Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po)

This course introduces the Anglo-Saxon economic model as it exists in the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and to a lesser extent in countries such as India, Singapore, and Hong Kong tied historically to the United Kingdom. It adopts a social sciences inquiry-led approach based on varying theoretical approaches to assessing how and why Anglo-Saxon countries have developed their economies in the way they have done. Case studies are primarily from the United Kingdom and United States, and the reading and sources will largely be based on these two countries. In the case of the United Kingdom, extensive reference shall be made to the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union (EU) and the role of both in nurturing and promoting ideas associated with the Anglo-Saxon economic model; such as, in the case of the EU, the United Kingdom-led promotion of the Single Market (1986+). The course explores how the Single Market may have laid some of the foundations for the eventual electoral fall-out of Brexit in 2016. The first part of the course explores what the Anglo-Saxon economic model is and the second part assesses why this economic model has emerged and is branded and stereotyped in this way. The final part examines the effects of the Anglo-Saxon model on macroeconomic stability, equality and equality of opportunity, infrastructure, public sector investment, and the environment.

This course explores the field of study on the European Union's (EU) foreign policy with a focus on the relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the EU and the PRC in 1975, this set of bilateral relations has undergone different stages of interactions. This course concentrates on the time period beginning from 2013. The first part of the course introduces fundamental knowledge about EU foreign policy: an overview of the field of study in the literature and main actors and the coherence issue in EU foreign policy. The second part provides a brief historical overview of EU foreign policy towards the PRC before 2013. The third part examines EU foreign policy towards the PRC in the post-2013 timeframe through different dimensions: economic and trade, foreign and security, values and norms, and the EU facing United States-PRC strategic competition.

The course introduces some of the theories and concepts that form the basics of strategic studies as a distinct subfield of international relations. The course is an introduction to the key ideas and themes of strategic studies, which deal with the preparation and use of military power to serve the ends of politics but also what are the means to avoid the use of force. The course is not directly interested in ethical and normative problems linked to the use of force. To adopt Robert Cox's terminology, the lecture is much more problem-solving than critical. That is why it does not really address notions like just wars, democratic peace, or gender and feminism. The course guides students through a wide-ranging survey of theoretical and practical aspects of strategic studies. It includes sections on the uses of strategic theory, instruments of war - land, sea, and air power, cyber - and their evolution, nuclear strategy, small wars and counter-insurgency, peace operations, victory, or defense planning. The course tries to strike a balance between theoretical works and empirical material to link the study of strategy with the realities of modern politics, and ultimately practice the skills that are critical to success in public service as well as the private sector—deep intellectual knowledge of the core issues of our time; analytical thinking and effective writing skills. Students are also expected to engage the readings fully and actively participate in seminar discussions and debates.

This course examines the question of ethics, particularly integrity, in the exercise of power by elected officials. It raises the central question of whether it is ever right to do wrong in politics; and if so, to what end. The course is divided into three parts. Drawing on selected texts of political philosophy and political science, it first explores the broad confines of morality, ethics, and integrity in politics; and subsequently focuses on the question of lying. The final part of the course examines integrity through empirical cases in contemporary politics. Overall, the course reflects on what conduct is realistically expected from those in government, and on the seemingly inevitable tension and thin line between using power to serve oneself and using power to serve the common good.