State, Power and Conflict- Period 1

The course, which offers a broad introduction to the major concepts of and main approaches in political science, consists of two main parts. 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. Here we seek to understand history by identifying recurrent patterns of cooperation and conflict not just between states but also involving non-state actors, and by applying some of the concepts and approaches dealt with in the first part of the course. The course will end with a discussion of contemporary issues within the context of a globalized world politics, such as the ongoing War on Terror, the communications revolutions and its impact upon power.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.