Dr. Johannes Muntschick

Sem (MA) Foreign Policy and International Crises

Instructors: Dr. Johannes Muntschick
Shortname: Sem Foreign Policy
Course Type: Seminar

Anwesenheitspflicht

If you cannot attend the first session, please inform your instructor by e-mail (muntschick@uni-mainz.de). Otherwise, you will forfeit your admission to the course.

Digital teaching

Digital teaching – notably asynchronous (time-delayed) digital sessions – may replace regular in-person sessions on selected seminar dates. Details will be provided in the seminar schedule if applicable

Recommended reading list

Brummer, K. & Oppermann, K., 2013: Außenpolitikanalyse. München: Oldenbourg Verlag.
Hudson, V.M. & Day, B.S., 2020: Foreign policy analysis: classic and contemporary theory. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Kaarbo, J. & Thies, C.G. (ed), 2024: The Oxford handbook of foreign policy analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Katzenstein, P.J. & Kirshner, J. (ed), 2022: The Downfall of the American Order?. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Martin, L. L. & Simmons, B., 1998: Theories and Empirical Studies of International Institutions. In: International Organization 52:4. 729-757.
Mello, P.A. & Ostermann, F. (ed), 2023: Routledge Handbook of Foreign Policy Analysis Methods. Abingdon:Taylor & Francis.
Morin, J.-F. & Paquin, J., 2018: Foreign Policy Analysis: A Toolbox. Cham: Palgrave MacMillan.
Riddervold, M., 2021: The Palgrave Handbook of EU Crises. Cham: Palgrave MacMillan.
Smith, S., Hadfield, A. & Dunne, T. (eds), 2008: Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Scott, W. R., 2014: Institutions and Organizations: Ideas, Interests, and Identities. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Zürn, M. (ed.), 2013: Die Politisierung der Weltpolitik: Umkämpfte internationale Institutionen. Berlin: Suhrkamp.

Polycrisis, a world in disarray, and the end of the liberal world order? Many scholars and parts of the global public have painted a gloomy picture of international relations in the recent past. Certainly, great power politics, ideological and systemic rivalries, environmental destruction, terrorism, and both new and longstanding conflicts fuel international crises, threaten to divide the world into (new) blocks and increase the risk of great war. At the same time, there is a challenge of multilateralism and international institutions seem to struggle to solve urgent world problems, such as e.g. the war in Ukraine, pandemics, climate change or international terrorism. Given this situation, it is more than relevant to explain the nature and dynamics of international crises, the rationale and formation of foreign policy in key countries as well as the role, added value, and challenges of international institutions in this regard.

Against the background of current and past international crises, this seminar builds a bridge between foreign policy analysis and research on international institutions. Students will acquire a sound understanding of key approaches to foreign policy studies and international institutions. They will exercise their theoretical and methodological skills through a series of past and contemporary case studies and disentangle the structure of arguments that have led to different conclusions of what has actually happened in international politics. Successful students will have an ability to analyse, discuss and apply their new skills to foreign policy case studies and international institutions in a clear and theoretically informed manner by the end of this course.

Additional information

In the sense of an "active participation", certain tasks must be completed, and specific requirements must be fulfilled to pass the seminar - and as a precondition to gain credits/ECTS. Tasks include, inter alia, short text excerpts, working in thematic groupings, and a presentation. Details regarding the tasks will be provided in the seminar schedule

Dates