Prospectus

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Actors in World Politics (for Exchange students)

Course
2021-2022

Description

This course introduces students to the study of actors in international relations. Mainstream approaches to international politics have theorized the international as a space composed essentially of states. While addressing the central question of state formation and domination in world politics, this course will give the keys to understand the complexity and diversity of the contemporary international, composed among others, of NGOs, diasporas, pirates, mercenaries, transnational hacktivist and terrorist networks. It will conclude by assessing the possibilities and limits of a cosmopolitan society.

Course objectives

Goal 1: At the end of this course, students will possess the analytical and critical skills necessary to make sense of state and non-state actors in world politics.
Goal 2: With regard to academic skills, students who complete the course successfully should have knowledge of:

  • The general structure of an argument;

  • What makes an argument a good argument;

  • Common argumentative fallacies.
    Goal 3: With regard to academic skills, students who complete the course successfully should be able to:

  • Parse the arguments of others;

  • Evaluate the relative strength of an argument.

Mode of instruction

The lectures will consist of a lecture (hour 1) and participatory reading of the assigned text (hour 2).

Assessment method (Exchange students)

100% final exam (100% Multiple Choice questions).

The time and location of inspection and debriefing of the exam will be announced via Brightspace no later than the publication of the grades.

Reading List

Lectures:

Khagram and Levitt (2008) The Transnational Studies Reader, Routledge: New York and London

Registration

See tab 'Practical Information'

Timetable - courses and exams

Timetable

Contact

f.ragazzi@fsw.leidenuniv.nl