The aim of this course is to provide an in-depth introduction and overview of the history and politics of the European Union from its inception to continuous development under the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon and the post-Brexit era. The course is organized into three main parts. Part one traces the evolution of European integration with a special focus on the fundamental debates about the nature and scope of European unification and its character as both a political and economic project.  Part two examines the EU’s institutions, decision-making processes and the scope and content of EU law and policy through the evolution of its treaties over the past seven decades of its history. After gaining deeper knowledge of the historical background of the EU and the nuts and bolts of what the EU is and how it works, Part three explores the extent to which the growing supranational and transnational nature of the EU challenges traditional concepts of domestic politics (citizenship, sovereignty, democracy) as well as foreign policy and international relations.  This part of the course will also draw on the concepts of globalization and Europeanization inviting students to think comparatively and critically as they consider French and European politics and society in global perspective and in contrast to their own cultural and national backgrounds. Additionally, the course examines contemporary debates and policy challenges within the European Union such as the rise of Euroscepticism, democratic backsliding and the consequences of “Brexit” and the war in Ukraine. Finally, the course compares the EU with the United States as a model of democracy and political economy as well as a global actor and a diplomatic force in world politics. Overall, the course offers a dynamic learning experience that provides both traditional lectures with discussion-oriented classes complemented by field trips, film screenings, and visits to museums and historical sites.

This is a discussion based and active learning course designed for students from different disciplinary backgrounds from science and engineering fields to the social sciences and humanities. The intellectual and academic content of the course allows students to draw on their educational and professional experiences abroad or attained in different intercultural contexts as we explore concepts and practices related to identity, citizenship, globalism and intercultural competencies. The course explores the meaning of global citizenship as it has evolved conceptually in scholarly and public debates and how it is “practiced” by individuals and “institutionalized” by universities, corporations and other organizations that deploy the concept as a strategic goal or a set of value commitments. We will also consider the extent to which global citizenship is a contested idea and evaluate those oppositions in both normative and empirical terms. The course will be anchored by a survey of the relevant concepts, theories and analytical tools from the Social Sciences and Humanities, as well as from Intercultural Communication and Social Psychology to enable students to fulfill the following objectives:

• Think critically and systematically about our subject matter, particularly as it is bound up with complex constructs such as national identity, globalization and the causes and consequences of human migration.
• Perform an active investigation of perception, values, and problem-solving approaches, all of which differ in patterned ways across cultures, and exert tremendous influence on how we define global citizenship.
• Acknowledge the necessity of shifting from ethno-centrism to ethno-relativism and away from “us versus them” thinking to successfully conceptualize global citizenship as an idea and a practice

This course will help students to understand the background and historical development of the current international system. Together, we will come to understand the various theoretical paradigms and explore how each is used to analyze international relations and inform policy.  In addition, the class will learn about the various structures of global governance including international institutions, international law, and human rights.    In order to do all this, the course will take advantage of readings, lectures, discussions, as well as various pieces of pop culture that reaffirm the importance of these concepts.  By the end of the semester, students will be proficient in the basic language of the field, be able to view international relations utilizing multiple theoretical lenses, apply these theories when analyzing current world events and will capable of explaining their analysis to others.  

This course will help students to understand the background and historical development of the current international system. Together, we will come to understand the various theoretical paradigms and explore how each is used to analyze international relations and inform policy.  In addition, the class will learn about the various structures of global governance including international institutions, international law, and human rights.    In order to do all this, the course will take advantage of readings, lectures, discussions, as well as various pieces of pop culture that reaffirm the importance of these concepts.  By the end of the semester, students will be proficient in the basic language of the field, be able to view international relations utilizing multiple theoretical lenses, apply these theories when analyzing current world events and will capable of explaining their analysis to others.  

Because security is a fundamental concern for individuals, societies, and states, this course provides a systematic introduction to how International Relations (IR) and Security Studies define, analyze, and debate “security.” War and conflict recur throughout human history for instance, but why do they occur, under what conditions do they escalate, and what patterns shape how actors anticipate, deter, or fight? Drawing on major theoretical traditions as well as historical and contemporary cases, the course introduces core concepts and terminology such as power, deterrence, the security dilemma, alliances, coercion, and escalation and shows how they are applied to real-world security problems. By the end of the course, students will be able to evaluate competing explanations of conflict and assess the policy trade-offs involved in managing threats in international politics. 

This course will critically examine several key aspects of US foreign policy, including the theoretical issues that shape foreign policy making and the system in which foreign policy decisions are made. It will also explore the history and construction of the United States foreign policy since 1945 and the current foreign policy issues and problems facing United States. The course will consider the changing nature of international relations and the possible future role that the US will play in the world. The course is designed to encourage students to think critically about the United States’ role in foreign affairs and to become more informed on foreign policy.

This course covers issues of moral values and ethical reasoning in international relations. It looks at the importance of international political morality in determining individual and collective conduct of foreign relations and examines the ethical nature of the rules, structures, and informal patterns of the international system. While the course emphasizes theoretical concepts and approaches, its main goal is to encourage ethical analysis by applying the concepts to specific global issues and problems. 

This course introduces students to primary security issues in the Western Pacific region and provides some tools to consider the subject. Topics to be covered include the international security structure in the Western Pacific, the cross-Taiwan Strait dispute, the North Korean nuclear issue, territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, and security vulnerabilities from economic interdependence.

Analyzes the formulation and implementation of America's foreign policy from 1914 to the present, stressing economic, political, and strategic factors.

Analyzes the formulation and implementation of America's foreign policy from 1914 to the present, stressing economic, political, and strategic factors.