BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani

Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

FIRST SEMESTER 2020-21

COURSE HANDOUT
Date: 13.08.2020

In addition to Part I (General Handout for all courses appended to the Time table) this portion gives further
specific details regarding the course.
Course No : HSS F346
Course Title : International Relations
Instructor-in-Charge : Dr. Veena R
Instructor(s) : NIL
Tutorial/Practical Instructors: NIL
1. Course Description:
 Introduction-A survey of the international politics since the 20th century; Rise of Nationalism;
World Wars, Emergence of IR as a discipline and the nature of its subject matter.
 Key Defining Events in IR: Creation of United Nations, Cold War, Fall of USSR, September
11, China’s entry into WTO
 Key theoretical frameworks:  Classical IR thinkers and their location within the existing IR
canon that include realism, liberalism, constructivism, critical theory and Asian theory of IR.
 Key Agents of IR: State, Empire, International and sub-national agents, Foreign policy.
 Key Structures in IR: State-system, Euro-Centrism, Post-colonialism, Globalization, Security
and Global Governance
 Key Institutions in IR: International Society, International Diplomacy, Great Powers, Balance of
Power, War, International Law and Human Rights Regime and the Climate Change Regime.
 Assorted Themes: Global Health Regime- Pandemic and IR
 India’s Foreign Policy: Locating India’s space in the contemporary global order: identifying the
opportunities and Challenges (India-Pakistan-China), India and China in South Asia; India and
United States.

2. Scope and Objective of the Course:

International Relations is the study of an international system that is constituted by territorial states
who enjoy sovereignty over matters of vital interests to them. This course offers the history of the
international system, its functioning, theoretical frameworks and the nature of the changing relations
between the states and non-state actors. This course offers a critical reflection and analytical
understanding of key defining events and the topical issues that not only shaped but also confronted
the existing international order. The course encourages students to engage in debates on the nature of
international order as well as the responses to the challenges of the current international order. The
course is designed to offer both the theoretical frameworks and critical reflections on the
contemporary affairs. Moreover, the students will be able to make a clear perception of the
relationship between the international relations as a discipline and the practice of world politics.
Considerable sessions are devoted to understand India’s role in the contemporary world too.

3. Text Books:
John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owen (eds), The Globalization of World Politics 7th ed (OUP:
2017). The soft copy of the book would be made available.

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

4. Reference Books:
 Robert Art and Robert Jervis (eds), International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary
Issues 13th ed (Pearson: 2017).
 R Jackson & G Sørensen, Introduction to International Relations (OUP, revised edn., 2013).
 Mary Kaldor and Iavor Rangelov (eds), The Handbook of Global Security Policy (Wiley-
Blackwell: 2014).
 Other readings (required): A set of other required readings will be posted online over the course
of the semester. Movies pertaining to case studies shall also be discussed/ posted during the
course delivery. A few Expert Talks will be scheduled as per the convenience of subject experts.
 Suggested Hyperlink: http://www.theory-talks.org/2008/04/theory-talk-1.html.

5. Course Plan:
Session 1-3
Themes Elements of the teaching-learning process: pedagogy and evaluation. Humanities
and Social Sciences: Their subject matter and relevance. Why study International
Relations? The context of its emergence as a discipline.
Readings Course hand-out. Class lecture. A brief reading on the origin of the International
Relations as a discipline
Introduction and Chapter 1 and Part one (T.B.)
Learning Understand the historical and political context of the evolution of International
Outcomes Relations as a subject matter

Session 4- 5
Themes State and International Relations
Readings David Lake, “State and International Relations” in Christian Reus Smit and Duncan
Snidal, The Oxford Handbook of International Relations. OUP 2008.
Learning Understand the significance of state in IR
Outcomes

Session 6-10
Themes Evolution of the Contemporary State System and Sovereignty; World Wars; League
of Nations and United Nations Organizations; Cold War and Fall of USSR
Readings Richard Mansbach and Kirsten Rafferty, Introduction to Global Politics, Routledge,
2008; Movie Screening- Thirteen Days (Director: Roger Donaldson) Year: 2000
Learning Familiarize with key events and organizations that shaped the current world order
Outcomes

Session 11-
16
Themes Realism vs. Liberalism
Realist Theory of IR; Liberal Theory of IR
Readings Readings: Sorensen & Jackson, EH Carr, Morgenthau,
Kenneth Waltz, “The Emerging Structure of International Politics”
International Security, Vol. 18, No. 2 (Autumn, 1993), pp. 44-79
Daniel Deudney and G. John Ikenberry, “The Nature and Sources of Liberal
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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

International Order” Review of International Studies, Vol. 25, No. 2 (Apr., 1999),
pp. 179-196.
Learning Learn the key theoretical approaches of IR and how it shapes the world
Outcomes

Session 17-
18
Themes International Institutions, Regionalism and Complex Interdependence
Readings Keohane, “International Institutions: Can Interdependence Work?” Foreign Policy,
No. 110, Special Edition: Frontiers of Knowledge (Spring, 1998), pp. 82-96.
Learning How Liberalism leads to complex interdependence
Outcomes
Session 19-
20
Themes Globalization and the Post-cold war world order
Readings TB, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri (2001) Empire; Colin Hay (2017)
International Relations Theory and Globalization
Learning Understand the international financial institutions and its role
Outcomes
Session 21-
22
Themes Constructivism: The impact of Social constructivism on IR theory; Concept of
Anarchy in Constructivism and Realism;
Readings Alexander Wendt, Social Theory of International Politics; Alexander Wendt,
“Constructing International Politics”, International Security, Vol. 20, No. 1
(Summer, 1995), pp. 71-81; Alexander Wendt, Anarchy is what States Make of it:
The Social Construction of Power Politics, International Organization, Vol. 46, No.
2 (Spring, 1992), pp. 391-425; Robert Keohane, “Ideas Part-Way Down” Review of
International Studies, Vol. 26, No. 1 (Jan., 2000), pp. 125-130.
Learning Familiarize with the concept of International Political Society
Outcomes

Session 23-
24
Themes Critical Theory and IR
Readings Andrew Linklater, “The Transformation of Political Community: E. H. Carr, Critical
Theory and International Relations” Review of International Studies, Vol. 23, No. 3
(Jul., 1997), pp. 321-338
Learning Understand the role of critical theory in interpreting the world order
Outcomes

Session 25-
26
Themes International Relations and Non-Western Thought; Asian Theory of IR
Readings Amitava Acharya and Barry Buzan, Non-Western International Relations Theory:
Routledge 2010; Amitav Acharya (2017) Theorizing the international relations of

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

Asia: necessity or indulgence?’ Some reflections

Learning Understand how Asia’s emergence reshaping the liberal international order
Outcomes

Session 27-
28
Themes Security in IR: Nuclear Deterrence; Terrorism and Counter-terrorism; Non-
traditional Threats and Wars
Readings Baylis J. (2008) The Concept of Security in International Relations
Learning Understand the security from a human security perspective in IR
Outcomes

Session 29-
30
Themes Human Rights; Climate Change and Pandemic in IR
Readings Richard W. Mansbach and Kirsten L. Rafferty (2008); For the climate change and
Pandemic the readings will be provided before the session.
Learning Understand how human rights, climate change and the COVID-19 define the
Outcomes concerns and debates that shape the world order

Session 31-
40
Themes India’s Foreign Policy
Readings The Oxford Handbook of India’s Foreign Policy. Journal articles will be provided
before the sessions.
Learning After these sessions the students will be able to locate India’s space in current global
Outcomes order and how China’s rise is shaping the South Asian and Indian Ocean region

Few sessions will be dedicated to oral presentations of written assignments by students. These are
usually after the Institute hours in the form of panel discussions.

6. Evaluation Scheme: An Overview

Evaluation Component Duration (Minutes) % of total Date & Time Nature of the
and Mode marks Component
Test 1 30 minutes; 10 September 10 – Closed
Descriptive September 20
Questions (During scheduled
class hour)
Self-Study Assignment Open Book 10 25 September 2020 Open
(SSA) First
Draft/Assignment 1
(Depends on the
number of students)
Test 2 30 minutes; 15 October 09 – Closed
MCQ/Descriptive October 20
Questions (During scheduled
class hour)
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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

SSA Final Draft Open book 15 05 November 2020 Open

/Assignment 2 (based
on the number of
students)
Test 3 30 minutes; 15 November 10 – Closed
Descriptive November 20
Questions (During scheduled
class hour)
Presentation/Diplomacy Oral-Slides, if 5 Will be announced Open
Simulation Exercise required in class
(group or individual
depends on the number
of students)
Comprehensive 120 minutes: The 30 07 December 2020 Closed
Examination mode of examination Forenoon
will be updated soon

7. Consultation Hour: Wednesday 15:00-16:00 hrs.

8. Notices: Soft copy of the study materials will be shared with the students

9. Make-up Policy: Make-up is permitted only in the case of genuine unforeseen or unavoidable
personal or professional exigencies.

10. Note (if any): In the case of SSA, deadline must be adhered to. Extension will be permitted only for
genuine cases.

Instructor-in-charge
Dr. Veena. R.