B5586 - DIPLOMATIC PRACTICE IN THE XXI CENTURY

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing students with a solid knowledge of the praxis at work in diplomacy, which combines formal and informal procedures of negotiations and networking. Thanks to a historical and global approach, students will learn to locate all diplomatic processes on their proper space and time and, by way of the focus on the interaction between diplomacy and economics, they will consolidate their knowledge on patterns of negotiations concerning inter-disciplinary sectors.

Course contents

 

Classes of module 1 and 2 will be held in an interconnected framework; Module 2 is a historiographic-based course, whereas Module 1 builds on empirical analysis from current diplomatic practices. For this reason, Module 2 will take place before Module 1. 
 

Module One. 

The course is delivered through lectures and provides an overview of the functions of a professional diplomat, presenting a wide range of real-world scenarios relevant to the profession.

The syllabus includes:
The evolution of the diplomat’s role – how events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and globalisation have transformed diplomatic dynamics and responsibilities;

Bilateral relations: building privileged partnerships – the long road of inter-state relations, official visits, and the complex network of connections between institutions, leaders, and individuals;

The pathologies in the  international relations and the resolution of disputes;  when a diplomatic crisis freezes bilateral relations: the case of the Marò, a four-year episode that significantly impacted relations between Italy and India during India’s emergence as a global power;

Multilateralism today – what remains of the United Nations and the efforts to reform the Security Council; regional groupings of states and the evolving role of diplomacy in an increasingly multipolar world;

Conflict, prevention, and the fragmented world we inhabit – diplomacy in times of war, the many ongoing  conflicts, including lesser-known so-called low-intensity ones;

Consular functions – serving Italians abroad and beyond, through the protection and promotion of Italian communities overseas;

Soft power, cultural diplomacy, and integrated promotion as strategic tools of foreign policy;

Economic diplomacy – the evolving role of public support in helping Italian businesses expand internationally: guiding companies towards new markets, strengthening their global reach, and the methods and tools available; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acting as an "agency" for the promotion of Italy, including the concept of nation branding and the role of the diplomatic network in achieving it;

Economic diplomacy and global trade turbulences. The path from export to internationalization , a journey many companies still need to embark upon, while others work to consolidate their global presence.

Looking ahead – the major challenges that lie before us and the role of the professional diplomat in the years to come.

 

Module Two

Contents: module 2 focuses on the interplay between diplomacy and international economic relations from a historiographic point of view. It covers a period that spans from the immediate aftermath of WWII to the early XXIst century. This module explores a set of case studies that pertain to the diplomatic, economic, and political transformations of the international system as it emerged since the start of the Cold War.
The details of the organization of the module 2 course will be communicated later. 

For exchange students: the admission to optional courses of the LM/Master IR is allowed to incoming students at Master level (or fourth year of their BA).

As for other undergraduate students, in order to attend and pass the exam with proficiency, they must demonstrate to the Professor having already acquired competences in the disciplines of history of the international relations.

 

Students with DSA or temporary or permanent disabilities:
It is recommended to contact the responsible University office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it): it will be their responsibility to propose any adaptations to the students concerned, which must however be submitted, with a 15-day notice, to the approval of the teacher, who will evaluate the opportunity also in relation to the educational objectives of the course

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1. The following three books are required:

James Hillman, A Terrible Love of War, 2004

Amos Oz, The reckoning is not over yet, 2019

Lorenzo Angeloni, The Perfect crises, 2009, Amazon/Kindle

Module 2: 

Suggested bibliography.
1. William Keylor, The Twentieth Century World and Beyond: An International History since 1900, Oxford-New York, Oxford University Press, 2006 [or following editions]
2. Kiran Klaus Patel, Project Europe: A History, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2020
3. Odd Arne Westad, The Cold War: A World History, New York, Basic Books, 2017
4. Alan Milward, The Reconstruction of Western Europe, 1945-51, London, Methuen, 1984
5. Adam Tooze, Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World, London, Allen Lane, 2018

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

1) Module 1: written essay maximum 2/3 pages on a political or economic topic of international current affairs. 

The exam will take place in person.  

2)Module 2: short paper (max. 3500 words) regarding one of the topics related to the course contents.  

Criteria for evaluation

1. Active participation in class discussions

2. Ability to provide in depth-analysis of case-studies

3. Proficiency in writing in academic English

for both modules, the final paper must be uploaded via EOL during the exam session.
In this respect, students must enrol in the related exam session via AlmaEsami in order to have access to EOL.

Teaching tools

ppt presentation; readings on Virtuale.   

Office hours

See the website of Enzo Angeloni

See the website of Nicola Degli Esposti