We often hear about the cost of human and natural disaster - from
civil strife in Iraq to the damage of the Asian Tsunami.  Yet, there
is rarely any coverage, either journalistic or academic, of what
follows events of a tragic scope.  In this course we will be studying
the efforts at rebuilding a society and political structure following
a major disaster.  Our study will take us to war-torn nations in
Africa, to the collapse of human rights following Central American
political collapse, and even to the recent impact of the Asian
tsunami.  This course integrates not only normal academic materials,
but also relies heavily upon personal stories, news footage, and
video images.