Syllabus

Short Course Description

How has the international system emerged and developed? What can theories reveal about people's motivations for pursuing war and peace? What roles do philosophy, ethics, and religion play in global politics? How does economic and technological globalization influence decision-making and diplomacy? Is the nation-state losing ground? What impact do domestic policies have on shaping foreign policy? These are the key questions we will explore in this course, which aims to illuminate the relevant literature and current research, foster critical thinking and writing skills, and promote a deeper understanding of contemporary issues in global politics.
This is a graduate course. Students must attend each class prepared to engage in an in-depth discussion of the required reading for that session. Students are responsible for maintaining a high level of active debate and are expected to shoulder their share of initiating discussion.
Class structure: Each class meeting has two parts. The first part is a lecture on the weekly topic. Students are expected to arrive prepared, having completed the assigned readings. The second part consists of varied, interactive activities designed for deep engagement with the material through experiential and creative methods. Over the semester, there will be 10 in-class activities: 6 student-led (delivered by student groups) and 4 led by the teaching team.