Political Science

This course examines several aspects of Irish culture and how they impact Ireland today; focusing on Irish Society, Irish Politics, Irish Economy, and Ireland and the European Union. The course supports students in their placement in Dail Eireann or Seanad Eireann. Students are expected to interact at a high level while participating in their placement and have a strong knowledge of contemporary issues in Ireland. The politics component introduce participants to the main features of the Irish Political System. Students learn about the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary as well as the electoral and party systems. The society component describes the social, economic, and cultural features of modern Irish society. It highlights the recent changes in Irish society, and provides a grounding in the issues and attitudes of modern Ireland. It looks at the issue of religion, in particular the declining role and influence of the Catholic Church and the shift towards more socially liberal attitudes as reflected in the recent yes vote in the same-sex referendum. It describes the change in demographics within Irish society in the past twenty years, the growing presence of non-nationals within Irish society, and the effect this has had on the country. It also looks at the Irish Travelling community ("Irish Travelers"), the tensions at play between the settled community and Irish Travelers, as well as the issue of racism within Irish society. The culture of everyday life, and the topic of Northern Ireland and the 30 year conflict known as "The Troubles" are also discussed.

This course introduces students to key International Relations (IR) theories, concepts, and discussions. It examines the complex and difficult problems the world faces today and the different ways of defining, understanding, and responding to these problems. Understanding the causes of the world’s complex problems is no easy task and no single analytical lens can capture any issue accurately. 

This course reflects on the foundations and modalities of the advent of political modernity in the 19th century. It traces the major stages in the evolution of Europe and its imperial extensions, from the democratic revolutions of the end of the 18th century to the advent of the era of the masses at the beginning of the 20th century. Topics include the emergence of currents of thought such as liberalism, conservatism, and socialism; the changes in the instruments of mobilization, violent (wars, revolutions) or peaceful (civil society, electoral processes); the affirmation of nation states and the persistence of empires. Particular attention is paid to the place claimed and obtained by women in political society. The course also questions the place of Europe in the world and evokes the processes of political modernization (and its limits) on the other continents.

The Model United Nations (MUN) seminar is an interactive course developed by Geneva International Model United Nations (GIMUN). MUN is the simulation of a United Nations committee or agency, where each participant represents a State or organization and advances their policies as they debate contemporary global issues. The course is divided in two parts: theoretical and practical. In the first part of the semester, a new theoretical element of MUN is studied every week in the form of a traditional lesson with obligatory readings. In the second part of the semester, a contemporary global issue is debated every week in mini-simulations led by groups of four students. The course covers a variety of subject matter including international law, environment, and development. Students learn about the United Nation (UN) system and government foreign policy, while training in public speaking, research, negotiation, and diplomacy.