War and Peace: International Relations Through the Ages

Faculty Advisor: Associate Researcher, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University

Research Program Introduction

War and other forms of conflict are fundamental factors shaping humankind's history and social constructs. In this program, we will examine their role in the formation of and relations between states in the past. Studying peacemaking in international relations is equally crucial for understanding our present and preparing for the future. 

From Thucydides’ seminal work on the Peloponnesian War to the present time, human history is a history of wars. Scholarly insights have been drawn from landmark conflicts —from Arabian conquests to the Crusades to the Thirty-Year War, which ended with the first comprehensive peace agreement that created a system of international relations. Colonial wars and Napoleonic conquests globalized warfare, culminating in two world wars, followed by systematic efforts to rebuild the postwar order. More recently, a global Cold War confrontation ended with a settlement that offered hope for a lasting peace. Yet the world we live in remains beset with uncertainties.

In this program, let us explore what history and international relations can teach us about war and peace, which literally concerns life and death. Students are given comparative insight into waging war, peacemaking, and international relations. They will be guided through the vast literature of this challenging field and challenged to scrutinize primary and secondary materials related to this topic. Students will examine past conflicts to analyze those currently surrounding us. 

Students will also learn general and subject-specific research and writing methods. Students will focus on individual topics and generate their own work products (usually in the form of a 3 to 5-page research proposal) upon completing the program.

Possible Topics For Final Project:

The goal for a student is to identify a suitable case study that would help answer one or more such questions.

• Why is warfare such a fundamental part of recorded human history? 

• How did warfare, peacemaking, and international relations change over time? 

• How does a society transition from war to peace? 

• How is peace brokered and maintained? 

• How does peace evolve into international order?

Program Details

• Cohort size: 5 to 10 students

• Duration: 12 weeks

• Workload: Around 3 hours per week (including class and homework time)

• Target students: 7 to 9th graders interested in history, international relations, political science, law, sociology, anthropology, and other social science subjects.