Class Introduction to International Relations

This CU aims to help students deepen their understanding of IR, leading them to question (pre)concepts relating to international phenomena. It discusses the main theoretical debates in IR, the context of its development, its main concerns, and how these relate to its empirical dimension, both historical and contemporary. It seeks to provide a set of perspectives/tools at their disposal, preparing them for a critical and sustained analysis of international phenomena, stimulating research based on themes and cases within the framework of IR, and promoting reasoned debate and thematic discussion with a critical sense.

Not applicable

Module 1: Defining the field of study What are International Relations? (Conceptual analysis and the boundaries of the field). The relationship between international politics, the nation-state, and the global order. Module 2: Genesis and evolution of the discipline The historical origins of the discipline of International Relations. Major traditions of thought (Realism and Liberalism). The Great Debates and their impact on the evolution of the discipline. Module 3: Globalizing International Relations Eurocentrism in IR and the need for global perspectives. The impact of non-state actors and global governance. Voices and approaches from the Global South. Module 4: Changing agendas: theory and practice The transition from traditional agendas (security, war, and diplomacy) to emerging agendas (climate change, global political economy, human rights, and cybersecurity). The dynamic interplay between theoretical formulation and practical policy implementation.

Debates, simulations and written exercises in class will be a driving force of the methodologies supporting the teaching-learning process. Lectures and/or study visits, with reports, will bring students closer to the tasks they will perform in their future professions.

Baylis, J., Smith, S., Owens, P. (2022). The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations. 9ª Edição, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Devetak, R., George, J., Percy, S. (eds.) (2017). An Introduction to International Relations. 3ª Edição, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Grieco, J., Ikenberry, G. J., Mastanduno, M. (2022). Introduction to International Relations: Perspectives, Connections and Enduring Questions. 3ª Edição, Londres: Bloomsbury Academic. Jackson, R., Sørensen, G. (2013). Introduction to International Relations: Theories and Approaches. 5ª Edição, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Young, J. e Kent, J. (2020) International relations since 1945. 3ª Edição, Oxford: Oxford University Press.