The course provides students with a general introduction to the discipline of International Relations and to major themes in world politics.  Throughout the course, basic conceptual and analytical tools will be discussed, along with the historical development of the IR discipline, the main paradigms of interpretation (Realism, Liberalism, Marxism, etc.), approaches to the analysis of international politics, and key issues in current global politics. The course covers the basic theoretical and empirical tools needed to analyze international politics at both a systemic-global level and the level of individual states' foreign policies.

At the end of the International Relations course, the expected learning outcomes will be the following: 1) Knowledge and understanding: the student will have acquired the necessary analytical tools and basic concepts (power, sovereignty, etc.) to discuss the most relevant issues of the current international political-economic system. The student will also have acquired critical knowledge about the role and relevance of state and non-state actors (international organizations, civil society, the private sector) in the globalized world. 2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: the student will be able to gradually apply the knowledge in relation to the international political and economic context through the practical activities foreseen during the on-campus lectures, such as participation in the working groups, classroom debates, seminars, and expert guest speakers; the student will also be able to develop analysis and synthesis skills related to international politics issues. 3) Autonomy of judgment: the student will be able to critically discuss the most important international politics phenomena; their relevance in relation to the foreign policy decision-making processes of individual states. The student will also have developed the necessary critical awareness to differentiate the most appropriate sources in the international politics debate by distinguishing between academic, policy-oriented and journalistic sources. 4) Communication skills: The student will have gained the ability to communicate the concepts learned, thanks to the transversal skills (critical analysis, synthesis, teamwork organization, and team building) acquired during the course. 5) Learning skills: the student will be able to conduct his / her own activity by putting into practice the techniques acquired during the lectures and during regular on campus activities carried out individually, in the classroom and at home.

The course provides the students with the theoretical and methodological tools needed for the analysis of the international system. It examines the key interpretative paradigms (realism, liberalism, marxism, constructivism, alternative theories), the historical development of the discipline (XX and XXI cent.), the analytical approaches to international politics (foreign policy, diplomacy, security, IPE), and the key issues of current global politics (globalization, conflicts, pluralism, geopolitics, UN, EU, China and Italian foreign policy).

1) Jeffrey Haynes, Peter Hough, Bruce Pilbeam, (Eds.), World Politics. International Relations & Globalisation in the 21st Century. (2023 - 3rd Edition), SAGE 2) Additional sources available on Luiss Learn

Teaching activities include practical exercises held on campus, theoretical lessons, conversations and debates, visual aids (PowerPoint and web resources, selected films, and videos), and inclusive teaching methods to stimulate classroom participation. External guest speakers and experts in the field will also participate.

1)Multiple-choice test 1 during the course 2) GROUP PROJECT - WAR GAME 3) Final WRITTEN EXAM. N.B: A minimum grade of 18 on all assignments is required to pass.

The thesis topic must relate to a relevant area of International Relations. The Bachelor's thesis is a capstone research project that allows students to demonstrate their ability to: 1)Formulate a clear research question or problem relevant to the field of International Relations (IR) 2)Apply appropriate theoretical and methodological tools 3)Critically engage with scholarly literature and empirical evidence 4)Communicate complex ideas in a structured, academic format