77976 - EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The aim of the course is to provide an advanced knowledge and understanding of the evolution of the international system since the modern era and of the main theories of international relations (constructivism, liberalism, realism). At the end of the course, the student knows the main events which have shaped international politics, the most important theoretical interpretations and the debates within the discipline, as well as the analytical instruments necessary to interpret the contemporary international system.

Contenuti

The course is organized in lectures and seminars, as detailed in the following program. Lectures (16 hours on line on MS TEAMS) aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline. Seminars (12 hours) aim to provide occasions for in-depth discussions of class materials and exercises. For the seminar section of the course, students will be divided in two groups according to their preferences and according to rules concerning the current pandemic emergency: one group will do the seminar in classroom (12 hours) and another group will do the seminar remotely on MS TEAMS (12 hours), for a total of 28 hours for each student. Students are required to carefully read the assigned material before the session and - in the case of seminars - active participation through presentations of existing scholarship and case studies will also be expected. Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course remotely on MS TEAMS.

The first part will consist in 8 2-hours lectures on the theoretical interpretations and historical development of the international system. At the end of this part students will be required to sit a midterm exam on the class material and these two readings:
F. Andreatta (2017) Classic Works in International Relations, Il Mulino, Introducstion.
Kennedy, P. (1987) The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, New York. Random House [chapp. 1-7], available as an e-book from Amazon.

Testi/Bibliografia

The first part requires the following readings.

F. Andreatta (2017) Classic Works in International Relations, Il Mulino, Introducstion.
Kennedy, P. (1987) The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, New York. Random House [chapp. 1-7], available as an e-book from Amazon.

The second part will consist in 6 seminars (each of which will be organized both online and in class), on the following topics and readings. Articles are available on UNIBO's virtual library at the following link:

https://sba.unibo.it/it/almare/collezioni/periodici-elettronici

 

1. The Balance of Power

Walt, S. (1985), «Alliance Formation and the Balance of World Power«, International Security, 9:4, 3-43.

Waltz, K. (1988), «The Origins of War in Neorealist Theory», Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 18:4, 615-628.

Mearsheimer, J. (1990) «Why We Will soon Miss the Cold War», The Atlantic Monthly, 266:2, 35-50.

Andreatta, Classic Works, chapp. II, III, VIII

 

2. Hegemonic Stability

Gilpin, R. (1988) «The Theory of Hegemonic War», Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 18:4, 591-613.

Krasner, S. (1976) «State Power and the Structure of International Trade», World Politics, 28:3, 317-34.

Wohlforth W. (1999) «The Stability of a Unipolar World», International Security, 34:1, 5-41.

Andreatta, Classic Works, chap. IX

https://www.belfercenter.org/thucydides-trap/overview-thucydides-trap

 

3. International institutions

Axelrod, R., Keohane, R. (1985) «Achieving Cooperation under Anarchy: Strategies and Institutions», World Politics, 38:1, 226-254.

Grieco, J. (1988) «Anarchy and the limits of cooperation: a realist critique of the newest liberal institutionalism», International Organization, 42:3, 485-507.

Ikenberry, G.J. (1998) «Institutions, Strategic Restraint, and the Persistence of American Postwar Order», International Security, 23:3, 43-78.

Andreatta, Classic Works, chap. IV, X

 

4. Domestic regimes

Doyle, M. (1983) «Kant, Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs, Part 1 & 2», Philosophy and Public Affairs, 12:3, 4, 205-235, 323-353.

Doyle, M. (1986) «Liberalism and World Politics», American Political Science Review, 80:4, 1151-1169.

Lake, D. (1992) «Powerful Pacifists: Democratic States and War», American Political Science Review, 86:1, 24-37.

Freedom House: Nations in Transit 2020. https://freedomhouse.org/report/nations-transit/2020/dropping-democratic-facade [http://]

Andreatta, Classic Works, chap. XIV

 

5. Economic systems

Rosecrance, R. (1996) «The Rise of the Virtual State», Foreign Affairs, 75:4, 45-61.

Gartzke, E. (2007) «The Capitalist Peace», American Journal of Political Science, 51:1, 166-191.

Kaysen, V. (1990) «Is War Obsolete?: A Review Essay», International Security, 14:4, 42-64.

Mousseau, M. (2009) «The Social Market Roots of Democratic Peace», International Security, 33:4, 52-86.

Andreatta, Classic Works, chap. I.

 

6. Ideational interpretations

Wendt, A. (1995) «Constructing International Politics», International Security, 20:1, 71-81.

Wendt, A. (1992) «Anarchy is what States Make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics», International Organization, 46:2, 391-425.

Wight, M. (1987) «An Anatomy of International Thought», Review of International Studies, 13:3, 221-227.

Huntington, S. (1993) «The Clash of Civilizations?», Foreign Affairs, 72:3, 22-49.

Andreatta, Classic Works, chapp. V, VII, XII, XIII.

 

Metodi didattici

14 two-hour classes either online or in class.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Attending students will be assessed with a midterm (1/3 of the grade), a seminar presentation and class partecipation (1/3 of the grade) and a take home final to be completed by the end of the course (1/3 of the grade). Non attending students can sit a written exam (with 10 multiple choice questions for 2 points each and 2 brief open answers for 5 points each) on the readings specified above, on the normal exam dates (appelli).

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

Moodle (Virtuale), MS Teams.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Filippo Andreatta