LFU:online

§5(1)8.a. VO International Relations - Introductory Level (2 / 5)

Students understand the principles and connections of international relations and national foreign policy, and they are able to analyse them under supervision. Students know the basic elements of classical international law and are able to reproduce them. Moreover, they acquire the ability to present the main historical developments in the state system of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The lecture offers students an overview of actors, (ordering) structures and processes in international relations. First of all, it deals with the nature of different actors in world politics, focusing primarily on the nature of modern statehood, but also on other actors such as non-governmental organizations or international organizations. The lecture then focuses on the different (ordering) structures that these actors have developed over time. It traces the development of the modern state system and introduces various forms of international order such as the balance of power, the great power concert or hegemonic and imperial orders. In the final part, the lecture addresses individual domains/issue areas of international relations, such as globalization, violent conflicts or arms dynamics. A voluntary excursion to Vienna (EX 402074, 15-17 May 2024) will offer more insights into the subject areas of the lecture and insights into the practice of international politics and state foreign policy.

Lecture, discussion and reading of texts.

Written exam

Will be provided at the beginning of the course.

successful completion of compulsory module 1

Students of the BA Business Sciences – Management and Economics UC 033 571 (elective module) and the Diploma of International Economics (IWW) UC 155 (compulsory module) do not register for the course via the LFU:online points registration but rather via the registration button “LFU: online registration”. When registering for the relevant course, students should also write in the comments that they are doing the VO as part of the elective module or compulsory module (at IWW).