International Relations Theory

Presentation

To transmit to the Students knowledge aimed to training specialized and competent professionals to defend and assume national and international representation functions. From this view, students are expected to acquire theoretical and practical capacity to act and assume decision-making responsibility, in normal or intense environments during conflicts or crises in a IR continuous transformation in Space and Time in which the European scenario is crucial. It is intended that they may face this troubled age, where globalization has accelerated everything and where the Law of Increasing Complexity reigns, notably in Diplomatic Negotiations, due to the plurality of behaviour inherent to the diverse Actors and geopolitical and geostrategic changes. These happen in a world political map of Powers affirmation where they tend to confront each others, in the ideological, cultural and religious fields of politics and in the conquest of economic, technological and financial markets.

Part of this Programme

European Studies and International Relations

Level of Qualification|Semesters|ECTS

| Semestral | 6

Year | Type of course unit | Language

1 |Mandatory |Português

Code

ULHT450-9892

Recommended complementary curricular units

History, Geography, Political Science, International Relations and European Union History.

Prerequisites and co-requisites

n/a

Professional Internship

Não

Syllabus

1. CU methodology and main concepts.
2. International Relations - IR. Areas of interpretation.
3. IR Laws, Paradigms and Schools.
4. Theories of Power and Strength.
     1. Ways of using the Force in IR.
5. Structure of the Global Political System. Interpretation of the different types and architectures of the International systems that are integrated.
6. The relationship between Policy and Strategy and its relation with tactic.
7. Elements of geopolitical, geostrategic, geoeconomic, and geofinancial analysis.
8. The National Interest and the new dimensions of Security and Defence.
9. International integration and transnational cooperation. Blocks.
10. Globalization of the world society vis-à-vis international societies.
     1. Effects and consequences.
11. Economy and Finance Influence on the Hierarchy of States.
12. The complex management of international affairs. Diplomacy and its preponderance.
13. Portugal in the European International Relations System and in the Global System.

Objectives

To acquire specialized competences on the reality of IR, to know how to interpret the relational interaction of the actors involved in the production of international phenomena, and to relate to the paradigms and the different theories and International Relations Schools, according to the evolution and transformation of the international environment and the impact of the several actors. Develop skills to acquire conceptual bases to understand the scientific evolution of International Relations at the required university level. Acquire interpretative knowledge on the problematic of international politics where Europe is centered. To qualify the Students for the critical analysis of the world system and for the elements of societal and economics integration, based on the interdependence and relations between the different types of actors. To prepare Students for the performance of missions in the area of International Relations, particularly in the area of diplomatic negotiations.

Teaching methodologies and assessment

The continuous evaluation process was adopted according to the criterion of classification in 2 Tests: 45% for the 1st Test and 45% for the 2nd, with the final addition of 10% regarding behaviour, participation and attendance, in which 100% equal to 20 values. Work and Examinations were considered when appropriate. The methodology was aimed at stimulating the debate on key issues, clarifying doubts about specific concepts of this IRT area; and investigating the techniques, under Professor's instructions, of convert Theory to interpret the practical analysis of international events in globalization, with crises and violent conflicts for supremacy. To this end, models and practical demonstrations were used in exercises based on mathematical formulas, such as the interpretation of the Crisis Chart and its modalities in which the theory was applied to the real practice of the different international events that have occurred in the past, in progress and which are prospective in the future.

References

• Fernandes, A. - As Relações Internacionais e Portugal. Da Europa do Mundo ao Mundo da Europa, 2ªEdição, Lisboa :Prefácio, 2008, Papel.
• Gilpin, Robert - Global Political Economy: Understanding International Economic Order. 2nd Edition. Princeton  :Princeton University Press, 2001, Papel.
• Morgenthau, Hans J. - Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. 7th Edition. New York :Alfred A. Knopf, 2005, Papel.
• Moreira, Adriano - A Comunidade Internacional em Mudança. 3ª Edição, Coimbra :Almedina, 2007, Papel.
• Moreira, Adriano. - Teoria das Relações Internacionais. 6ª Edição. Coimbra :Livraria Almedina, 2008, Papel.
• Tomé, António A. - Relações Internacionais, Geopolítica e Geoestratégia: o Estudo e a Problemática. 1ª Edição. Lisboa :Edições Universitárias Lusófonas, ULHT, 2011, Papel.
• Tomé, António A. - Teoria das Relações Internacionais. 3ª Edição. Lisboa :Manual de Apoio da matéria programática de TRI, distribuído aos Alunos pelo Professor, ULHT, 2019, Word.

Office Hours