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A general survey of the basic principles of world politics with emphasis on the international relations of the United States.

This course is set to give students a good overview of basic concepts and theories in the field of World Politics and International Relations. It will expose students to different current problems and issues of world politics and will analyze the nature of the international system, the causes and effects of international conflict and international cooperation. After an overview of the historical development of International Relations, the course will analyze the different IR theories, and the role of states and international organizations and other actors on the international scene in shaping world politics. The second half of the course will be focused on discussion and examining current issues, e.g. human rights, military intervention, environment and climate change, nuclear weapons and proliferation, terrorism, globalization and population dynamics etc.

To make students familiar with international diplomacy and the United Nations system, a mocked United Nations Security Council meeting on a current international crisis might be held during the course (depending on class size, available time, student interest and motivation and active participation).

This course should provide students with all necessary basic facts to get a good overview of world politics and international relations as well as provide them with the necessary analytical skills to understand and critically evaluate current events and developments. This introductory course is intended to prepare students for more advanced courses in International Relations and World Politics.

The main objectives of this course are to develop the student´s grasp of the key concepts and theories of IR and to use them to analyze current world politics. By the end of the course, students should have a good knowledge of the historical development of International Relations; have developed an awareness of the major current international problems and be able to identify and discuss current issues and events from an international relations background have a good inside view into the functioning of key actors on the international scene, e.g. states, NGO´s and international organizations; be able to independently follow current events and developments in world politics by accessing key sources of information and be able to critically assess such developments; be able to read, understand and compose position papers and UN resolutions on a current pressuring topic in IR.

The University of New Orleans International Summer School program has a mandatory class attendance policy. All students are required to attend class for all morning classes and any required afternoon and/or weekend fields trips and lectures. No unexcused absences are allowed. However, LFU students who have to miss a UNO class due to LFU examinations in the first two weeks of our program, can receive one excused absence for this. Any further unexcused absences will result in an academic penalty. Each faculty member determines the penalty for missed classes. Most professors deduct a letter grade for each additional missed class day. For details, please refer to your course syllabi, which will be distributed on the first day of class. Mail: Center-New-Orleans@uibk.ac.at

Die Anrechnung der Kurse der UNO-IBK International Summer School muss von den Studierenden selbst vorab mit den zuständigen StudiendekanInnen geklärt werden. Diese allein entscheiden über die Anerkennung der belegten Kurse für das jeweilige Studienfach. Es wird empfohlen, sich einen Vorabbescheid über die Anerkennung der Kurse ausstellen zu lassen.