FSS:EUP403 International Relations - Course Information

EUP403 International Relations

Extent and Intensity

1/1/0. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

PhDr. Pavel Pšeja, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies

Timetable

Mon 12:00–13:30 U42

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

• European Politics (Eng.) (programme FSS, N-PL)

Course objectives

This course introduces the students to the most important concepts and issues in the discipline of International Relations and deals with the major theories and theoretical debates in the field. At the end of this course the students will acquire a basic understanding of the major actors in world politics and of the nature of the international system, and of both mainstream approaches in International Relations (such as realism, neorealism and liberal theories) and newer theoretical agendas (such as constructivism, feminism and postmodernism). Furthemore, the course provides the students with analytical skills concerning the strengths and weaknesses of different theories and in detecting the methodological and normative assumptions on which the various ways of theorizing international relations rest.

Syllabus

• Part I: Concepts and Important Issues in the Discipline of International Relations (IR)
• Week 1. IR as a Science - nature of IR, definitions of the subject, developments in IR
• Week 2. The International System and the Actors in IR - states, non-state actors, etc.
• Week 3. Power and Conflict - explanation of basic notions of IR
• Week 4. Foreign Policy and Decision Making
• Part II: Rival Theories of IR
• Week 5. Geopolitics
• Week 6. Realism
• Week 7. Neorealism
• Week 8. Liberal theories
• Week 9. Neomarxism and World Systems Analysis
• Week 10. Neo-neo debate
• Week 11. Constructivism, Feminism and Postmodernism in IR
• Week 12. IR Theories since 1990s

Literature

• The globalization of world politics : an introduction to international relations. Edited by John Baylis - Steve Smith - Patricia Owens. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005, xxxvii, 81. ISBN 0199271186. URL info
• NYE, Joseph S. Power in the global information age : from realism to globalization. London: Routledge, 2004, viii, 231. ISBN 0415700175. info
• HOLLIS, Martin and Steve SMITH. Mezinárodní vztahy: výklad a porozumění : Explaining and understanding international relations (Orig.) : Teorie mezinárodních vztahů : interpretace a porozumění (Variant.). 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2000, 248 s. ISBN 80-85959-64-X. info
• MORGENTHAU, Hans J. Politics among nations : the struggle for power and peace. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1993, xvi, 419. ISBN 0070433062. info

Teaching methods

The course combines lectures and seminars that enable substantial utilization of class discussion as one of major stimuli for students' participation. The students will deal with extensive readings that will be utilized to prepare home assignments, namely position papers.

Assessment methods

1. Students are expected to read the required reading(s) for each seminar. If there are two or three shorter required readings rather than one long, students are expected to read all of them. The optional reading is only for those who have special interest in the topic.
2. Students are encouraged to actively participate in the seminars by posing questions of clarification or bringing up problems for discussion.
3. Students are expected to write four short position papers (300-600 words each) on four different seminar topics. The papers should include a summary of the main points of the required reading(s), a critique of these readings, questions of clarification, and possible questions for discussion. Students may be invited to present their paper(s) in class to stimulate discussion. To enable the organization of the in-class discussion, papers must have three clearly identified sections:
1) a summary section entitled "Summary";
2) a critique section entitled "Critique";
3) a section containing questions for discussion entitled "Questions". Papers that do not have this structure and contain different points scattered throughout the text will be rejected and will not count towards a student’s grade.
4. There will be a final in-class written exam, consisting of three questions based on the required readings and the discussions in class.
Grading
The final grade will be calculated as a composite evaluation consisting of three parts:
1) active participation in class discussions
2) evaluation of four position papers
3) evaluation of the final exam
Details:
Students will be awarded 10 points for active participation in class discussions, i.e. for proven ability to think critically and present points of their/common interests. Ability to apply rational reasoning and concepts/ideas given in reguired readings will be positively evaluated as well.
Students will be awarded 60 points for the submission of four position papers (i.e. each paper for 15 points) of acceptable quality, in compliance with the required structure of position papers, and in the specified deadline. Late submissions and submission of papers that do not meet the minimal requirements of quality and structure will be penalized.
Each final-exam question gets between 0 and 10 points (max. 30 points overall for the final exam).
The grade will be calculated on the basis of the number of points collected. In order to complete the course, students must collect at least 60 points (60% of the max. points).

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2012, recent)
  
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