Entry requirements

Political Science advanced level or equivalent education.

Learning outcomes

The goal of this course is to introduce postgraduate students to selected parts of the contemporary theoretical literature on International Relations (IR) by focusing on research based monographs rather than advanced textbooks -- written primarily for professional academics within the field. The rationale for this focus is to give students a first-hand opportunity to get an informed picture of the current state of the art of central (if selected) aspects of this sub-field within political science, including some of its major debates and ongoing theoretical controversies. In so doing, the course also aims to give them an opportunity to practise and to increase their ability to conceptualise and theoretically analyse the empirical domain of international politics in a critical, scientific and independent manner.

Content

The course will consist of research monographs dealing with various aspects of the sub-field, including current debates between approaches such as realism and social constructivism, the USA and the international system, the role and characteristics of non-state actors, normative issues in international relations, as well as gender-based approaches in world politics.

Instruction

The course will be based on the seminar form, which in addition to active participation includes the writing of a short weekly paper, an oral presentation, as well as a longer term paper which will be jointly discussed at the end of the course. The language of instruction will be English.

Assessment

Course grades will be based on the weekly papers, the oral presentation, seminar participation in general and -- most importantly -- the term paper.

Other regulations

Admission to either the Master's programme in Political Science and International Studies, or the PhD programme in Political Science.

This is one of the four main sub-fields which will be offered each autumn term, and can either be included as part of the requirements for the Master's degree in Political Science and International Studies (Political Science), or as part of the course requirements for the PhD in Political Science.