Program Information: Specialization in Cooperation, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution

The ISCOR specialization in Cooperation, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution is concerned with exploring the causes, nature, consequences, management, and resolution of conflict. It will consider the psychology, sociology, economics, politics, history, and techniques of cooperation, conflict and conflict resolution. It will address issues of war and peace, nationalism, civil war, terrorism, human right and ethnic hostility as they impact international security. A minimum of 18 units is needed to complete this specialization. These units must be drawn from the following groups (A-D):

Group A (nine units from the following 13 numbered categories):

1. Africana Studies 445: Ethnicity and Social Psychology
   Analysis of major social psychological theories, with a focus on minority attitude/ value formation and group behavior.
   
   OR
   
   Psychology 340: Social Psychology
   The major problems concerning group behavior and group membership, socialization of the individual, and process of social interaction.
   
   OR
   
   Sociology 410: Social Psychology
   Mind, Self, and Society; Major theories, problems, and findings concerning the relationship of the individual and society.
   
   
2. Biology 339: Sociobiology
   Biological bases of social behavior in animals w/ emphasis on aggression, territoriality, mating systems, communication, cooperative hunting, and predator avoidance.
   
   
3. Communication 371: Intercultural Communication
   Study of communication with emphasis on influence of cultural background, perception, social organization, language and non-verbal communication.
   
   
4. Communication 455: Conflict Management Communication
   Approaches to conflict communication in international, societal group, institutional, and interpersonal contexts.
   
   
5. Philosophy 512: Political Philosophy
   Selected aspects of the political structures within which we live, such as law, power, sovereignty, justice, liberty, and welfare.
   
   
6. Political Science 302: Modern Political Thought
   Major writers of political thought in the last two centuries covering topics such as conservatism, liberalism, utilitarianism, socialism, fascism, positivism and existentialism.
   
   
7. Political Science 370: Political Violence
   Underlying conditions, expressions and consequences of violence within political systems.
   
   
8. Political Science 531: Interest Groups and Political Movements
   Pressure group activity, lobbies, mass movements, factors which explain origins and motivations of group behavior.
   
   OR
   
   Sociology 457: Protests, Reforms, and Revolutions
   Revolutionary and reform movements in relationship to the larger society. Conditions leading to development of social movements, emergence of leadership, and ideologies.
   
   OR
   
   Women’s Studies 530: International Women’s Movements
   Comparative study of women’s movements worldwide in past and present, to include discussion of issues such as female bonding, leadership, and goals.
   
   
9. Political Science 577: Principles of International Law
   The function of law in the international community. The historical development of the ideas and rules of international law and their place in legal structure.
   
   
10. Religious Studies 379: Religious Violence and Nonviolence
    Role of religion in terrorism, hate groups, domestic and ecological violence, versus role of religion in peacemaking and social justice.
    
    OR
    
    Sociology 338: Sociology of Religion
    Forms of religious belief, knowledge, practice, and experience tied to different social arrangements and historical periods.
    
    
11. Social Work 350: Cultural Pluralism
    Understanding of the American society as a culturally pluralistic social process and an understanding of social work as a culturally directed profession.
    
    
12. Sociology 433: Wealth, Status, and Power
    Social inequality as an institutional process. Patterns of unequal distribution of wealth, power, privilege and prestige, their causes and impact.
    
    
13. Sociology 537: Political Sociology
    Social organization of political processes. Power and authority, social class, primary groups, collective behavior, social change and other sociological factors.

Group B (a minimum of three units from the following sixteen numbered categories):

1. Africana Studies 321: Black Political Participation in America
   Afro-American political life and development in the United States.
   
   
2. Africana Studies 448: Black and Non-Black Interpersonal Relations
   Cognitive and experiential examination of contemporary issues around Black and non-Black interpersonal relations.
   
   
3. American Indian Studies 400: The American Indian Political Experience
   Social and political response to dominant group policies by the American Indian as compared to other minority groups.
   
   
4. Geography 337: Republics of the Former Soviet Union
   Ethnic composition, industrial and agricultural resources, and environmental management in this region with an emphasis on various cultural regions.
   
   
5. History 486: World War II
   Causes of World War II, its course, and its legacy for today’s world.
   
   
6. History 512A: The Great War: A Turning Point in European History
   Forces and events that shaped Europe in period prior to and during World War I, 1890-1919.
   
   
7. History 514: The French Revolution and Napoleonic Era
   France on the eve of the Revolution; the Great Revolution, 1789-1799, the Napoleonic Era.
   
   
8. History 533B: Civil War and Reconstruction
   The Civil War and Reconstruction, emphasizing political affairs and the role of Lincoln.
   
   
9. History 556: Chinese Civilization: The Great Traditions
   China’s institutional and cultural development from ancient to modern times. Emphasis on traditional philosophy, religions, literature, and the arts.
   
   
10. History 574: Arab-Israeli Relations, Past and Present
    Arab-Israeli conflict and diplomacy over Palestine from perspectives of Zionism, Arab nationalism, and Great Power relations from 19th century to present.
    
    
11. Political Science 363: Governments and Politics of the Middle East
    The governmental and political structures of representative states in the Middle East including Turkey, Israel, and the Arab states.
    
    
12. Political Science 364: Political Change in Modern Africa
    Dynamics of social and political change in modern Africa.
    
    
13. Political Science 566: Political Change in Latin America
    General pattern of politics and political development in Latin America with an emphasis on those features which condition domestic and foreign policy making.
    
    
14. Sociology 355: Minority Group Relations
    Historical and comparative analysis of race and ethnic relations. Origins and maintenance of ethnic stratification systems and discrimination and prejudice.
    
    
15. Women’s Studies 375: Sex, Power, and Politics
    Social, economic and political factors which explain women’s political status and participation.
    
    
16. Women’s Studies 536: Women, Race, and Class
    Major issues and themes in the history, culture, and contemporary lives of women of color in the U.S. Analysis of theories explaining differences in opportunities.

Group C (a minimum of three units from the following seven numbered categories):

1. Africana Studies 325: Public Policy and Afro-American Community
   Impact of public policy on Afro-American community: theory and practice of policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.
   
   
2. Africana Studies 452: Race Relations Strategies
   Systematic inquiry into contemporary strategies and systems employed to ease racial tensions.
   
   
3. Communication 408: Mass Communication and Society
   Social factors underlying nature, functions of mass media. Theories, models, research in media as culture carriers, opinion shapers, and societal interrelationships.
   
   
4. ISCOR 475: Homeland Security
   Components of homeland security. Research and analysis of policies, laws, and civil rights, including comparisons between nations.
   
   
5. Philosophy 329: Social Ethics
   Ethical issues of contemporary life. Individualism vs. collectivism; democracy vs. dictatorship; ethical problems arising in law, medicine, business, government and interpersonal relationships.
   
   
6. Political Science 479: National Security Policy
   Objectives, instruments, and consequences of national security policy.
   
   
7. Public Administration 530: Negotiation and Bargaining in the Public Service
   Specific issues such as strategies, the effects of threat, the physical setting, use of a third-party observer and theories of advocacy.

Group D: (an additional three units required):

• ISCOR 421: Alternative Dispute Resolution: Theory and International Applications
  Theory of collaborative negotiation and mediation, practice of negotiation and mediation skills and techniques, and focus on personal styles of mediation and collaborative negotiating.

NOTE: Select courses from SDSU, other universities (U.S. and foreign) and ISCOR 496: Selected Topics in ISCOR and ISCOR 499: Special Study may be substituted for electives on a case-by-case basis. Please see the ISCOR Director for approval.