All Courses
-
HY4234 Grand Strategy in Peace and War [2220]
This module examines the meaning of the concept “grand strategy,” and its relationship to statecraft. Attention is paid to the ways in which historical personalities thought about power and defined priorities, as well as the manner in which these actors developed, mobilized, and exploited an array of resources and measures to advance specific goals. Their successes and failures will be evaluated, and some principles about grand strategy will be drawn from the study of historical cases. The module is organized thematically. The class will examine a series of historical cases spanning a significant period of time. The instructor encourages students to explore cases that are not covered in this seminar when they write their research papers. They should discuss their interests with the instructor before embarking on those written projects. Students reading this module will: (1) develop the ability to define what is grand strategy and how it is formulated; (2) acquire an understanding of the successes and failures of various grand strategies in their appropriate historical contexts; (3) use the knowledge of the past to develop an appreciation of conflict, peace, leadership, and human frailties; (4) employ the lessons of history to envisage the possibilities for the future; (5) and learn to critically evaluate historical evidence and enhance their writing skills.