Political Science

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

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Module Code: POU22022

Module Name: International Relations B 2024-25

ECTS Weighting: 5
Semester/Term Taught: Semester 2
Contact Hours: 22 hours lectures + fortnightly tutorials; 5 hours tutorials
Module Personnel: Dr William Phelan
Module CO-Requisite: International Relations A
Module Pre-requisite: POU11011 & POU11012 Introduction to Political Science A & B or POU11021 & POU11022 Politics and Irish Society A & B

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students should be familiar with a variety of different topics in contemporary international relations. Topics covered vary from year to year but may include international human rights politics, American foreign policy, among others. There will be a special focus on the external relations of the European Union in comparative context.

Module Learning Aims

The objective of this module is:ches to studying international relations.

To favour student’s ability to navigate in today’s world politics
To equip students with the background and conceptual tools needed to understand contemporary international relations
Equally, to foster critical reasoning and analytical skills to map and examine important topics of international relations that are especially relevant to understanding the international system of the 21st century

Module Content

This module (POU22022) is the second part of an introduction to the study of international relations. Together with its pair POU22021, the module looks at different theoretical approaches to international relations using a wide selection of topics in historical and contemporary politics. POU22022 builds on POU22021, and knowledge of the readings in POU22021 is expected and required of all students. Both modules have an emphasis on international collective action problems, where states have individual incentives to free-ride on making contributions to collective international outcomes from which they might benefit.