INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Module INSTITUTIONS, ACTORS AND POLICIES OF THE GLOBAL SYSTEM

The International Relations subject provides the political science tools to understand and explain international political phenomena and the functioning of international politics paying specific attention to the various actors that address the problems in the global political agenda. 

Teaching relies upon lectures and webinars provided by guest speakers with specific knowledge on the addressed topic. 

This subject requires a good knowledge of the key political science concepts and of contemporary history. 

Attendance is not compulsory but strongly recommended. 

LECTURES ON: INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS 

The construction of the global political system; order and disorder in the current political system. The main paradigms and IR theoretical approaches. The relevant topics of IR: war and peace in IR; international cooperation; regionalism and multilateralism; globalization; the crisis of the liberal order. 

ACTORS AND POLICIES OF THE GLOBAL SYSTEM 

State and non-state actors, international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), global civil society;  the global political agenda and security issues, especially the European security strategy; global problems such as migration, climate change, the crisis of democracy at the global level.

SEMINARS on specific topics will be held alongside lectures. Articles selected from journals such as Paradoxa, Poliarchie, De Europa, etc will be presented in class by students who will act as rapporteurs.

Compulsory readings:

Attinà Fulvio , La complessa transizione dell'ordine mondiale, in Paradoxa, XVII, 2, 2023, pp. 25-37.

Diodato E. (a cura di) (ultima edizione), Relazioni internazionali. Dalle tradizioni alle sfide, Carocci ed., Roma, pp. 19-63.

Grieco J, G . J. Ikenberry, M. Mastanduno, Introduzione alle relazioni internazionali. Domande fondamentali e prospettive contemporanee, Utet, Torino 2017, pp. 37-83; 303-339.

Further readings: 

Attinà F. (2022). Mediterranean Security and the World Policies. The Overlooked Link. In: Panebianco, S. (eds) Border Crises and Human Mobility in the Mediterranean Global South. Critical Security Studies in the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. 

S. Lucarelli, Cala il sipario sull'ordine liberale? Crisi di un sistema che ha cambiato il mondo 2020 (Milano, Vita e Pensiero)

V.E. Parsi, Titanic. Naufragio o cambio di rotta per l'ordine liberale, 2022, Il Mulino, Bologna

The final written exam seeks to address the fundamental questions raised during the class lectures. Students' interaction in class is more than welcome and will be duly evaluated.  

Define the global political system.

Illustrate the main IR theoretical traditions.  

Roles and functions of state and non-state actors.

Define the global political agenda and identify the main problems in the agenda.