06915 - International Politics

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to achieve advanced knowledge of the main contemporary theories of international relations (realism, liberalism, constructivism). At the end of the course, students will command the most important debates within the IR literature, and will have developed the analytical skills necessary to understand the functioning of the contemporary international system.

Course contents

W

Date

Topics

Readings

1

September 23

15:00 – 17:00

-   Introduction

-   Theories of international relations

-      R. Aron (1967) ‘Qu'est-ce qu'une théorie des relations internationals?' Revue française de science politique, 17(5): 837-861.

-      M. Wight (1960) ‘Why is there no International Theory?' International Relations, 2(1): 35-48.

-      J. Snyder (2004) ‘One World, Rival Theories', Foreign Policy, nov., 52-62.

September 24

9:00 – 11:00

- The level of analysis problem

- Agent-structure debate

 

-      J.D. Singer (1961) ‘The Level of Analysis Problem in International Relations', in K. Knorr and S. Verba (eds) The International System. Theoretical Essays, Princeton University Press, 7-26.

-      A.E. Wendt (1987) ‘The Agent-Structure Problem in International Relations Theory
' International Organization, 41(3): 335-370.

2

September 30

15:00 – 17:00

- Methodological approaches for empirical research 

- H. Bull (1966) ‘The Case for a Classical Approach', World Politics, 18(3): 361-377.  

October 1

9:00 – 11:00

- Classical realism

 

-      M. Chiaruzzi (2011) ‘Edward H. Carr: utopia e realtà', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 33-49

-      E.H. Carr (1939) The Twenty Years' Crisis, 1919-1939. An Introduction to the Study of International Relations, Macmillan, chapter 4 and 5

-      G. Dessì (2011) ‘Reinhold Niebuhr e la dimensione etica del realismo', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 71-87

-      F. Raschi (2011) ‘ Raymond Aron: la sociologia delle relazioni internazionali', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 89-106

3

October 7

15:00 – 17:00

October 8

9:00 – 11:00

- Balance of power

-      L. Zambernardi (2011) ‘Hans Morgenthau: la politica di potenza', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 53-69

-      H.J. Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace, Fifth Edition, Revised, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978, pp. 4-15

-      M. Clementi (2011) ‘Kenneth Waltz: l'anarchia della politica di potenza', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 147-164

-      A. Panebianco (2011) ‘George Liska: la rivincita della storia', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 189-205

4

October 14

15:00 – 17:00

October 15

9:00 – 11:00

- Liberalism and institutions

-      F. Raschi (2011) ‘Norman Angell: il liberalism e la pace' in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 17-31

-      N. Angell (1910) The Great Illusion. The Relation of Military Power to National Advantage, Penguin Books, 28-49

-      F. Andreatta (2011) ‘Inis Claude: le soluzioni istituzionali', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 107-125

-      E. Baroncelli (2011) ‘Bruce Russett e John Oneal: la teoria neokantiana della pace perpetua', in in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 239-260

5

October 21

15:00 – 17:00

October 22

9:00 – 11:00

- Review for the Mid-Term Exam

6

October 29

Mid-Term Exam

7

November 4

15:00 – 17:00

Constructivism, civilization and the society of states

-        L. Zambernardi (2011) ‘Alexander Wendt: la costruzione sociale delle relazioni internazionali', in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 223-238

-        E. Castelli (2011) ‘Samuel P. Huntington: alle radici dello scontro di civiltà' in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 207-222

-        M. Chiaruzzi (2011) ‘Hedley Bull: la ricerca dell'ordine internazionale' in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 127-145

-        B. Vigezzi (2011) ‘Hedley Bull e Adam Watson: la globalizzazione del sistema degli stati' in F. Andreatta (a cura di) Le grandi opere delle relazioni internazionali, il Mulino, 165-187

November 5

9:00 – 11:00

8

November 11

15:00 – 17:00

- J. Galtung and D. Fischer (2013) Johan Galtung. Pioneer of Peace Research, Springer, chapters 3, 4, and 17

November 12

9:00 – 11:00

Main dimensions of conflict analysis

-         P. Wallensteen (ed) (2011) Peace Research. Theory and Practice, Routledge, chapter 9

9

November 18

15:00 – 17:00

Conflict trends in the international system

-        P. Wallensteen (ed) (2011) Peace Research. Theory and Practice, Routledge, chapter 5

-        T. Lotta and P. Wallensteen 2013. ‘Armed conflicts, 1946-2012.' Journal of Peace Research. Vol. 50 (4): 509-521

November 19

9:00 – 11:00

Causes of conflicts

-        J. Fearon (1995) ‘Rationalist Explanations for War' International Organization 49(Summer): 379-414

-        J. Levy (1988) ‘The Causes of War and the conditions of Peace', American Review of Political Science: 1: 139-165

-        C . Kaysen (1990) ‘Is War Obsolete?: A Review Essay', International Security 14(4): 42-64

10

November 25

15:00 – 17:00

November 26

9:00 – 11:00

Resolution, transformation and prevention of conflicts

-        P. Wallensteen (2011) Peace Research. Theory and Practice, Routledge, chapter 8

-        P. Wallensteen (2011) Peace Research. Theory and Practice, Routledge, chapter 10

11

December 2

15:00 – 17:00

December 3

9:00 – 11:00

Review for the Final Exam

Selected students' presentations on conflict cases

12

9 dicembre

Final  Exam

Readings/Bibliography

A detailed list of mandatory readings is provided above for each lecture.

Background readings:

-       P. Kennedy (1987) The rise and fall of the great powers, Random House

-       J. Black (2006) Le guerre nel mondo contemporaneo, il Mulino

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures

Assessment methods

Mid-term and final exams (in written form) plus an eventual oral examination. Mid-term and final exams will be composed of 5 long answer questions each.  

Teaching tools

Power point presentations for each lecture

Office hours

See the website of Elena Baracani