INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE UTILIZATION OF THE MOODLE PLATFORM IS MANDATORY AND WILL AFFECT YOUR EVALUATION. THIS COURSE IS A 'BLENDED' COURSE: MOST OF THE TEACHING WILL TAKE PLACE ONLINE. THE FORUM AND ALL ONLINE RESOURCES ARE THERE FOR YOU TO BE EXPLOITED TO THE FULLEST.

The aim of the course is to provide a broad understanding of the field of International Relations Theory and of the main dynamics of globalization. The main schools of thought within the discipline will be surveyed. Furthermore, case studies will be adopted to show how theoretical concepts are applied to better understand the international political dynamics of a specific region. In so doing, the course intends to marry tools of analysis drawn judiciously from the field of International Relations theory with a serious and detailed examination of local features and forces, as provided by the best of area studies. Students are invited to apply the concepts illustrated to a specific case in the region of their choosing, preferably connected to their thesis topic.

Learning outcomes, by the end of the course students will:
a) have acquired knowledge and understanding at an introductory undergraduate level of the major theoretical schools in international relations;
b) will be in a position to trace and understand patterns of peace and conflict;
c) will have a theoretical understanding of case studies in global politics;
d) will be able to detect long term trends in world politics;
e) will have increased their autonomy of judgment by classroom discussion;
f) will have improved their communication ability in English though classroom presentations undertaken on a volunteer basis;
g) will have an analytical understanding of world politics.
h) will be equipped to go on international exchanges with scalable skills the will enable them to take more advanced classes in the field of international relations.

Basic analytical skills, ability to access an online teaching platform.

Introduction: The four main schools of thought in International Relations Theory.
- Realism
- Idealism
- Constructivism and other critical approaches
- Marxism and critical theories

International Issues:
- Gender Issues
- Poverty, Development and Hunger
- Environmental issues
- Nuclear Proliferation

Testi di riferimento
Primary (required text):
Grieco J. and Ikenberry, J. Introduction to International Relations, London and New York, Second Edition, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
A full list of internet sources will also be distributed to students on Moodle so they can keep up with events in the international realm.
The following text is suggested for extra credit but not necessary to achieve the highest grade:
Shepherd, Laura J., Gender Matters in Global Politics: A Feminist Introduction to International Relations, Routledege, 2nd Edition, 2014.

Participation in the online fora are essential. This will sharpen your knowledge and comprehension interdisciplinary skills in line with the overall objective of the PISE program. There will be an oral exam at the end of the course but participation in the online forum and full interaction with the online material will certainly be taken into account. This mixed approach will help fulfill the learning objectives of the course. Your communication skills will be enhanced by the need to take an oral exam coupled with the need to participate in written form in the online forum. Students will be able to volunteer to make an in class presentation, individual or collective, for extra credit.

This is a blended course, an innovative platform offered by Ca' Foscari University of Venice. The second thirty hours will be conducted on the Moodle platform by the online tutor whom students should contact for every question regarding teaching issues.

Inglese

This is a blended course with thirty hours of optional classroom presence.

orale

Questo insegnamento tratta argomenti connessi alla macroarea "Cooperazione internazionale" e concorre alla realizzazione dei relativi obiettivi ONU dell'Agenda 2030 per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile