An important subfield of International Relations is the study of armed conflict. In this seminar we will discuss why states and societies get involved in militarized disputes, but also why conflicts escalate, and how they end. The seminar will provide, based on an overview of the most important theoretical perspectives, an insight into empirical research projects in the field. In this context the students will get to know methodological aspects of research in order to be able to make their own research contribution. We will test the explanatory power of the various theories by applying them to selected empirical cases. A focus of the seminar will be on how to write an academic paper and to learn techniques of working scientifically.