99984 - SIMULAZIONE NEGOZIALE PER LE RELAZIONI INTERNAZIONALI

Learning outcomes

The workshop consists of a simulation of an international crisis, in which participating students will have to impersonate the policymakers of the states involved. The first part of the lab involves explaining the rules of the simulation and describing the scenario, and assigning roles to the participants. In addition, students will be introduced to the foreign policy basics of their assigned states. The second part includes the simulation of the crisis. The workshop will conclude with a "debriefing" phase that will help reflect on the simulation experience and its dynamics of interaction. By the end of the lab, students will have demonstrated their ability to work in groups; they will have understood the complexity of strategic interaction between states during times of crisis; they will have demonstrated the ability to apply their theoretical and historical knowledge to the context of an international crisis; and they will have understood the impact of preferences, interests, and cultural-historical legacies in the interaction between states.

Course contents

The first part of the laboratory will focus on the theoretical and procedural aspects of the simulation, the description of the scenario and the attribution of roles to the participants.


In this phase, students will get an overview of the the domestic and foreign policies of the states involved in the negotiations that are pertinent to the crisis scenario.

The second part of the laboratory will focus on the simulation of the international crisis.

At the end of the laboratory, a debriefing meeting will be held to share views on the simulation experience, the objectives achieved and the interaction dynamics.


At the end of the laboratory, the students will have shown their ability to work in a team; understood the complexity of strategic interaction between states especially in a crisis context; demonstrated the ability to apply their theoretical and historical knowledge to the context of an international crisis;
taken stock of the impact of preferences, interests and historical-cultural legacies in state-to-state interactions.

Readings/Bibliography

IMPORTANT: Non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the instructor via e-mail at the beginning of the semester.

 

First Part:

Starkey, B.A. and Blake, E.L. (2001). "Simulation in International Relations Education". Simulation & Gaming. Vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 537-551;

Posch, K. (2021). "Play Your Role: A Policymaker Simulation to Ground East Asian International Relations." Journal of Political Science Education. Vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 437-48;

Lewicki, R. J., Barry, B., & Saunders, D. M. (2016).Essentials of negotiation. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Chicago, Chapters 3, 5 & 7;

Second Part:

Ballbach, E.J. (2020). "Socialization on a Second Track? European Track 1.5 Initiatives with North Korea." International Journal of Korean Unification Studies. Vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 77-105;

Cha, V. & Kang, D. (2018), Nuclear North Korea: A Debate on Engagement Strategies, revised and updated edition, Columbia University Press. New York;

Dalton, T. & Kim, J. (2023). "Rethinking Arms Control with a Nuclear North Korea." Survival. Vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 21-48;

Kim, Y. (2013),"North Korea's Threat Perception and Provocation Under Kim Jong-un: The Security Dilemma and the Obsession with Political Survival." North Korean Review, Vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 6-19.

Schoff, S.L. & Feng, L. (2019). "Making Sense of UN Sanctions on North Korea." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Available at: https://carnegieendowment.org/publications/interactive/north-korea-sanctions.

Teaching methods

The laboratory is divided into three parts.

· 1. Learning (6 lessons)

A) Introduction to techniques (2 lessons)

B) Introduction to the scenario (3 lessons)

C) Guest lecture (1 lesson)



· 2. Simulation (2 lessons)



· 3. Debriefing (2 lessons)

A) Final report (1 lesson)

B) Discussion on the laboratory (1 lesson)

Assessment methods

At the end of the laboratory, participants will get a "idoneità":


For attending students: "idoneità" will be granted based on the simulation report (DEADLINE: Thursday, 21 December 2023 at 1.00 pm CET); the evaluation of knowledge of the functioning of international institutions, the international crisis scenario discussed during the simulation,  the foreign policy of the state and non-state actors involved; public speaking, interaction and negotiation skills acquired during the laboratory.

Those who have participated in at least 70% of lab (14 hours, 7 lessons) are considered attending students.


For non-attending students: non-attending students will have to write a paper of 3000-4000 words in length (bibliography and notes included) based on the bibliography indicated by the instructor (see the texts/bibliography section).

DEADLINE: Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 1.00 pm CET


The paper must be divided into two parts:


1. Theory of negotiation simulation. Carry out a synthesis and analysis of the three texts indicated regarding the theory.


2. Analysis of the case study. Argue a potential crisis scenario that is the subject of a negotiation. Include: description of the crisis, actors involved, location of the negotiation, detailed negotiation process, obstacles, obstacle resolution technique (e.g. logrolling, bridge solution, expand/modify the pie), conclusions.


Reports and papers submitted after the due date and time will not be taken into consideration for eligibility assessment.

Teaching tools

Virtual Platform:


Participants should access to the Virtuale platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it/) to find the recommended texts and additional learning material.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Frassineti