International Studies

The course provides basic knowledge of Chinese political system and political developments after 1978. It analyses several key issues and challenges that characterize contemporary Chinese society such as environmental issues, socio-economic development, and issues related to regional differences and gaps in society. The course also focuses on developments in civil society and the human rights situation. Freedom of expression, the role of the media and digital developments, as well as the emergence of a surveillance society, are also studied. Domestic issues are viewed from a global perspective. The course discusses and analyses China's global ambitions and foreign and security policy.

This course addresses a number of questions on the causes and consequences of terrorism. The course examines terrorism conceptualizations, the role of religion and ideology, participant profiles and recruitment tactics, organization dynamics, government counterterrorism, and other consequences of terrorism. Course topics will address common social science conceptualizations of terrorism; the challenges with conducting research on terrorism; major theoretical explanations for terrorism dynamics; the effectiveness of state counterterrorism activity: and, relevant case studies. The course analyzes such questions as: Are terrorism and terrorist organizations analytically useful categories? Is terrorism an effective tactic? What makes someone travel abroad to join a terrorist organization? What causes organizations to choose different forms of terrorism? When do states support terrorist organizations? When are state counterterrorism activities effective against terrorist organizations? Causality verses correlation, endogeneity, and theoretical logic are also examined. 

This course examines human experience as a source of truth, knowledge and belief about war. Representations of human experiences of war play a significant role in human culture and society, often defining social memories and collective understandings of war. As such, this course examines how human experience is transmitted and interpreted via historical sources as well as cultural objects such as films, novels, and video games. It also engages students with key social, political, and moral arguments about the representation of war experience in the media, museums, monuments, and commemoration rituals. This is the Fall only version of the course.

This course explores the governance initiatives that are emerging in response to the phenomenon of anthropogenic climate change which, as a truly global problem, implicates and affects all parts of the world and makes these initiatives necessarily more speculative, less established, and more rapidly evolving than most other governance initiatives. The topics and readings for the course foreground the theme of governance and explore the various institutions and techniques that have evolved, or might evolve, to address the phenomenon of climate change.

Should the different countries obey international law? Is international law really "law"? It is just? Who should enforce it? What kinds of values should it reflect and what kinds of institutions should support it? Is it merely an expression of Western values or is it universal? Through these questions this advanced course discusses the nature, sources, justification, and effects of international law. We use international law cases to tackle complicated philosophical and empirical questions about the character of international law. The readings blend analysis of core areas of public international law and classical texts in the philosophy of law.

This course investigates how benevolent conduct is enacted in the world, despite the typical focus on power, war, economic domination, and indifference towards distant foreigners in the study of international relations. This concept is approached from political theory, international relations, as well as artistic endeavors, to explore the tension between interest and sympathy concerning both human nature and the foundations of politics, the traces of which can be found consistently in philosophical debates between the 17th century and today. This course provides a deeper understanding of international relations by exploring an underinvested historical, empirical, and philosophical dimension. It considers benevolence as sensitivity, conduct, and project in the global space to cultivate a clear and optimistic view of the scope of benevolence in the contemporary world.

This course introduces students to the cultures and literatures of the Portuguese-speaking world, specifically Portugal, Brazil, and Mozambique. While it explores the fascinating history of each of these countries through cultural products that range from film, literature and music, colonialism has played a crucial part in this history and its journey to modernity.  The course offers a glimpse into societies whose people have continually dealt with the aftermath of imperialism, racism, and economic exploitation, and that have also shown enormous creativity and resilience.