AFST169 - THE CONFLICTS IN DARFUR & SOUTH SUDAN

Sudan is marred by several military conflicts between the state and its citizens not only during colonial times but even after its independence in 1956. The current conflict in Darfu is only one of many wars that ravaged Sudan prior to the ending of Africa's longest civil war (1956-1971, 1983-2005) in the southern part of the country. This course will provide an indepth analysis of the two main conflicts in the Sudan which ends up with the division of the country into two. (1) The first conflict we will study is the Darfur conflict based upon historical and cultural factors, as well as analyzing the ideology of the successive Sudanese states specifically the current government. The course will explore the role of regional and international politics with interest in the ongoing conflict, the "Genocide" and ICC controversies, as well as the local militia, the politics of aid in war-torn areas, and the role of Sudan's neighbors in the Darfur conflict and how this could be related to other conflicts in Sudan. (2) The second conflict that we'll cover is the conflict in southern Sudan, which ends up by its secession as an independent country in 2011. This course aims towards the study of the reasons behind these military conflicts and ethnic conflicts that charaterize the modern history of Sudan.