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INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS - IRS504 Spring 2025
Course
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Zuzana Fellegi
The course explains history, functioning and the impact of international organisations in international relations today. It introduces main theoretical concepts which provide students with necessary knowledge in order to analyse development and activities of selected organisation such as the UN, EU, WTO, OECD, IMF, World Bank, NATO, WEU, COE. Furthermore, it examines case studies of recent international events giving the students opportunity to critically analyse concrete actions of international organisations and to understand their potentials, limits and effect on the global development.
Here is the course outline:
Course Material
Feb 5
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Week 1 - History & Typology of IOs
Feb 5
Description: Introduction to the course, explanation and division of research projects, introduction to the history of international organizations. Reading: Gutner_p.5-10. Assignments: Choose one research topic from the NEO online document Presentation Guidelines: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZTOAcpo_6cASVQSsqCcH_I1tMji2Gnix/edit . |
Week 2 - Theories
Feb 12
Topic: Theoretical approaches to international organizations. Description: Introduction to main theoretical approaches to the international organizations incl. realism, liberalism, feminism and Marxism. Reading: Pease_6-12 & 41-72. Assignments: Enter the presentation title and research question in the NEO online document Presentation Guidelines. |
Week 3 - Int. Law & Actors (states, IGOs, NGOs)
Feb 19
Description: Introduction to international law, the creation and recognition of states and international organizations. MNCs and NGOs as actors in IR - their rights and obligations and the impact of their activities. Reading: Karns, Mingst & Stiles_p.1-19; Weiss & Wilkinson_p.35-45. Assignments: Presentation 1. |
Week 4 - Global governance - UN
Feb 26
Description: The main UN bodies (Security Council, General Assembly, International Court of Justice), their composition, functions and interactions. Main activities of the UN and their impact, including security and development. Reading: Karns_p.109-159. Assignments: Presentation 2. |
Week 5 - Regional governance I - EU
Mar 5
Description: The main EU bodies (European Council, European Commission, European Parliament, Court of Justice of the EU), their composition, functions and interactions. Main activities of the EU and their impact including the common market, agriculture, cohesion, migration, foreign policy and security. Reading: Bomberg_p.4-21, 48-71, 99-140. Assignments: Presentation 3. |
Week 6 - Regional governance II - Organisation of American States (OAS)
Mar 12
Description: Main American regional organization, its activities, goals and international influence. Reading: Karns_p.195-205; Weiss & Wilkinson_p.35-45, Meyer_p.1-16. Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 4. |
Week 7 - Midterm Exam
Mar 19
Midterm Exam Description: NEO online test. Reading: Readings from Week 1 to 7. Assignments/deadlines: Revise the materials from Week 1 to 7. |
Midterm break
Mar 26
Relax :) |
Week 8 - Regional governance III - African Union (AU)
Apr 2
Description: Main African regional organization, its activities, goals and international influence. Reading: Karns_p.220-229. Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 5. |
Week 9 - Regional governance IV - League of Arab States (LAS)
Apr 9
Description: Main Muslim regional organization, its activities, goals and international influence. Reading: Karns_p.229-234, Hafez_p.1-12, Hartmann_p.1-4. Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 6. |
Week 10 - Regional governance V - ASEAN
Apr 16
Topic: Regional governance V – ASEAN Description: Main Asian regional organizations, its activities, goals and international influence. Reading: Karns_p.205-220. Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 7. |
Week 11 - Human rights issues - UN, CoE, EU
Apr 23
Description: Main human rights organizations, their composition, activities and impact. Reading: Smith_p.65-57; Rittberger_p.193-208 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 8. |
Week 12 - Security issues - UN, ICC, NATO
Apr 30
Description: Main security organizations, their composition, activities and impact. Reading: Pease_p.105-152; Weiss & Wilkinson_p.488-499 Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 9. |
Week 13 - Economic issues - WTO, IMF, WB
May 7
Description: Main economic organizations, their composition, activities and impact. Reading: Assignments/deadlines: Presentation 10. |
Week 14 - Final Exam
May 13
Topic: Final Exam. Description: NEO online test. Reading: All readings. Assignments/deadlines: Revise the materials from the entire semester. |