International Studies

This  course explores the theoretical and practical intersections of filmmaking, social impact, and activism in international relations. It does so with a core focus on how filmmaking has been used to explore phenomena related to humanitarian issues globally, especially those linked to contexts of conflict, migration, and violence. Based on an interdisciplinary approach, the course delves into the rich scholarship of visuality across the social sciences, introducing that work both theoretically and practically in three main ways. First, the course engages with critical interdisciplinary perspectives on the role of visual media within contexts of violence through theoretical literature and audio-visual material. Second, it explores practical skills in visual research methodologies. As such, in this section of the course, students develop a short filmmaking project of their own. Workshop-format sessions are offered to develop the skills necessary to achieve this. Thematically, the course explores how filmmaking can illuminate questions concerning violence, humanitarianism, conflict, and migration in ways that connect local (i.e., Copenhagen) and global contexts. In addition, guest lectures inspire and connect students to experts in the field. Finally, the course reflects on broader questions, debates, and dilemmas that concern the use of filmmaking for social impact, activism, and/or political intervention. This ranges from the critical examination of storytelling techniques, ethical considerations, and the influence of the filmmakers situated gaze (i.e., positionality) on crafting visual narratives. The course engages these issues by collaboratively reflecting on the filmmaking project that each student develops in the preceding section of the course. Overall, this course provides a nuanced understanding of the transformative potential of filmmaking, alongside tools to navigate the many ethical challenges intrinsic to visual research.

This course explores the main international and European legal mechanisms in place to protect from different forms of discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation, disability, or race. It focuses on the principles of equality and non-discrimination,  and introduces the subject through the evolution of women’s rights and its international recognition. Activities include discussion of case studies and in-class debates.

This course offers a systematic review of international migration and refugee movements to, through, and from the Middle East and North Africa over the last decade. It addresses their trends, causes, and consequences for individuals and societies, and stresses the universality of international mobility determinants, as well as the specificity of the context in which they operate in the region.

Sustainable development is the red thread throughout this course. The course builds on the principle of sustainable development and analyzes how it is reflected in main international treaties on the protection of the environment. Central questions on legal methodology, legal sources, and environmental principles are addressed. The course introduces more specific areas in international environmental law, such as those addressing the conservation of biological diversity, protection of the marine environment, reduction of plastic pollution, and addressing climate change. In addition, overarching topics include the relationship between environmental protection and human rights, and international trade and investment law.

This course offers a study of the political and social reality of the Middle East and North Africa. It analyzes the primary and secondary institutions that constitute the regional order as well as the external action of the main regional and extra-regional actors. 

This course explores the contents and use of country reports produced by private and public institutions including the structure and framework of the reports. It discusses the measurement and analysis of development and evaluation as well as the categories and metrics used in writing a country report.  

This course examines the historical evolution of Singapore as a global city-state against the contexts of global changes and developments from the 14th to the 21st century. The course is open to all students interested in Singapore studies.

The course analyzes global organizational structures and international strategies, highlighting corporate challenges in the face of the complexity of the global economy. It focuses on the means to achieve a competitive advantage, sustain it over time, and the ability to replicate it to target markets during the internationalization process. In addition to corporate strategies, the course discusses cross-cultural negotiation and soft skill strategies.

This course is also referred to as International Dynamics and Cross-Cultural Negotiation: Corporate Environment.

This course aims to introduce students to the sociological study of social inequalities. That is, to gain a broad understanding of the social processes through which some end up having more resources than others and through which some become included and some excluded. In the introductory sessions, we will begin by defining social inequality and its relevant dimensions, learning about its trends in Europe and the world as well as its pernicious effects for society. Students will also learn key sociological concepts such as social class, social mobility, and ethnoracial categorization processes. In the second part of the course students will be introduced to some of sociology’s most studied mechanisms that help explain the perpetuation of inequalities in a wide range of contexts such as cumulative advantage, opportunity hoarding, discrimination, boundary making, and social networks. As a next step we will learn about some of the most relevant engines of inequality such as families and schools, labor markets, tax systems, extreme weather events, and migration systems. We will end the course by learning about how to tackle inequality. We will discuss how acceptance or opposition to it comes about and reflect on sociology’s relevance in addressing societal disparities.