88043 - International Relations (A-L)

Learning outcomes

An introductory course to the analysis of international politics and of foreign policy, 'International relations' provides the students with the basic knowledge and skills to investigate international relations at both the theoretical and empirical levels. At the end of the course, students are expected to be familiar with the current debates in IR theories; to have acquired core skills to intepret key political processes at the international, supranational and transnational levels; to have developed the ability to apply such knowledge towards the understanding of selected outcomes in international politics, also in conjunction with concepts derived from other subjcet matters in their curricula.

Course contents

The course is organized in a common institutional part (below called "lectures") and a seminar part. For the seminar part, students are divided into 4 groups, two held by Prof. Lucarelli and two by Dr. Fasola.

The institutional part is mainly based on the textbook and will consist of lectures by the teacher and discussion of short articles. At the end of this part, the first partial exam will be held, consisting of two long questions (short essays) and two short ones, to be held in the presence of all (except for the exceptions provided for by University regulations).

The seminar part is organized in meetings on specific topics for which compulsory readings are assigned to be done before the lesson and on the basis of which students are expected to participate in the classroom. The program of the modules of Prof. Lucarelli and Dr. Fasola are partially different, so that students can choose based on their interests. Each group of the modules has a limited capacity. At the end of the seminar there will be a second intermediate test, at a distance, open books.

 

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND SYLLABUS

PART 1 – LESSONS

01/03/23 15 00 Introduzione

02/03/23 13 00 Tradizioni di pensiero e dibattiti

09/03/23 13 00 Tradizioni di pensiero e dibattiti

15/03/23 15 00 Realismo

16/03/23 13 00 Realismo

17/03/23 15 00 Realismo

21/03/23 13 00 Liberalismo

22/03/23 15 00 Liberalismo

23/03/23 13 00 Conferenza Prof. Michele Chiaruzzi - La Scuola Inglese e la teoria delle Relazioni Internazionali

29/03/23 15 00 Conferenza Prof. Herman Salton - I tanti paradossi delle Nazioni Unite. Tra storia, diritto e politica internazionale

30/03/23 13 00 Costruttivismo

04/04/23 15 00 Post-strutturalismo

05/04/23 13 00 FPA e Q&A

12/04/23 15 00 I prova intermedia

27/04/23 20.30, presso la "Fabbrica delle Candele": proiezione del film "Black Hawk Down" (2001) con presentazione della Prof.ssa Michela Ceccorulli

 

PART 2 - SEMINARS

(A) SEMINARS PROF. LUCARELLI

Calendar Group 1 LUCARELLI

19/04/23 15 00 Seminar 1 - Realisms

26/04/23 15 00 Seminar 2 - Crisis the Liberal Order

03/05/23 15 00 Seminar 3 - The Transformation of Security

10/05/23 15 00 Seminar 4 - Identity, Culture and IR

17/05/23 15 00 Seminar 5 - The Ukraine war through IR lenses

24/05/23 15 00 Seminar 6 - International Politics between continuity and transformations

25/05/23 13 00 Conference Prof. Diodato - Geopolitics

31/5/2023 15 00 II mid-term

Calendar Group 2 LUCARELLI

13/04/23 13 00 Seminar 1 - Realisms

20/04/23 13 00 Seminar 2 - Crisi dell'ordine liberale

27/04/23 13 00 Seminar 3 - The Transformation of Security 

04/05/23 13 00 Seminar 4 - Identity, Culture and IR 

11/05/23 13 00 Seminar 5 - The Ukraine war through IR lenses

18/05/23 13 00 Seminario 6 - International politics between continuity and transformation

25/05/23 13 00 Conference Prof Diodato - Geopolitics

31/5/2023 15 00 II mid-term

 

READINGS LUCARELLI

1) REALISMS

John J Mearsheimer, “China's Unpeaceful Rise”,Current History; Apr 2006; vol. 105, n. 690, pp. 160-162, available at: https://www.mearsheimer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/A0051.pdf

Charles Glaser, “Will China's Rise Lead to War?”,Foreign Policy,March/April 2011, vol 90, n. 2, pp: 80-91. Available at:https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.unibo.it/stable/25800459?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

Tucydides trap - Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XewnyUJgyA4

2) CRISIS OF THE LIBERAL ORDER

Daniel Deudney; G. John Ikenberry, Liberal World: The Resilient Order, 97 Foreign Affairs 16 (2018), available at:https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2018-06-14/liberal-world

Amitav Acharya "After Liberal Hegemony: The Advent of a Multiplex World Order" September 8, 2017 Ethics and International Affairs, available at:https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2017/multiplex-world-order/

Sonia Lucarelli, (2019) “L’Unione Europea nell’era post-liberale: una sfida esistenziale dalle radici globali”, in A. Colombo e P. Magri, Rapporto ISPI 2019 - La fine di un mondo. La deriva dell'ordine liberale, Milano Ledizioni LediPublishing, pp. 77-92. Disponibile online: https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/rapporto-ispi-2019-la-fine-di-un-mondo-la-deriva-dellordine-liberale-22099

3) THE TRANSFORMATION OF SECURITY

P.D.Williams and M.McDonald“An Introduction to Security Studies”, in Paul D. Williams and Matt McDonald (eds) Security Studies, an Introduction, 3rd edition.2018: Introduction; Ch. 5 - Constructivisms; Ch. 7 Critical Theory.

4) IDENTITY, CULTURE AND IR

On Orientalism - video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVC8EYd_Z_g

Huntington, S. (1993) “The Clash of Civilizations?,” Foreign Affairs. 72, no. 3. available in this collection:https://www.foreignaffairs.com/system/files/c0007.pdf

Haynes, J. (2018) "Huntington’s ‘Clash of Civilizations’ Today: Responses and Developments", in D. Orsi (ed),The ‘Clash of Civilizations’ 25 Years On: A Multidisciplinary Appraisal, E-International relations Publishing, online:https://www.e-ir.info/publication/the-clash-of-civilizations-25-years-on-a-multidisciplinary-appraisal/

5) UKRAINE WAR THROUGHT IR LENSES

class presentations

6) INTERNATIONAL POLITICS BETWEEN CONTINUITY AND TRANSFORMATION

class presentations

 

(B) SEMINARS DR FASOLA

Calendar Group 3 FASOLA

19/04/23 13 00 Seminar 1 - The transformation of security 

26/04/23 13 00 Seminar 2 - Grand Strategy, strategy and use of force 

03/05/23 13 00 Seminar 3 - Realisms

10/05/23 13 00 Seminar 4 - The cooperation between states: regimes, organizations, governance

17/05/23 13 00 Seminar 5 - Ideas, ideology and culture

24/05/23 13 00 Seminar 6 - The crisis of the Liberal Order

31/5/2023 15 00 II mid-term

Calendar group 4 FASOLA

19/04/23 15 00 Seminar 1 - The transformation of security

26/04/23 15 00 Seminar 2 - Grand Strategy, strategy and use of force 

03/05/23 15 00 Seminar 3 - Realisms

10/05/23 15 00 Seminar 4 - The cooperation between states: regimes, organizations, governance

17/05/23 15 00 Seminar 5 - Ideas, ideology and culture 

24/05/23 15 00 Seminar 6 - The crisis of the Liberal Order

31/5/2023 15 00 II mid-term

 

READINGS FASOLA

1) The transformations of security 

Baldwin, D.A. (1997). “The concept of security [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20097464?seq=1%2523metadata_info_tab_contents] .” Review of International Studies, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 5-26.

Hirsch Ballin, E., Dijstelbloem, H., de Goede, P. (2020). “The Extension of the Concept of Security [https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-37606-2.pdf] .” In: idem (eds). Security in an Interconnected World: A Strategic Vision for Defence Policy. Springer, pp. 13-40.

2) Grand Strategy, strategy and use of force

Finney, N.K. & Park, F.J.H. (2020). “A Brief Introduction to Strategy [https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/on-strategy-a-primer.pdf] .” In: Finney, N.K. (ed). On Strategy: A Primer. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: US Army University Press, pp. 1-14.

Gray, C.S. (2000). “Deterrence and the nature of strategy [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09592310008423274?journalCode=fswi20] .” Small Wars & Insurgencies, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 17-26.

Henke, M. (2022). “The ‘do’s and don’ts’ of strategy making [https://www.ndc.nato.int/news/news.php?icode=1678] .” NDC Policy Brief, no. 06/22. Rome: NATO Defense College (NDC).

3) Realisms

Glaser, C.L. (2011). “Will China's Rise Lead to War? Why Realism Does Not Mean Pessimism [https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.unibo.it/stable/25800459?seq=1%2523metadata_info_tab_contents] ” Foreign Policy, vol. 90, no. 2, pp. 80-91.

Mearsheimer, J.J. (2021). “The Inevitable Rivalry: America, China, and the Tragedy of Great-Power Politics [https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2021-10-19/inevitable-rivalry-cold-war] .” Foreign Affairs, November/December 21.

Zakaria, F. (2020). “The New China Scare. Why America Shouldn’t Panic About its Latest Challenger [https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2019-12-06/new-china-scare] .” Foreign Affairs, January/February 20.

4) The cooperation between states: regimes, organizations and governance

Checkel, J.T. (2005). “International Institutions and Socialization in Europe: Introduction and Framework [https://www.jstor.org/stable/3877829%2523metadata_info_tab_contents] .” International Organization, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 801-826.

Young, O. (1982). “Regime Dynamics: The Rise and Fall of International Regimes [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2706523%2523metadata_info_tab_contents] .” International Organization, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 277-297.

5) Ideas, ideology and culture

Goldstein, J. & Keohane, R.O. (1993). “Ideas and Foreign Policy. An Analytical Framework [https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9780801429316/ideas-and-foreign-policy/%2523bookTabs=1] ” — in: idem (eds). Ideas and Foreign Policy. Beliefs, Institutions, and Political Change. New York: Cornell University Press, pp. 3-30.

Johnston, A.I. (1995). “Thinking About Strategic Culture [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2539119%2523metadata_info_tab_contents] .” International Security, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 32-64.

6) The crisis of the Liberal Order 

Acharya, A. (2017). "After Liberal Hegemony: The Advent of a Multiplex World Order [https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2017/multiplex-world-order/] .” Ethics and International Affairs (blogpost).

Deudney, D. & Ikenberry, J.G. (2018). “Liberal World: The Resilient Order [https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2018-06-14/liberal-world] .” Foreign Affairs, vol. 97, no. 4, pp. 16-24.

Lucarelli, S. (2019). “L’Unione Europea nell’era post-liberale: una sfida esistenziale dalle radici globali [https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/rapporto-ispi-2019-la-fine-di-un-mondo-la-deriva-dellordine-liberale-22099] .” In: Colombo, A. & Magri, P. (eds). Rapporto ISPI 2019 - La fine di un mondo. La deriva dell'ordine

Readings/Bibliography

ATTENDING STUDENTS:
For the lectures: R. Jackson, G. Sørensen, J. Moller "International relations", Milan, Egea, 5th edition, 2020.
Seminars: For each seminar lesson, compulsory readings are indicated to be done before the lesson (see the syllabus above).

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS:
The textbook: R. Jackson, G. Sørensen, J. Moller "International Relations," Milan, Egea, 5th edition, 2020; all the readings related to the seminars "Realisms" and "Crisis of the Liberal Order" (see the syllabus above); a monograph of your choice from the following:

a) H. Bull, The Anarchical Society, 1977 (ed. it. La società anarchica, Vita e Pensiero)

b) K. Waltz, Theory of International Politics, 1979 (ed. it. Teoria della politica internazionale, Il Mulino)

c) K. Waltz, Man, the State and War, 1959 (ed. it. L'uomo lo stato e la guerra, Giuffrè)

d) S. Lucarelli, Cala il sipario sull'ordine liberale? Crisi di un sistema che ha cambiato il mondo 2020 (Milano, Vita e Pensiero)

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars

Assessment methods

ATTENDING STUDENTS
The course evaluation consists of three components:
- participation in the classroom
- the outcome of the two intermediate tests *
- an overall final oral

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS
The course evaluation consists of two components:
- the outcome of a written test to be held on the day of the oral exam
- an overall final oral

* RULES OF INTERMEDIATE TESTS:
- tests are compulsory.
- if a test cannot be taken, a written justification and medical report or document of the case must be sent to the teacher.
- if you want to recover one of the tests in the summer session, you must have obtained a sufficient mark in the other.
- to re-take a mid-term, a single appeal is held in the summer session.

Teaching tools

Tutor of the course:

Dr Clara della Valle
website: www.unibo.it/sitoweb/clara.dellavalle
e-mail: clara.dellavalle@unibo.it

The tutor will be available to assist students in solving problems - practical and intellectual - related to the course. In addition, the tutor will deliver an evening course reserved for working and out-of-school students; information on this can be found at this link: https://corsi.unibo.it/laurea/ScienzeInternazionaliDiplomatiche/corsi-tutoriali 


Virtuale Platform:

All students should register for the course page on Virtual: https://virtuale.unibo.it/. There, course materials, partial exam results and other information will be available; urgent communications will be sent via that platform.

Office hours

See the website of Sonia Lucarelli

See the website of Nicolò Fasola