War remains humankind’s most virulent and deadly social disease. In this seminar we will examine what we know about war's causes, and what might be done about its prevention. We will view the problem of war from several perspectives, including the perceptions and beliefs of national leaders, the attributes of states, the relationships and interactions of rival states, the international political environment, and terrorist networks. We will examine the writings of participants and theorists, as well as contemporary social science research. Each student will complete a case study of the origins of a specific international or civil war, or prepare the research design for an empirical study. (PSCI 0201 or PSCI 0311 or by waiver) 3 hrs. sem.