A90082 Introduction to International Relations

Scuola di Economia e Management
Syllabus
Academic Year 2013/14 First Semester

foto
Docente TitolareGianfranco Benedetto
E-mailgbenedetto@liuc.it
Office"Torre" (main tower), 4th floor
Phone

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course the student will be able:

to understand  and evaluate the different domestic policies as well as the economic, social and military situations of the present word compared to the recent past

Learning targets

to elaborate an economic plan  taking into consideration the mentality and the point of view of a local population especially for developing countries or for an international organization

to perform in a group by demonstrating leadership.

Course Content

To be a good economist - especially if your future work  is in international organizations, Human Resources, diplomatic career - an important added value with respect to your competitors is a good knowledge of international society,  the reason for which a country today  is as we see it,  considering the role of psychological aspects (the real engine of every human decision), traditions of each population which deeply influence their choices, behaviour, organization and quality of institutional structures. Having this information, understanding the real causes of wars, cooperation, peace, power, weakness will be useful when you have  a career development and more responsibility.

Content: the analysis of political and economic decisional mechanisms, particularly their psychological aspects;  the role of parties; of the ruling class and its qualities and capabilities; financial  and commercial capacities of countries; diplomacy; demographic, social and psychological conditions of populations; public opinion, press; pressure groups; military capabilities. Understanding the differences between <<symptoms and causes>> and their relevance in international analysis.

The European political, historical and economic situation at the beginning of the 20th century. The deep causes of the First World War: psychological, politics, economics and military aspects. American isolationalistic tradition  and causes of its involvement in the War.  President Wilson's psychology.  The peace treaties and their economic and political consequences.  The economic interdependence between the nations. The myth of permanent prosperity. Causes of the Great Depression of 1929.  Political, military and economic  decisions in Japan, Italy, Germany to solve their economic crisis. Towards the Second World War. The real origin of the Cold War.  Current World: 1) The new Russia – 2) Global warming – 3) Transatlantic  relations: EU and USA – 4) Bases of American foreign policy – 5)  Neuro-economy and its future influence.

 

Course Delivery

The course will require active students’  involvement. It is necessary for the students to keep up to date on the most important international matters through Internet (international newspapers and agencies). E-mails are periodically sent out by the instructor to the students to direct their attention to the most important international matters.

Course Evaluation

Students will be evaluated on a final written examination and / or tests in classroom. They will be multiple choice test or written essay on a course topic

It's necessary a class attendance at least sixty percent of course.

 

Syllabus

Session 0
Hours of lesson: 0
Instructor:

Topics:

9.  Syllabus  2nd  semester  (2013-14)   A90082  Session: 10

Introduction to International Relations

Session  1

Feb 17th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics:

  • a) International relations: what is its meaning. Relationships between economics, politics, social, demographic and psychological conditions of populations, public opinion, press role, pressure groups.  

 

Session  2

Feb 19th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics: 

  • a) Analysis of an international scenario. Mean of symptoms and causes in an international scenario. European political, historical, economic, social conditions at the beginning of the XX century. The bases of American foreign policy

Session  3

Feb 24th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics: 

  • a) Analysis of  deep causes of the First World War: the psychological, political, economic, military aspects.

 

Readings: Henry   Kissinger,  Diplomacy,  Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994  or Niall Ferguson, The War of the World, Allen Lane, London-New York 2006.  

Session  4

Feb 26th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics:

  • a) The American foreign policy after the First World War.
  • President Wilson psychology. The bases of American foreign policy

 

Readings: Henry   Kissinger,  Diplomacy,  Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994  or Niall Ferguson, The War of the World, Allen Lane, London-New York 2006.

Session  5

Mar 3rd

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics: 

  • a) The economic interdependence between the nations. The myth of permanent prosperity. Causes of the Great Depression of 1929. 

 

Readings: Henry   Kissinger,  Diplomacy,  Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994  or Niall Ferguson, The War of the World, Allen Lane, London-New York 2006.

Session  6

Mar  5th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics: 

  • a) The first signs and the causes of the Second World War and its political, economic and military consequences.

 

Readings: Henry   Kissinger,  Diplomacy,  Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994  or Niall Ferguson, The War of the World, Allen Lane, London-New York 2006.

Session  7

Mar 10th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics:

  • a) The Second World War

 

Readings: Henry   Kissinger,  Diplomacy,  Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994  or Niall Ferguson, The War of the World, Allen Lane, London-New York 2006.

 

Session  8

Mar 12 th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics:

  • a)The post war world, the end of Euro-centrism, the rise of new international players: the United States and Russia, the beginning of Cold War: its political, economic and military consequences.  

 

 

Readings: Henry   Kissinger,  Diplomacy,  Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994  or Niall Ferguson, The War of the World, Allen Lane, London-New York 2006.

Session  9

Mar 17th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Topics:

  • a) The post war world, the end of Euro-centrism, the rise of new international players: the United States and Russia, the beginning of Cold War: its political, economic and military consequences.  

 

 

Readings: Henry   Kissinger,  Diplomacy,  Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994  or Niall Ferguson, The War of the World, Allen Lane, London-New York 2006.

 

Session  10

Mar 24th

Time:  2 hours

Instructor: G. Benedetto

Final written examination : multiple choice test or written essay on a course topic.

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Notice: the individual parts of  Current World (see syllabus), will be explained during the course

 

 

Readings:


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