International Relations Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)

The Seminar will focus on current theoretical debates in international relations.The seminar examines the foundations of International Relations theory, surveys the basic concepts and main theories currently in use, and points to various trends.  Challenges of global phenomena raise questions regarding the applicability of conventional approaches to theorizing based on the Westphalian framework, thus problematizing traditional perspectives.

The Seminar aims to capture the competing visions and perceptions of international law and international organization, and the tension between the ?traditional? and ?new? international law. It will theorize on the relationship between international law and international relations. The Seminar will also explore the process of fragmentation of international law and the difficulties arising from its diversification and expansion.

The emergence and transformation of the world economy will be analyzed in the context of inter-state relations. The course will consider the nature of hegemony, and its role in constituting political and economic institutions and structures at the international level. It will also deal with the epistemological and ontological underpinnings of modern thinking about the global political economy, and introduce research students to current debates in the field.

The objective of this seminar is to prepare graduate students for the task of thesis research through the development of a scientifically sound thesis proposal. Inter alia, it covers such issues as introduction to the research process; research design in the disciplines of International Relations and Comparative Politics; debates and examples in the literature; epistemological and methodological issues; formatting issues; and the preparation of individual thesis proposals.

The goal of this Seminar is to provide students with a general understanding of International Relations as a scientific discipline and the opportunity to receive extensive intellectual and methodological advice on their doctoral research. More specifically, the Seminar is intended to provide students with an insight into practical skills needed as a researcher, academic ethics and tools to secure progression in their PhD work. It is meant to stimulate the writing process and awareness of the criteria that form the basis of peer review and academic assessment. It will provide a unique opportunity to network with scholars within the EMU academic community.