ITB 094E - International Relations and Globalization

Course Objectives

This course aims to foster critical thinking by encouraging and expecting you to amalgamate theory and practice, and establishing linkages between different countries and time periods. A comprehensive study of international interactions will be undertaken without sacrificing detail, hence empirical knowledge about individual countries and regions are essential to comprehend world politics. Nonetheless, a holistic approach is also crucial to detect the major trends in the international system.

Course Description

International Relations is predominantly about war and peace. In the 21st century, these dual themes will continue to dominate world affairs. Besides power, discourse on democracy and human rights also occupy a significant place in the thinking of politicians and intellectuals alike. We will cover the basic concepts, theories and actors of international relations as well as general patterns in world politics. The question of the unipolar moment as well as discussions regarding the coming multipolarity, are significant themes in the course. In addition to these theoretical discussions, the political history and general patterns in power relations in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries are of utmost concern so as to apply theories to the practice of international relations. Furthermore, beyond the global dynamics of globalization, we will also focus on a number of regions and countries such as the United States, Russia, Europe and the Middle East to test our theories and in order to have a better grasp of world politics