English

This course examines the rise of the novel around the time of the eighteenth century. It explores some characteristic forms and concerns of early prose fiction in English including its roots, its routes, its forerunners, the first novel, the first novelists, the true contribution of women (as writers, producers, audience etc.), the role of social, political, religious factors, and the impact of technology and European expansionism.

This course introduces students to theories and practices of international human resource management (IHRM). The course helps students critically examine the influence of national institutions and culture on the choice and effectiveness of HRM practices. Building on a discussion of the challenges and opportunities firms face in managing people and workplaces at the global level, the course helps students reflect about the role of HRM policies and practices - including global hiring, training, performance, and reward management - in achieving desired employee and organizational outcomes.

The course introduces a range of topics in philosophy of science and show their relevance to debates on science-policy. For example, how are scientific models used to make projections? Which policy decisions do they license? What is the inter-relation between scientific evidence, causation and decision-making? In the weekly "Science Policy Lab" tutorials and associated seminar and lecture, topics covered include: the role of science advisors, science and values, climate science, epidemiological modelling and predictions, ethnobotany, traditional knowledge, cultural rights, among others. Students read landmark science policy reports from agencies such as the United Nations, UNESCO, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), among many others. They also practice science policy writing and discuss underlying philosophical themes.

This course examines some fundamental questions about the nature of war and conflicts in international politics. It covers the following topics: whether war is part of human nature or a social invention; if democracies are less prone to fight than authoritarian regimes; whether war is an unavoidable consequence of anarchy, and if so, the role of human agency; what factors contribute to conflict among nations and how these factors have changed over time; if the nuclear shadow is back in our contemporary international security; has the window of humanitarian operations been closed; and whether we can speak of “new wars” in the 21st century. The course uses an interdisciplinary perspective, incorporating insights from political science, anthropology, psychology, and history to better understand our current international environment.