Conflict and Development

Active learning helps students grasp the complex, interwoven effects of conflict and development by making abstract cycles visible and personal. When students analyze real cases, debate priorities, and simulate negotiations, they see how infrastructure loss, displaced populations, and stalled investment create lasting barriers to growth.

• Year 11
• Geography
• 4 activities
• 40 min–60 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the cyclical relationship between armed conflict and economic underdevelopment using case study data.
2. Explain how political instability, such as coups or civil unrest, directly impacts foreign direct investment and infrastructure development.
3. Evaluate the primary challenges faced by international organizations during post-conflict reconstruction efforts in countries like Syria or Somalia.
4. Compare the effectiveness of different development aid strategies in regions affected by prolonged conflict.

Jigsaw

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Jigsaw: Conflict Cycles

Divide class into expert groups on cases like Syria or South Sudan; each researches one aspect (economic impact, infrastructure loss, reconstruction challenges). Groups then reform to teach peers and build a class cyclical model diagram. End with whole-class synthesis discussion.

Prepare & details

Analyze the cyclical relationship between conflict and underdevelopment.

Facilitation Tip: For the Jigsaw Case Study, assign expert groups specific roles—such as economist, humanitarian worker, or government official—so each student contributes a unique perspective to the final analysis.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Role Play

⏱ 45 min·Pairs

Stakeholder Debate: Reconstruction Priorities

Assign pairs roles (government, NGOs, investors) to argue priorities like security vs. schools. Pairs prepare evidence from readings, then debate in whole class with moderator scoring persuasiveness. Debrief on real-world trade-offs.

Prepare & details

Explain how political instability impacts economic investment and infrastructure.

Facilitation Tip: During the Stakeholder Debate, provide a clear rubric that scores arguments on evidence use, stakeholder representation, and feasibility of solutions to keep the discussion focused.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Role Play

⏱ 40 min·Individual

Mapping Impacts: HDI and Conflict Data

Individuals plot HDI changes and conflict zones on world maps using provided datasets. Pairs compare pre- and post-conflict trends, annotating causal links. Share findings in a gallery walk.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the challenges of post-conflict reconstruction and development.

Facilitation Tip: In the Mapping Impacts activity, ensure students compare HDI data with conflict timelines to visually demonstrate how development metrics drop during and after violence.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Simulation Game

⏱ 60 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: Aid Negotiation Game

Small groups represent factions negotiating aid allocation post-conflict. Use cards with resources and constraints; rotate roles for fairness. Reflect on challenges via exit tickets.

Prepare & details

Analyze the cyclical relationship between conflict and underdevelopment.

Facilitation Tip: In the Aid Negotiation Simulation, set a time limit for each round to force students to prioritize and compromise under realistic pressure.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should emphasize the human scale of these crises by pairing data with personal stories from conflict zones. Avoid abstract lectures about economic theories; instead, use simulations to let students feel the tension between immediate needs and long-term recovery. Research shows that when students role-play stakeholders, they retain the trade-offs of reconstruction far longer than through traditional discussions.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students moving beyond surface-level observations to trace the cyclical impacts of conflict on development. They should connect specific evidence from case studies, debates, and simulations to explain why recovery takes decades, not months.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Mapping Impacts activity, watch for students who focus only on military damage and ignore civilian infrastructure like hospitals or schools.

What to Teach Instead

Use the mapping template to prompt students to overlay conflict timelines with HDI indicators, asking them to explain how each data layer connects to long-term development.

Common Misconception

During the simulation game, listen for students who assume reconstruction will be fast and easy once peace is declared.

What to Teach Instead

After each round, pause to have students reflect on obstacles they encountered, such as lack of trust or funding gaps, and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Common Misconception

During the Jigsaw Case Study, observe if students attribute instability solely to local factors and ignore external influences like arms trade or multinational corporations.

What to Teach Instead

Require expert groups to include at least one global factor in their analysis, then have them share how these factors shape local conflicts during the jigsaw sharing phase.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Stakeholder Debate, pose the question: 'Your government has limited funds. Rank the top three reconstruction priorities and justify each choice using evidence from our case studies.' Use student responses to assess their understanding of trade-offs and long-term impacts.

Quick Check

During the Mapping Impacts activity, collect students' annotated maps and ask them to highlight one infrastructure loss and one resulting humanitarian crisis, then provide a one-sentence explanation of the connection.

Exit Ticket

After the Aid Negotiation Simulation, have students write a short paragraph explaining how political instability deterred investment in their scenario, using one specific example from the simulation.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to propose a multi-year aid package for their simulated scenario, including funding sources and monitoring mechanisms.
• For students who struggle, provide a partially completed case study template with key data points filled in to reduce cognitive load.
• Deeper exploration: Assign students to research how international laws or NGOs address one specific barrier, such as landmine clearance or education in emergencies, and present findings to the class.

Key Vocabulary

Humanitarian Crisis	A situation where widespread human suffering and death occur, often due to conflict, natural disasters, or political instability, requiring international assistance.
Political Instability	The tendency of a government or political system to be unstable, characterized by frequent changes in leadership, civil unrest, or armed conflict.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)	An investment made by a company or individual from one country into business interests located in another country, often deterred by conflict.
Post-Conflict Reconstruction	The process of rebuilding a country's infrastructure, institutions, and economy after a period of armed conflict or political upheaval.
Cyclical Relationship	A pattern where two or more factors influence each other in a repeating sequence, such as underdevelopment leading to conflict, and conflict worsening underdevelopment.