Culture, Democracy, International Affairs through the lens of Area Studies

Short description:

Jointly offered by four universities (the University of Warsaw, the University of Heidelberg, the University of Milan and Charles University, Prague) this course aims to provide students with an inter-disciplinary and comparative understanding of different regions of the world and of current problems affecting them. It draws on the diverse multidisciplinary expertise of four European universities, but focuses especially on cultural, International Relations and historical perspectives. The course will equip students with the conceptual and analitical tools to analyse events and dynamics of a global nature, while at the same time drawing upon a series of very concrete case studies.

Course:

- for BA (available also for MA);

- Taught by Scholars from 4 Partner Universities;

- Starting: 6 March 2023 (12 Weeks on-line Course-Every Monday).

The course is part of the educational programme "Framework for Area Studies" within the framework of the 4 EU + Alliance

Monday, 9.45-11.15 (online)

Main topics for each lectures and time framework:

1. The Role of Area Studies in Social Sciences (6 March):

a) Why study Area Studies?;

b) Problem-solving through various perspectives: global versus regional perspectives;

c) Relevance of Area Studies: cases studies – Afghanistan, ethnic conflict, migration, refugees - interregional, transnational perspectives.

2. Genealogy of Area Studies (13 March):

a) Area Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities;

b) Area Studies in Cultural Studies, History (the impact of colonialism, orientalism) – case studies;

c) Relevance of Area Studies in the Study of International Relations – case studies.

3. Area and Region – main terms in Area Studies (20 March):

a) The definition of area/region from different perspectives;

b) How to define and study “areas” in a time of globalization?;

c) Region and Area in political and economic practice.

4. Sources/methods - historical, anthropological, sociological, IR, Comparative Politics (27 March)

5. Europe as an area/region in world politics (3 April)

a) How to define Europe as region;

b) Multiculturalism, multilingualism, diversity in Europe: cultural features of Europe;

c) Europe as a culture and civilization;

d) The European Union as a normative power;

e) Challenges to EU multiculturalism: nationalism;

6. Latin America as a region/area: postcolonial perspectives (17 April)

7. North America as a region/area (24 April):

a) Origins of the American democracy;

b) US hegemony in the world;

c) Economic perspectives on the region (NAFTA).

8. Indo-Pacific versus Asia-Pacific (8 May):

a) The role of Great Powers in the emergence of the Indo-Pacific region;

b) The role of the US in the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific;

c) Economic Integration in Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific.

9. Greater Middle East (15 may):

a) Definitions, characteristics, differences and similarities;

b) Historical trends, orientalism;

c) Sub-regions of Greater Middle East and interlinkages between them (Middle East, South -West Asia, South Asia)

10. Sub-Saharan Africa as region/area (22 May):

a) Post-colonialism, identity;

b) Political and economic dimensions.

11. Democracy and authoritarianism: a cross-regional perspective (6 June)

a) Case studies.

12. Exam (29 May)

Beissinger, M.R. (2020). Disciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and the plurality of Area Studies: A view from the social sciences. In The Rebirth of Area Studies: Challenges for History, Politics and International Relations in the 21st Century (pp. 129–150). London,: I.B. Tauris. Retrieved March 3, 2022

Brecher, M. (1963). International Relations and Asian Studies: The Subordinate State System of Southern Asia. World Politics, 15(2), 213-235

Morgenthau, H. (1952). Area studies and the study of International Relations. International Social Science Bulletin, 4

Duroselle, J. (1952). Area Studies: Problem of Methods. International Social Science Bulletin, 4

Hodgett, S. (2020). Twenty-first-century Area Studies: Blurring genres, evolutionary thought and the production of theory. In The Rebirth of Area Studies: Challenges for History, Politics and International Relations in the 21st Century (pp. 19–52). London,: I.B. Tauris. Retrieved March 3, 2022

Kubik, J. (2020). How to think about ‘area’ in Area Studies?. In The Rebirth of Area Studies: Challenges for History, Politics and International Relations in the 21st Century (pp. 53–90). London,: I.B. Tauris. Retrieved March 3, 2022

Sil, R. (2020). The survival and adaptation of area studies. In D. Berg-SchlosserB. Badie, & L. Morlino The SAGE handbook of political science (Vol. 3, pp. 255-271). SAGE Publications Ltd

As a result of participating in the course, students will acquire an understanding of what area studies are, how they emerged and developed, and how this discipline helps us to understand current global and regional dynamics. They will be able to understand the nature and long-term causes and consequences of problems affecting different regions of the world. They will be equipped with conceptual and terminological tools to study current events and dynamics of a global nature.

1. Attendance is obligatory; in order to receive the final grade students must attend at least 10 out of 12 sessions;

2. final test - based on lectures - basis for the final grade.

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