98865 - INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Learning outcomes

The course provides students with the basic knowledge to analyse international relations at both the theoretical and empirical levels. By the end of the course, students should be able to be familiar with the current debates in IR theories; to have developed the ability to apply such knowledge towards the understanding of selected outcomes in international politics; to use International Relations conceptual tools and theoretical insights in approaching the EU’s role in the world interpret and explain the most relevant issues on the EU’s role in the world.

Course contents

This course consists of:

• Lectures delivered in a hybrid format.
• On-campus seminars in which students work in smaller groups and actively engage with the material introduced during the lectures.

The course is divided into two main parts descrivbed below: Lectures and Seminars.

Part I – Lectures

This part of the course is lecture-based and aims to provide students with the analytical and conceptual tools to understand the field of International Relations (IR). It introduces key theories and approaches in IR and explores major global issues. These lectures are designed to equip students with a foundational understanding of how IR scholars study and interpret the international system.

The book for Part I is: John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (2023), The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations. Ninth Edition. Oxford University Press (only the chapters indicated below)

1. What is IR and why to care?

Chapter 3-4

2. Global (dis)orders

Chapter 5-6

3. How to study IR?

Chapter 1

4. Globalization and global politics

Chapter 2

5. Global actors: International organizations and NGOs

Chapter 20 and 22

6. Global trade

Chapter 28

7. Global finance

Chapter 28

8. Poverty and development

Chapter 27

9. Climate and environment

Chapter 24

10. Gender and race

Chapter 17 and Chapter 18

11. Regional integration

Chapter 23

12. Refugees and migration

Chapter 26

13. War and security

Chapter 14 and Chapter 15

14. Terrorism

Chapter 29

15. Human rights and humanitarian interventions

Chapter 32 and Chapter 33

 

 

PART II: Seminars

The second part of the course consists of interactive seminar sessions. These discussion-based meetings allow students to engage more directly with selected topics introduced during the lectures. The seminars provide an opportunity to deepen students' understanding through group discussion, critical reflection, and the application of theoretical concepts to contemporary cases.

For each seminar, students are required to read both the background readings and the materials assigned for in-class discussion, all of which will be available on the BAES repository. Students are expected to actively participate by discussing the assigned readings and articulating well-reasoned arguments in response to the discussion questions. Students should prepare in advance using the questions provided for each seminar.

Seminar 1 – The EU's Global Role in the Making of Globalization

Discussion questions

 

• What distinctive challenges is the EU facing in the current global context?
• In today's increasingly confrontational global economy, should the EU continue to support a rules-based international order, or should it adopt a more strategic and less cooperative approach? Explain your answer.

Seminar 2 – The EU's Global Role in Setting the Climate Agenda

Discussion questions

• Why does The Economist argue that subsidies will not facilitate the green transition?
• Do you agree? Why or why not?
• Can the EU compete with China and the United States in the transition toward greener domestic economies? Why or why not?

Seminar 3 – The EU as a Normative Power

Discussion questions

• To what extent can the EU still be considered a normative power?
• What are the main threats contributing to the EU's "strategic shrinkage," and how do they affect its global role?

Seminar 4 – The EU and the Transatlantic Relationship in a Changing Geopolitical Context

Discussion questions

• How has the transatlantic relationship evolved since Donald Trump's presidency, and what tensions continue to shape it?
• What role does the EU play in sustaining—or challenging—transatlantic relations today?
• Should the EU pursue greater strategic autonomy, even if this risks weakening its ties with the United States? Why or why not?

Seminar 5 – The EU, Defence, and Global Security

Discussion questions

• Does the EU's response to multiple overlapping crises suggest a move toward a more integrated defence capacity?
• What are the EU's main instruments and limitations in the fields of non-proliferation and disarmament?
• Given current geopolitical tensions, is the EU's approach to arms export control and non-proliferation sufficient to ensure its credibility as a global security actor? Why or why not?

Seminar Participation Policy

Participation in the on-campus seminars accounts for 10% of the final course grade.

Students may miss one seminar without penalty. Each additional unjustified absence will result in a deduction of 0.5 points from the final course grade (on the 20-point grading scale).

Readings/Bibliography

Part I

John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (2023), The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 9th edition. Oxford University Press.

Students are required to read only the chapters indicated in the syllabus, which will be made available through the BAES repository.

Part II

Selected articles available on the BAES repository.

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars

Assessment methods

Assessment consists of:

• Active participation in the on-campus seminars (10% of the final grade).
• A final written examination (90% of the final grade).

The final examination is administered during the official examination period as a digital exam (either bring-your-own-device or in a university computer classroom) using the Ans examination platform. Students are required to be present on campus to sit the examination.

The examination consists of multiple-choice questions and closed true/false questions requiring a brief written justification. For each true/false question, the full 2 points are awarded only if both the answer and the accompanying justification are correct. Students who correctly identify whether the statement is true or false but provide an incorrect or insufficient justification will receive 1 point.

Retake Examination

The assessment format and grading criteria for the resit examination are identical to those of the first examination opportunity.

Students may retake the final examination if their overall course grade is below 10/20. Seminar participation grades are retained and cannot be retaken.

The resit examination is scheduled according to the BAES academic calendar.

Students who do not pass the course after both the regular examination session and the resit examination must re-enrol in the course through their Individual Study Plan (ISP) during the following academic year and repeat all course activities.

Teaching tools

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (DSA) or Temporary/Permanent Disabilities

Students with specific learning disorders (DSA) or temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the University's dedicated support office as early as possible:

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it

The office will assess individual needs and propose appropriate accommodations. Requests for accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor at least 15 days in advance for approval. The instructor will evaluate the proposed measures in light of the learning objectives of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Manuela Moschella

See the website of Claudio Christopher Passalacqua