Type of Credit: Elective
Credit(s)
Number of Students
This course aims to introduce and guide students to the theoretical frameworks, empirical cases, and debates in the field of international organizations (IOs). It is structured into three parts. At the beginning, this course will focus on the different perspectives in International Relations scholarship for understanding global governance and concepts and models of IOs. Second, the effects of IOs especially the United Nations on world politics are examined with particular focus on world economy and trade. Third, this course will investigate and identify different types of IOs and how they affect the modern world. Amongst the subjects and issues of the historical roots of IOs, the primary attention is paid on the role of IOs in the following areas: Sustainable Economic Development; Peace and Human Security; Human Rights.
能力項目說明
At the end of this semester, students are expected to: 1. Describe and analyze fluently the key arguments of different theoretical paradigms surrounding why IOs exist and what they accomplish in world politics. 2. Apply and critique theoretical frameworks about IOs to real world examples of IOs and the challenges they face. 3. Conduct and present an achievable research to answer an original question related to IOs. In short, students will become familiar with the evolution of IOs as well as their roles, processes, and functions in the contemporary world. These will include global and regional organizations in the areas of trade and finance, international security, development, the environment, and human rights etc. We will analyze how these IOs are meeting the challenges posed by globalization and changing global power alignments and ponder their contribution to international order. In addition to classroom lectures, subject to availability, a field trip is arranged during the semester.
| 教學週次Course Week | 彈性補充教學週次Flexible Supplemental Instruction Week | 彈性補充教學類別Flexible Supplemental Instruction Type |
|---|---|---|
Course Schedule & Requirements
|
週次 Week |
課程主題 Topic |
課程內容與指定閱讀 Content and Reading Assignment |
教學活動與作業 Teaching Activities and Homework |
學習投入時間 Student workload expectation |
|
|
課堂講授 In-class Hours |
課程前後 Outside-of-class Hours |
||||
|
1 |
Course Introduction |
Introduction of the course syllabus |
|
3 |
1 hour |
|
2 |
Introduction of the Global Governance and the Origins and Nature of International Law |
The Need for Global Governance in Modern History |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1 hour |
|
3 |
Perspectives on International Organizations (IOs) I |
The Nature of International Institutions and Regimes |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
4 |
Perspectives on IOs II |
Theories, Concepts and Models and Historical Evolution of IOs |
In-Class Lecture Group Discussions and Presentation |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
5 |
The United Nations (UN) System I |
The Origins, Legal Framework and Institutional Structure, Process and Development of the United Nations |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
6 |
UN System II |
Health, Social Welfare, Education, Population and Human Rights, with particular focus on the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Covid-19 Pandemic (Guest Speaker) |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
7 |
UN System III |
UN Security Council, Conflict Management and Peacekeeping |
In-Class Lecture Group Discussions and Presentation |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
8 |
IOs and Economic Management |
The World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Trade Organization (WTO) |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
9 |
Regional Organizations I |
Beyond the Nation-State? – EU, ASEAN, OAS, AU, GCC… |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
10 |
Regional Organizations II |
European Union and ASEAN |
In-Class Lecture Group Discussions and Presentation |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
11 |
Field Trip |
Venue to be announced (subject to availability) |
|
3 |
1 hour |
|
12 |
International Non- Governmental Organizations (INGO) and International Non-Profit Organizations (INPO) I |
The third sector in the globalization |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
13 |
INGO and INPO II |
Roles and Functions of INGO |
In-Class Lecture Group Discussions and Presentation |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
14 |
Film: Hotel Rwanda |
|
Post-film Discussion |
3 |
1 hour |
|
15 |
Security IOs I |
Introduction: Collective Security and Use of Force for Peacekeeping |
In-Class Lecture |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
16 |
Security IOs II |
NATO |
In-Class Lecture Group Discussions and Presentation |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
17 |
Taiwan’s Efforts to participate the IOs |
How Taiwan has been working on participation of IOs. |
In-Class Lecture Group Discussions |
3 |
1.5 hour |
|
18 |
Conclusions |
Wrapping up |
Essay due |
3 |
|
1. Presentations (40%)
One in-class presentation and leading the class discussions. Each student needs to prepare one presentation (30 minutes in length, followed by leading a 15-minute discussion). Subjects of presentation need to be relevant to the topics and issues of international organizations. Students are encouraged to use their creativity and use any form (such as PowerPoint, short film etc.) to make their presentations.
2. Essay (30%)
Each student is required to write an essay with minimum 2000 words in length about current policy issues involving international institutions.
Specifically, student should select one international organization as a case as well as a country or group of countries that are members of this organization; major issues of the selected IO needs to be identified. The essay should present the brief background of the selected IO, major research questions, review and analyze current research on the issue, and the answers of the research question. Topics can be discussed with the course lecture.
3. Class Participation (30%)
Class participation is an assessment of each student’s willingness and ability to comment on the contents of lecture topics. Student need to prepare to discuss the readings assigned for each week. Participation of group discussions is equally important. Even though the schedule below defines lecture topics, instructor will conduct each class through PowerPoint slides and dialogue that encourage contributions of substantive knowledge and of different perspectives among students. Time will be allocated at the beginning of each class period to discuss the week’s reading assignments. For attendance, students are expected to attend a minimum of 75 % of the class meetings.
Margaret P. Karns, Karen A. Mingst, and Kendall W. Stiles, International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance, 3rd edition (2015).
Thomas G. Weiss, David P. Forsythe, Roger A. Coate, and Kelly-Kate Pease, The United Nations and Changing World Politics, 7th edition (2014).
Additional readings
Additional supplementary readings will be prepared for students' long-term use. Students are not obligated to read all supplementary readings. However, students may find them helpful.