Theories of international relations and its application 1600-SZD-N-T-SM
The course surveys IR theories as they have evolved since 1945 and shows how they respond to the practical problems of international relations of the day, e.g., how America should avoid the pitfalls of isolationism, how the Free World has to deal with the Soviet Union and its expansionist ambitions, how to foster international integration, how following norms of international cooperation serves the national interest, why certain regions of the world remain underdeveloped, who will prevail in the Great Power contest for world hegemony and why, how alliances get formed, as well as how to avoid foreign policy blunders. Systemic theories of IR will be the main focus, although foreign policy decisionmaking will also be discussed.
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge: Knows and understands:
WG_01 – basic paradigms of IR theorizing: political realism, liberalism, neomarxism, postmodernism and how their interpret complex international reality.
WG_02 – key theories of IR developed within those paradigms, their application to the understanding of international relations and their limitations.
WK_01 – link between theory and practice, i.e., how various theories help understand and “resolve” key practical problems of IR as they have presented themselves.
Skills: Can:
UW_01 – make use of the theoretical approaches learned to analyze international relations, and in particular to:
define the purpose and object of research projects in the field of IR and formulate research hypothesis(es),
develop research methods, techniques and tools and apply them creatively,
make inferences based on scientific findings
UW_2 – conduct critical analysis and evaluation of research results, expert papers and other creative works and their contribution to the understanding of IR
UK_03 - initiate a debate
UK_04 - participate in scientific discourse in the field of the IR
Social competences: Is ready to:
KK_01 - critically evaluating research in IR
Assessment criteria
Description of requirements related to participation in classes, including the permitted number of explained absences: Percentage of the final grade: Class participation – 10%, Review of 2 assigned texts and presentation of the reviewed texts in class – 30%, Written final exam – 60%. Absences will result in a proportional reduction of the participation part of the final grade.
Principles for passing the classes and the subject (including make-up examination); As explained in pt. (9). Final exam and final make-up exam will be scheduled as per the Warsaw University academic calendar.
Methods for the verification of learning outcomes: observation of student participation by the instructor and grading of each of the components of the final grade.
Evaluation criteria: as explained in pt. (9). Pass for min. 65% of the grade.
Bibliography
Students will read original texts of the luminaries of IR. Specific list of readings will be contained in a detailed syllabus each student will receive by e-mail at the first class session.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: