Global Transformations and Governance Challenges, 2025-2026 - Prospectus

This course is earmarked for PTLJ, NECD, IP, and is offered in The Hague

Admission Requirements

Open to students on the MSc Crisis and Security Management (Institute of Security and Global Affairs) and the MA International Politics (Institute of Political Science)

Description

This course explores how major world-scale changes in contemporary society are governed – and could be governed. These global transformations include geopolitical shifts, ecological changes, technological innovations, pandemics, demographic trends, economic restructuring, reconfigured identities, and altered forms of violence and peacebuilding. The course considers what kinds of rules address global transformations, who makes those rules, through what processes, and with what consequences. We also assess the legitimacy (both empirical and normative) of current arrangements for governing global transformations, as a basis for thinking about alternative ways to handle global challenges for the future.

Course Objectives

Knowledge

to identify a full array of governance arrangements that address contemporary global transformations
to assess a variety of theories (explanatory as well as normative) regarding the governance of global transformations
Insight
to formulate and defend their own explanation of the governance of contemporary global transformations
to articulate and justify their own criteria for normative evaluation of governance arrangements for contemporary global transformations
Skills
to research – both individually and in a group – a particular scenario of governing contemporary global transformations
to present a cogent analysis – interweaving both theory and evidence – of the governance of contemporary global transformations
to communicate such an analysis effectively, both orally and in writing

Mode of Instruction

The course consists of seven lectures, class discussion, and working groups.

Asessment Method

Class participation: 10% of final grade

Group policy memo: 20% of final grade

Individual essay, 3000 words: 70% of final grade

A cumulative grade of at least 5.5 is required to pass the course.

Literature

To be announced on BrightSpace.

Registration

See 'Practical Information

Timetable

See 'MyTimetable'

Contact

prof.dr. Jan Aart Scholte
scholteja@vuw.leidenuniv.nl

Transferable skills

Researching

Acquiring knowledge by systematically and methodically inquiring into a situation or concept, making use of methods appropriate to the academic field or discipline.

Analysing

Analysing situations or information and deciding what is of major and lesser importance. Seeing interrelationships and getting to the core of the matter.

Collaborating

Contributing to a joint result with other people or groups, even when this is not in your own personal interest.

Oral communication

Making ideas and information clear to others through spoken words, using comprehensible language and checking that the message has been understood.

Written communication

Setting out ideas and information clearly in writing, taking account of the relevant target group and in such a way that the message is received and understood.

Presenting

Conveying ideas and information clearly to an audience, taking account of the target group and using appropriate supporting materials and platforms.

Societal awareness

Being well-informed about societal, political and discipline-related developments and being aware of own role and influence within these developments.

Reflecting

Critically evaluating own and others’ behaviour, viewpoints or methods, and being open to evaluation by others. Being able to learn from these evaluations by changing own behaviour, viewpoints or methods.

Independent learning

Self-directing own process of absorbing and applying new knowledge and information.

Available as

A la Carte

Contract

Elective choice

Evening course

Exchange / Study Abroad

Honours Class