WORLD INSTITUTIONS AND POLICIES

This course offers political science knowledge about the policy-making institutions and policies of the contemporary world political system. Emphasis is on anticipating the change of the world order out of the crisis of the American hegemony. Upon the completion of this course, students are expected to have acquired the ability to analyse world political issues and problems and as well the ability to think critically and express their ideas concerning international relations.

Before each class, the student is required to read the chapter/s on schedule and to write a ‘discussion paper’ (max two pages) or create a PowerPoint (max 4 slides). In the discussion paper or the ppt, the student expresses his/her opinion on the chapter concepts, topics and questions (see the Schedule & Syllabus section). The paper or ppt is sent by email to the instructor before the lesson day (normally by Saturday). The course mark is based on the evaluation of the student’s active participation in the class debate and the quality of the papers or ppts.

November 11 & 14 - Introduction The world as political space and as political system (no homework)

November 18 & 21 - Session 1 – Hegemony and political change

Attinà Fulvio (2011), The global political system – Chapter 4 & 5

Questions: Is hegemony the viable solution to the problem of the world order & government? Is hegemony the fair substitute to power politics? Which cleavages create coalitions of states and cause political change in contemporary world?

November 25 & 28 - Session 2 – The American hegemony since WW II

Attinà Fulvio (2011), The global political system – Chapter 6

Questions: Does the hegemonic theory overrate the role of the United States and Western coalition in the contemporary world? Did the Western coalition underestimate the power of the centre/periphery cleavage on world order?

December 2 & 5 - Session 3 – World economic institutions and policies

• Dadush Uri (2019), Seven Predictions About the World Without the WTO, Policy Center for the New South, Policy brief 19
• Mueller Julie L. (2011), The IMF, neoliberalism, and hegemony, in “Global Society”, 25, 3, 377-402.

Questions: Do the world economic institutions respond well to the problems of the economic cleavage? Are new rising-economy states undermining the American hegemony?

December 9 & 12 - Session 4 – Security policies

Attinà Fulvio (2011), The global political system – Chapter 8

Questions: Is multilateral security taking over national security? Is security cooperation at the region level undermining the American hegemony?

December 16 & 19 - Session 5 – New world policies

Attinà Fulvio (2011), The global political system – Chapter 9

Questions: Do world institutions respond well to worldwide problems and issues? Are non-state actors major players of the new world policies?

January 13 & 16 - Session 6 – Exit from the present world order

• Chase-Dunn and Lawrence (2011), The Next Three Futures, Part Two: Possibilities of Another Round of US Hegemony, Global Collapse, or Global Democracy, in “Global Society”, 25, 3, 269-286.
• Baltensperger Michael and Uri Dadush (2019), The Belt and Road turns five, Bruegel Policy Contribution Issue n˚1.

Questions: Are the Western norms and values fundamentally under threat? Is China one of the rising powers and the challenger to U.S.? Is USA’s smooth decline a likely scenario? Why, or Why not?

January 20 & 23 - Session 7 – Exit to the next world order

• Barma Naazneen, Giacomo Chiozza, Ely Ratner, and Steven Weber (2009), A World Without the West? Empirical Patterns and Theoretical Implications, in Chinese Journal of International Politics, 2, 577–596.
• Danner Lukas K. and Martín Felix E. (2019), China's hegemonic intentions and trajectory: Will it opt for benevolent, coercive, or Dutch‐style hegemony? In Asia & Pacific Policy Studies, 1–22.

Questions: Is Non-Western world hegemony possible any time soon? What will the future world order look like?

January 27 & 30 - Conclusion

• Attinà Fulvio (2011), The global political system, Palgrave Macmillan (chapters 4, 5, 6, 8, 9) https://www.macmillanihe.com/page/detail/?sf1=barcode&st1=9781403995872

• Baltensperger Michael and Uri Dadush (2019), The Belt and Road turns five, Bruegel Policy Contribution Issue n˚1.
• Barma Naazneen, Giacomo Chiozza, Ely Ratner, and Steven Weber (2009), A World Without the West? Empirical Patterns and Theoretical Implications, in Chinese Journal of International Politics, 2, 577–596.
• Chase-Dunn and Lawrence (2011), The Next Three Futures, Part Two: Possibilities of Another Round of US Hegemony, Global Collapse, or Global Democracy, in “Global Society”, 25, 3, 269-286.
• Danner Lukas K. and Martín Felix E. (2019), China's hegemonic intentions and trajectory: Will it opt for benevolent, coercive, or Dutch‐style hegemony? In Asia & Pacific Policy Studies, 1–22.
• Mueller Julie L. (2011), The IMF, neoliberalism, and hegemony, in “Global Society”, 25, 3, 377-402.
• Dadush Uri (2019), Seven Predictions About the World Without the WTO, Policy Center for the New South, Policy brief 19/13.