International Relations and Global Governance

Doel vak

Learning outcomes:

A. Knowledge and understanding – The student has acquired knowledge and
understanding of:
(1) the rival theories and approaches within the discipline of
International Relations (IR) and their meta-theoretical foundations,
such as Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, Marxism, Post structuralism
and Feminism.
(2) the most important characteristics of these different theoretical
perspectives and are able to relate them key thinkers within these
approaches.
(3) how and why interstate relations and global governance - within the
context of ongoing globalization - affects national states and
societies, and how different actors, such as states, government leaders,
Multinational Companies, and NGOs, collaborate and conflict within these
transnational processes;
(4) contemporary world politics and pertinent themes such as migration,
security, the rise of China and emerging powers, international law, the
global political economy, climate change and (under)development and can
apply and contrast the different theoretical perspectives of IR to case
studies and questions related to these contemporary issues.

B. Skills - The student has acquired the skills to:
(5) apply their knowledge of the conceptual and theoretical toolbox of
IR and of contemporary issues to cases such as war, refugee flows,
global climate talks, terrorism, the financial crisis, the role of the
UN in humanitarian interventions.

C. Attitude - The student displays:
(6) critically reflection upon the rival theoretical approaches in the
discipline of IR.

Inhoud vak

This course offers a comprehensive overview of the discipline and
subject of International Relations (IR) and its main concepts and
theories and approaches. Throughout, the course will be guided by the
question to which extent, and how, the current process of globalization
is changing the nature and content of world politics, approaching this
question from the various competing theoretical perspectives that IR has
to offer.

Traditionally, the object of study for IR has been the conflict between
and co-operation of sovereign states. This model is, however,
increasingly regarded as outdated inasmuch as more and more non-state
actors such as multinationals, NGOs and transnational social movements
appear to play a prominent role in world politics. In addition, we can
also observe transnational forms of regulation through international
organizations and emerging structures of what is called ‘global
governance’.

The question has been raised whether in the face of these processes of
globalization and transnationalisation, states have lost the sovereignty
that used to be the basis of the international system. On the other
hand, there are still many instances where state power is very visible.
Indeed, recent geopolitical developments and events related to for
instance the rise of China have also once more brought home the message
that classical themes of interstate rivalry and international security
have not lost their relevance in this new era.

In this course the focus will be on seeking to understand these
questions from various theoretical lenses. Students will learn how
different perspectives highlight different structures and different
actors and processes, and how a deeper knowledge of these theories and
their main concepts allows for a deeper understanding of the richness of
IR and its relation to the rest of the social sciences, and of the
complexity of today’s globalized world politics.

Aanvullende informatie onderwijsvormen

Lectures

Toetsvorm

Final exam

Literatuur

Baylis, J., Smith, S. & Owens, P. (Eds) (2020). The Globalization of
World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations. 8th Edition.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Aanvullende informatie doelgroep

Second year’s Bachelor students in Political Science, track Global
Politics
Second year’s Bachelor students in Political Science, specialization
Mondiale Politiek