INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS - IRS504 Spring 2024
Course
International Organizations
Course code: IRS 504
Term and year: Spring 2024
Day and time: Monday 11.30-14.15
Instructor: PhDr. Ing. Radka Havlová, Ph.D.
Instructor contact: radka.havlova@aauni.edu
Consultation hours: Tuesday 14.15-15.15 upon prior agreement with the instructor
Credits US/ECTS |
3/6 |
Level |
Advanced |
Length |
15 weeks |
Pre-requisite |
BA |
Contact hours |
42 hours |
Course type |
Master Required/Elective |
1. Course Description
The world faces increasingly complex global problems including ongoing armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, economic inequality and instability. The aim of this course is to explore the different ways of preventing and solving such problems through world order mechanisms. These include- a system for controlling world events that aims to install political and economic stability and social justice; prospective world government, regional integration and the expansion of international norms and institutions such as the UN, EU, World Bank, IMF, NATO, etc. The course aims to introduce students to the main international actors and explains their interaction and impact on the field of (international?) security, trade, development, monetary and environmental issues and human rights. The course combines conceptual analysis with case studies and real world examples in order to facilitate the understanding of the potential, limits and effects of international organizations on global development.
2. Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
· Understand the history and theory of formation and functioning of international organizations;
· Understand the workings and decision-making mechanisms of major intergovernmental and non/governmental organizations;
· Analyze activities and legal acts of international organizations in different fields including security, trade, development, environment, and human rights;
· Think critically and to provide possible solutions to present problems connected to the work of international organizations;
· Evaluate the effectiveness of different international organizations and to assess their impact in international relations;
· Discuss the possibilities of further development of international organizations in the context of globalization.
3. Reading Material
Required Materials
· Gunter, T. (2017). International Organizations in World Politics. Los Angeles: Sage
· Karns, M. (2015). International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance. 3rd ed. Boulder; London: Lynne Rienner
· Pease, K. S. (2010). International Organizations: Perspectives on Governance in the Twenty-First Century.5th ed. New York: Longman
Recommended Materials
· African Union, www.au.int
· Aguilar, C.M. (2013). Organization of American States: Potential for Multi-Level Cooperation, Instituto Affari Internazionali
· Ani, K.J. and V. Ojakorotu (2017). Pan-Africanism, African Union and the Challenge of Transfornative Development in Africa, Journal of African Union Studies, Vol. 6. No. 1
· Archer, C. (2014). International Organizations. 4th ed. London; New York: Routledge
· ASEAN, www. asean.org
· Barkin, S. (2013). International Organization: Theories and Institutions. 2nd ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
· Beck, M. (2015). The End of Regional Middle Eastern Exceptonalism? The Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council after the Arab Uprisings, Democracy and Security, Vol. 11., No. 2
· Bennett, A.L. (1988). International Organizations. Principles and Issues, Fourth edition
· Berger, L. (2014). The Gulf Cooperation Council between Unity and Discord towards the Ara Uprisings, Sicherheit und Frieden/Security and Peace, Vol. 32, No. 4
· Bomberg, E., J. Peterson and R. Corbett (2012). The EU: How does It Work. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press
· Charnovitz, S. (2006). Nongovernmental Organizations and International Law, The Americal Journal of International Law, Vol. 100, No. 2
· Cheok, C.K. and Y. Chen Chen (2019). Assessing ASEAN´s Relevance, Journal of Southeast Asian Economies, Vol. 36, No. 1
· Chesterman, S. – Frank, T.M., Malone, D.M. (2008). Law and Practice of the United Nations, Oxford University Press
· Clark, M.A. (1995). Non-Governmental Organizations and their Influence on International Society, Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 48, No. 2
· Collins, R., White N. (2011). International Organizations and the Idea of Autonomy. Institutional Independence in the International Legal Order, Routledge
· Dakhlallah, F. (2012). The League of Arab States and Regional Security: Towards an Arab Security Community?, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 39, No. 3
· Daniska J. (2018). Visegrad : from intellectual idea to political reality, International Issues and Slovak Foreign Policy Affairs, Vol. 27, No. 1-2
· Dunay, P. (2006). History and background of the CSCE/OSCE, European Institute for Security Studies
· European Union, https://european-union.europa.eu/
· Gardener, E. (1991). The European Free Trade Association and the European Community, The International Lawyer, Vol. 25, No. 1
· Goel, V. and M.K. Tripathi (2010). The Role of NGOs in the Enforcement of Humanitarian Rights, The Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 71, No. 3
· Harrington, Alexandra (2018). International Organizations and the Law, Routledge
· Hough, Peter (2013). Understanding Global Security. 3rd ed. Routledge
· Hurd, I. (2013). International Organizations: Politics, Law, Practice. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
· Kamp, K-H. (2020). NATO´s coming existential challenge, NATO Defense College
· Khadduri, M. (1946)- The Arab League as a Regional Arrangement, The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 40, No. 4
· Klabbers (2022). An Introduction to International Organizations Law. Fourth Edition, Cambridge University Press
· Kuhnhardt, L. (2000). European Union – The Second Founding, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaf
· Legrenzi, M. and M. Calculli (2013). Regionalism and Regionalization in the Middle East: Options and Challenges, International Peace Institute
· Maathews, K. (2005). Renaissance of Pan-Africanism: the African Union, India International Centre Quarterly, Vol. 31, No. 4
· MERCOSUR, www.mercosur.int
· Nagar, D. and F. Nganje (2016). The African Union: Regional and Global Challenges, Centre for Conflict Resolution
· NATO, www.nato.int
· Organization of American States, www.oas.org
· OSCE, www.osce.org
· Palmer, D.A. (2019). NATO´s post-Cold War “out-of-area” pivot (1990-2014), NATO Defense College
· Peet, R. (2009). Unholy Trinity: The IMF, World Bank and WTO. 2nd ed. New York: Zed Books
· Pollaczek, G. (1946). The United Nations and Specialized Agencies, The American Journal of International Law, Vo. 40, No. 3
· Remler, P. (2021). The OSCE as Sisyphus: Mediation, Peace Operations, Human Rights, Instituto Affari Internazionali
· Rittberger, V.; Zangl B. and A. Kruck (2012). International Organization.. 2nd ed. London; New York: Palgrave Macmillan
· Rohac, D. (2016). Is New Europe Backsliding?: Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic 25 Years after Communism, American Enterprise Institute
· Segovia, D. (2013)- Latin America and the Caribbean: Between the OAS and CELAC, European Review of Latin America and Caribbean Studies, No. 95
· Severino, R. (2016). ASEAN and the South China Sea, Security Challenges, Vol. 6., No. 2
· Smith, Rhona (2014). Textbook on International Human Rights. 6th ed. Oxford : Oxford University Press
· Stroup, S. (2020). NGOs and States in Global Politics: A Brief Review, E-International Relations, ISSN 2053-8626
· United Nations Charter
· United Nations, www.un.org
· Vervaele, J. (2005). Mercosur and Regional Integration in South America, The International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 54, No. 2
· Walsch, C. (2014). Visegrad Four in the European Union. An efficient regional cooperation scheme? International Issues and Slovak Foreign Policy Affairs, Vol. 23, No. 1-2
· Weiss, Forsythe, Coate, Pease (2013). The United Nations and Changing World Politics. 7th ed. Boulder: Westview Press
· Weiss, T. and R. Wilkinson (2014). International Organization and Global Governance. London; New York: Routledge
· Woods, Ngaire (2006). The Globalizers: The IMF, the World Bank, and Their Borrowers. Ithaca: Cornell University Press
4. Teaching methodology
Each class will begin with a short revision of the previous session. The presentation of new material will be interactive, and the students will be asked to give their opinion based on revised course material. Each class will include a seminar during which the students will present the outcomes of their research. The students are required to read the assigned weekly material prior to each class in order to participate actively in discussions. They also need to follow websites of key international organizations covered in the course and the latest international news concerning them.
5. Course Schedule
Date |
Class Agenda |
Session 1 5.2.2024 |
Topic: Major actors in international relations and the position of international organizations in the international system Description: Introduction to the course, explanation and assignment of research projects, introduction to the major actors in international relations and the position of international organizations among other international actors (states, individuals etc.) Reading: Gutner 5-11, Pease 1-37 Assignments/deadlines: sign up for presentation via NEO |
Session 2 12.2.2024 |
Topic: Theoretical approaches to international organizations, history and functions of international organizations Description: Introduction to the main theoretical approaches to the international organizations: realism, liberalism, feminism, and Marxism. History of international organizations, exploring the link between international organizations and globalization Reading: Karns 43-73; Gutner 13-27, Klabbers 1-37, Pease 1-37 Assignments/deadlines: Structure your topics and find literature for your presentations, possibility to consult presentation proposals |
Session 3 Friday 16.2.2024 Replacement session |
Topic: Types of international organizations: international governmental organizations, international non-governmental organizations, multinational corporations and international trade organizations Description: Division of international organizations into governmental and non-governmental, similarities and differences, main areas of interest of each type of international organizations, multinational corporations and international trade organizations, and their role in our contemporary world Reading: Karns 379-424, Woods 179-213, Peets 127-157, Stroup 1-5, Charnovitz 348-372, Goel 769-793, Clark 507-525 Assignments/deadlines: Structure your topics and find literature for your presentations, possibility to consult presentation proposals |
19.2.2024 |
No session, replaced on 16.2.2024 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation proposals due via NEO |
Session 4 26.2.2024 |
Topic: Global international organizations: United Nations - history, structure Description: Global cooperation before the UN (League of Nations), history of the United Nations, main UN bodies (General Assembly, Security Council, International Court of Justice), their competencies, functions, composition and role in the UN system Reading: Gutner 35-66; Bennett 20-38, Collins 298-315; Weiss, Forsythe, Coate and Pease 1-17; UN Charter; www.un.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 1 |
Session 5 4.3.2024 |
Topic: Global international organizations: United Nations – specialized agencies Description: Specialized agencies of the United Nations (WTO, IMF, World Bank, UNESCO and other organizations), their role, achievements and problems in the contemporary world. UN approaches to conflict resolution, the role of the UN Security Council in conflict resolution Reading: Hurd 109-167, 226-254, Woods 179-213; Peet 127-177, Pollaczek 592-619 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 2 |
Session 6 11.3.2024 |
Topic: Global international organizations: United Nations – conflict resolution, global challenges Description: UN approaches to conflict resolution, the role of the UN Security Council in conflict resolution. The United Nations role in the contemporary world, the UN approach to contemporary challenges – environmental issues, human rights, migration, etc. Reading: Bennett 99-132; Chesterman 237-267, 342-371; Harrington 263-270; Rittberger, Zangl and Kruck 223-267; Barkin 87-96 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 3 |
Session 7 18.3.2024 |
Mid-term exam. Exam via NEO Description: Mid-term revision, students must demonstrate their understanding of topics covered in the first half of the semester (Sessions 1 through 6) Reading: all readings up to now |
25.3.2024 |
Mid-term break No classes |
1.4.2024 |
State holiday No classes |
Session 8 8.4.2024 |
Topic: International security organizations: NATO, OSCE Description: Main international organizations active in the area of security (NATO, OSCE) and their approach to conflict resolution Reading: Barkin 77-86, Karns 169-195, Dunay 1-17, Kamp 1-9, Palmer 1-19, Remler 1-22; www.nato.int; www.osce.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 4 |
Session 9 15.4.2024 |
Topic: European Union Description: History, structure and activities of the European Union, EU’s approach to conflict resolution, migration, human rights, common foreign and security policy, common market and financial cooperation Reading: Karns 169-195; Harrington 143-149, Smith 96-115; Bomberg, Peterson and Corbett 47-73, 47-73; Gardener 187-207, Kuhnhardt 281-315, 445-480; https://european-union.europa.eu/ Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 5 |
Session 10 22.4.2024 |
Topic: Other regional organizations in Europe Description: Other regional organizations in Europe (V4, EFTA…) and their role in the contemporary world Reading: Karns 169-195, Daniska 43-53, Gardener 187-207, Rohac 1-25, Smith 96-115, Walsch 25-41 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 6 |
Session 11 29.4.2024 |
Topic: Regional organizations in Africa and the Middle East Description: Main international organizations active in Africa and the Middle East, their approach to development, regional problems and conflict resolution Reading: Karns 195-235; Harrington 136-140, Smith 137-150; Ani, Ojakorotu 5-23, Beck 190-207, Berger 206-264, Dakhlallah 392-411, Khadduri 756-777, Legrenzi 1-13, Maathews 143-155; Nagar, Nganje 1-8; www.au.int Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 7 |
Session 12 6.5.2024 |
Topic: Regional organizations in Asia and America Description: Main international organizations active in Asia and America, their approach to development, regional problems and conflict resolution Reading: Karns 195-235; Harrington 132-136, 140-143, Smith 119-132, Aguilar 1-9, Segovia 97-107, Vervaele 381-409, Cheok, Chen Chen 11-24, Severino 37-47; www.oas.org, www.mercosur.int; www.asean.org Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 8 |
Session 13 13.5.2024 |
Topic: International organizations and global governance Description: Final discussion of the role of international organizations in the emerging new world order, the role of international organizations in global governance Reading: Karns 379-424, 573-593; Archer 149-152, 153-160; Weiss, Wilkinson 3-19, 35-47 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 9, Seminar papers due (submission via NEO) |
Session 14 20.5.2024 |
Final exam. Exam via NEO Description: Final exam revision, students must demonstrate their understanding of topics covered in the second half of the semester (Sessions 8 through 13) Reading: all readings |
6. Course Requirements and Assessment (with estimated workloads)
Assignment |
Workload (hours) |
Weight in Final Grade |
Evaluated Course Specific Learning Outcomes |
Evaluated Institutional Learning Outcomes* |
Active class participation |
42 |
10% |
· Regular and active participation · Ability to analyze and to effectively discuss the possibilities of further development of int. organizations. |
Critical thinking Effective communication |
Proposal of research presentation |
8 |
5% |
· Ability to analyze the activities and legal acts of selected int. organizations in different fields including security, trade, development, environment, and human rights |
Critical thinking |
Mid-term exam |
20 |
15% |
· Subject knowledge on history, theory, purpose and activities of major int. organizations |
Critical thinking |
Presentation of research project |
25 |
20% |
· Ability to analyze the activities and legal acts of selected int. organizations in different fields including security, trade, development, environment, and human rights · Think critically and to provide possible solutions for presented problems; · Evaluate the effectiveness of given int. organizations and to assess their impact · Present the results of analysis in class |
Critical thinking Effective communication |
Seminar paper |
35 |
35% |
· Subject knowledge on the history, theory, purpose and activities of major global and regional int. organizations |
Critical thinking |
Final exam |
20 |
15% |
· Subject knowledge on history, theory, purpose and activities of major int. organizations |
Critical thinking |
TOTAL |
150 |
100% |
|
|
*1 = Critical Thinking; 2 = Effective Communication; 3 = Effective and Responsible Action
7. Detailed description of the assignments
Proposal of presentation and seminar paper
Students must submit a proposal of presentation and seminar paper by Week 3, i.e. by 19 February 2024 via NEO. The proposal must include the topic, research question, structure and at least 5 reliable resources which the students plan to use in their presentation and seminar paper.
Assessed area |
Percentage |
Timely submission of presentation through NEO |
50% |
Contents of presentation and seminar paper proposal: research question, structure, at least 5 reliable resources |
50% |
Mid-term exam
Mid-term exam will be cover the topics from the first half of the semester. Students have demonstrate that they have a good understanding of the most relevant issues and concepts and that they are able to provide swift and correct answers. The mid-term will have a form of a freeform essay of 800 words and will take place online via NEO. Students will choose one of three comprehensive questions covering the topics discussed in the first half of the semester. The mid-term will take place on 18 March 2024 from 8.00 till midnight of the Prague time. All essays must be submitted by 18 March 2024 23:59 Prague time.
Assessed area |
Percentage |
Ability to correctly evaluate the main purpose of each question |
50% |
Ability to reflect broader context of each question |
25% |
Ability to provide correct answers under the time limit |
25% |
Presentation of research project
Students need to select and to sign up for one research project and present the selected topic in class according to the presentation schedule. Presentations will be prepared individually by each student and must be submitted at least three days prior to the presentation day through the NEO – Assignments. Presentations can be submitted in PPT or any other suitable presentation program. The presentation shall be 35 to 40 minutes long and students must always prepare questions for class discussion. List of presentations will be published in NEO in week 2 after students sign in for their presentations. All presentations must be submitted for review via NEO at least two days prior to the presentation date.
Assessed area |
Percentage |
Timely submission of presentation through NEO |
5% |
Visual format of presentation |
20% |
Contents of presentation: correct, recent information, to analyze main problems and suggest creative solutions; ability to apply and to demonstrate acquired knowledge from the course; ability to link the topic of the presentation to the overall topic of the class; ability to apply a concrete theory to a presented problem; ability to formulate credible claims and evidence |
50% |
Contact with students, engagement of students in discussions: continuous contact with students while presenting, clear speech, good intonation and eye contact, positive body language, ability to stress most significant aspects of analyzed topic while presenting, ability to answer questions from audience, ability to engage fellow students in discussions |
20% |
Compliance with time limit: presentation length between 30 and 40 minutes, space for discussion with fellow students |
5% |
Seminar Paper
Students prepare a seminar paper on the topic of their presentation to understand the analyzed topic in more depth. Seminar papers should be 3500 to 4000 words long and should fulfill all criteria imposed on an academic paper (formal arrangement of the paper, reference to resources, research question and analysis of the research question etc.). Paper must be submitted via NEO by 13 May 2024 23:59 Prague time.
Assessed area |
Percentage |
Formal arrangement of seminar paper |
10% |
Reference to resources |
20% |
Language, stylistics |
10% |
Research question, analysis of research topic |
60% |
Active class participation
Assessed area |
Percentage |
Knowledge and comprehension of the weekly reading assignments |
50% |
Critical thinking about the issues explored in the readings |
50% |
Final exam
Final exam will be cover the topics from the second half of the semester. Students have demonstrate that they have a good understanding of the most relevant issues and concepts and that they are able to provide swift and correct answers. The mid-term will have a form of a freeform essay of 800 words and will take place online via NEO. Students will choose one of three comprehensive questions covering the topics discussed in the second half of the semester. The final exam will take place on 20 May 2024 from 8.00 till midnight of the Prague time. All essays must be submitted by 20 May 2024 23:59 Prague time.
Assessed area |
Percentage |
Ability to correctly evaluate the main purpose of each question |
50% |
Ability to reflect broader context of each question |
25% |
Ability to provide correct answers under the time limit |
25% |
8. General Requirements and School Policies
General requirements
All coursework is governed by AAU’s academic rules. Students are expected to be familiar with the academic rules in the Academic Codex and Student Handbook and to maintain the highest standards of honesty and academic integrity in their work.
Electronic communication and submission
The university and instructors shall only use students’ university email address for communication, with additional communication via NEO LMS or Microsoft Teams.
Students sending e-mail to an instructor shall clearly state the course code and the topic in the subject heading, for example, “COM101-1 Mid-term Exam. Question”.
All electronic submissions are through NEO LMS. No substantial pieces of writing (especially take-home exams and essays) can be submitted outside of NEO LMS.
Attendance
Attendance, i.e., presence in class in real-time, at AAU courses is default mandatory; however, it is not graded as such. (Grades may be impacted by missed assignments or lack of participation.) Still, students must attend at least two thirds of classes to complete the course. If they do not meet this condition and most of their absences are excused, they will be administratively withdrawn from the course. If they do not meet this condition and most of their absences are not excused, they will receive a grade of “FW” (Failure to Withdraw). Students may also be marked absent if they miss a significant part of a class (for example by arriving late or leaving early).
Absence excuse and make-up options
Should a student be absent from classes for relevant reasons (illness, serious family matters), and the student wishes to request that the absence be excused, the student should submit an Absence Excuse Request Form supplemented with documents providing reasons for the absence to the Dean of Students within one week of the absence. Each student may excuse up to two sick days per term without any supporting documentation; however, an Absence Excuse Request Form must still be submitted for these instances. If possible, it is recommended the instructor be informed of the absence in advance. Should a student be absent during the add/drop period due to a change in registration this will be an excused absence if s/he submits an Absence Excuse Request Form along with the finalized add/drop form.
Students whose absence has been excused by the Dean of Students are entitled to make up assignments and exams provided their nature allows. Assignments missed due to unexcused absences which cannot be made up, may result in a decreased or failing grade as specified in the syllabus.
Students are responsible for contacting their instructor within one week of the date the absence was excused to arrange for make-up options.
Late work: No late submissions will be accepted – please follow the deadlines.
Electronic devices
Electronic devices (e.g. phones, tablets, laptops) may be used only for class-related activities (taking notes, looking up related information, etc.). Any other use will result in the student being marked absent and/or being expelled from the class. No electronic devices may be used during tests or exams unless required by the exam format and the instructor.
Eating is not allowed during classes.
Cheating and disruptive behavior
If a student engages in disruptive conduct unsuitable for a classroom environment, the instructor may require the student to withdraw from the room for the duration of the class and shall report the behavior to the student’s Dean.
Students engaging in behavior which is suggestive of cheating will, at a minimum, be warned. In the case of continued misconduct, the student will fail the exam or assignment and be expelled from the exam or class.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism obscures the authorship of a work or the degree of its originality. Students are expected to create and submit works of which they are the author. Plagiarism can apply to all works of authorship – verbal, audiovisual, visual, computer programs, etc. Examples are:
· Verbatim plagiarism: verbatim use of another’s work or part of it without proper acknowledgement of the source and designation as a verbatim quotation,
· Paraphrasing plagiarism: paraphrasing someone else’s work or part of it without proper acknowledgement of the source,
· Data plagiarism: use of other people’s data without proper acknowledgement of the source,
· False quotation: publishing a text that is not a verbatim quotation as a verbatim quotation,
· Fictious citation: quoting, paraphrasing, or referring to an incorrect or a non-existent work,
· Inaccurate citation: citing sources in such a way that they cannot be found and verified,
· Ghostwriting: commissioning work from others and passing it off as one’s own,
· Patchwriting: using someone else’s work or works (albeit with proper acknowledgement of sources and proper attribution) to such an extent that the output contains almost no original contribution,
· Self-plagiarism: unacknowledged reuse of one’s own work (or part of it) that has been produced or submitted as part of another course of study or that has been published in the past,
· Collaborative plagiarism: delivering the result of collective collaboration as one’s own individual output.
At minimum, plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the assignment and shall be reported to the student’s Dean. A mitigating circumstance may be the case of novice students, and the benefit of the doubt may be given if it is reasonable to assume that the small-scale plagiarism was the result of ignorance rather than intent. An aggravating circumstance in plagiarism is an act intended to make the plagiarism more difficult to detect. Such conduct includes, for example, the additional modification of individual words or phrases, the creation of typos, the use of machine translation tools or the creation of synonymous text, etc. The Dean may initiate a disciplinary procedure pursuant to the Academic Codex. Intentional or repeated plagiarism always entail disciplinary hearing and may result in expulsion from AAU.
Use of Artificial Intelligence and Academic Tutoring Center
The use of artificial intelligence tools to search sources, to process, analyze and summarize data, and to provide suggestions or feedback in order to improve content, structure, or style, defined here as AI-assisted writing, is not in itself plagiarism. However, it is plagiarism if, as a result, it obscures the authorship of the work produced or the degree of its originality (see the examples above).
AAU acknowledges prudent and honest use of AI-assisted writing, that is, the use of AI for orientation, consultation, and practice is allowed. For some courses and assignments, however, the use of AI is counterproductive to learning outcomes; therefore, the course syllabus may prohibit AI assistance.
A work (text, image, video, sound, code, etc.) generated by artificial intelligence based on a mass of existing data, defined here as AI-generated work, is not considered a work of authorship. Therefore, if an AI-generated work (e.g. text) is part of the author’s work, it must be marked as AI-generated. Otherwise, it obscures the authorship and/or the degree of originality, and thus constitutes plagiarism. Unless explicitly permitted by the instructor, submission of AI-generated work is prohibited.
If unsure about technical aspects of writing, and to improve their academic writing, students are encouraged to consult with the tutors of the AAU Academic Tutoring Center. For more information and/or to book a tutor, please contact the ATC at: http://atc.simplybook.me/sheduler/manage/event/1/.
Course accessibility and inclusion
Students with disabilities should contact the Dean of Students to discuss reasonable accommodations. Academic accommodations are not retroactive.
Students who will be absent from course activities due to religious holidays may seek reasonable accommodations by contacting the Dean of Students in writing within the first two weeks of the term. All requests must include specific dates for which the student requests accommodations.
9. Grading Scale
* Decimals should be rounded to the nearest whole number.
Prepared by: Radka Havlova
Date: 14.1.2024
Approved by: George Hays
Date: 15.1.2024
Here is the course outline:
1. Major actors in international relations and the position of international organizations in the in...
Feb 5 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Introduction to the course, explanation and assignement of research projects, introduction to the major actors in international relations and the position of international organizations among other international actors (states, individuals etc.) |
2. Theoretical approaches to international organizations, history and functions of IO
Feb 12 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Introduction to the main theoretical approaches to the international organizations: realism, liberalism, feminism, and Marxism. History of international organizations, exploring the link between international organizations and globalization |
3. Types of international organizations (replacement lecture)
Feb 16 2:45pm .. 5:30pm, 2.03
Division of international organizations into governmental and non-governmental, similarities and differences, main areas of interest of each type of international organizations, multinational corporations and international trade organizations, and their role in our contemporary world |
4. Global international organizations: United Nations - history, structure
Feb 26 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Global cooperation before the UN (League of Nations), history of the United Nations, main UN bodies (General Assembly, Security Council, International Court of Justice), their competencies, functions, composition and role in the UN system |
5. Lecture 6: UN and conflict resolution, global challenges
Mar 4 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
UN approaches to conflict resolution, the role of the UN Security Council in conflict resolution. The United Nations role in the contemporary world, the UN approach to contemporary challenges – environmental issues, human rights, migration, etc. |
6. Global international organizations: United Nations – specialized agencies
Mar 11 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Specialized agencies of the United Nations (WTO, IMF, World Bank, UNESCO and other organizations), their role, achievements and problems in the contemporary world. Part of the lecture will be external guest lecture on UN specialized agencies (IOM) |
7. Mid-term exam
Mar 18, online
Via NEO. Mid-term revision, students must demonstrate their understanding of topics covered in the first half of the semester (Sessions 1 through 6) |
8. Mid-term break
Mar 25
Enjoy the spring break! |
9. International security organizations: NATO, OSCE...
Apr 9 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Main international organizations active in the area of security (NATO, OSCE) and their approach to conflict resolution |
10. International organizations and global governance
Apr 15 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Discussion of the role of international organizations in the emerging new world order, the role of international organizations in global governance |
11. Regional organizations in Europe
Apr 22 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Other regional organizations in Europe (V4, EFTA…) and their role in the contemporary world |
12. European Union
Apr 29 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
History, structure and activities of the European Union, EU’s approach to conflict resolution, migration, human rights, common foreign and security policy, common market and financial cooperation. Part of the lecture will be external guest lecture on EU and Ukraine. |
13. Regional organizations in Africa and the Middle East
May 6 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Main international organizations active in Africa and the Middle East, their approach to development, regional problems and conflict resolution |
14. Regional organizations in Asia and America
May 13 11:30am .. 2:15pm, 3.13
Main international organizations active in Asia and America, their approach to development, regional problems and conflict resolution |
15. Final Exam
May 20, online
Via NEO. Final exam revision, students must demonstrate their understanding of topics covered in the second half of the semester (Sessions 8 through 14) |