Political Science

Overview courses

• State, Power and Conflict

  The course offers a broad introduction to the major concepts of and main approaches in political science. After a critical overview of different concepts of power, the concept of the state and contending perspectives on the conflict and cooperation within modern political systems, the course introduces students to contemporary world politics through an overview of international political history from the 17th century to the present. The course will end with a discussion of contemporary issues within the context of a globalized world politics.

• International Relations and Global Governance

  This course offers a comprehensive overview of the discipline and subject of International Relations (IR) and its main concepts and theories and approaches. Throughout, the course will be guided by the question to which extent, and how, the current process of globalization is changing the nature and content of world politics, approaching this question from the various competing theoretical perspectives that IR has to offer.

• Global Political Economy

  This course offers students an introduction to the subject of International Political Economy (IPE). Throughout, the course will be guided by the question to which extent, and how, the current process of globalization is changing the relationship between states and markets, between public regulation and the private economy, between state and capital. 

• EU Governance in an International Context

  This course familiarizes students to the way the EU operates, its institutional architecture, its history, and its modes of decision-making. It highlights how EU decision-making affects domestic politics, whilst at the same time is situated in a broader, international context. Students will be introduced to the key theoretical debates about the European integration process and it will pay special attention to the main characteristics of EU decision-making. 

• Minor Seminar in Political Science

  This course provides students with the opportunity to further engage with the literature from concurrent courses, meet and share experiences with other students in the minor programme, and apply newly-acquired knowledge in written assignments and in-class activities. The preparatory assignments and participation components of assessment in this course reflect the importance of in-class discussions. Attendance at the seminars is therefore mandatory. The seminars are scheduled in periods 1-2 before students write and submit the final paper during period 3.