Sommerer, Th.: Theories of international institutions (WS 2023/24)

International institutions provide order and meaning; they structure and facilitate cooperation in world politics. This lecture is intended to introduce the main theoretical debates in international relations (IR) on international regimes and regime complexes, international organizations, and international norms. We will compare what kind of answers major IR theories, like realism, institutionalism, and constructivism - but also critical and feminist approaches -  offer on fundamental questions of the emergence, shape, and consequences of international institutions: for example, why do sovereign nation states delegate authority to international institutions? How do international regimes like the Climate regime facilitate compliance? When do states leave international organizations? What explains the diffusion of international norms, such as gender equality and sustainable development? While some empirical examples will be included for illustrative purposes, the lecture is theory-oriented and  intended to give students a solid foundation in the study of international institutions. At the end of this lecture course students should be able to give nuanced assessments of differing theoretical approaches in relation to their research goals and application to IR.

Assignments:

Credits are based on a written examination (duration 120 minutes). The examination will be based on the material covered during lectures as well as on the required readings. Additional or alternative requirements depend on the program of study students are enrolled in, and on the number of credit points they must obtain for this lecture course as part of their degree’s requirements: 

• MAIB students are required to attend the sessions regularly (you may miss not more than two sessions). They may decide whether or not to take the written examination. Those who do not take the written examination must write a seminar paper in one of the core seminars related to the Master degree’s core module. 
  
• MA Political Science students and MA Public Administration students who take the lecture as part of the Grundlagenmodul MGMPUV400- Internationale Politik und internationale Organisationen are required to attend the sessions regularly and must pass the written examination. 
  
• Erasmus/International students (Master level only!) receive credit points according to the specifications of Potsdam University’s International Office, currently either 6 or 9 ECTS and must pass the written exam (for 9) or they must pass one exam in the Module and attend one other class (for 2 x 6 ECTS).