MVZ800 Introduction into International Relations

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Pavel Pšeja, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Oldřich Krpec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
PhDr. David Müller, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Petr Ocelík, Ph.D. (assistant)
Mgr. Srdjan Prtina (assistant)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Pavel Pšeja, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Fri 27. 11. 12:00–13:40 Aula
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 focuses on introduction of notions and terms that are used in the discipline of IR; it also aims at explaining the positions of the main actors in the international domain, characterizing the most frequently employed approaches to international relations and offering students a survey of the development and trends within the discipline. At the end of this course, students should be able to use exact terms; be well informed about the main problems and trends, which are being discussed, and interpret correctly main processes within the discipline of IR.
Syllabus
  • THE UPGRADED SYLLABUS, WHICH IS SOLELY VALID FOR THIS COURSE FOR AUTUMN 2008, IS AVAILABLE IN THE IS SYSTEM UNDER CODE OF THE COURSE IN THE SECTION “STUDY MATERIALS”. 1) Introduction 2) Character, subject and methods of the discipline of the IR: character of the discipline, level of analysis, main fields of research during the development of the discipline, key ways of understanding of the IR, main actors. 3) Actors: (national) state versus non-state actors (IGO, NGO etc.), features of state, its historical development, the classification of non-state actors, the specification of certain types of non-state actors, main issues connected with their activities and approaches to the state. 4) The international system and its historical development: stages of development, their characteristics and main problems that are occurring within. 5) Power and security in the international system: the character of power in the international system, the importance of anarchy, the influence of the balance of power, the distribution of power, the hegemony, the issue of alliances, various concepts and visions of security. 6) Foreign policy, interest and goals: basic models of foreign policy, their content, other particular dilemmas influencing creation of foreign policy including psychological aspects, national interest, practical tools of foreign policy. 7) Recapitulation, first graded test. 8) Conflict and their solution I.: causes of war, rules of warfare, claiming the rights, functions of war, armament and disarmament, characteristic of conflict, prevention of conflict. 9) Conflict and their solution II. 10) International political economy: economy in developed world, the role of economy in the IR, key economic processes in contemporaneous world, IPE as a key group of IR, the development of world economy after the second world war. 11) Globalization: forms, advantages, risks, character of globalization, its features, the role of nationalism as one of the main factors influencing the course of globalization. 12) “Civic society” in the international realms?: creation, origins and possibilities of international law, its historical traditions, specific role of human rights issue, the function of international courts. 13) The third world in global politics: the dilemma of North-South relations, foreign investment in developing world, main problems of developing countries (poverty, insolvency etc.), role of the third world in international politics, the question of humanitarian help.
Literature
  • The globalization of world politics : an introduction to international relations. Edited by John Baylis - Steve Smith - Patricia Owens. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005, xxxvii, 81. ISBN 0199271186. URL info
  • GOLDSTEIN, Joshua S. International relations. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2003, xxvii, 593. ISBN 0-321-08875-1. info
  • PLECHANOVOVÁ, Běla. Úvod do mezinárodních vztahů :výběr textů. Translated by Vladimír Petkevič - Běla Plechanovová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Institut pro středoevropskou kulturu a politiku, 2003, 288 s. ISBN 80-86130-22-3. info
  • VIOTTI, Paul R. and Mark V. KAUPPI. International relations and world politics :security, economy, identity. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2001, xvi, 528 s. ISBN 0-13-017277-4. info
  • WAISOVÁ, Šárka. Úvod do studia mezinárodních vztahů. Edited by Markéta Šálená. 1. vyd. Dobrá Voda: Aleš Čeněk, 2002, 159 s. ISBN 80-86473-16-3. info
  • WAISOVÁ, Šárka. Řešení konfliktů v mezinárodních vztazích. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2005, 206 s. ISBN 8071783900. info
Assessment methods
During the course one joint consultation will be realized at the end of the semester. This studying model imposes increased demands to the students, who are expected to read and understand submitted texts. All tests and exams are realized solely with regard to the information based upon the obligatory bibliography. Final evaluation, which students receive at the end of the course, is a sum of points granted for successful fulfilling of following duties: first graded test (25 points), second graded test (25 points), written exam (50 points). The maximum possible profit is of 100 points. To pass the course successfully 61 points are needed.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2009/MVZ800