International Studies

Students explore cutting-edge research on climate politics and critically analyze various theoretical concepts and models, assess the advantages and drawbacks of different empirical approaches, and draw connections to core debates in international political economy and political science. Students gain familiarity with the frontier of climate politics scholarship, learn how to constructively critique academic work, and develop skills in designing and executing rigorous political economy research.

This course focuses on international refugee law and migration law, mainly in the realm of forced migration, as it is one of the pressing and large-scale challenges facing global society. The course introduces students to law, institutions, policies, practice, and contemporary debates concerning global refugee and migration governance. It adopts international law, international relations, and politics as general disciplinary frameworks.  

It is highly recommended (though not required) for students to have taken the courses on International Law I and II before registering for this course.   

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 provides knowledge of the multilateral trade system (the WTO system) and international investment law. The course teaches the ability to recognize the interests underlying those rules and legal instruments to enforce them, especially through the dynamics of argumentation emerging from international litigation. The course contains: an overview of the WTO system; the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO; the most favored nation clause; the national treatment principle; GATT Article XX trade & non-trade values; the WTO TBT Agreement; the precautionary principle and the SPS Agreement; the New Government Procurement Agreement; the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS); the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPs); China in the WTO; DSM the cases concerning natural resources; WTO and climate change; WTO and energy; the new generation of EU Free Trade agreements; principles of non discrimination and of fair and equitable treatment; direct and indirect expropriation; interpretation and application of investment treaties; investment dispute settlement mechanisms; transparency in investment arbitration proceedings; investment and sustainability issues; and protection of foreign investment, environmental, and human rights protection. For students who have not previously attended a course on International Law, it is advised to read Jan Klabbers, Cambridge University Press, 2020.

The course critically examines the construction of the 'development' concept, tracing its ties to capitalism and its roots in colonialism and mercantilism. It questions the outcomes, focusing on the reproduction of social inequalities and environmental consequences globally, nationally, and locally. Divided into parts, it covers critical development theories, explores development as a "globalization project," and reviews systematic alternatives and critiques of the sustainable project. Key concepts are illustrated through case studies and an Approach Based on Projects (ABP).

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 studies contemporary forms of terrorism, its definitions and origins, as well as its objectives, functions, and forms, with a particular focus on counterterrorism measures implemented both by individual states and the international community. It approaches classic and current scholarship on terrorism and counterterrorism and explores many of the research puzzles that remain unanswered. Underpinned by the existing debates among scholars of terrorism, ranging from mainstream to critical perspectives, the course examines the spectrum of terrorist motivations, strategies, and operations; the socio-political, economic, and other factors and causes that can create enabling environments for terrorist group activities; and finally, the means by which governments (especially liberal democratic states) react to contemporary forms of terrorist violence in different regions of the world. Classes are enriched by guest lectures who present case studies and focus on specific geopolitical spaces that are of critical relevance for current and future trends and scenarios on terrorism and counterterrorism. This comparative analysis develops a complex understanding of historical trends, meanings, contemporary dilemmas, and challenges related to this form of political violence.

This course is designed to familiarize students with important concepts and theories of international security studies as well as prominent security issues in the contemporary world. The first part of the course introduces the basic analytical concepts and theoretical frameworks as regards direct and indirect use of force in international politics; the second part explores strategic policy during the Cold War and the lessons that scholars have drawn from that historical period; the third part examines several security challenges at the dawn of the 21st century such as nuclear proliferation, terrorism and insurgency, and the security implications of technological change; the last part focuses on the rise of China and international security, with particular attention paid to the relationship between China and the United States, the Taiwan issue, and maritime disputes in East Asia. It is worth noting that the course will not touch upon most non-traditional security issues such as energy security, climate change, food safety, etc.

The course is divided into two main sections. Following a brief historical introduction to the discipline, students explore classical concepts and theories of IR, including power and anarchy (realism), cooperation and human rights (liberalism), norms and identity (constructivism), followed by critical perspectives on global politics such as class and dependencies (Marxism), gender and the patriarchy (feminism), and exploitation and orientalism (postcolonialism). In the second section of the course, students investigate pressing global issues like terrorism, AI, and the climate crisis, which have fundamentally altered the conduct of international politics. Finally, the course concludes with a discussion of future (im)possibilities for global politics. 

This course incorporates the key concepts of global citizenship, conflict resolution, diversity, human rights, interdependence, social justice, sustainable development, politics, diversity, values and perceptions and fake news. It builds knowledge and understanding, as well as develop critical opinions and analysis in English. The course is designed for group and pair work, with the teacher serving as the facilitator guiding students through news media.

International trade as a field of economics has changed a lot in the past two decades. Previously, we employ some toy models to understand the principles of international trade. These principles are insightful, but they cannot provide us tools to understand the issues in practice. The recent decades development in international trade has shifted the focus from the earlier intensely discussed principles to more practical, sophisticate observations in international trade. We employ recently available data at firm level or transaction level to understand trade intermediary, finance, R&D, resource allocation, firm dynamics, offshoring, etc. These recent developments in international research is important for us to fully understand how a world with open economies works and how some most important movements of factors, goods and services affect our welfare. The objective of this course is to guide undergraduate students from understanding some basic international economics principles to try to investigate and understand how exactly international trade in practice is conducted and shape the world.

The course is based on a religious studies perspective to discuss the concepts of antisemitism and islamophobia concept which refers to fears and prejudices relating to Jews, Judaism, Muslims, and Islam. By focusing on the historical, theological/ideological, political, and cultural aspects of antisemitism and islamophobia, the historical roots and the contemporary forms of these fears and prejudices are explored. The course starts by problematizing the concepts of antisemitism and islamophobia and continues by analyzing how these concepts have been used to designate "the enemy" and in processes of religious, cultural, and political "alienation". Thereafter, the historical roots and ideological contexts in which antisemitism and islamophobia arise and develop are studied. The course concludes by focusing on modern and contemporary manifestations of antisemitism and islamophobia, such as, how conspiracy theories are used to heighten hostility towards Jews and Muslims today.