Globalizing World: Contemporary Issues and Actors in International Relations
Full course description
This course studies the changing global environment in which Europe, the EU, and its member states are operating. It studies how and under what conditions international cooperation has developed, how peaceful and equitable the resulting global order is, and where it may be developing in the 21st century. To do that, the course brings together two main elements.
First, it introduces the main theories and concepts that have guided the academic study of international relations: How have different disciplines and theoretical schools been looking at the problem of cooperation and conflict between nations? What kind of global order are we living in nowadays, and how has this order been changing over time? What do we mean by the term globalization, and how can we study it? Is it still correct to call the field “inter-national” relations, which implies that we are mostly interested in relations between nation states? Should we also pay attention to the roles of non-state actors in global affairs? Such non-state actors would for instance be (multinational) companies such as Google or Amazon, international organizations such as the United Nations or the World Trade Organization, and international non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International or Greenpeace.
Second, the course zooms in on some practical issues: How does international cooperation work in selected issue areas, and how are state and non-state actors shaping it? How effective is international cooperation? Which normative standards are important when assessing global cooperation? In discussing such questions, we will look at a variety of issues, ranging from security-related questions over the reform of international institutions to the various challenges of development and poverty that large parts of the global community are facing.
Course objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- analyse how the global political environment has developed and changed over time, and especially in the period since 1945;
- understand the key challenges of contemporary international affairs for Europe and the EU;
- understand and apply the main conceptual and theoretical approaches in the field of international relations (neo-realism, liberal institutionalism, and constructivism), and understand their relevance for the position of Europe within a changing global environment.
In addition, you will develop a variety of skills, namely:
- conducting problem-based research and writing (essay questions in final exam);
- formulating argumentative positions in explaining global developments through theoretical perspectives (tutorial discussions; final exam)
- effective team-work (tutorial chairing and discussions);
- presentation, moderation and discussion skills (small-group work and in-class debates)
- Learning success in this course is assessed through a closed book exam. The exam will consist of both multiple-choice questions testing factual knowledge and brief essay questions testing your comprehension of the approaches and topics discussed in the course.
In addition, you will develop a variety of skills, namely:
- conducting problem-based research and writing (final written assignment);
- formulating argumentative positions in explaining global developments through theoretical perspectives (tutorial discussions)
- effective team-work (tutorial chairing and discussions);
- presentation, moderation and discussion skills (small-group work and in-class debates)
Learning success in this course is assessed through a take-home exam. Students will write an analytical essay on a pre-defined topic, using their knowledge from the course and applying it to venture into new territory. Apart from testing students’ ability to apply knowledge, the assessment also trains research and writing skills within the academic writing trajectory of the BA ES.
Prerequisites
none
Recommended reading
Baylis, John, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens (eds.) (2023): The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations (9th ed.); Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Drezner, Daniel W. (2022). Theories of international politics and zombies (Apocalypse edition). Princeton University Press.
Grieco, Joseph M., G. John Ikenberry and Michael Mastanduno (2019): Introduction to International Relations: Perspectives, Connections, and Enduring Questions (2nd ed.); London: Red Globe Press.