83138 - Geopolitics of international Systems

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will know the main explanatory theories of the war. They will have become familiar with the classical scholars of the sector and will also master contemporary literature. The topics that student will have to know in depth will cover the causes and consequences of wars, the different types of war that occurred in human history, the transformations of wars and the political, economic, technological causes of these transformations, as well as the conditions that must be present in order to make them stable. Furthermore, the student will know the methods of investigation most commonly used in the study of war.

Course contents

The course aims to discuss the so-called "riddle of war" through a long-term analysis of collective violence in different geographical areas. The course is divided in three sections. The first section is dedicated to exploring the spatial dimension in the processes of building political authority. To this end, the classes will look into the development of political space in the transition between nomadic communities and sedentary communities, the forms of political communities (cities, proto-states, empires) in the antiquity and the role of violence in the establishment and functioning of such political and social orders. The second section of the course traces the creation of the "global space" through the analysis of the age of ascent and the consolidation of the world domination of European countries. In particular, classes will deal with the origins of modern states, the reasons for the birth of European empires, the forms of governance of the latter and the reasons for the imperial decline, with a focus on the role of violence in these processes. The third section is devoted to the debate on the forms of war in the contemporary age and deals in particular with: a) research on "new" wars and civil wars as dominant forms of conflict in the current international system and, b) research on the changes in  political authority, with reference to alternative forms to the nation-state, to the theses related to neo-medievalism, to studies on the governance of insurgent groups and to the contribution of the so-called "new hierarchy studies" and research on the notion of "heterarchy" .

List of Topics

1. The riddle of war
2. The birth of "human space" and violence in the "state of nature"
3. Organizing "human space": proto-states and violence
4. States, empires and war in the classical age
5. Violence from feudalism to the modern state T
6. he origins of European empires
7. The war between the modern age and the industrial age
8. The debate on new wars
9. Civil wars: what, where, when and why
10. The debate on the end of the state
11. "Warlord" and rebel governments
12. Hybrid political orders and heterarchies

 

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

The full list of readings for students who regularly attend classes will be circulated on the first day of class and posted on the class website on “Insegnamenti Online”at iol.unibo.it

Students who do not regularly attend classes should read:

Gat, A. (2006), War in Human Civilization, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Panebianco A. (2018). Persone e mondi. Azioni individuali e ordine internazionale. Bologna, Il Mulino, capp. 4, 5, 8, 9.

Goldstone J. (2010). Perché l'Europa? L'ascesa dell'occidente nella storia mondiale. 1500-1850. Bologna, Il Mulino, capp. 1-4, 6, 8.

Teaching methods

Lectures, seminars, class presentations 

Assessment methods

***Exams Online***

Due to the Covid-19 Emergency and related measures, exams are currently held online.

Students should register for the exam on AlmaEsami. The exam will be then administered through Esami OnLine (EOL) and monitored through Zoom. Students are invited to access the link provided to Zoom 10 minutes before the exam starts.

 

Students who regularly attend classes:written mid-term (2 essay questions) & final (2 essay questions)

Students who do not regularly attend classes: written final (3 essay questions)

Teaching tools

Class slides su “Insegnamenti Online”, sul sito iol.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Niccolò Moro