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International Relations
Content: The seminar "International Relations: Challenges and Opportunities to Boost Peace and Security" offers a comprehensive examination of selected theories that shape international relations. Through joint readings and discussions of key research, we will systematically examine IR theories and illustrate them with current global political examples, including (neo-)realism, (neo-)liberalism, (social-)constructivism, institutionalism, and critical security studies.
In addition to the classics of the discipline, the focus will be also on actors and forms of international conflicts, covering a range of key topics such as peace and war, terrorism, the military, pirates and rebels, and the role of gender and pop culture in international security policy.
The purpose of this seminar is to examine and discuss these topics in a critical manner, with particular reference to current events. This will enable participants to gain a new perspective on international relations.
Learning: The objectives of this course are to provide students with a systematic introduction to and central understanding of international relations and 21st-century security issues. In addition to classic topics within the discipline, the course will focus on the field of actors and forms of international conflicts, aiming to facilitate reflection and application of previously acquired competencies. The course will further develop and apply fundamental academic skills, such as text comprehension and discussion, as well as basic methodological knowledge, in a supportive seminar environment.
Structure: Two key aspects contribute to the success of this seminar and require emphasis. Firstly, this seminar is designed to provide a secure environment where participants can engage in open dialogue regarding any and all questions, regardless of their perceived simplicity. Secondly, it is of the most importance that all attendees engage in active and regular participation. This can be achieved by undertaking preparatory reading of the assigned texts and developing one's own thoughts on them prior to seminar sessions. The content of the seminar will not be conveyed solely through lectures; rather, it will be delivered through the engagement of the entire seminar group.
Lecturer: Djamila Jabra, M.A.
Djamila Jabra, M.A. has been working as a research assistant at the Chair of Political Science with a focus on European Integration and International Relations in the Department of European Studies at Saarland University since December 2022. Previously, she worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Political Science, Georg-August-University, Göttingen. She studied Social Sciences (Bachelor of Arts) and Peace and Conflict Studies (Master of Arts) at Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg and completed an Erasmus scholarship at Karlstad University in Sweden. Her research interests are foreign and security policy, (violent) climate/resource conflicts, theories of international relations, as well as terrorism research and counter-terrorism.