IREb1012 International Organizations and Diplomacy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jana Urbanovská, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jana Urbanovská, 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
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! IRE112 IOs and Diplomacy && !NOW( IRE112 IOs and Diplomacy )
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 study of international organizations and diplomacy. The course consists of two parts. The first part of the course focuses on international organizations, which are among the most important actors in the international system. After discussing their definition, classification, historical roots, roles and functions, attention turns to specific international policy areas and activities that international organizations undertake. International organizations are one of the main platforms for international diplomacy, to which the second part of the course turns. A key component of the course is the Model United Nations (MUN), a well-known and prestigious simulation of the work of the UN and other international organisations. Under the guidance of an experienced team, students on the course take on the role of diplomats negotiating their positions in various international committees.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course:
- student should be able to define and classify IOs and explain their historical development;
- students should be able to apply main theories of international relations to explain the role of IOs in world politics;
- students should be able to outline activities of IOs and describe specific IOs performing these activities;
- students should be able to simulate the roles of diplomats negotiating their stances in IOs and their committees.
Syllabus
  • First part of the course:
  • 1. Introduction to the course
  • 2. Introduction to the study of IOs
  • 3. The role of IOs in world politics - do they matter?
  • 4. Activities of IOs
  • 5. United Nations and its challenges
  • 6. Being a diplomat in an IO
  • 7. Preparatory workshop to the Model United Nations (MUN)
  • Second part of the course:
  • The Model United Nations (12-14 April 2024) and its reflection
Literature
  • HURD, Ian. International organizations : politics, law, practice. Fourth edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021, ix, 325. ISBN 9781108814317. info
  • HUDSON, Valerie M. Foreign policy analysis : classic and contemporary theory. Third edition. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2020, xi, 276. ISBN 9781442277908. info
  • RITTBERGER, Volker, Bernhard ZANGL, Andreas KRUCK and Hylke DIJKSTRA. International organization. Third edition. London: Macmillan international higher education, 2019, xiv, 285. ISBN 9781137610041. info
  • The Oxford handbook of international organizations. Edited by Jacob Katz Cogan - Ian Hurd - Ian Johnstone. First edition published. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016, xcvii, 124. ISBN 9780199672202. info
  • BERRIDGE, Geoff. Diplomacy : theory and practice. 4th ed. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, xv, 282. ISBN 9780230229600. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, readings, class discussions, debate with a professional diplomat, simulation
Assessment methods
Reading quizzes, position paper, active participation in the MUN and its reflection
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: This course is not available for exchange students.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/IREb1012