The objective of the course is to provide students with the foundational knowledge of International Relations theory that will serve as the basis for the Master in International Relations (MIR) and the Erasmus Mundus MAPP by demonstrating the diversity of theories that reflect the complexity of world politics. Additionally, each lecture is structured around a central set of questions that serves to demonstrate how theories can be applied to the sorts of questions that IR as a discipline is preoccupied with. The questions considered may be regarded as perennial and constitutive of the field of IR. There are other courses, such as Contemporary Issues in International Relations (1007) for the MIR students, that will address specific themes that interest you.

Students of the Mundus MAPP degrees will take an additional 2 ECTS (6x2h) with Professor Pablo Pareja bringing the total teaching on IR theory to 8 ECTS, as required by your programme.

While no previous knowledge is assumed, the course nevertheless swiftly covers the necessary content to develop a comprehensive understanding of how International Relations theories have developed over the last 100 years. Beginning with realism and liberalism, and moving on to sociological-based theories and critical theories, students will learn about the similarities and differences between them, and how they can be applied to important questions regarding the world. The latter part of the course is focused on critically engaging with the Western-centric history of IR as a discipline and the extent to which it is fit for purpose in the mid-twentieth first century.

Assessment

The overall grade for this course is calculated based on the four tasks listed below. For (2) and (3) the deadline is 23.59 hours of the day stated. There is a 0.5-point (out of 10) reduction of the essay grade for submission during successive 24h periods. 

• The first is an assessment of participation in the six seminar groups. It is based on the personal development of the student’s ability to participate, and the qualitative nature of interventions, be they in group discussions, presentations or other forms of discursive interaction. It is worth 10% of the final grade.

• The second is a short review (up to 1000 words) of a key reading from one seminar that critically assesses the article, or compares it to other texts from the 1006 syllabus. The assignment must be submitted up to one week after the seminar class corresponding to the text. It is worth 20% of the final grade.

• The third is an essay between 2000 and 2500 words in December 2024. The exact deadline will be confirmed in class. A list of questions will be circulated in October 2024. It is worth 30% of the final grade.

• The fourth is an exam during exam week (February 2025). It is worth 40% of the final grade.

Competences, learning outcomes and teaching activities (PDF)