Why do wars happen and what can be done to stop them? Wars rage in much of the world, leading millions of people to flee as refugees or internally displaced persons. Terrorist attacks kill thousands, and can occur in any corner of the planet. At the same time many actors use strategies such as peacekeeping, mediation, and human rights promotion to resolve conflicts and build peace. In this big question course, we examine conflict, peace, and conflict resolution in contemporary international politics. We discuss theoretical explanations for why individuals and groups have disputes and why they choose to use violence (or not) in these disputes. We analyze conflict resolution strategies such as mediation, peacekeeping, sanctions, and development aid theoretically and empirically. This discussion prepares students to develop an argument for why wars happen when and where they do, and whether and how international action can work to manage them.