84526 - INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Learning outcomes

The course deals with some basic themes, concepts and thinkers in international relations. The purpose is to provide students with essential conceptual and linguistic tools for understanding the underlying structure and fundamental features of international politics, as well as its material and immaterial changing aspects. The objective is to explain the dynamics through which men and women understand international politics as well as on achieving a coherent capacity of thinking international life, both in its theoretical and practical dimension.

Course contents

The course examines the most important theories of international politics and foreign policy, with a particular focus on constructivism, liberalism, and realism. We will also study some key concepts of international relations such as the balance of power, hegemony, war, and cooperation.1.

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Readings/Bibliography

1. Introduction

- No readings

2. The Emergence of the Global System of States

- - Grieco, Ikenberry, and Mastanduno, Introduction to International Relations: Perspectives, Connections, and Enduring Questions (2022, 3rd Edition), Ch. 2.

3. Realism I

- Thucydides, “The Melian Dialogue,” History of the Peloponnesian War, V, 84-116.

4. Realism II

- Grieco, Ikenberry, and Mastanduno, pp. 82-90.

5. Neorealism

- Waltz, K., "The Origins of War in Neorealist Theory", Journal of Interdisciplinary History, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 615-628.

6. Liberalism I

- Grieco, Ikenberry, and Mastanduno, pp. 90-98

7. Liberalism II

- Kant, I. Perpetual Peace, any edition.

8. Constructivism I

- Grieco, Ikenberry, and Mastanduno, 99-101

9. Constructivism II

- Wendt, A. 1999, Social Theory of International Politics, CH. 6.

10. Mid-Term

- No readings

 

SECOND MODULE

1. Introduction
   • Owens, Patricia, Baylis, John, and Smith, Steve (2023), ‘Introduction: From international politics to world politics’, in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (9^th edn.: Oxford University Press), Ch.1.
2. Critical Approaches to IR
   • Cox, Robert W. (1981), ‘Social Forces, States and World Orders: Beyond International Relations Theory’, Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 10 (2), 126–55
   • Jahn, Beate (2021), ‘Critical theory in crisis? A reconsideration’, European Journal of International Relations, 27 (4), 1274-99
3. Marxism
   • Hobden, Stephen and Wyn Jones, Richard (2023), ‘Marxist theories of international relations’, in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (9^th edn.: Oxford University Press), Ch.8.
4. Seminar
5. Poststructuralism
   • Hansen, Lene (2023), ‘Poststructuralism’, in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (9^th edn.: Oxford University Press), Ch.12.
6. Postcolonialism
   • Sabaratnam, Meera (2023), 'Postcolonial and decolonial approaches', in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (9th edn.: Oxford University Press), Ch.11.
7. Seminar

   (PART II)

8. War and Violence
   • Barkawi, Tarak (2023), 'War and world politics', in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (9th edn.: Oxford University Press), Ch.14.
9. Cooperation and International Organizations
   • Park, Susan (2023), 'International organizations in world politics', in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations(9th edn.: Oxford University Press), Ch.20.
10. Seminar
11. Global Security
    • Baylis, John (2023), 'International and global security', in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: An introduction to international relations (9th edn.; Oxford: Oxford University Press), Ch.15.
12. Global Economy
    • Phillips, Nicola (2023), 'Global Political Economy', in John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (9th edn.: Oxford University Press), Ch.16.
13. Seminar

    (PART III)

14. The Liberal International Order and It’s Crisis
    • Ikenberry, G. John (2009), 'Liberal Internationalism 3.0: America and the Dilemmas of Liberal World Order', Perspectives on Politics, 7 (01), 71-87
    • Lake, David A., Martin, Lisa L., and Risse, Thomas (2021), 'Challenges to the Liberal Order: Reflections on International Organization', International Organization,75 (2), 225-57
15. International Order: The Return of Great Power Politics
    • Ikenberry, G. John (2024), 'Three Worlds: the West, East and South and the competition to shape global order', International Affairs, 100 (1), 121-38
    • Mearsheimer, John J. (2019), 'Bound to Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Liberal International Order', International Security, 43 (4), 7-50
16. Seminar
17. International Order: Multiplexity and the Global South
    • Acharya, Amitav (2017), 'After Liberal Hegemony: The Advent of a Multiplex World Order', Ethics & International Affairs, 31 (3), 271-85
    • Benabdallah, Lina (2024), 'The Liberal International Order as an Imposition: A Postcolonial Reading', Ethics & International Affairs, 38 (2), 162-79
18. International Order: Reactionary, Authoritarian and Illiberal Forces
    • Bettiza, Gregorio, Bolton, Derek, and Lewis, David (2023), 'Civilizationism and the Ideological Contestation of the Liberal International Order', International Studies Review, 25 (2)
    • Cooley, Alexander and Nexon, Daniel H. (2022), 'The Real Crisis of Global Order: Illiberalism on the Rise', Foreign Affairs, 101 (1), 103-18
19. Seminar
20. Exam

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars.

“In considerazione della tipologia di attività e dei metodi didattici adottati, la frequenza di questa attività formativa richiede la preventiva partecipazione di tutti gli studenti ai Moduli 1 e 2 di formazione sulla sicurezza nei luoghi di studio, [https://elearning-sicurezza.unibo.it/] in modalità e-learning.

Assessment methods

ATTENDING STUDENTS: two written exams (three questions for each exam in 30 minutes) on the above readings and lectures.

Non-attending students: written exam (from 6 to 10 questions) and an oral exam on the above readings and the following book:

Zambernardi, L. 2022. Life, Death, and the Western Way of War (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

Teaching tools

Teams, Power point, video

Office hours

See the website of Lorenzo Zambernardi

See the website of Giulia Guazzaloca