Advanced IR Theories
Etablissement : ESPOL European School of Political and Social Sciences
Langue : Anglais
Formation(s) dans laquelle/lesquelles le cours apparait :
- Licence de Relations Internationales [ECTS : 3,00]
Période : S5
Students are graded on the basis of the following assignments:
(1) Participation (30%): This is a reading-heavy and interactive class. Each student is expected to read all compulsory texts and participate actively in class discussions.
(2) Debates (2 x 35%): For sessions 6-9, students will be sorted into different teams to engage in formal debates on particular IR controversies. Each team takes part in two debates.
This is an advanced theory course which presupposes a background in International Relations (IR) and expects students to extensively read and discuss theoretical texts in class. The course revisits important concepts for international studies, including of interactions, systems, meanings, and interpretations. By venturing into histories and ethnographies, the course first uses a range of examples, from the end of the Cold War to the exansion of the fur trade to the Opium Wars against China, to illustrate these concepts. In the second part of the course, debates are organized around important research programs or questions in IR, including nuclear deterrence, norm diffusion, the ethics of recognition, and the status of the international itself. Students will gain a more profound understanding of key disciplinary discussions, theoretical approaches, and research strategies, as well as train themselves in understanding, preparing, and debating positions in groups.
