HomeCourse

EDS377 Foreign Policymaking and the Politics of Europe

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Elana Tovah Wilson Rowe

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Course frequency:The course is offered in the spring semester in even-numbered years.

Nominal workload:250 timer

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in Spring parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Spring parallel, .

About this course

International relations is shaped by and shapes domestic politics. This course focuses on the foreign policy making and strategies of Nordic and European countries in navigating global governance structures and geopolitical conflicts and struggles in Europe and globally. Conceptually, we focus on foreign policy analysis as a key analytical lens. Combining a discussion on theoretical and historical perspectives, this course will introduce key concepts in the study of foreign policy and the schools of thought that frame foreign policy strategies. Through the examination of case studies, the students will be able to understand how great powers and small states use foreign policy to achieve economic, political and national security objectives. We will explore how diplomacy and decision making function through foreign policy to address complex issues of global governance, security and various domestic and international agendas.

Learning outcome

1. The students will obtain a deeper understanding of foreign policymaking traditions and practices, particularly those of Nordic countries and EU states.

2. The students will be able to explain the role of diplomacy and foreign policy tools of power.

3. The students will gain an understanding of different foreign policies, and will be able to discuss the difference between foreign policies of superpowers vs. regional and small powers.

4. The students will be able to distinguish between the different approaches that diverse IR schools of thought take to analyze foreign policy making and its consequences on power political relationships.

5. Students will enhance and strengthen their analytical skills through an independent writing exercise and solidify their knowledge through an exam.

6. Students will strengthen their understanding of longstanding and novel policy challenges in Europe.

  • Lectures, seminars, discussions. Seminars are a combination of in-person discussion seminars, and participation in externally-hosted seminars on topics of relevance to the course.
  • EDS374A
  • Combined assessment. A 3000 word policy report on a selected topic of relevance to the course counts for 50% of the grade, and final written exam counts 50% of final grade. The exam and term paper must be written in English

    Written hand-ins Grading: Letter grades Written exam Grading: Letter grades Permitted aids: A1 No calculator, no other aids
  • External sensor will evalauate the grading methods
  • 20 lecturing hours, 20 seminar hours
  • M-IR and M-GEP
  • Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)