International Studies

This course provides the conceptual keys and analytical frameworks essential to better understand the main contemporary international issues. It explores, from a political sciences perspective, three classic themes of international relations: the diversity of actors on the international scene; the transformation of conflict and security; and the challenges posed by globalization. This is not an introductory course, as the approach is firmly focused on a selection of topical issues and the scientific debates they raise.

This course examines the study of international relations in an era of globalization. It covers the historical background, key concepts and theories, case studies, and contemporary developments in the study of world politics.

This course examines what drives development interventions, their impacts on communities, and the ways they respond. It also explores the processes and influences that operate at a global level and that impact such fundamental concerns as human rights, population health, environmental and climate change, and migration. 

In today's world, challenges are incredibly complex, multifaceted, and often intersectoral. Given the complexities and interdependencies of the 21st century, scientific disciplines and their siloed knowledge production practices are no longer sufficient to fully grasp global problems and find solutions to them. Yet they remain the dominant knowledge structures through which the world is analyzed and explained. This course first explains the structuring and evolution of scientific disciplines. Then it addresses the notion of interdisciplinarity and the tools it offers for a more holistic understanding of international relations.

This course considers and explains why and how the international system is characterized by the return of a tough competition among states. That is what we call power politics. This dynamic is reflected in the return of inter-state conflicts (Russia/Ukraine, Iran/Israel) and the risk of their spreading to other regions (Taiwan, South China Sea). The central question addressed in this course from both a conceptual and empirical perspective is why we moved within a decade from a world of economic interdependence based on the decline of interstate wars to a world where states are on the forefront of global competition including through the weaponization of economic interdependence. This course is by definition transversal and trans regional since the competition affects all regions of the world. It focuses on three types of actors: the drivers of this new competition who are setting the new rules of the game (United States and China), the contenders who have global ambitions while facing obstacles on their way (Russia, India, and the European Union) and the Hedgers who are middle income countries who are trying to leverage this new global dynamic for their own benefit (Brazil, South Africa, UAE, Indonesia, and Vietnam among others).

This course provides an introductory survey of post-war Japanese international relations, with particular emphasis on the development of the US-Japan alliance and the evolution of relations between Japan and neighboring Asian states. It begins with a study of the making of the San Francisco System, and then concentrates on the major events that shaped the history of Japan up to the years after the Cold War. Through the analysis and explanation of historical events, particular efforts are made to place those events that relate to Japan in the context of transformations in the structure of wider international relations. 

This course develops an increased knowledge and understanding of the nature of international politics in the Asia-Pacific, and the conceptual and theoretical issues relating to those politics. It equips students with basic skills to analyze foreign policy of major powers and explain the role of regional institutions. Students discuss central concepts relevant to international politics of the region, apply theories of international relations to analyze the dynamics of Asia Pacific politics, and analyze the foreign policy of major powers in the Asia-Pacific. Discussions include the roles of ASEAN and small states in shaping regional architecture and debate effectively as a team. This course has a pre-requisite of Introduction to Public Administration & Policy (HA1003).

This course performs a comparative study of the U.S and Japan to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities their leaders face. The course covers the Presidential System on the United States and the Parliamentary System of Japan; Political Parties; Electoral Processes and Elected Members; Women in Politics, and Bureaucracy and Policymaking.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. The course focuses on the following themes: 

• International contest, international organization (historical view, present rules)
• European contest, single market (from 1951 to the present), Law and legal systems
• Regulatory framework of specific sectors: organization, European agencies, rules, assessment of market structures and European regulation

At the end of the module, students: are familiar with the forms and legal disciplines applicable to public intervention in the economy, with regard to relations between State and market, in the European legal order; know how to apply the relevant legal rules in simple factual situations and how to identify the interaction between various sources of European law, in particular Treaty and directives.

Focusing on the cases of Taiwan, China, South Korea, and Japan, this class explores how different governance systems address social inequalities, and how Mainland China differs from its East Asian counterparts. This course is divided into two parts. The first part consists of lectures, discussions, and a data analysis workshop aimed at helping students gain theoretical and data knowledge on governance and social inequalities in East Asia. The second part of the course introduces students to comparative methods aimed at understanding different cases using empirical studies focused on East Asia; additionally, students will be invited to present conduct their own comparisons on governance and social inequalities in East Asia.