EUP403 International Relations

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2004
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Gergana Císařová Dimitrova, M.A. (lecturer)
PhDr. Pavel Pšeja, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: MgA. Petra Šoborová
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives (in Czech)
In the first part of the course students are introduced to the most important concepts and issues in the discipline of International Relations. The second part of the course deals with the basic theories and theoretical debates in the field. Students will be invited to discuss the different theories' strengths and weaknesses. Particular emphasis is put on detecting the methodological, theoretical, and normative assumptions on which the various ways of theorizing international relations rest. This aspect of the course aims to encourage students' critical thinking and invites them to judge to what extent the understanding of the events in world politics depends on, and is even constructed by, different theories.
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • Part I: Concepts and Important Issues in the Discipline of International Relations (IR) Week 1. IR as a Science - nature of IR, definitions of the subject, developments in IR Week 2. The International System and the Actors in IR - states, non-state actors, etc. Week 3. Power and Conflict - explanation of basic notions of IR Week 4. Geopolitics Part II: Rival Theories of IR Week 5. Realism and Neorealism Week 6. Liberal theories Week 7. Pluralism, Complex Interdependence, and Neoliberal Institutionalism Week 8. Applications of Game Theory and Rational Choice in Foreign Policy Analysis Week 9. Neomarxism and World Systems Analysis Week 10. Constructivism in IR Week 11. Feminism in IR Week 12. Poststructuralism in IR
Assessment methods (in Czech)
1. Students are expected to read the required reading(s) for each seminar. If there are two or three shorter required readings rather than one long, students are expected to read all of them. The suggested reading is only for those who have special interest in the topic and is completely optional. 2. Students are encouraged to actively participate in the seminars by posing questions of clarification or bringing up problems for discussion. 3. Students are expected to write five short seminar papers (each should be 1 or 2 standard pages long) on five different seminar topics. These papers should include a summary of the main points of the required reading(s), a critique of these readings, questions of clarification and possible questions for discussion. 4. Final in-class written exam. The exam will consist of six questions based on the required readings and the discussions in class.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2004, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2004/EUP403