Instructors: Prof. Dr. Jens Matthias Steffek
Event type: proseminar
Org-unit: Dept. 02 - Institute of Political Science
Displayed in timetable as: PS2IB
Subject:
Crediting for:
Language of instruction: German
Min. | Max. participants: - | -
Course Contents: In this seminar we analyse and discuss the role of international governmental organisations in world politics. The course begins with an overview of three canonical theoretical perspectives: international organisations as handmaidens of hegemonic states (the realist perspective); as facilitators of international cooperation (the rationalist perspective); and as bureaucratic actors with their own political agenda (the sociological perspective). In the second part of the course we turn to the historical record and scrutinize the development, the present functioning and the shortcomings of some important international organizations, such as the United Nations, the WTO and the World Bank. Working groups of students will present the respective organizations and use the empirical evidence to illustrate and critically discuss the theoretical perspectives outlined in the first part of the course.
