Argomenti dell'insegnamento
The historical (and pre-historical) background; theories of world politics; structures and processes; international issues, globalization, and current challenges. The course begins by commenting on excerpts from Yuval Harari’s book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind expanding on the origins of “early human institutions” and follows the development of IRs up to the emergence of sophisticated forms of political accountability in the international politics of the XXI c. One block of lectures engages with the main theories and discourses in the study of IRs. Globalization is the backdrop where international actors engage in a spectrum of relations ranging from cooperation to conflict. The course will expand on such issues as national security, national self-determination, international and transnational institutions and NGOs, and global governance.

Insegnamenti propedeutici
None

Modalità di insegnamento
18 two-hour lectures, normally offered twice a week, starting in March 2026. Instructor uses PowerPoint.

Modalità d'esame
1. Participation. Depending on how many students will be attending, format and participation will be discussed and agreed upon in week one. Attendance is not compulsory but in-class discussion of case studies by registered students will be appreciated. 2. Midterm: A mid-term is tentatively scheduled for April 8 (maximum 3 extra points). Only students who attend regularly (e.g., 80% of classes) can enroll to the mid-term. 3. 70-minute final exam: this is an in-class written exam combining multiple choice + short essay (max 350 words); further details about the structure of the exam and the composition of the grade will be given in a separate doc, made available in the ‘file’ folder of the course’s Teams within week 5.

Criteri di valutazione
See 'assessment'.