98865 - INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The course provides students with the basic knowledge to analyse international relations at both the theoretical and empirical levels. By the end of the course, students should be able to be familiar with the current debates in IR theories; to have developed the ability to apply such knowledge towards the understanding of selected outcomes in international politics; to use International Relations conceptual tools and theoretical insights in approaching the EU’s role in the world interpret and explain the most relevant issues on the EU’s role in the world.

Contenuti

The course is divided into two main parts:

Part I – Theories and Issues
This part of the course is lecture-based and aims to provide students with the analytical and conceptual tools to understand the field of International Relations (IR). It introduces key theories and approaches in IR and explores major global issues. These lectures are designed to equip students with a foundational understanding of how IR scholars study and interpret the international system.

The book for Part I is: John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (2023), The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations. Ninth Edition. Oxford University Press (only the chapters indicated below)

1. What is IR and why to care?

Sept 30 11-13 - Chapter 3-4

2. Global (dis)orders

Oct 6, 11-13 - Chapter 5-6

3. How to study IR?

Oct 7, 11-13 - Chapter 1

4. Globalization and global politics

Oct 13, 11-13 - Chapter 2

5. Global actors: International organizations and NGOs

Oct 20, 11-13 - Chapter 20 and 22

6. Global trade

Oct 21, 11-13 - Chapter 28

7. Global finance

Oct 27, 11-13 - Chapter 28

8. Poverty and development

Nov 3, 11-13 - Chapter 27

9. Climate and environment

Nov 4, 11-13 - Chapter 24

10. Gender and race

Nov 10, 11-13 - Chapter 17 and Chapter 18

11. Regional integration

Nov 17, 11-13 - Chapter 23

12. Refugees and migration

Nov 18, 11-13 - Chapter 26

13. War and security

Dec 1, 11-13 - Chapter 14 and Chapter 15

14. Terrorism

Dec 2, 11-13 - Chapter 29

15. Human rights and humanitarian interventions

Dec 15, 11-13 - Chapter 32 and Chapter 33

 

PART II: Seminars

The second part of the course consists of seminar sessions. These are interactive and discussion-based meetings in which students engage more directly with selected topics revolving around the EU’s role in global politics. The seminars offer an opportunity to deepen understanding through group discussion, and the application of concepts to concrete cases.

For each seminar, students are required to read both the background readings and the material assigned for in-class discussions uploaded in Toledo. During each seminar, students are expected to participate in class discussions by publicly articulating their opinions on the assigned material. In particular, students should prepare in advance for this task by using the question(s) listed in Toledo.

In-person participation in all seminars is mandatory. Only one absence will be allowed without penalty. If a student misses more than one seminar, they must submit a critical essay on one of the readings assigned for the seminars in order to access the final exam. The essay, not exceeding 1,000 words, should be coordinated with the instructor and submitted before the final exam date. Should the students NOT submit the essay according to the deadline set by the instructor, they will not be admitted to the final exam.

1. The EU’s global role in the making of globalization
Background reading: Abdelal, Rawi and Meunier, Sophie (2010) Managed globalization: doctrine, practice and promise, Journal of European Public Policy, 17(3), 350–367.

Class material:
Interview with Elisabeth Braw, author of the book Goodbye Globalization, Yale University Press, available at:
https://iep.unibocconi.eu/goodbye-globalization-how-eu-can-thrive-fragmented-world

2. The EU’s global role in setting the climate agenda

 Background reading: Oberthür, S., & Dupont, C. (2021). The European Union’s international climate leadership: towards a grand climate strategy? Journal of European Public Policy, 28(7), 1095–1114.

 Class material: The Economist, Green protectionism comes with big risks, October 2023, available at: https://www.economist.com/special-report/2023/10/02/green-protectionism-comes-with-big-risks

 3. The EU’s global role as a normative power

 Background reading: Manners, Ian. (2002). Normative Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms? Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(2), 235–258.

 Class material: Josep Borrell (2021), A Strategic Compass for Europe, Project Syndicate, available at: https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/eu-strategic-compass-by-josep-borrell-2021-11

 4. The EU and the transatlantic relationship in a changing geopolitical context

 Background reading: Riddervold, M., & Newsome, A. (2018). Transatlantic relations in times of uncertainty: crises and EU-US relations. Journal of European Integration, 40(5), 505–521

 Class material: Trump’s new Europe: From ally to adversary Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/mark-leonards-world-in-30-minutes/id340460705?i=1000708705393

 5. The EU, defense, and global security

 Background reading: Hoeffler, C., Hofmann, S.C., and Mérand, F. (2024) 'The polycrisis and EU security and defence competences'. Journal of European Public Policy.

 Class material: EEAS (2023) Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Export Control [https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/disarmament-non-proliferation-and-arms-export-control-0_en]

Testi/Bibliografia

John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (2023), The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations. Ninth Edition. Oxford University Press

Metodi didattici

Lesson and seminars

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Students will be evaluated during an individual final exam in the examination period on the topics of the course. The final written exam will consist of multiple-choice questions. The exam duration is 90 minutes.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Manuela Moschella

Consulta il sito web di Claudio Christopher Passalacqua