Nationalism, Religion, and Conflict

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 7
• Convenor: Dr Matthijs van den Bos
• Assessment: a 1500-word seminar report (25%) and 3500-word essay (75%)

In this module you will develop a sound understanding of:

• the concepts of ethnic group, nation and religion, and their performative correlates: ethnicity, nationalism, religiosity
• a range of major political science approaches to ethnic, national and religious conflict.

You will apply these analytical models to case studies across space and time.

Among the topics considered are ethnic secession, nationalist mobilisation, and religious insurgence, past and present. Drawing on theories of nationalism, and ethnic and religious conflict, we ask why some nations seek to secede, and why some ethnic and religious movements turn violent. We will inquire into the relationship between ethnic divisions, nationalism and democratisation, and explore the variety of political Islam.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• understand the strengths and weaknesses of the dominant theories of nationalism and ethno-religious conflict
• critically apply these theories to concrete historical and contemporary cases
• demonstrate detailed substantive knowledge of national, ethnic and religious conflicts in several settings
• demonstrate cognitive skills, including critical evaluation and analytical investigation
• engage in critical discussion.