Admission requirements
This course is open to all students who are enrolled in the Master Public Administration (max 30). Completion of a prior bachelor level course in international politics, international law or international organisations is strongly recommended.
Description
This course deals with global and regional organizations that are active in maintaining peace and security, and protecting human rights and environment. While the focus is on UN institutions and their policy agenda, the importance of topical questions of international politics should not be neglected. UN-led peace operations around the globe, the developments in Eastern Europe, Africa and in the turbulent Eastern Mediterranean region and the modern global financial system have been among the topics this course has traditionally dealt with.
Course objectives
To better understand the role of the UN and other international organizations in maintaining peace and security
To better understand the complexity of the current global issues and the policy questions which have to be solved in the fields mentioned above.
To establish a mental road-map on how to approach real-world problems of international relations
To critically evaluate and apply IR theories in real-world case studies
Timetable
On the Public Administration front page of the E-guide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Blackboard.
Mode of instruction
After about six hours of lectures and discussions, as well as studying the textbook, participants do individual research on topical questions concerning violent conflicts, peace operations, environmental issues, poverty, hunger and other pressing questions. Students write research papers and present these in class.
Course Load
140 hours total.
Lectures (partly in seminar format, including presentations): 21 (7× 3) hours.
Self-study: 119 hours (including reading / research for paper)
Assessment method
The final grade is the weighted average of:
Written exam: 34%
Individual paper: 33%
Individual presentation: 33%
The students will perform their presentations on the date of their preference after consultation with the Professor and the course coordinator.
The students have to submit their individual research paper a week after the exam.
Resit
Students will be permitted to resit an examination if they have a mark lower than 5.5 or with permission of the Board of Examiners.
If students fail in their presentation, they will have to perform an additional presentation in the first week of June (after consultation with the Professor and the course coordinator).
If students fail in their paper, they will have to submit an additional paper in June 2017 (deadline 25 June 2017).
Blackboard
The Blackboard page will be available at the latest 2 weeks before the start of the course. All course materials will be communicated through blackboard.
Reading list
Weiss Th, Forsythe D., Coate R., Pease K.K (7th ed. 2013) The United Nations and Changing World Politics, Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, and other materials handed out during the course.
Registration
Use both uSis and Blackboard to register for every course.
Register for every course and workgroup via uSis. Some courses and workgroups have a limited number of participants, so register on time (before the course starts). In uSis you can access your personal schedule and view your results. Registration in uSis is possible from four weeks before the start of the course.
Also register for every course in Blackboard. Important information about the course is posted here.
Contact
Vasileios P. Karakasis
v.karakasis@gmail.com