International Studies

This course enables students to develop nuanced understandings of human/non-human “rights” and how they work, as well as their “responsibilities” as global citizens in their respective societies. It offers interdisciplinary explorations of how rights and responsibilities are relevant in helping to understand and solve some of our contemporary world’s most pressing problems. 

This course is an introduction to the field of public international law. The course covers major topics in this field, including sources of international law (treaties and customary international law); subjects (States and international organizations); the law of State responsibility; the prohibition on the use of force; and international dispute settlement. The course emphasizes learning how to read and understand international law instruments, such as states multilateral treaties and judgments of the International Court of Justice. The course discusses topics including sources and subjects of international law, state responsibility, prohibition on the use of force, jurisdiction, immunities, international dispute settlement, and international human rights law.

This course focuses on studying education and training from an international perspective. It examines how global or international developments affect teaching and learning across continents and countries. Educational policies and practices of different countries with regard to specific themes are compared. An overarching framework focused on the complex interplay between economic, political, historical, social, and cultural factors, and how these factors affect national educational policies and practices is used. Topics that can be addressed during the course include cross-cultural perspectives on education; comparison of goals of education across nations; comparisons of educational systems through worldwide studies examining students' academic performance (e.g., PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS); comparison of educational policies with regard to themes such as inclusive education, learning problems, and students with educational disadvantages; the role of the government, non-governmental organizations (NGO's), and public organizations Internationalization of (higher) education. Students conduct an international comparative case study based on policy documents and scientific literature.

This course seeks to understand different International Relations (IR) theories and perspectives related to environmental protection. This course also intends to provide students with substantive knowledge of a variety of environmental protection norms, regimes and geopolitics, including but not limited to the following matters: sustainable development goals, climate change, energy, marine environment.