06915 - International Politics (GB)

Learning outcomes

This course introduces students to the main theoretical issues and paradigms of international relations theory. In particular, the course examines the most important competing theories about the nature, structure, working, and transformation of the international system. Throughout the course, the relevance of theoretical debates for political reality will be illustrated through the analysis of empirical cases. Moreover, a variety of topics will be also discussed in the subfields of international organization, international security and international political economy. Finally, theoretical perspectives to assess the current epoch of unipolarity will be presented, especially the nature of American preponderance and how other state are likely to respond.

Course contents

The course will be divided in two parts: an historical introduction on the evolution of the international system, based upon Paul Kennedy, 1987, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, Random House, and an analytical review of the theoretical literature.

1) Introduction
- Jack Snyder, 2004, One World,  Rival Theories, Foreign Policy, nov., 52-62
- Martin Wight, 1960, Why is there no International Theory?, International Relations, 2, 1, 35-48
- Robert Jervis, 2002, Theories of War in an Era of Leading-Power Peace, The American Political Science Review, 96, 1, 1-14

2) Realism
- Hans J. Morgenthau, 1948, Politics Among Nations, cap. 1
- Kenneth N. Waltz, 1988, The Origins of War in Neorealist Theory, Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 18, 4, 615-628
- John J. Mearsheimer, 2001, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, capp. 1,  2

3) Balance of power
- Paul Schroeder, 1994, Historical Reality vs. Neo-Realist Theory, International Security, 19, 1, 108-148
Stephen M . Walt, Alliance Formation and the Balance of World Power, International Security, Volume 9, Issue 4 (Spring, 1985), 3-43.
Raymond Aron, 1970, Peace and war among nations, cap. 5

4) Hegemony
- Robert Gilpin, 1988, The Theory of Hegemonic War, Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 18, 4, 591-613
- William C. Wohlforth, 1999, The Stability of a Unipolar World, International Security, 24, 1, 5-41
- George Modelski, 1978, The Long Cycle of Global Politics and the Nation-State, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 214-235.

5) Causes of war
- James Fearon, 1995, Rationalist Explanations for War, International Organization, 49 (Summer), 379-414.
- Jack Levy, 1988, The Causes of War and the Conditions of Peace. American Review of Political Science, vol. 1 pp. 139-165
- Carl Kaysen, 1990, Is War Obsolete?: A Review Essay, International Security, 14, 4, 42-64

6) Liberalism and institutions
- Andrew Moravcsik, 1997, Taking Preferences Seriously: A Liberal Theory of International Politics, International Organization, 51, 4, 513-553
- Richard K. Betts, 1992, Systems for Peace or Causes of War? Collective Security,  Arms Control,  and the New Europe, International Security, 17, 1, 5-43
G. John Ikenberry, 1998, Institutions,  Strategic Restraint,  and the Persistence of American Postwar Order, International Security, 23, 3, 43-78

7) Democratic and capitalist peace
- Michael W. Doyle, 1983, Kant,  Liberal Legacies,  and Foreign Affairs,  Part 1 & 2, Philosophy and Public Affairs, 12, 3, 4, 205-235,  323-353
- Bruce M. Russett and John R. O'Neal, 2001, Triangulating Peace: Democracy,  Interdependence and International Organization, cap. 1
- Erik Gartzke, 2007, The Capitalist Peace, “American Journal of Political Science”, 51, 1, pp. 166-191;

8) Constructivism and civilization
- Alexander Wendt, 1999, Social Theory of International Politics, capp. 1, 3, 6
- Samuel P. Huntington, 1993, The Clash of Civilizations?, Foreign Affairs, 72, 3, 22-49
Martha Finnemore e  Kathryn Sikkink. Taking Stock: The Constructivist Research Program in International Relations and Comparative Politics. American Review of Political Science (2001) vol. 4 pp. 391-416

9) International society
- Hedley Bull, 1977, The Anarchical Society: A Study of World Politics, New York, Columbia University Press, cap. 2-3
- Martin Wight, 1987, An anatomy of International Thought, Review of International Studies, 13, 221-227
- Pierre Hassner, 1994, Beyond the Three Traditions: The Philosophy of War and Peace in Historical Perspective, International Affairs, 70, 4, 737-756

10) International cooperation
- Joseph M. Grieco, 1988, Anarchy and the limits of cooperation: a realist critique of the newest liberal institutionalism, International Organization, 42, 3, 485-507
- Robert Axelrod,  Robert O. Keohane, 1985, Achieving Cooperation under Anarchy: Strategies and Institutions, World Politics, 38, 1, 226-254
- Robert Jervis, 1978, Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma, World Politics, 30, 2, 167-214

11) Politics and economics
- Helen Milner, 1998, International Political Economy: Beyond Hegemonic Stability, Foreign Policy, 110, 112-123
- Johan Galtung, 1971, A Structural Theory of Imperialism, Journal of Peace Research, 8, 2, 81-117
-  Stephen D. Krasner, 1976, State Power and the Structure of International Trade, World Politics, 28, 3, 317-34

Readings/Bibliography

See the Italian version.

Teaching methods

20 two hours classes (twice a week for 10 weeks).

Assessment methods

Written examination.

Office hours

See the website of Filippo Andreatta

See the website of Emanuele Castelli