International Studies

This course provides a study of main approaches and theories of international relations, and the evolution, processes, structures, problems and challenges of the contemporary global order. Other topics covered include: the international system (actors, structure, dynamics of cooperation and conflice), and the problems, dynamics and challenges on the international agenda (world governance, global terrorism, the international economic system, power and information society).

This seminar approaches German refugee and migration politics through examining the role and the importance of various religious groups against the backdrop of a society based on the separation of state and religion, the right to religious freedom, and the European context. The class features discussions of current problems and conflicts (e.g. Does Islam belong to Germany?).

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale Program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. Strategic Studies is an established field within the International Relations discipline. Specifically, the course covers both theory and practice of war and warfare, with emphasis on the contemporary era. It is subdivided into two sections. The first part, “Strategic Theory,” examines some principal theories of war. The first part provides students with the relevant analytics tools to attend the second part, “the Tools of Warfare,” which is devoted to the application of those theories to modern warfare as well as an examination of the principal military doctrines, the weapons of mass destructions, and irregular warfare (insurgencies, guerrilla, and terrorism).

This course focuses on understanding the relationship between terrorism and urban space. It traces the impact of terrorist attacks on cities and urban, cultural, political, religious, public, and economic areas in the strategies of terrorist organizations. The course discusses the method of terrorism to manipulate and change urban spaces and the counter-terrorism strategies and policies aimed at rehabilitating the damage. Three cities will be the primary examples in this course, among others: New York, Paris, and Mosul. The course provides an introduction to global digital governance and highlights the importance of understanding how internet technology functions, is evolving, and being governed. It examines how the digitization of the world is impacting our societies and economies, and what rules this trend may imply.

This course examines both the evolution of United States foreign policy in the post-Trump era and the strategic challenges confronting the United States and its allies in a changing world environment. It does so through cross views from the transatlantic community of scholars combining academics, think tank fellows, former policy makers, and administration officials from both sides of the Atlantic. Given the evolutions in the strategic environment, the emphasis is on the future of transatlantic relations and United States relations with NATO in the context of power competition; the questioning of military cooperation and the American Way of War in the Middle East and Africa; the pursuit of the United States strategy in the Indo-Pacific region and the future of the United States-China rivalry and interdependency; the challenges of new forms of power competition with the two identified revisionist powers: China and Russia; the future of American power on new battlefields: in cyber and information warfare that are part of the game of power politics of today; and redefining American alliances.

This course critically examines the various key approaches which have dominated international development debate and underlie the multifarious development practices and policies of the last few decades. Using a perspective on the different channels, the main actors, and institutions involved, including new donors, private sector, international organizations, and international agreements that impact development processes in the global south. Focus is on the interfaces between academic paradigms, practitioners’ approaches, and the debate on questions of international cooperation and development in society at large. The course deals explicitly with the ethical and moral aspects related to development cooperation. The multidisciplinary character of this course makes it well suited for students of other programs, who may approach development issues from their own respective disciplinary backgrounds.