International Studies

This course s part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. Globalization dramatically changed the environment of political and economic activity, widening the context of social action and speeding up its pace. This course tackles the new ethical issues inherent in a globalized world of social change from a theoretical perspective, without neglecting the historical side. At the end of the course students have a deeper appreciation of the new ethical issues facing mankind in an era of globalization, have knowledge of the most interesting contemporary theories of the just society, and are capable of historically situating the current developments in society. This course examines three broad themes connected to the contemporary geopolitical circumstances: the question of the just society and the challenge of relativism, the dilemmas of globalization, and environmental ethics. The course examines how and to what extent globalization has changed politics and, strictly connected to this question, the issue of the just society in such different circumstances and the challenge posed by cultural relativism. Finally, the course tackles the problem of our responsibility towards the environment and towards non-human creatures.

This seminar provides an overview on the various national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic from public health measures (masking, social distancing, lockdown restrictions, vaccines, medicines) to recurring national and global dilemmas and controversies. 

This reading-intensive course studies some of the main conflicts that have occurred since 1945 – beginning with the wars in Indo-China (1946-54) and Algeria (1954-62) that saw the end of France as a colonial power. Conflicts covered in this course include: The Franco-Vietnamese conflict; Lebanon civil war; Islamic revolt in Afghanistan and occupation by the Soviet Union; and the American conflict in Iraq.  Students gain a clear understanding of the background and consequences of these conflicts, how immensely difficult it is for outside powers to intervene in any other state, and a deeper understanding of societies that are very different to those of the West. Students critically analyze the impact traditional mass media and social media have had, both in covering the conflicts and in fostering resistance or opposition to the powers that be.

This course introduces the contemporary and emerging stakes posed by international migration in the international arena. In dialogue with case studies and comparative research, the course explores how states adapt to the changing features of human mobility in a context of growing geopolitical (and climate) instability and how this affects interstate relations. The externalization of migration control and diaspora surveillance policies have transformed the geography of public intervention, thereby opening a new field for diplomatic engagement. The course also provides an understanding of the ways new categories of actors interfere with the management of migrations: international organizations, civil society organizations, cities, and private companies.