WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF CIVICS AND ETHICAL STUDIES
COURSE OUTLINE FOR THE COURSE GLOBAL AFFAIRS
Course Code: GlTr 1012
Cr Hr: 2
Academic Year: 2023/2024
Instructor’s Name: Desalegn K., Tel No. +0910964505, Email address=desalegnkumaa@gmail.com
Course Description
The course is designed to equip students with the basics of international relations so that they will be exposed to
global challenges and perspectives. Perhaps you may find it as an ice-breaking course since it touches up on wide
range of issues, concepts, theories, approaches and debates that are helpful in understanding the contemporary
international relations. Concepts, such as national interest, foreign policy, actors, globalization, balance of power,
cold war, multi-polar systems, international law and other relevant concepts are being introduced. The course
deals with major concepts, such as: the nature, scope, evolution, actors and levels of analysis, structure as well as
theories of international relations. The issues such as national interest; foreign policy, diplomacy and Ethiopian
foreign policy under successive regimes are discussed. The course also discusses about the contending issues of
international political economy with emphasis on global institutions of governance. Finally, the course elucidates
the debates between regionalism and globalization with contemporary global issues that affect international
relations.
Course Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
 Understand nations, nationalism and states
 Explain the nature and historical development of international relations
 Examine the extent and degree of influence of state and non-state actors in the international system
 Gain basic knowledge of the major theories of International Relations and develop the ability to critically
evaluate and apply such theories
 Elucidate national interest, foreign policy and diplomacy
 Assess the overriding foreign policy guidelines of Ethiopia in the past and present
 Explicate the nature and elements of international political economy
 Examine the roles major international and regional institutions play in world politics
 Explore Ethiopia’s role in regional, continental and global institutions and affairs
 Critically evaluate the major contemporary global issues
Chapter One: Understanding International Relations
1.1. Conceptualizing Nationalism, Nations and States
1.2. Understanding International Relations
1.3. The Nature and Evolution of International Relations
1.4. Actors in International Relations
1.4.1 State Actors
1.4.2 Non-State Actors
1.5. Levels of Analysis in International Relations
1.5.1. The individual level
1.5.2. The group level
1.5.3. The state level
1.5.4. The system level
1.6. The Structure of International System
1.7. Theories of International Relations

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1.7.1. Idealism/Liberalism
1.7.2. Realism
1.7.3. Structuralism/Marxism
1.7.4. Constructivism
1.7.5. Critical Theories
Chapter Two: Understanding Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
2.1. Defining National Interest
2.2. Understanding Foreign Policy and Foreign Policy Behaviors
2. 2.1. Defining Foreign Policy
2.2.2. Foreign Policy Objectives
2.2.3. Foreign Policy Behavior: Patterns and Trends
2.2.4. Foreign Policy Dimensions
2.2.5. Instruments of Foreign Policy
2.3. Overview of Foreign Policy of Ethiopia
2.3.1. Foreign Policy during Tewodros II (1855-1868)
2.3.2. Foreign Policy during Yohannes IV (1872-1889)
2.3.3. Foreign Policy during Menelik II (1889-93)
2.3.4. Foreign Policy during Emperor Haile Selassie I (1916-1974)
2.3.5. Foreign Policy during the Military Government (1974—1991)
2.3.6. The Foreign Policy of Ethiopia in the Post 1991
Chapter Three: International Political Economy (IPE)
3.1. Meaning and Nature of International Political Economy (IPE)
3.2. Theoretical perspectives of International Political Economy
3.3. Survey of the Most Influential National Political Economy systems in the world
3.3.1. The American System of Market-Oriented Capitalism
3.3.2. The Japanese System of Developmental Capitalism
3.3.3. The German System of Social Market Capitalism
3.3.4. Differences among National Political Economy Systems
3.4. Core Issues, Governing institutions and Governance of International Political Economy
3.4.1. International Trade and the WTO
3.4.2. International Investment and the WB
3.4.3. International Finance and the IMF
3.5. Exchange Rates and the Exchange-Rate System
Chapter Four: Globalization and Regionalism
4.1. Defining Globalization
4.2. The Globalization Debates
4.2.1. The Hyper-globalists
4.2.2. The Skeptics
4.2.3. The Transformationalist
4.3. Globalization and Its Impacts on Africa
4.4. Ethiopia in a Globalized World
4.5. Pros and Cons of Globalization
4.6. Defining Regionalism and Regional Integration
4.6.1. The Old Regionalism
4.6.2. New Regionalism
4.7. Major Theories of Regional Integrations
4.7.1. Functionalism
4.7.2. Neo-functionalism
4.8. Selected Cases of Regional Integration

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4.9. Regionalization versus Globalization and State
4.10. The Relations between Regionalization and Globalization
4.10.1 Regionalization as a Component of Globalization: Convergence
4.10.2 Regionalization as a Challenge or Response to Globalization: Divergence
4.10.3 Regionalization and Globalization as Parallel Processes: Overlap
4.11. Regionalization, Globalization and the State
Chapter Five: Major Contemporary Global Issues
5.1. Survey of Major Contemporary Global Issues
5.1.1. Global Security Issues
5.1.2. Global Environmental Issues
5.1.3. Global Socio-economic Issues
5.1.4. Global Cultural Issues
Assessment Criteria
 Test/quize__________________________________________________________________10%
 Assignments________________________________________________________________20%
 Mid Exam _________________________________________________________________20%
 Final Exam_________________________________________________________________50%
 Total _____________________________________________________________________100%

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