (pp. 281-296). Harper Collins. (Latte)
Suggested Readings:
Asp, Erik, Ramchandran, Kachna, Tranei, Daniel (2012() Authoritarianism, religious
fundamentalism, and the human prefrontal cortex
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3389201/
Heilman, Kenneth M, and Donda, Russell S. (2012) Neuroscience and Fundamentalism
Tikkun http://www.tikkun.org/article.php/Heilman-neuroscienceandfundamentalism
Edwards, David (2013) Leading neuroscientist: Religious fundamentalism may be a ‘mental
illness’ that can be ‘cured’ http://www.rawstory.com/2013/05/leading-neuroscientistreligious-fundamentalism-may-be-a-mental-illness-that-can-be-cured/
Michael A. Hogg: (2001) A Social Identity Theory of Leadership
http://home.ubalt.edu/tmitch/642/E%20articles/judge%20bono%20erez%20locke%20C
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ore%20self%20eval%20and%20job%20sat%202005_files/hogg%20social%20id%20theo
ry%20ldrship%20JPSP.pdf
Daniel Bar-Tal, Phillip L. Hammack: (2012) Conflict, Delegitimization, and Violence in The
Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict. Edited by Linda R. Tropp, Chapter 3. Oxford Press
(Latte)
Abelson, R. B., & Prentice. D. A. (1989). Beliefs as possessions: A functional perspective. In
A. R. Pratkanis, S. J. Breckler, & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.), Attitude structure and function (pp.
361-381). Hillsdale, NI: Erlbaum.
Theidon, Kimberley: (2006) Intimate Enemies: Towards a Social Psychology of
Reconciliation. in Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris: The psychology of resolving Global
conflicts: From War to Peace. Vol 2: Group and social factors.. Praegar Security
International.http://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/node/4512 p 211-234.
Sambanis, Nicholas , Shayo, Moses. (2013) Social Identification and Ethnic Conflict
American Political Science Review Vol. 107, No. 2 May 2013
doi:10.1017/S0003055413000038
http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FPSR%2FPSR107_02%2FS0003055
413000038a.pdf&code=ce50ae75137d7dc62cf84720c13bb8d5
Session 5. Thursday 1st October 9.00-11.50 a.m.
What do social psychology and neuropsychology teach us about reconciliation
processes?
This session looks at the work of social psychologists and neuroscientists involved in
practical peacebuilding and what their theories mean for peacebuilding policies and
practices.
Required Reading:
Bruneau E, and Saxe R. (2012). The power of being heard: the benefits of
'perspective-giving' in the context of intergroup conflict. Journal of Experimental
Social Psychology 48(4) 855-866. (Latte)
Kelman, h: Conflict resolution and reconciliation: A social-psychological perspective
http://www.ucm.es/info/fgu/descargas/forocomplutense/conf_hkelman_220210.pd
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Klaus Boehnke, Henning Schmidtke and Maor Shani: (2012) Peacemaking, Socio
psychological Approaches Chapter 13 in The Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict.
Ed by Linda R. Tropp, Chapter 12. Oxford Press (Latte)
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Suggested Readings:
Zartman, I. W. (2000). Ripeness: The hurting stalemate and beyond. In P. C. Stern & D.
Druckman (Eds.), International conflict resolution after the cold war (pp. 225-250).
Washington DC: National Academy Press (Latte)
Session 6. Thursday 8th 9.00-11.50 a.m.
Coexistence Interventions from a social psychological/neurological perspective.
This chapter looks at the latest research about social change in situations of conflict, and
how to positively foster it, in situations of tension and violence between communities and
nations.
Required Reading:
Shapiro, Ilana. Theories of practice and change (2006) chap 1 in Fitzduff, Mari and
Stout, Chris: The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From War to Peace. Vol
3Interventions. Praegar Security International. Pg 1-32.
Hamber, Brandon: Transitional Justice and Intergroup Conflict: Chapter 19 (2012)
The Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict Edited by Linda R. Tropp, Chapter 7.
Oxford Press (Latte)
Elizabeth Levy Paluck: (2012) Interventions Aimed at the Reduction of Prejudice and
Conflict. The Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict. Edited by Linda R. Tropp,
Chapter 11. Oxford Press (Latte)
Suggested Readings:
Tausch, Nicole, Kenworthy, Jared, and Hewstone, Miles: 2006 Intergroup contact and the
improvement of Intergroup relations. Pg 67-108 In Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris: The
Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts: From War to peace. Vol 2, group and Social factors.
Praegar Security International. (Latte)
Session 7. Thurs 15th October 9.00-11.50 a.m.
Eliciting our better angels: Latest research on social psychological processes/
neurological processes in relation to the avoidance of intergroup, and ensuring
cooperation across group boundaries.
Required Reading:
Fitzduff, Mari (2014) Introduction to Neuroscience for the Peacebuilder: Read Section
6. Questions for the field on Neuroscience and Peacebuilding
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http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/forum/topics/an-introduction-toneuroscience-for-peacebuilders-mari-fitzduff#.VZZY6GAtZLo.
Bar-Tal, D., (2011).Conclusions: To open the closet. In Bar-Tal, D. (Ed.), Intergroup
conflicts and their resolution: Social psychological perspective. New York: Psychology
Press (Latte)
Bonta, Bruce and Fry, Douglas. (2006) Lessons for the rest of us: learning from
peaceful societies. Chapter 7 p175-210 in Fitzduff, Mari and Stout, Chris: The
psychology of resolving Global Conflicts: From War to peace. Vol 1. Nature Vs Nurture.
Praegar Security International. (Latte)
Pinker, Steven. On Angels Wings (2011) The Better Angels of our Human Nature. Allen
Lane/Penguin London. (Latte)
Suggested Readings:
Vollhardt, J. K., & Bilali, R. (2008). Social psychology's contribution to the psychological
study of peace: A review. Social Psychology, 39, 12-25 (Latte)
Klaus Boehnke, Henning Schmidtke and Maor Shani: (2011) Peace making: Socio
Psychological Aprpoaches In Bar-Tal, D. (Ed.), Intergroup conflicts and their resolution:
Social psychological perspective. New York: Psychology Press (Latte)
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