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Course Syllabus

Bachelor 2019/2020

World Politics and International Relations

Type: Compulsory course (Political Science and World Politics)
Area of studies: Political Science
Delivered by: Department of Political Science and International Affairs
Where: Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences
When: 2 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies: offline
Instructors: Vera Ageeva, Denis Stremoukhov
Language: English
ECTS credits: 5
Contact hours: 68

Course Syllabus

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course ‘World Politics & International Relations’ combines theory and practice. The first section (Block 1) covers the major theories in the academic discipline of International Relations (hereafter IR). The second section (Block 2) covers diverse issues in world politics and IR (such as diplomacy and its evolution, globalization trends, hard and soft security-related policy issues, etc). The teaching format is traditional and innovative at the same time. Students will learn through lectures, and through more intriguing, class-led and lively ways. Most of the intellectual work on this course will be done in interactive discussion groups (hereafter DGs) where students will discuss the assigned readings for the course and link them to major IR issues of the day
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • The main goal of this course is to introduce students to basics of world politics and international relations.
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Able to conduct professional activities internationally
  • Student is capable of retrieving, collecting, processing and analyzing information relevant for achieving goals in the professional field
  • Student is capable of executing applied analysis of the political phenomena and political processes - by using political science methods - and in support of practical decision making process
  • Student is capable of reporting the results of the information retrieval and analysis, academic or applied research she/he has conducted: - in various genres (including reviews, policy papers, reports and publications pertaining to socio-political subject matter); - and depending on the target audience
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • BLOCK 1. Major Theories of International Relations. 1. Introduction to IR
  • 2. Political Realism and Liberalism: The Story of Confrontation and Inter-action
  • 3. Neo-realism and Neo-liberal Institutionalism: the Neo-Neo Debate
  • 4. Marxist and Neo-Marxist International Relations Theories
  • 5. Social Constructivism
  • 6. Post-positivist Turn in IR and Poststructuralism
  • 7. Postcolonialism
  • 8. Feminist Theories of IR
  • 9. Geopolitics as a Theory of International Relations
  • BLOCK 2. Selected Issues in World Politics and IR. 10. Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
  • 11. Fragmentation and Regionalisation
  • 12. Hard and Soft Security
  • 13. Terrorism
  • 14. Development-related Problems
  • 15. Climate change and planet boundaries
  • 16. Demographic shifts and Migrations
  • 17. Information wars
  • 18. Conclusion. World politics today
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Lecture tests
  • non-blocking Seminar. Block 1
  • non-blocking Seminar. Block 2
  • non-blocking Exam
    The exam is in a written form and takes place at the Moodle platform. The exam is proctored via the Examus system (https://hse.student.examus.net). Please read the instructions (https://elearning.hse.ru/en/student_steps/) and check in advance if your computer fits the technical requirements. Students must enter the platform 15 minutes before the start of the exam, perform a check-up procedure, and verify their identity. Students may NOT talk to other people and use any information sources. If a student is absent due to technical problems for more than 10 minutes the exam is interrupted. The reserve day is June, 27th.
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • Interim assessment (4 module)
    0.27 * Exam + 0.16 * Lecture tests + 0.32 * Seminar. Block 1 + 0.25 * Seminar. Block 2
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Pashakhanlou, A. H. (DE-576)432305564. (2017). Realism and fear in international relations : Morgenthau, Waltz and Mearsheimer reconsidered / Arash Heydarian Pashakhanlou. Cham: Palgrave Macmillian. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.487788680
  • The Oxford handbook of international relations / ed. by Christian Reus-Smit . (2008). Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.253060060

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Drezner, D. W. (2008). All Politics Is Global : Explaining International Regulatory Regimes. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=286643
  • Lawrence, P. (2005). Nationalism : History and Theory (Vol. 1st ed). Harlow, England: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1361060
  • Milner, H. V., & Moravcsik, A. (2009). Power, Interdependence, and Nonstate Actors in World Politics. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=376578
  • Wallerstein, I. M. (2016). Modern World-System in the Longue Duree. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1099274