English

This course offers an introduction to the field of linguistics, the systematic study of language. The study of linguistics reflects a combination of reasoning found in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students review key concepts, the analysis of human language properties, and empirical possibilities and impossibilities of natural language. The course examines a range of topics which include the definition of language, how language works, shared properties of language, how language is learned, outside influences on language, and language variation and change. This course consists of lectures, discussions, student presentations, and projects.

This course develops a comprehensive overview of modern globalization processes, their characteristics, and their implications for corporate performance. The ultimate objective of this course is to provide students with an interpretative framework to analyze how different companies –both transnational and domestic - can approach the risks and opportunities that globalization entails and deal with the strategic tradeoffs they face in a global context. This course is designed to develop an in-depth understanding of modern globalization processes and their implications for corporate strategies. The first part introduces modern globalization and its characteristics in light of the concurrent evolution of globalization and localization trends. It looks at the emerging geography of production and labor, introducing the concept of technological change as the key enabling process of the global economy. The second part of the course examines the key actors involved, namely companies confronting daily the opportunities and risks of doing (or not) business in the global market. The course addresses all major strategic options for business development in an interdependent and open economy, including location decisions, knowledge generation, and management strategies and human capital management practices. These different strategic options are analyzed through the lenses of conceptual arguments, empirical evidences, and evidences from real world experience. The course recommend students have a general background in international business and management at the undergraduate level as a prerequisite.

This course offers an introduction to the legal framework of the European Union, often referred to as sui generis, meaning that it is unique in its characteristics as compared with other regional organizations. EU law is increasingly important for national legal systems. At the same time, the EU represents a fascinating case study of regional integration especially in the light of challenges that the EU has been facing such as the government debt crisis, the refugee crisis, Brexit, and the covid-19 pandemic. This course guides students through the establishment of the EU and development of EU law and policy since then. Relevant questions include: how is the EU organized and how does it function? Which institutions exist within the EU and what is their role? How do they react to recent challenges of European integration? What does EU law regulate and why? How does the European legal order interact with the domestic orders of its Member States? What is the position of individuals within EU law and how are their rights under EU law protected? The course focuses on these institutional questions, helping students to critically assess the EU in its legal context. They zoom in on particular topics, such as decision making in law and in practice, or judicial protection in the EU, teaching students how to apply the general rules to specific case studies. The course gives students a platform for discussing the recent developments within the European Union.