Workshop in International Relations, Security and Global Order

Course Objective

Learning outcomes:

A. Knowledge and understanding - The student has acquired knowledge and
understanding of:
(1) how to critically unpack international relations and social science
literature and assess their methodological and scientific value.
(2) how to understand and situate various scholarly debates in
international relations, global order and security.
(3) how to be conversant in different methodological ways to approach
research problems in international relations.

B. Skills - The student has acquired the skills to:
(4) apply the methodological and scientific skills acquired in the
course to their own research projects.
(5) work independently as well as in groups

C. Attitude – The student displays:
(6) an understanding that research is an iterative process which needs
continuous revision
(7) the ability to be self-critical to be able to maximize feedback from
peers and instructors

Course Content

The workshop aims to train students in doing political science research
within the field of International Relations, Security and Global Order.
The course starts by examining as a class, and in small groups, key
issues, concepts, and debates through selected thematic readings. It
provides, fore-mostly, a critical lens for analyzing current
developments, trends, and puzzles in international relations and
security studies. Besides exposing students to existing research in the
field, the course also directs attention to under-appreciated topics in
mainstream political science research, including the role of non-Western
actors in international politics and post-truth politics. It does so
while exploring events in light of ongoing global dynamics such as the
climate change and global migration. In the final weeks, based on the
insights acquired, students are expected to design and carry out small
research projects. In this way, substantive knowledge is deepened while
training students ’on the spot’ to further develop (research) skills and
competences within the setting of a research practical. The main aim of
the workshop is thus to train students in the practice of political
science research, bringing familiarity to different empirical,
meta-theoretical and methodological issues while capacitating students
to undertake their own projects in terms of research design; choice of
research methods; data collection and empirical analysis; causality,
inference and interpretation.

Additional Information Teaching Methods

Seminars

Method of Assessment

Class participation and written assignment(s). All parts must be graded
with a pass.

Entry Requirements

Participation in Selected Issues: Global Political Economy and
Geopolitics or Selected Issues: International Security Studies

Literature

To be announced in the course manual (see CANVAS).

Additional Information Target Audience

Mandatory course for Master students Political Science in the
specialisation International Relations, Security and Global Order.