Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po)

This course investigates key debates and unresolved questions within the field of international relations. The beginning of the course is based on a theoretical foundation. Then, it diverges from the conventional structuring around overarching and traditional approaches such as realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Instead, it acquaints students with some of the field's crucial concepts and middle-range theories within the discipline. Each session is dedicated to analyzing a specific question that has sparked significant controversy. The course scrutinizes both the historical and academic context in which each examined notions and propositions arose, determining whether their content has evolved over time, and if so, why. It explores the interrelation between these debates and their utility in comprehending contemporary world politics.

Comparative politics is a subfield of political science that seeks to explain variation in political outcomes, across or within counties. What explain the emergence of the modern state? Why are some countries more democratic than others? What explains regime transitions? What are the conditions under which government represent interests of the voters? Why do some countries have more internal conflict than others? This course discusses how the scientific method is used to answer these questions, paying attention to the strengths and weaknesses of various methodological approaches.

This course provides an introduction to the international legal and regulatory framework for finance, especially banking. It provides both an academic, theoretical framework and a practitioner's perspective. It presents the most important bodies involved in the governance of globalized finance, e.g., IMF, BIS, Basel Committee, FATF. It offers an overview of the international regulation in place, with a focus on the implications of the Global Financial Crisis in sparking regulatory reform. The course also refers to particularly significant experiences at the regional (e.g., the European Union) or national (e.g., United States) level to provide concrete examples. Where appropriate, experts from relevant authorities may be invited to offer students a hands-on perspective.

This course introduces the international regime of refugee protection and acquaints students with its origins and historical development. It provides an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. The course highlights limitations of international refugee law, drawing on international human rights law and international humanitarian law as complementary bodies of law. It explores the role of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and sheds light on contemporary challenges to refugee protection.

This course investigates why advanced democratic states of the Global North have seemingly been unwilling or unable to grapple with migration, and why their societies feel threatened by migrants despite their vast wealth, stability, and ostensible commitment to human rights. Given this overarching question, the course provides a broad understanding of contemporary developments with respect to international migration in democratic states. It introduces major debates surrounding migration at the domestic, regional, and international levels and offers frameworks for analyzing migration politics tied to foundational theoretical debates in comparative politics and international relations. It provides an opportunity to develop research, written argumentation, and public speaking skills.