IRS 379 Global Governance

The course Global Governance and International Organizations examines global governance as an analytical/ theoretical concept and as a functional/issue-oriented/dynamic practice in world affairs. This design enables to capture changing nature of the issue and its conceptual aspects through its day-to-day application in the real world. The course aims to provide students with a clear understanding of current global affairs and means of governance taking place on a global scale.
We will start by examining what drives the current demand for a global governance structure. We will then identify and explore what the main theories of international relations have to say about global governance. Then students will investigate how the perception of global governance changed over time, what were the main evolutionary waves, and what scholars suggest to expect from it in the future. One session will be devoted to the UN, its role and main criticism. The course will then turn to the so-called global governance architecture. An appreciation of global life reinforces regional movements and motivates nation-states to form alternative centers of integration. This power diffusion will be considered, and more criticism of current global order will be offered.

Previous Course Title: IRS 379 Global Governance & International Institutions