This course scrutinizes some of the key concepts or conceptual building blocks in world politics. In the same style, it also investigates some of the main issues in international affairs today. In so doing, the course links basic conceptual and theoretical thinking with political relevance as well as considerations of policy and policy-making.

The course syllabus combines several “classic” statements in international affairs and world politics with some of the most interesting recent pieces, including particularly pertinent scholarly articles, policy thinking, and, at times, relevant opinion statements.

The course in particular combines seminar-style discussions and debate with compact presentations by the course provider on the concepts and issues covered. At times, we may also engage in joint brainstorming on issues and or debates relating to the concepts and issues covered. Depending on the exact course size, we shall reserve time for group presentations or individual presentations of students’ course paper topics along with seminar discussions of these.

Course topics to be covered will include:

• Power: Forms, Faces, Dimensions, Ingredients, Conceptions
• Spheres of Belonging: (Collective) Identity and (Civil, Transnational, Regional, Global) Society; Community and Society; Types of Community; Aspects of Society
• State: Constitutive Components, Macro-Theoretical Views, Historical Variations and Variability
• Time: Orderings and Forms of Time, Types of Time, Frames or “Layers” of Time, Short and Long Causes and Effects
• Levels of Analysis and Aspects of the Democratic Peace
• Perspectives on Globalization: What it is (and what not), What it does (and what not), De-Globalizations (!?)
• Conflict and Conflict Resolution
• International Organization, International Organizations, and the Liberal Internatinoal Order.

Assessment

This course will be highly interactive and depend on active engagement in class. Evaluations will be based on three sorts of class activities and contributions:

• Course participation 25%
• In-class presentation 25%
• Final paper 50%.