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Overview
The Conflict Resolution in Divided Societies MA offers a multidisciplinary, comparative study of national, ethnic and religious conflicts in deeply divided societies. It is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skillset needed to pursue conflict resolution as a career working in NGOs, humanitarian agencies, diplomacy, think tanks, academia, consultancy, journalism, and law. You will learn how conflict can be resolved peacefully through a range of tools like complex constitutional engineering, truth and reconciliation processes, and grassroots movements. The MA focuses on case studies from the Middle East and around the world, bringing to life the theoretical literature on the causes and consequences of conflict, conflict regulation, and peace processes.
Key benefits
- Learn about the relationship between religion, identity, and ethnic conflict; international diplomacy, power-sharing, and conflict resolution; truth and reconciliation, memory, and post conflict transformation.
- Learn how to shape and change futures and maintain existing conflict resolution infrastructures.
- Interact with leading practitioners from a range of institutions, such as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the British Council, the media, and civil society organisations.
- Build strong intellectual and methodological foundations for further research, including skills for archival research as well as qualitative research methodologies for the social sciences.
- Study a well-established degree taught by the world-renowned experts from the Department of War Studies whose courses are research led and policy relevant.
- Engage with the latest debates on conflict resolution thanks to regular public lectures organised by the department and its research clusters.
- Join a network of alumni working in positions in media, diplomacy, think tanks, academia, consultancy, journalism, humanitarian agencies, NGOs and law.
Course essentials
The Conflict Resolution in Divided Societies MA offers a multidisciplinary, comparative study of national, ethnic and religious conflicts in deeply divided societies. You will learn about topics such as the dynamics of nationalism, sectarianism and identity; the role of civil society in peace processes, truth and reconciliation commissions; and the role of collective memory.
You will begin with a core module on conflict and coexistence in divided societies, before choosing from a variety of optional modules to tailor your expertise. For example, you could specialise in the Middle East and learn about its divided cities and contested states and the international politics of the region. You could choose to study broader topics such as diplomacy and foreign policy, state failure and state building, and transdisciplinary approaches to (in)security. Or you could focus on power-sharing agreements, transitional justice and international criminal law, and comparative civil laws.
Teaching will be brought to life through the review of case studies on conflicts in Northern Ireland, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bosnia and Israel-Palestine.
Key Information
Course type:
Master's
Delivery mode:
In person
Study mode:
Full time / Part time
Duration:
1 year FT / 2 years PT, September to September
Credit value:
UK 180 / ECTS 90
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2026
Administrative bodies
Regulating body
Application closing date guidance
Base campuses
Waterloo Campus
Our Waterloo campus is home to the Florence Nightingale Faculty Nursing & Midwifery, and a vibrant hub for health, social science, and law students. Located moments from the iconic landmarks of South Bank and just a short walk to the Stand campus.