IRE112 International Organizations and Diplomacy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2019
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jana Urbanovská, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Maya Higgins, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Ing. Ivana Hlavsová (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Chovančík, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Zdeněk Kříž, 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
Wed 14:00–15:40 U33; and Thu 2. 5. 16:00–19:40 P22, Fri 3. 5. 12:00–15:40 P52
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
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the issues of international organizations and diplomacy. The course is composed of two parts. The first part of the course concentrates on international organizations that belong to significant actors of current international relations. After explaining their definition, evolution and function, the attention turns to several selected international organizations that are analyzed from various standpoints. International organizations are one of the main platforms for diplomacy, to which the course turns in its second part. It presents historical evolution of diplomacy, international law framework of diplomacy and broad tasks of global diplomacy from messaging to negotiation, mediation and talk. It also analyses the multiplicities of global diplomacy, covering issue areas like war and peace, economics, development, environment and other. Special attention is devoted to diplomatic skills that are needed to make diplomacy successful.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course:
- student should acquire solid command of the concepts of diplomacy and international organizations;
- students should be able to apply the theory of international organizations and diplomacy to practice;
- students should possess basic skills and competences to analyse particular international organizations with a special focus on diplomacy and international negotiation;
- students should command basic diplomatic skills.
Syllabus
  • 1. The study of international organizations: An overview of the field
  • 2. IOs in world politics: Insights from international relations theory I.
  • 3. IOs in world politics: Insights from international relations theory II.
  • 4. United Nations: Current issues
  • 5. Regional IOs I.
  • 6. Regional IOs II.
  • 7. Historical evolution of diplomacy
  • 8. International law and diplomacy
  • 9. Tasks of global diplomacy
  • 10. Diplomatic representation: acting for others and standing for others
  • 11. Multiplicities of global diplomacy: war and peace, economics, development, environment and others
  • 12. Diplomatic skills
  • 13. Conclusion: theory and practice of international organizations and diplomacy
Literature
  • HURD, Ian. International organizations : politics, law, practice. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011, viii, 282. ISBN 9780521147378. info
  • A history of diplomacy. Edited by Jeremy Black. London: Reaktion, 2010, 312 p. ISBN 1861896964. info
  • BERRIDGE, Geoff. Diplomacy : theory and practice. 4th ed. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, xv, 282. ISBN 9780230229600. info
  • IRIYE, Akira. Global community : the role of international organizations in the making of the contemporary world. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002, ix, 246. ISBN 0520231279. info
  • JAMES, Alan and Geoff BERRIDGE. A dictionary of diplomacy. 1st pub. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2001, x, 270. ISBN 033376496X. info
  • ARCHER, Clive. International organizations. 3rd ed. London: Routledge, 2001, xi, 204. ISBN 041524689X. info
  • Handbook on International Organizations. Edited by René-Jean Dupuy. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1988, xxvii, 685. ISBN 9024736587. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussions, group projects, presentations by a professional diplomat, reading
Assessment methods
Written exam, group project, case studies, random quizzes to provide a quick evaluation of how well students keep up with readings
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2019, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2019/IRE112