Suggested Activities for students:

1. Choose an area in which deadly conflict broke out during the 1990s: Haiti, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burundi, Zaire, Liberia, Sudan, Iraq, Bosnia. Research to find out: Who was involved in the conflict? What issues fueled the fighting? Under which category/-ies of root causes would you place them? What efforts have been made to end the fighting, or to negotiate a settlement? Who has been involved in these efforts? What factors are impeding/supporting progress towards a resolution?

2. Research the sanction process. You might wish to begin with an examination of sanctions used in the case of South Africa. For how long were these sanctions in effect? What kind of sanctions were imposed? Who cooperated with them? What was the result of the sanctions? In how many other situations have sanctions been used? By whom? Why? What has been the effect? Has the compliance with the sanctions had negative effects on parties not directly involved with the conflict? What was the result?
3. Has your country been involved in a conflict or in intervening in a conflict in another country? What are/were the issues defining that conflict? What actions were taken by your country? Who initiated the intervention? What was public opinion like surrounding that issue? Who were proponents/opponents of the intervention? What arguments were used by each side? Share the results of the study with the class and poll class feeling regarding intervention? What is the current status?
4. Select a conflict under current negotiation in the Security Council. Having different class members assuming the role of the Security Council members, research and present a simulation of a Security Council meeting in the classroom. UN Member Missions are very helpful in supplying their views for such simulations. They may be accessed from the UN website: www.un.org. Look for Member States, then home pages of Permanent Missions to the United Nations.
5. Consider the following objectives of a foreign policy for a nation or for a group pursuing foreign policy interests: socio-psychological factors (desire for power or restoration of national pride); securing needed raw materials; securing markets; spreading an ideology; protecting national security from external threat; satisfying the need of additional land for overpopulation; advancing ethnocentrism; obtaining internal cohesion; pursuing self determination; and supporting humanitarian efforts. Working in small groups, rank order the three most important objectives. Share your findings with the class. Choose one of the selected areas in Activity (1) above. Rank order those objectives which you feel are operating in that particular conflict. Compare your findings. Consider the actions of your country with regard to that conflict. What appear to be the operating objectives? Do you agree or disagree?
6. Consider the tools of foreign policy available to a nation regarding its actions towards another nation: propaganda; diplomacy; trade relations; foreign aid; forming/maintaining alliances; efforts through an international organization like the United Nations; boycotts, sanctions and other inducements; use of military force (list from Educational Resources for Preventing Deadly Conflict by the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflicts). Find examples for the use of each tool. Use examples from your own country's experiences whenever possible. Which tools do you feel were particularly effective? Why? How do these tools compare with those available to the United Nations as listed in this paper? How would you like your tax money to be directed when it comes to foreign policy actions of your government? Why?
7. Consider a current area of deadly conflict. What emotional reaction do you have to this situation? How might you feel if you were a person directly involved? Consider the viewpoint of each person directly affected? How might this situation influence you, your family, friends, community, your country and the world? Do you have a responsibility to do anything about this situation? Why? Why not? Who does? What would happen if everyone felt the way you do? If you wanted to do something what are some actions you might take? How would these actions address the needs? What are some possible unanticipated results of each action? Which options seem most promising? Why? What steps must you take to implement your option? Take them!
8. The following efforts can help resolve root causes of violence. As a class project, research to find local efforts being made and write letter of commendation to those individuals or groups making them. Invite them to class and learn ways to support these efforts:

   * Control, reduce, eventually eliminate weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, chemical and biological * Control the trade in conventional weapons * Promote the establishment of stable, democratic governments * Encourage the rule of law and an hones, effective judiciary * Promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence of minorities * Assist in economic development * Promote the development of conflict resolution strategies * Work to improve health standards and practices * Improve literacy * Manage resources and technologies to advance the development of a large middle class (list from Educational Resources for Preventing Deadly Conflict by the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflicts)