This course examines the historical origins, functions, and impact of international organizations. The objective is to familiarize students with the key debates on international organizations and to equip them with theoretical and practical tools to form their own opinions. To this end, the course will focus on how international relations theories evaluate international organizations and combine this theoretical background with contemporary research in the sub-field of IOs and case studies of specific organizations, including -- but not limited to -- the United Nations, NATO, IMF, World Bank, WTO, and the EU.
While the field of International Relations (IR) has traditionally been dominated by theories and epistemologies that minimize or completely ignore the role of gender in world politics, this course starts from the position that an understanding of the global political order is only possible through an understanding of the global gender order. We will begin to examine the relationship between these orders by exploring feminist and gender-based research related to core themes of power, security, and militarism, and expand to other intertwining issues, including international political economy, women's labor, queer and postcolonial theories, and more.
Offered with Dr. Kristina Kurze
This course explores how democratic governance operates within regional organizations in Europe, with a particular focus on the European Union (EU). We examine the mechanisms that shape multilevel democracy—such as institutional design, representation, transparency, and opportunities for citizen engagement—while also addressing contemporary challenges.
This seminar aims to present the subfield of International Relations (IR) by focusing on the global political challenges we currently face. We'll discuss five overarching issue areas. These include 1) global trade and globalization, 2) environmental degradation and climate change, 3) global health, 4) global migration, and 5) technological change and AI global governance. Within each of these areas, we will examine not only how different actors and groups define and frame key issues and problems, but also the various solutions and alternatives that have emerged in both local and global contexts.