The module intends to offer an introduction to the history of international relations tailored to the interests of Global Studies students. Thus, contents will be organised mainly along chronological lines for the sake of clarity and more attention will be devoted to the last centuries. Given the inexistence of a general History module in the course structure or any specific History requirement, the module will also try to make up for this with some nutshell foundations of World History.
The main contents will be developed in lectures, although students will also have some compulsory materials that will complement the lectures and will be discussed in a specific session.
There will be 20 lecture units:
1. Introduction: basic concepts and information.
2. Foundations of World History.
3. The emergence of the modern international system.
4. The 18th century.
5. Revolutionary wars and Napoleon, 1776-1815.
6. The Concert of Europe in operation, 1815-1848.
7. The Concert of Europe in revision, 1848-1871.
8. From the Bismarckian systems to the Great War, 1871-1914.
9. Imperialism.
10. International relations in the Americas during the 19th century.
11. The World War I (1914-1918) and its aftermath.
12. International relations during the 1920s and 1930s.
13. The World War II (1939-1945) and its aftermath.
14. The Cold War and the de-colonization processes, 1945-1985.
15. The end of the Cold War and the unipolar moment, 1985-2001.
16. The War against Terror and the multipolar present (2001-today).
17. International Relations in the Americas in the 20th and the 21st centuries.
18. Special topic lecture: history of nationalism and self-determination.
19. Special topic lecture: history of inter-state diplomacy, internationalism and world governance.
20. Special topic lecture: history of the process of European integration.
