Description
This seminar explores various ways to understand and explain international organization – in other words, “what makes the world hang together” (Ruggie 1998) despite the absence of a world government. This includes various understandings of why and how states and other transnational actors develop rules and organizations to govern world politics, how and when these rules and organizations shape the behaviour of state and non-state actors and thus the management of global challenges, and how patterns of international organization interact with power transitions and other forms of global change. We will only discuss the mandates, structures, functions and evolution of particular international organisations (with an ‘s’ at the end) when needed to understand the dynamics of international organization (without an ‘s’).
Course Objectives
Objective 1: To deepen students’ understanding of the sources, the effects, and the limitations of international organization in contemporary world politics, including formal inter-governmental organizations like the United Nations or the World Trade Organization, informal inter-governmental organizations like the BRICS or the G-20, non-governmental organizations like Amnesty International or Greenpeace, hybrid organizations involving state and non-state actors like the Internet Governance Forum, and international norms and rules that exist independently of any international bureaucracy.
Objective 2: To stimulate students to think theoretically about the topic(s) they are considering for their MSc thesis project.
Objective 3: To give students an analytical foundation for careers in research, advocacy or policy-making on topics related to international organization and global governance.
Methods of instruction and communication
Class sessions will involve lecture, plenary discussions and small group exercises. Students are expected to complete assigned readings and submit written assignments by the deadlines and to make informed contributions to discussion.
Brightspace is the principal means of e-communication in this course. Students are responsible for all information posted there, so they should read all documents posted there at the start of the block and check their email (linked to Brightspace) regularly for new announcements.
Study material
Readings will be drawn from scholarly books and journal articles available via the university library or the internet.
Assessment method
Grades will be based upon seminar participation (25%) and three essays on assigned readings (25% each).
Admission requirements
This course is open only to students enrolled in the ‘international organization’ specialization within the MSc Political Science program. Students can take this course only once in their academic year.
Registration
See 'Practical Information'
Timetable
See 'MyTimetable'