Tackle questions of war, peace and security from a historical and theoretical perspective. What are the causes and consequences of war? What can we learn from past experiences? What explains the use of violence for the resolution of inter and intra-state disputes? Why do states turn to military force and for what purposes? What renders the threat of force credible? Can intervention in civil wars ever curb violence and bring about peace? Whose security is protected through militarised inter- or intra-state conflict? We address these questions through a combination of theoretical readings, concrete historical case studies, and contemporary policy debates.