The course examines the current international political situation in the light of certain major geopolitical and economic developments. It is shaped in the form of a thematic seminar and aims to enable students to deepen their knowledge and to analyze the main parameters of international relations today. The course emphasizes the analysis of political, economic and political situation of key players on the international scene and the links formed between them as well as the impact of such links at regional and global level.

Series of lectures for the current academic year

This year we will look in particular at:
1. The international impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine its implications for the wider area of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia
2. The Middle East and in particular the consequences of the recent conflict in the Gaza Strip on the Palestinian issue but also the changes to the geopolitical environment of the region: in particular, the lectures will monitor the consequences of the strengthening of dissolution tendencies in states such as Libya, Yemen and Syria, the strengthening of authoritarian regimes (Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran) and the weakening of democratic structures in states such as Tunisia and Lebanon. Emphasis will be placed on the impact of the recent Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the possibilities to resolve the Palestinian question.
3. Developments – in particular the collapse of states and ethnic conflicts – in Africa in the light of the continent’s relations with the rest of the world.
4. The reinforcement of the role of the Pacific region.

The lectures will be as follows:

Lesson 1. introduction. What does international politics mean in the 21st century
• International politics in the 21st century. From the end of history and the US as a sole power to the ‘anarchist’ world
• Geopolitics – concept and content
• Nations, states, religions, economy in international politics
• War –the return of an outdated tool, or the imposition of peace by other means?
• Limitations to national sovereignty
• The role of regional organizations in shaping international relations
• Content and limits of the principle of the self-determination of peoples. Case studies in Abkhazia, Nagorno, Transnistria, South Sudan, Kurdistan
• Separatist movements and democracy. The case of Catalonia and Scotland.

Lesson 2. Russia and the “Near Abroad”
The lecture examines the main – current or latent – conflicts that arose from the dissolution of the USSR (Caucasus, Ukraine, Transnistria, Central Asia) and its geopolitical implications today. At the same time, it will monitor the regional and international consequences of the ongoing war in Ukraine, especially from the perspective of its impact on international relations with an emphasis on the following issues:
• The international consequences of the annexation of territories
• The role of raw materials in russia’s international relations

Lesson 3. The Middle East
The lecture on the Middle East will present the current parameters of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Israel’s relations with the Arab countries, especially after the Abraham Accords.
The Middle East will then be examined with emphasis on the following issues:
• The dissolution of the historic Middle East
• Israel: State of the Israelis or state of the Jews?
• Can there be democracy and secularism in a Muslim state? The example of Tunisia
• Watching a state fall apart – Lebanon

Lesson 4: Shiites and Sunnis – Yemen’s civil war
This lecture will present the causes and consequences of the civil war in Yemen. We will examine the history of the region and the role of regional powers in the conflict and the political and social consequences of the conflict. The geopolitical context of the Civil War in Yemen will then be examined with emphasis on the following points:
• Islam and its divisions (Sunnis-Shiites)
• The concept of proxy war
• The role of Iran and Saudi Arabia in the conflict

Lesson 5. Afghanistan
The lecture on Afghanistan will present the history of the country and the 40 years of civil and international conflict in the country. The geopolitical context of the conflict will then be examined with emphasis on the following points:
• Iran’s geopolitical role in the Middle East
• International rivalries in the Pamir region
• The Taliban as an international player

Lessons 6 and 7. Africa

The two lectures will address the international issues that hinder the development of the continent – civil and interstate conflicts and their causes, inequalities and the role of the leadership – and the issues that may allow the development of the African continent – the importance of education, the significant percentages of youth and the mobility of its population. It will look at the conflicts in the Sahel region and the Horn of Africa and the special case of Congo. Further, the geopolitical analysis of Africa will include the following key points:
• Africa as a special case. The legacy of colonialism and the impossibility of creating nation states
• The political and economic consequences of colonialism
• Multiparty democracy and racial differences (tribalism). The return of one-party systems
• Failed states and their impact on international relations
• The developmental scourges of Africa (AIDS, famines, diseases)
• Climate change and desertification in Africa: anthropogenic and natural climate changes (the examples of the Saharan expansion and reduction of tropical forests)
• Environmental refugees and the international impact of population movement

Lesson 8: The Indian subcontinent

The lecture will examine in particular the Indo-Pakistani rivalry (for Kashmir and more broadly) and the recent tensions between Bangladesh and Myanmar over the Rohingya refugees. At the same time, the issues arising from the geopolitical competition in the subcontinent and the tensions in the relations of neighboring countries will be examined more extensively, with emphasis on the following points:
• Shaping India’s identity: Indians or Hindus?
• National identity and political power in Pakistan
• The Himalayas and Pamir: geopolitical significance

Lessons 9-10. The Pacific Basin

These two lectures will examine the political, geopolitical, and economic importance of the countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean with an emphasis on the economic strengthening of China and the growing US-Chinese competition for economic dominance over this area. The consequences of China’s force on its neighbors (Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines), the triangular inter-oceanic relationship (North America – Asia-Latin America) and its economic role and the consequences of transforming the Pacific Basin into the center of the world’s economic activity will be examined. In particular, the following will be examined:
• Taiwan and its geopolitical role
• The importance of the Chinese presence in Latin America
• The disputes of the maritime borders and the importance of the naval routes in the South China Sea.

Lesson 11. Ethnic conflicts in China
The lecture on China will examine the ethnic and cultural repression of the Uyghurs by the Chinese state in Xinjiang the case of Tibet and the political repression in Hong Kong looking in particular at:
• The rise of China on the international stage
• Capitalism and a one-party system
• The Chinese hinterland
• Geopolitical dimension of Chinese hegemony – Silk and Belt Road and its political consequences
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Lecture 12. International Justice as a tool for international politics
• Basic concepts of international law
• Basic concepts of Sea law
• The international courts and their role

The lecture will include a brief analysis of the Convention on the Law of the Sea with emphasis on those arrangements related to the Greek-Turkish disputes (continental shelf, territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone).

Lecture 13. Overview

Upon successful completion of the course, students:
– will have a comprehensive picture of the main parameters governing international relations today;
– will know and be able to analyze the behavior of major actors in the international scene;
– will be able to compare policies and stances on the basis of state interests in international politics.
– Will be able to improve their capacity to search for, prepare and present a comprehensive scientific paper.

Process Monitoring and Grading Since the course is of a seminar nature, the regular attendance of students during the course is required – this concerns participants with a physical presence or remotely. All participants will be asked to make at least one brief presentation on a topic and coordinate the classroom discussion in at least one case. Debates Students will participate, through group preparation, to one of two debates.
1. Are international sanctions effective? (November 2023)
2. Partner or foe? How should Europe deal with China (December 2023).
Evaluation and grading The course operates with a continuous evaluation of students throughout the semester and with final examination or paper. Students may choose, for their final examination, either to prepare a paper (of a maximum 3000 words excluding references and footnotes) the subject of which is agreed with the teacher in November or a final examination that will include they analysis and commentary of a subject file within 24 hours.
The grading is calculated as follows:
• 40% based on the short papers prepared for the course during the semester
• 30% on participation and short presentations (including a 10% bonus for participating in the debates) and
• 30% on the final examination (where students opt for the preparation of a paper, the final examination includes also its presentation).