Contemporary Issues in International Relations
Etablissement : ESPOL European School of Political and Social Sciences
Langue : Anglais
Formation(s) dans laquelle/lesquelles le cours apparait :
Période : S6
Course objectives
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To provide knowledge of the key issues and academic debates defining international relations in the 21st century
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To deepen student understanding of the main analytical and conceptual approaches in IR
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To study the main actors, structures and ideas shaping international relations today
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To identify and recognise the most relevant challenges of international relations, and critically evaluate the solutions to key global problems
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To provide a comparative perspective on contemporary developments in Europe and the Indo-Pacific through region-specific case-studies, as well as inter-regional analysis
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To connect theoretical insights with real-world cases and contemporary policy debates
Course assessment
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Travaux diriges (30% of the final course mark)
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Mid-term exam (20% of the final course mark)
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Final exam (50% of the final course mark)
This course introduces students to the most topical issues, and major academic and policy debates that define international relations in the 21st century. The course places particular emphasis on examining developments in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, where many of today’s most pressing global challenges are concentrated. The course equips students with the necessary conceptual tools to understand and critically reflect on international relations today, while also bridging theoretical analysis with region-specific case-studies from a comparative perspective. Key course topics include the rise of China and its rivalry with the United States; the war in Ukraine and tensions between Russia and the West; issues of economic and maritime security; nationalism, populism and identity politics; and challenges to multilateral cooperation and the liberal international order. Throughout the course students will develop an in-depth understanding of how regional differences in prioritising and addressing contemporary international issues are shaped by the specific historical, geopolitical and institutional context of each region. Students will also engage with debates on possible responses to, and policy implications of various challenges for stability in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
