MVZ411 Modern Theories of International Relations

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
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: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Tue 16:00–17:40 U35
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! MVE401 Modern Theories of IR
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
The course is designed as a summary of the modern theories of international relations, as they developed from the 1980s. Its goal is to acquaint the students with the dominant development trends in the field of theories of international relations, with their basic characteristics and some up-to-date issues. Throughout the course the students should also learn to independently analyze modern theories and the issues which are stressed within them.
Syllabus
  • 1) Introduction and issuing of tasks
  • 2) Genesis of IR theories up to the 1980s Literature: Brown (1997), s.21-37, 40-58, 36 s.
  • 3) The current state of IR theory - neo-neo synthesis
  • 4) The current state of IR theory – main debates, epistemology Literature: Weaver, Ole, The rise and fall of the inter-paradigm debate, in Smith, Booth, Zalewski (1996), s.149-185, 32 s., Baldwin (1993), s.3-25, 23 s., Kořan, Michal in Pšeja (2005), s.145-158, 14 s., Cox, Robert W., Social Forces, States and World Orders: Beyond International Relations Theory, in Keohane (1986), s.204-254, 51 s.; Smith, Steve, Positivism and beyond, in Smith, Booth, Zalewski (1996), s.11-44, 28 s. (altogether 148 s.)
  • 5) (Neo)realism, its critics, competition and realist tradition at the beginning of the 21st century Literature: Waltz, Kenneth N., Theory of International Politics, McGraw-Hill, New York 1979, s.1-78, 78 s.; Ashley, Richard K., The Poverty of Neorealism, in Keohane (1986), s.255-300, 45 s.; Brooks, Stephen G., Dueling Realisms, International Organization 3/97, s. 445-477, 32 s.(altogether 155 s.)
  • 6) Post-positivistic theory I. – historical sociology, normative theory, critical theory Literature: Hobson, Hobden (2002), s.223-243, 21 s., Burchill, Linklater (2001), s.155-175, 21 s., Cochran (1999), s.1-18, 18 s., Konečná, Kuchyňková in Pšeja (2005), s.94-126, 33 s. (altogether 93 s.)
  • 7) Post-positivistic theory II. - postmodernism, feminism Literature: Burchill, Linklater (2001), s.231-265, 35 s., Tickner (2003), s.275-291, 17 s., George (1994), s.191-220, 30 s. (altogether 82 s.)
  • 8) Variations of social constructivism
  • 9) Criticisms of social constructivism Literature: Burchill, Linklater (2001), s.209-228, 20 s., Hynek, Nikola in Pšeja (2005), s.129-141, 13 s., Copeland, Dale C. in Guzzini, Leander (2006), s.1-20, 20 s., Wendt, Alexander, Anarchy is what States Make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics, International Organization 2/92, 35 s.; Adler, Emanuel, Seizing the Middle Ground: Constructivism in World Politics, European Journal of International Relations 3/1997, s.319-363, 43 s.; Guzzini, Stefano, A Reconstruction of Constructivism in International Relations, European Journal of International Relations, 2/00, s.147-182, 34 s. (altogether 165 s.)
  • 10) The issue of the agent-structure relation in IR theory Literature: Wendt, Alexander, The Agent-Structure Problem in International Relations Theory, International Organization 3/87, 36 s.; Dessler, David, What's at Stake in the Agent-Structure Debate?, International Organization 3/89, 33 s.; Wendt, Alexander, Social Theory of International Politics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2001, s.139-190, 52 s. (altogether 121 s.)
  • 11) Epistemic communities – future of IR? Literature: Haas, Peter M., Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Coordination, International Organization 1/92, s. 1-36, 35 s.; Adler, Emanuel, Haas, Peter M., Conclusion: Epistemic Communities, World Order, and the Creation of a Reflective Research Program, International Organization 1/92, s. 367-390, 23 s.; Hynek, Nikola, Epistémická společenství a jejich role ve (světové) politice, Politologický časopis, 2/04, s. 134-148, 15 s. (altogether 73 s.)
  • 12) Theory and practice: application of theories in selected case studies No literature.
  • 13) Concluding discussion, evaluation of the course.
Literature
  • International theory : positivism and beyond. Edited by Steve Smith - Ken Booth - Marysia Zalewski. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999, xiv, 362. ISBN 0521479487. info
  • WENDT, Alexander. Social theory of international politics. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999, xv, 429. ISBN 0521469600. info
  • WALTZ, Kenneth Neal. Theory of international politics. 1st ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1979, 251 s. ISBN 0075548526. info
Assessment methods
Course outputs 1) Active participation in discussions assuming that students who do not have a presentation in the particular seminar will write a commentary on the presentation or presentations to a given date (points suffice, one page maximum). Only one absence on the seminars is allowed. 2) Presentation: each student will have one presentation (around 15 minutes), the presentation constitutes of a critique or analysis of a selected theory or its individual aspect, alternatively of the application of a selected theory or approach on a specific issue in current international politics. Presentations are uploaded into the IS no later than 3 days before the corresponding seminar. Details will be given at the first meeting. 3) Essays: are an analysis of a selected issue, the subject of the essay must be related to the content of the course, the topic must be reported by 11.11. The length is approximately 10 pages.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Předmět nezapisují studenti, kteří ho již absolvovali pod kódem MVE401.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2008/MVZ411