Courses in the Spring Semester 2023

In this seminar, we engage with contemporary research on protests and social movements in authoritarian contexts. While the study of protests and social movements originally emerged in the context of western industrialized democracies, there has been an increased scholarly interest for the study of contentious politics in countries like China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Sudan, Uganda, Haiti, Venezuela, etc. Due to a series of political developments and methodological innovation, the study of protests and social movements has been expanded to include a broader range of social, economic, and political contexts. How does this literature inform our understanding of protests? Does it challenge or confirm existing theories and concepts? We will address these questions (among others) and discuss existing approaches to answer them.

The world is facing the highest number of active violent conflicts since the end of World War II. According to UN estimates, 2 billion people currently live in areas affected by conflict. Understanding the causes and consequences of armed conflict is thus of vital importance. This undergraduate seminar introduces students to literature that uses empirical methods to shed light on key questions such as “What are risk factors associated with the outbreak of conflicts?”, “Who fights in civil wars?”, and “How does political violence shape individuals’ behavior and attitudes?”. The objective of this seminar is to familiarize students with the key readings, theories, and debates on the causes and consequences of armed conflicts. Particular emphasis will be on detailed discussions of empirical approaches to study conflicts.

This colloquium assists BA students in developing and completing their final thesis in the field of international relations, with particular focus on empirical conflict research. The colloquium facilitates feedback from the instructor and students on each stage of the thesis.

The security of individuals and states depends profoundly on international politics. Beyond the realm of security, structures and actors of “global governance” have been proliferating for many years. They influence crucial public policies in diverse ways. This lecture surveys academic debates on key topics of international politics, including: the sources of war, peace, and terrorism, the emergence and operation of international organizations and transnational civil society, and the making of key international policy outcomes including respect for human rights.