BA-IR - Bachelor of Arts in International Relations

The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of the philosophical, historical and political origins of Law, and its nature and significance in society and International Relations. The students are expected to understand various methods of legal reasoning, to analyse sources of Public International Law and how to discern relevant facts and to apply legal principles to those facts. The module further aims at introducing the students to legal research.
In addition, the module gives an overview of the historical context and origins of the existence of Public International Law, its main sources and different branches, the main actors as well as the most important Treaties and norms ruling the international system. Part of this module is the application of these norms and procedures to monitor compliance and mechanisms of enforcing them on the basis of specific historical cases.

The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of the philosophical, historical and methodological origins of Economics and its nature and significance in society and International Relations. The students are expected to understand various methods of Economics analysis, to be able to analyse schools of Economics thought, case studies and Economic policies applied around the world. The module also aims at introducing the students to comprehensive, methodologically sound economic research.
Additionally, the module gives an overview of the historical context, development and origins of current Economic theories, its main sources and different branches, the main actors as well as the most important Treaties and norms ruling the international system. Part of this module is the application of these norms and procedures to monitor compliance and mechanisms of enforcing them on the basis of specific historical cases.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the study of Political Systems and International Relations. While the first part of the module concentrates on providing the students with an understanding of the discipline’s main theories, basic concepts and puzzles; the second part focuses on deepening the students understanding of International Relations by introducing them to issue areas of the study of International Relations. More specifically, this module aims to establish an understanding of the nature of the international political system, and the theoretical issues underlying political analysis at the global level. It also aims to establish an appreciation of the history of the analysis of international relations as an academic discipline. Throughout this module students will examine a range of theories of International Relations including realism, liberalism, poststructuralism and feminism. Students will evaluate the utility and power of these theories with regard to some key issues in international politics including terrorism, security, nuclear proliferation, hunger, migration and development.

This module is intended or aimed at introducing students to development studies. The only course taught in the year under this core module is Globalisation and Poverty Reduction Strategies. This course on Globalisation and Poverty Reduction Strategies is designed to examine the theories and applicability of poverty reduction strategies in the era of globalisation not by its merits, but through critical analysis of the subject, as a multifaceted and interdisciplinary area of development. The students will explore various examples of poverty reduction strategies, learn to collect and understand data, and through the learning tools acquired in the course, try to analyse and assess them in the context of a globalising world.

The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of the historical and political background of the theory and practice of International Organisations and other multinational players. In this regard, an introductory course “Diplomatic Neighbourhood – Global Village” introduces students to the some 200 International Organisations in the immediate vicinity of the GSD. It takes a broad “International community/International Organisation” approach to the governmental and non-governmental bodies in the neighbourhood and explores Geneva as one of the diplomatic centres on the globe, its significance for decision-making in International Relations and the historical growth of international collaboration in the modern era. In addition to that, the module examines the historical importance of significant religious, diplomatic, cultural and political leaders of the 20th and 21st century and explores their impact on history, the lives and careers of major leaders and personalities, their diplomatic aims, failures and successes are examined. Finally, the module gives an overview of the History of Diplomacy, mainly European, in the 19th and early 20th century, with a special attention to the main treaties and historical facts, the European powers and states system, the international system, and its transformations.

The aim of this module is two tiered. On the one hand the module aims to provide a firm grasp of the historical development of the world through a comprehensive and critical analysis of the world events, individuals, philosophies and perspectives, societies, cultures and civilisations. Simultaneously, the module seeks to foster and develop the critical and conceptual skills necessary to understand events, both past and present, and analyse and express their opinions in a structured and effective manner.

The aim of this module is to introduce the students to specialised branches of Public International Law. In this context, the students will be exposed to various covenants of Human Rights Law. The module is designed to strengthen the knowledge of fundamental principles and standards of human rights at the universal and regional level. It also focuses on the understanding of the United Nations’ role in the protection and promotion of those standards through different mechanisms and the actions of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It analyzes States’ responsibility for human rights observance and demonstrates the importance of the adherence of governments to the international instruments at the universal and regional levels.
In the second part, the module seeks to provide students with the knowledge of rules and principles of International Humanitarian Law, its sources, historical development and scope of application. It develops and enhances students’ cognitive and practical skills whereby students may identify, analyse, and research relevant issues of IHL, especially the Geneva Conventions. Students will develop critical skills of analysis and interpretation of cases in relation to contemporary practice.
Further, the module recognizes that case-law is living law and creates new norms or precedents in the form of concrete measures of redress. The study of Case law as precedents also serves as a warning to potential violators, thus highlighting its preventive and educative function. It identifies general principles of law as formulated in leading cases, e.g. the obligation to redress wrongs – ubi jus, ibi remedium – “the polluter pays” and others.

The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of the philosophical, historical and methodological origins of Economics and its nature and significance in society and International Relations. The students are expected to understand various methods of Economics analysis, to be able to analyse schools of Economics thought, case studies and Economic policies applied around the world. The module also aims at introducing the students to comprehensive, methodologically sound economic research. Additionally, the module gives an overview of the national level resource constraints and the global framework of treaties and the impact of current technological trends, the primacy of free trade, and the importance of technology sharing in the context of energy and resource security.  The main global and regional actors as well as the most important Treaties and norms ruling the international system are discussed and analysed as a system. Part of this module is the application of these norms and procedures to monitor compliance and mechanisms of enforcing them on the basis of specific historical cases.

Year II exposes the student to the analysis of Great Power Politics, Introduction to Geopolitical Analysis and Regional Foreign Policy Analysis. It explores the different manifestations of power in the international system, the ways of thinking about power (covert power, economic power, military power, etc.) and the impact of power politics (elite power groups) on the political system. It compares and contrasts the formal/procedural political system (the right of individuals to vote, etc.) with power politics (the effective management of politics by elites) using a variety of case studies. These include cases of military power (British, Soviet and United States military interventions in the Third World/South), economic power (the impact of elite propaganda, big business ownership of the media and corporate lobbying on the political system), and covert power (the role of the intelligence agencies in the political system).
Furthermore, the module adopts a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates geographic, strategic, historic, cultural and economic dimensions, in order to facilitate a more profound understanding of contemporary international relations. Different concepts and approaches of geopolitical analysis are presented. Various case studies and geopolitical configurations are examined in the programme.  Finally, the module is designed to introduce students into the complexity of foreign policy decision-making and by taking into account challenges both related to the dynamics of domestic politics and international trends related to globalization and enhanced interconnectedness. It also aims at illustrating respective dilemmas ranging from international security to trade and environmental policies.

This module is intended or aimed at intermediate level students of development studies as an inter-disciplinary subject. The courses taught in the course of the year under this core module are Globalisation and Improving Global Governance and Regional Case Studies. The above-mentioned courses on Globalisation and Improving Global Governance and Regional Case Studies are designed to brief students at the intermediate level on topical aspects of globalisation, namely economic globalisation. It takes a political economy approach to the politics of globalisation, whereby it is assumed that although globalisation is driven by economic factors, it is finally shaped by politics. Therefore this course deals with how globalisation is managed, its existing rules and institutions, and thus its current problems. It will also deal specifically with experiences of different countries and regions with economic globalisation as we understand today, in order to appreciate the necessary changes that are required to reform the current globalisation process to ensure development for all.

The aim of this module is to provide a comprehensive understanding of concepts of global leadership and governance and the importance of individual leader’s perceptions and actions for decision-making in a multilateral forum. The first part of the module examines the UN as a primary forum for global governance. The module further explores the successes, and main challenges in combining the decisions by Member States in the Security Council and the General Assembly. In addition to that, the necessary reform of this institution as the key tool to govern the new multilateral world will be discussed. Students of International Relations will be prepared to become the future protagonists of this transition. The second part of this module is designed to introduce students to the complexity of foreign policy decision-making by taking into account challenges both related to the dynamics of domestic politics and international trends related to globalization and enhanced interconnectedness. It also aims at illustrating respective dilemmas ranging from international security to trade and environmental policies. The third part of this module methodically and theoretically approaches and contrasts past and contemporary theories of diplomacy and leadership. An in-depth examination of the concepts, processes, skills and contexts of global leadership as analytical tools to examine topical issues and their contextualisation in history and politics will be provided.

The aim of this module is to develop understanding and knowledge of conflict theories and conflict analysis on the interpersonal, community and global level. Students further are expected to develop a more integrated understanding of concepts on conflict, peace and security and to apply tools to analyse conflicts, and techniques for their resolution.Upon completion, students are required to foster an interdisciplinary perspective on conflict and security issues, with special focus on nuclear security threats, enabling them to address multi-faceted perceptions, and linking human security with human development to meet local ownership, cultural diversity and sensitivity, as well as gender-based aspects of conflicts and development.

This course aims to give students an understanding of the public ethics of politics, law, economics, and institutional frameworks in the current international context.  It goes beyond the notions of good governance, best practices and transparency to discuss the need for principles-based national, international and global policy making and management.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to specialised topics of Public International Law. The students will achieve substantial and specialised knowledge and expertise in key areas of Public International Law. The module primarily focuses on International Criminal Law, its historical development, scope, actors and its implementation by various international bodies. The second part of the module will focus specifically on Genocide as a subject of Law. The aim primarily is to understand the concept of genocide as a creature of Law. This would be further elucidated to the students through important case laws relating to genocide in history. The last part of the module will consist of the evaluation of case studies in a specialised branch of Public International Law, e.g. Human Rights Law, Humanitarian Law, etc. on the basis of the theoretical underpinning acquired and gathered throughout the module.

The aim of this module is to develop applied skills in modelling, evaluating and understanding of current international and development challenges and paradigms.  Philosophical, historical and methodological applications Economics in approaching past development paths, challenges encountered and contemporary applicability in the context of modern International Relations and institutional frameworks exiting today. The students are expected to understand various methods of Economics analysis, to be able to analyse schools of Economics thought, case studies and Economic policies applied around the world. The module also aims at introducing the students to comprehensive, methodologically sound economic research. Additionally, the module gives an overview of the historical context, development and origins of current Economic problems and challenges and the methods of solving them within a global cooperative framework, taking into account the main actors as well as the most important Treaties and norms ruling the international system. The separate priorities, challenges and societal needs of the global North and South will be addressed within a holistic, global cooperation framework. Part of this module is the application of these norms and procedures to monitor compliance and mechanisms of enforcing them on the basis of specific contemporary cases.

Year III will further examine case studies and Regional Foreign Policy Analysis and apply the theories learnt in Year I and II. Examples of courses are: American and Russian Foreign Policy, the Middle East, NATO and the EU, Africa, etc.

This module is intended for advanced students of the Bachelor Programme in development studies. The courses taught in the year under this core module Health & International Relations, Regional Case Studies II and Emerging Economies: Opportunities and Challenges. This module focuses on the inter-disciplinary nature of developmental studies. In the first trimester it focuses on the importance of global health in international relations in the context of globalisation. This course underscores the 90-10 gap between developed countries and developing countries, difficulties in access to medicines, global burden of diseases, health systems and the correlation of international health to development, especially the Millennium Development Goals. For the second and third trimesters, the students would be exposed, through the study of country and regional analysis, to the opportunities and challenges faced by these specific countries and regions which are at various stages of development in managing globalisation. The module would provide in-depth examination of the development history and provide a concise overview of the current status of development of particular countries and regions (with a special focus on Emerging Economies and Markets), including the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals.  It will seek to compare current economic development status to where it was about 25 or 30 years ago, the principal development assistance partners, international institutions, and the major problems which need to be overcome in its development path.

The module provides students with a deepened understanding and applied emphasis of leadership. The first part of the module is designed to introduce the students to the dynamics of governance and the leader-follower process. It addresses fundamental questions, theoretical arguments and concepts in the area of Statecraft. Special focus will be given to different strategies of Statecraft, such as deterrence and coercive diplomacy, geostrategy and the psychological tactics of leaders. It examines the use of force in international politics from an ethical point of view. Further emphasis is laid on the application of theories of leadership to current events and to the individual leadership skills including group and team leadership of each student in practical settings. The intention of the second part of the module is to guide the students in an in-depth examination of the concepts, processes, skills and contexts of global governance, i.e. Globecraft, with the aim to inculcate “global thinking.” The course recognises that there are various drivers which hinder countries from reforming governance, and the building of effective institutions. The course examines key concepts of governance in the context of globalization, giving students a greater comprehension of how the processes of governance, markets and democracy interact with those of participation, accountability, representation, and of civil and human rights. The specialization focuses on applying theories and principles of improving governance and democracy across a spectrum of issues, including accountability, inclusive democracy, combating corruption and enforcing the rule of law. In this way, the specialization analyses the various responses to the problems of globalization, from attempts to establish global governance to the rise of anti-globalization movements. Students will become familiar with the way such concepts of good governance, institutional reform, capacity building, accountability and power are understood. They will be able to critically analyse current reform efforts, and become familiar with different theories on how reform and change take place. The last part of this module will define and establish the purpose of diplomacy, tracing its evolution and its application in the formulation and implementation of foreign policy. It will examine the different types of diplomatic Missions, the key concepts of diplomacy, and its basis in international law. It will conclude by examining the impact of globalization and the information revolution on diplomacy and its future in the 21st century.

The aim of this module is to further expound contemporary conflict and security issues to students. As part of the module, current trends relating to migration issues and the implications for international security will be discussed. Students learn to distinguish between various types of migratory phenomena, their legal and political status and the main actors responsible for their operational protection. The module further aims at familiarising the students with security challenges in traditional conflict and post-conflict situations. The module aims at clarifying the complexity of terminological and operational aspects of the peace-, state- and nation-building agenda. The course is aimed at developing awareness among students, as future international leaders, of how international legal and policy frameworks are applied in practice. It will provide insight into how the international system works to protect universal rights in sometimes highly challenging situations. This module therefore takes an inter-disciplinary approach including contributions from political science, international law, economics and sociology, taking into account various actors and stakeholders. It critically discusses the multiple dilemmas that may emerge between the international community’s moral responsibility to protect and the challenges of ensuring human security.

The aim of this module is to familiarise students with contemporary global issues which impact society on multiple levels – from the intra-state to the international. On the one hand students will continue to discuss ethical issues, with a specific focus on climate change and conflict to identify the key issues, actors and cases related to climate change. The students will also be provided with a comprehensive overview of the influence of the media on international affairs and the use of media by a variety of actors from the mid 19th century to the present day. The module aims to focus on the modern challenges and dimension of these problems as well as the technological aspects involved.