EDS203 Introduction to International Relations
Credits (ECTS):5
Course responsible:Kirsti Stuvøy
Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås
Teaching language:Engelsk
Course frequency:Annually
Nominal workload:125 hours.
Teaching and exam period:This course starts in August block. This course has teaching and evaluation in the August block.
About this course
This course introduces students to the fascinating field of International Relations, emphasising the importance of concepts and theories as essential analytical tools. Theories help us understand and analyse global affairs, offering different perspectives on how the world works. Students learn about various theories, from those that focus on states and strategic security, to those that include a range of actors, including civil society, businesses, criminal or terrorist organisations, and individuals. The course covers conventional security paradigms, highlighting state interests and actions such as deterrence and alliance-building, and constructivist theory, which sees state interest as shaped by interaction and emphasises historical identity formation, worldviews and ideas that draw attention to various perceptions of security.
The course delves into core concepts central to the study of International Relations, such as global order, institutions, identity, war and violent conflict, security, diplomacy, and global governance. Students familiarise themselves with and deepen their understanding of realist, liberalist, constructivist, and critical theories of international relations, including feminist and de-colonial perspectives.
To support students in navigating the theoretical plurality in International Relations, the introductory course explores fundamental questions such as: the interplay of structure and agency; the flexibility in the interests and identities of state and non-state actors; how to approach analysis using different frameworks in International Relations. Students engage with key contemporary issues concerning security, war, and geopolitical uncertainty, and are introduced to basic research skills relevant to studying international relations, including how to search for sources, assess sources, apply academic reference technique, and follow academic writing conventions.
Learning outcome
After completing this introductory course, students can describe International Relations as a diverse field that encompasses a multitude of actors, events, and processes. Students can explain why there is a diversity of theoretical perspectives in the discipline.
Students are able to explain selected concepts in International Relations and relate them to theories such as realism, liberal-institutionalism, constructivism, and critical theory. Students recognise that academic concepts are often debated and evolve through continuous assessment of their relevance in explaining and understanding the world. Students are familiar with this as a typical feature of the field of International Relations and the social sciences.
Students can apply concepts and theories in empirical analysis of developments in international relations. They have acquired a basic understanding of relevant research techniques, can identify relevant sources, show good referencing skills, and make use of various theoretical perspectives. Students can express their expectations regarding collaboration and support from fellow students and actively participate as team players in the classroom, demonstrating their academic understanding both orally and in writing
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