Module: War & Peace in South Asia

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	War & Peace in South Asia
Module Code	POL1086 (ITS: LG599)
Faculty	Law & Government	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10

Description

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation member-states officially comprises the region of South Asia. “War and peace in South Asia” examines the geographical, historical and political causes for conflict and cooperation between as well as within nation-states. India as the region’s largest economy and military power dominates the region but has been and continues to be locked in an unresolved historical conflict with its neighbour, Pakistan. Other long-running disputes include the border between India and China - an ongoing irritant and constraint in their relationship. The three countries of India, Pakistan and China are also nuclear powers, contributing to the complex balance of power in the region. Geopolitics has always played a role in South Asia, with Afghanistan at the core of the US-led ‘Global War on Terrorism’ and today there are new theatres of international competition in the Indian Ocean and across the ‘Indo-Pacific’. Alongside examples of inter-state wars as well as sub-national conflict, there are numerous cases of conflict-management and resolution. Despite territorial disputes, border skirmishes, militarised regions, even cross-border terrorist attacks, these have by and large not escalated to the level of war. This course will equip students with the knowledge and theoretical tool-kit to analyse the sources for conflict and cooperation in South Asia. We will test different International Relations perspectives and explore context-specific as well as general explanations for the variation and patterns in conflictual and cooperative relations across the region.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the causes for protracted conflict in South Asia
2. Evaluate the Role and Power of India at the Regional and International Levels
3. Describe the key ideas and institutions that inform India's foreign policy thinking and behaviour
4. Apply different explanations and theories for conflict and cooperation between and within states
5. Compare and Contrast International Relations Theories about war and peace

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	22	No Description
Independent Study	228	Reading for class discussions Library work Reading Preparation for and writing of essays
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	20947	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Jivanta Schottli	Module Teacher	Iain McMenamin, Kenneth McDonagh, Walt Kilroy

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Essay of not more than 3000 words long.	70%	n/a
Assignment	1 book review paper of 2000 words, and two questions based on the weekly readings each week.	30%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Protracted Conflict in South Asia: the case of Kashmir

Protracted Conflict in South Asia: the Sino-Indian border

Confidence-building mechanisms and conflict-management in South Asia

Civil War in South Asia: the creation of Bangladesh

Civil War in South Asia: the case of Sri Lanka

Force and Compromise in dealing with Insurgencies: cases from India

Nuclear power and politics: India, Pakistan and China

The Geopolitics of Afghanistan

India and International Terrorism

Stability and Instability in South Asia

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Jeong, Ho-Won: 2010, Conflict management and resolution: an introduction, Routledge,
Lavoy, Peter R. (Ed): 2009, Asymmetric warfare in South Asia: the causes and consequences of the Kargil Conflict, Cambridge University Press,
Garver, John W: 2001, Protracted contest: Sino-Indian rivalry in the twentieth century, University of Washington Press,
Hewitt, Vernon Marston: 1997, The new international politics of South Asia, Manchester University Press,
Ganguly, Sumit; Liow, Joseph Chinyong (Eds): 2010, The Routledge handbook of Asian security studies, Routledge,

Articles:

Paul, T. V: 2006, Why has the India-Pakistan Rivalry Been so Enduring? Power Asymmetry and an Intractable Conflict, Security Studies,, Volume 15, Issue 4, 30786
2005: India and Pakistan's Unstable Peace: Why Nuclear South Asia Is Not like Cold War Europe, International Security,, Volume 30, Issue 2, 30787, 1
Organizing Insurgency Networks, Resources, and Rebellion in South Asia: International Security, Volume 37, Number 1,

Other Resources

None