This course introduces the learners to Global Politics which is a very vast and important subject that holds immense value for identifying how international, regional, national and local issues are interlinked and impact the lives of everyone across countries. This course considers the role and interaction of various state and non-state actors that constitute the intricacies of Global Politics to enable students to explain and examine the dynamics of power at the international level through appropriate frameworks and perspectives. Through the course, the learner will be able to identify the transitions underway at the global levels on power, economy, ecology, security, culture, migration, and groupings, with a focus on differentiated experiences for those in the Global South and the Global North. It is a great course to join to learn the fundamentals of global politics to appreciate the range of institutions and forces at play in global processes and acquire knowledge which can be furthered in higher studies, preparing for competitive examinations or even pursuing a career in international non-governmental organizations and diplomacy.
Overview
Syllabus
Week 1: Introduction to the Meaning of the concept of globalisation and global politics, changes and continuities in global politics and issues and debates in globalisation.
Week 2: Issues and debates on globalisation and understanding the concept of globalisation through the lens of core international relations theories - Realism, Liberalism, Marxism, Constructivism, Post-Colonialism, Post-Structuralism, Feminism and Green Politics.
Week 3: Understanding the globalist and sceptics debates on culture, economy, world order and the public good.
Week 4: Introduction to the debates on sovereignty and territoriality, transformation of the state’s role and shift from government to governance, humanitarian intervention and state sovereignty and understanding the concept, perspective and strands regarding Borders.
Week 5: The concept of a borderless world, the emergence of the global economy, the historical background of capitalist expansion and the Bretton Woods system.
Week 6: The structure, characteristics, functions and critical analysis of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organisation.
Week 7: Globalisation and transnational organisations, the concept of Globalization, Culture and Technology, the role of technology in cultural globalisation, and the impact of globalisation on culture and how cultural transformation will happen.
Week 8: The concept of multiculturalism, the meaning and reason of global resistance and the role played by actors of global resistance, i.e. global civil society, social movement and NGOs.
Week 9: Globalisation and global inequality, ecological issues in global politics, changes in international environmentalism and the concept of climate change.
Week 10: Evolution of International Environmental Agreements, issues related to resource security, the concept and themes pertaining to environmental philosophy and the concept of nuclear non-proliferation.
Week 11: Proliferation of nuclear weapons and the nuclear non-proliferation regime, nuclear challenges in the post-Cold War period, introduction to the concept of terrorism and the different waves of modern terrorism.
Week 12: The impact of the 9/11 attack on global politics, the global war on terror, the concept of transnational terrorism, technology and counter-terrorism, the historical background of migration in human history and the different types and categories of migration.
Week 13: Migration and its reason, the reaction against migration, lack of governance of migrants and its impact, introduction to human security and its debates and controversies.
Week 14: promotion and challenges to human security, global agenda on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), the global south and the concept and role of power in world politics.
Week 15: Global governance and its transformation, different regimes and institutions, the concept of minilaterals in world politics, different minilaterals initiatives of the contemporary world, and an introduction to Indo-Pacific.
Taught by
Dr. Obja Borah Hazarika
