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sylabus_IR since 1918_2023.pdf | PhDr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. |
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Last update: PhDr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. (07.09.2021)
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Last update: PhDr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. (07.09.2021)
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the most pressing issues and problems in international relations since the year 1918. The examined events will not be studied in isolation but historically and theoretically contextualized. Emphasis will be placed on observing how past events shape contemporary world affairs and practice of international politics. The course will also give students an introduction to basic international relations theories and concepts, which will help students analyze course themes. |
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Last update: PhDr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. (30.08.2023)
Terms of passing the course 1. Students will be required to read assigned texts and participate actively in discussions - this will constitute 10 % of the overall grade.
2. Virtual diplomatic chat with artificial intelligence. Students will conceive a prompt that will unveil a virtual conversation of current or historical political leaders. They will then critically assess the output of the AI model in a 1000 to 1200-word essay (excluding prompt and AI generated text). Examples of prompts: "You are Czechoslovak president Edvard Beneš and you are writing a letter to British Prime minister Neville Chamberlain concerning the just negotiated Munich agreement. Explain your concerns and frustrations with the agreement." "You represent the current government of China as an ambassador in the United States and you are in conversation with the US trade representative. Present your counterarguments for the US imposing a 10% tariff on all imports from China."
This activity will constitute 30 % of the overall grade (due date: 20 November 2023; 23:59). Late submission of midterm essay: -2 points/day. The essay will be handed in via Turnitin: https://library.cuni.cz/services/turnitin/ Class ID: 40278491 Enrollment key: 1918 3. At the end of the semester, students will complete a final test with 3 open-ended essay questions based on readings, lectures and in-class discussions - this will constitute 60 % of the overall grade.
Students need to gain at least 50% in each assignment to pass the course.
Grading 100 - 91 points: A 90 - 81 points: B 80 - 71 points: C 70 - 61 points: D 60 – 50 points: E less than 50 points: F (fail)
Class ethics Class ethics (A) Any use of primary and secondary texts in essays must be acknowledged. Such use must meet the following conditions: 1. the beginning and end of the quoted passage must be shown with quotation marks; 2. when quoting from periodicals or books, the name(s) of author(s), book or article titles, the year of publication, and page from which the passage is quoted must all be stated in footnotes or endnotes; 3. internet sourcing must include a full web address where the text can be found as well as the date the web page was visited by the author. (B) Essays will be scanned with software for detecting AI-generated text. Any use of generative AI should be duly and in detail explained in a separate footnote. (C) In case the use of any texts other than those written by the author is established without proper acknowledgment as defined in (A), the paper will be deemed plagiarized and handed over to the Disciplinary Commission of the Faculty of Social Sciences. (D) In case you are not able to attend more than two seminars, report your absence to me via email. |
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Last update: PhDr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. (01.07.2021)
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Last update: PhDr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. (24.08.2023)
Part lecture/part seminar |
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Last update: PhDr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. (24.08.2023)
Syllabus 2023/2024 1. Introduction (5.10.2023) Themes: Course schedule and requirements 2. How to understand state behavior? (12.10.2023) Themes: theories of international relations; foresight in international affairs Mandatory readings: Snyder, J. (2004). One World, Rival Theories. Foreign Policy, 145, 53–62. Walt, S. M. (1998). International Relations: One World, Many Theories. Foreign Policy, 110, 29–46. 3. Global orders (19.10.2023) Themes: How and when are orders formed and by whom? What constitutes an “order” and what are the main characteristics of the liberal international order? What are the alternatives to the current order? Mandatory reading: Ikenberry, G. John, 'The Rise, Character, and Evolution of International Order', in Orfeo Fioretos, Tulia G. Falleti, and Adam Sheingate (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Historical Institutionalism (Oxford Academic: 2016). 4. International trade (wars) (26.10.2023) Themes: Spillovers of domestic economic crises; global economic crises; trading blocs and supply chains; the Great Depression; the financial crisis of 2008; tariffs Mandatory reading: Chase, Kerry A. “Imperial Protection and Strategic Trade Policy in the Interwar Period.” Review of International Political Economy 11, no. 1 (2004): 177–203. 5. Territorial disputes (2.11.2023) Themes: borders; spheres of influence; border arbitrations; minorities; South China Sea; the Arctic; Helsinki Acts Mandatory reading: Beck, R. J. (1989). Munich’s Lessons Reconsidered. International Security, 14(2), 161–191.
6. (De)colonization (9.11.2023) Themes: colonialism new and old – neocolonialism; dependency; world-system analysis; trusteeship; resource exploitation; development aid Mandatory reading: Jeremy Friedman, “Soviet policy in the developing world and the Chinese challenge in the 1960s”, Cold War History 10 (2), 2010: 247-272. 7. Interventions (16.11.2023) Themes: proxy wars; Cold War conflicts – Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan; current conflicts – Syria, Yemen, Ukraine Mandatory reading: Rafael Reuveny and Aseem Prakash, “The Afghanistan war and the breakdown of the Soviet Union”, Review of International Studies 25, 1999: 693-708. 8. Transitions (23.11.2023) Themes: democratization; authoritarianism; elections; executive aggrandizement Mandatory reading: Jay Ulfelder, “Democratic transitions” in Haynes, J (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Democratization (Routledge 2011). Douglas Brinkley, “Democratic Enlargement: The Clinton Doctrine”, Foreign Policy 106, Spring 1997: 110-128. 9. Status (30.11.2023) Themes: soft power; sports and health diplomacy; respect and recognition in IR Mandatory reading: Larson, Deborah Welch, and Alexei Shevchenko. “Status Seekers: Chinese and Russian Responses to U.S. Primacy.” International Security 34, no. 4 (2010): 63–95. 10. Hegemony (7.12.2023) Themes: power transition; revisionism; hegemonic stability; rogue states; terrorism Mandatory reading: Michael Beckley; The Peril of Peaking Powers: Economic Slowdowns and Implications for China's Next Decade. International Security 2023; 48 (1): 7–46. 11. International organizations (14.12.2023) Themes: multilateralism; unilateralism; peacekeeping; collective defense; alliances; Responsibility to protect Mandatory reading: Winther, Bjarke Zinck. “A Review of the Academic Debate about United Nations Security Council Reform”, The Chinese Journal of Global Governance 6, 1 (2020): 71-101. 12. The future and the “world state” (21.12.2023) Themes: Brainstorming and wrap-up session - the next decades and international relations Mandatory reading: Wendt, A. (2003). Why a World State is Inevitable. European Journal of International Relations, 9(4), 491–542.
NOTE: All texts available in this syllabus are for study purposes of this course only. They are protected by copyright and must not be further distributed. |