The Ph.D. in International Relations allows students to specialize in a specific domain of knowledge while gaining the recognition that is instrumental to pursue advanced careers in academics, think tanks, international organizations, or government research. A unique aspect of the Ph.D. program is the very close guidance provided to students throughout the dissertation process. The program takes full advantage of its location and it offers access to countless libraries, archives and special collections, and provides an excellent venue for conducting interviews with diplomats and members of government institutions, inter-governmental organizations and NGOs.
Curriculum
International Relations Ph.D. candidates must successfully complete:
Seven required courses
Three elective courses, including one area courses
The international relations curriculum has a multi-disciplinary scope. Required courses cover the disciplines of international relations, political science, economics, international law, international organizations and diplomacy. The choice of electives is made in accordance with the domain in which the candidate wishes to pursue his or her research. Ph.D. candidates may take internships as part of their curriculum in order to develop a network of useful contacts and in order to combine hands-on experience with the scholarly work involved in the Ph.D. program.
PhD International Relations Major in Diplomacy
Required Courses
Core Units
Factors and Theories of Analysis in International Relations and Diplomacy
Research Methodology and Design
Foreign Policy Formulation and Diplomacy
International Public Law
Current Economic Problems and Policies
International Organizations
Current Issues in International Relations
Elective Courses of Diplomacy
Beginnings of the Contemporary Political Order
Comparative Politics
Anthropology and Politics
Post-Modernity and International Relations and Diplomacy
Issues in U.S. Foreign Policy
COURSE DESCRIPTION
CORE UNITS
Factors and Theories of Analysis in International Relations and Diplomacy
In an international political environment that is swarming with a plethora of events that we read in the day to day news, how can we make sense of it all in a systematic and informed manner, in a way that is theoretical, practical and in a manner that goes beyond the political talk? How can we find trends, patterns and generalizations for events occurring today, with those that occurred in the past and those that we are likely to see in the future? This course emphasizes the role of theory in the study of issues of international relations. Exploring a range of theoretical underpinnings to deepen our understanding of international relations, this course in theories and factors of IR and diplomacy helps us to achieve a greater understanding of the world and the diversity of its cultures with the use of theory. Knowledge of theories of international politics prepares students for understanding the world in a systematic manner, a world made smaller by the steady increase of international contact in society, politics, and business and allows students to acquire knowledge and tools that enable them to analyze and understand the complex world in which we live.
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Research Methodology and Design
This is an introductory course in research methods and design for students of political science, international relations. Students do not need any previous knowledge of social science methodology, but they should already have some substantive political knowledge, and an interest in conducting original research. The aim of this course is to teach students how to gather quantitative and qualitative evidence through the use of established social science research methods and how to analyze that data logically. Starting with a brief introduction to the elementary principles of the scientific method, you will learn how to generate original “quantitative” data through doing an actual scientific public opinion poll with a probabilistic simple random sample. Then you will be trained in some widely used “qualitative” data-gathering techniques, including research using published and archival documentation, as well as field research techniques of observation and interview. This phase will include a mandatory field trip to the national library. Once the data-gathering phase is complete, you will learn the basic tools of data analysis: i.e. establishing relationships, testing hypotheses, and developing valid theoretical explanations.
Foreign Policy Formulation and Diplomacy
To understand Foreign Policy Formulation this Practitioner’s seminar takes you inside the “black box” of statecraft in order to study the goals, beliefs, and perceptions of decision-makers.
Contemporary diplomacy as a norm-based activity and mindset provides an array of tools for preventive, persuasive and coercive crisis management for enduring stability and globalized security. These operational procedures of thinking and acting diplomatically including pre-crisis diplomatic communication enable us to deal with global and regional disruptive shock events.
In the practice of International Relations there is interdependency between diplomacy as the procedural tool-box for the application and execution of policy decisions and International Law as the behavioral guidelines for international policy-making. International Law serves as the language for diplomacy to justify policy decisions.
Course objectives:
To develop an understanding of the techniques and tactics of diplomacy and international law
To become familiar with the role of foreign ministries and embassies
To identify the present trends of modern diplomacy, with emphasis on the role of the United Nations
To equip students for careers in international affairs
International Public Law
The knowledge of basic legal concepts is essential for anyone working in or studying the field of international relations and diplomacy. The student will learn about the creation of International Public Law through treaties, customs and general principles. Particular importance will be given to the formation of these sources, showing how treaties are negotiated and illustrating some of the problems that written agreements can present, as well as the questions of equity and the impact and significance of unilateral acts on IPL. States will be studied on many levels, including defining the term “state”, identifying its attributes and determining how its responsibility can be engaged. Other actors such as international organizations will also be considered, and individuals as subjects and not only objects of IPL. Finally, methods of resolving international conflict will be analyzed from simple informal negotiations to the use of the international court system. The possibility, legality and desirability of non-peaceful methods will also be discussed.
Current Economic Problems and Policies
The aim of this course is to equip future policy makers with the basic analytical tools of macroeconomics, and prepare them to assess some of the economic issues they will encounter in this area. Hence, building on the knowledge already acquired by the students, this course will focus on open-economy macroeconomics, with special emphasis on the recent business cycle, current global imbalances, and the exchange rate of the dollar.
International Organizations
International organizations have joined the list of the most important actors in global affairs. The course distinguishes two types of international organizations: intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and seeks to understand their past and present function in contemporary societies and international relations, focusing on IGOs and the UN in particular. The course also seeks to analyze information to examine plausible scenarios of the future role of IGOs and NGOs. Lectures address issues such as: the importance of IGOs and NGOs as actors in international relations; the administrative and financial structures of IGOs and NGOs; their political and social ramifications; their communication strategies and the role of public opinion in their creation, maintenance and growth; whether IGOs such as the League of Nations or the United Nations have been efficient in accomplishing the goals for which they were founded; what can an IGO or an NGO specifically accomplish in international relations to advance peace, prosperity and to improve the livelihoods of populations; should IGOs and NGOs have so much power and since few of their administrations are elected democratically, is it in the interests of the state and of the public to limit their power.
Current Issues in International Relations
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the diversity of contemporary issues in international relations, with a particular focus on the relationship between regional and global issues. The course will provide an overview of the dynamics of the international system, looking at the major features of the current world order. Underlying processes will be described, with an emphasis on three vital areas: the changing relationship between national governments and their peoples; global capitalism and global markets; and the conduct of global international relationships. The course will also consider a number of contemporary regional case-studies in order to obtain a more precise vision of the political situation of these areas. This will allow students to have a comprehensive overview of the international situation, with a particular focus on the changes which have taken place over the past twenty years.
ELECTIVE UNITS FOR MAJOR IN DIPLOMACY
Beginnings of the Contemporary Political Order
The course is designed to provide necessary understanding of modern political institutions and the ideas that govern them, such as modern conceptions of democracy, human rights, the free market economy, rule of law and universal suffrage. Topical considerations will be explored in light of current events on the international scene.
Post-Modernity and International Relations and Diplomacy
This seminar is designed to familiarize students with periodization in political history, and particularly with the ideas and concepts related to the notion of post-modernity. The bulk of the seminar is an interdisciplinary exploration of economic, human, cultural and political dimensions of post-modernity. This interdisciplinary approach is necessitated by the simple fact that post-modernity is a multi-faceted phenomenon that defies a neat, clear-cut definition. The seminar will center on various socio-political and economic developments in the world since the fall of communism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Particular attention will be paid to the concept of post-modernism developed by authors such as Kojev, Fukuyama, Baudrillard, Lyotard and the theory’s relation to knowledge, politics and communication.
Issues in U.S. Foreign Policy
This course offers the student the opportunity to examine the concepts and theories used by scholars to make sense of past events, interpret and analyse contemporary issues and predict future developments in American foreign policy. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the tools to understand both the how and the why of U.S. foreign policy decision-making. The course covers: the principles and concepts of US foreign policy; sources of American foreign policy; the process, politics and structure of US foreign policy making; past and present foreign policies and possible directions for the future; and competing interpretations of American foreign policy. The making of US foreign policy is a complex process, and the decisions made have tangible and intangible consequences on the lives of Americans and people all over the world. Among other related topics, this course discusses the history, context, politics, structures (Presidency, Congress, Legislative, Executive, Judiciary, Military, Intelligence, Media, Public Opinion, and Society) and processes that lead to the formulation and implementation of United States foreign policy.
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