Checking date: 19/05/2024


Course: 2024/2025

International Relations
(19318)
Master in Social Sciences (Plan: 481 - Estudio: 325)
EPC


Coordinating teacher: OZEL SERBETÇI, ISIK

Department assigned to the subject: Social Sciences Department

Type: Electives
ECTS Credits: 6.0 ECTS

Course:
Semester:




Objectives
Knowledge: K-1. Advanced knowledge and understanding of the processes of economic, social, and political change, as well as the structures that constitute societies (markets, families, institutions) from an analytical, methodological, and empirical perspective. K-4. Knowledge of comparative analysis and historical analysis applied in the major scientific contributions in Social Sciences. K-5. Knowledge of the internal logic of a scientific publication, examining the clarity of exposition, as well as the consistency between theory, analytical strategy, indicators, results, and conclusions. K-10. Advanced knowledge and understanding of the economic, social, and institutional bases of the functioning of political regimes. Skills: S-1. Ability to synthesize the main theories and empirical contributions in one or more contemporary debates from an interdisciplinary perspective. S-4. Ability to select and apply the method of comparison or historical analysis to the study of a political, economic, or social phenomenon. S-5. Skill in organizing and expressing ideas clearly and unambiguously, and in supporting theoretical arguments on a topic through critical analysis of the literature. S-10. Understand the origin of the institutions of different regimes and their effects on the functioning of the political system. Competencies: C-1. Ability to apply knowledge on existing theoretical and empirical debates in an original development of one's own ideas in a context of academic or applied research. C-4. Ability to select cases and apply the comparative method and/or historical analysis when providing an empirical response to a research question within the framework of applied or academic research. C-5. Ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of scientific publications in an area of study and to justify the advancement in the knowledge frontier that is intended to be achieved in the research project. C-10. Ability to apply theoretical knowledge and methodological advances on the subject in the development of a research paper in the area of Political Science.
Skills and learning outcomes
Description of contents: programme
1. Anarchy and cooperation in the international system. 2. Theoretical models of wars between states: security dilemma, spiral model, incomplete information, ¿commitments¿. 3. Empirical analysis of wars and military disputes. 4. Democratic peace. 5. The determinants of civil wars. 6. The logic of violence in civil conflicts: types of insurgency and types of violence. 7. Peace processes and peace missions. 8. The effectiveness of international organizations in security problems. 9. Terrorist violence. 10. Suicide terrorism. 11. The principles of international political economy. 12. Globalization. 13. Development aid policies. 14. International trade and the political regime. 15. Economic sanctions. 16. Determinants of foreign investment. 17. Monetary regimes.
Learning activities and methodology
Training activities: AF1 - Theoretical class AF3 - Theoretical-practical class: learning theoretical content on mathematics, statistics, and causal inference. AF5 - Tutoring: the possibility of establishing weekly meetings with the professor teaching the course. AF6 - Individual student work. Teaching Methodologies: MD1 - Lectures in class by the professor with the support of computer and audiovisual media, in which the main concepts of the subject are developed. MD2 - Critical reading of texts recommended by the subject professor: press articles, reports, manuals, and/or academic articles. MD4 - Presentation and discussion in class, under the moderation of the professor, on topics related to the content of the subject, as well as practical cases. MD5 - Preparation of papers and reports individually or in groups.
Assessment System
  • % end-of-term-examination 60
  • % of continuous assessment (assigments, laboratory, practicals...) 40

Calendar of Continuous assessment


Basic Bibliography
  • Arreguín-Toft, Ivan. . How the Weak Win Wars. A Theory of Asymmetric Conflict. . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . 2005.
  • Balcells, Laia. . Rivalry and Revenge. The Politics of Violence during Civil War. . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . 2017.
  • Cederman, Lars-Erik, Kristian Gleditsch & Halvard Buhaug. . Inequality, Grievances, and Civil War. . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . 2013.
  • Fearon, James & David Laitin. . "Ethnicity, Insurgency & Civil War.¿ . American Political Science Review, 97(1): 75-90. . 2003.
  • Fearon, James. . ¿Rationalist Explanations for War.¿ . International Organization, 49 (3): 379-414. . 1995.
  • Gambetta, Diego (ed). . Suicide Missions. . Oxford: Oxford University Press. . 2016.
  • Hoffman, Bruce. . Inside Terrorism. . New York: Columbia University Press. . 1998.
  • Kalyvas, Stathis. . The Logic of Violence in Civil War. . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . 2004.
  • Levy, Jack S. & William R. Thompson. . Causes of War. . London: Wiley-Blackwell. . 2010.
  • Morris, Ian. . War. What Is It Good For? . London: Profile. . 2014.
  • Pinker, Steven. . The Better Angels of Our Nature. Why Violence Has Declined. . London: Penguin. . 2011.
  • Rodrik, Daniel. . The Globalization Paradox. . Oxford: Oxford University Press. . 2011.
  • Shapiro, Jacob. . The Terrorist¿s Dilemma. . Princeton: Princeton University Press. . 2013.

The course syllabus may change due academic events or other reasons.