Année universitaire 2013/2014 Collège universitaire Semestre d’automne

A primer on international affairs

Emmanuel COMOLET

Syllabus

Programme des séances (contenu et objectifs pédagogiques) :

Pour chacune des 12 séances : présentation du thème général, de la(les) thématique(s), textes de référence, lectures préparatoires, exercices) :

The aim of the course is to help students acquire the necessary tools to analyze, as citizens as well as practitioners and workers, international affairs in the contemporary world. It will explore international issues, based on research and practice of international issues, through economic, strategic, political and social lenses. National and international political issues will be of particular interest. Indeed, all actors, should they be public, private, non governmental, etc., have to face questions related to power, communication, financial means, culture and organisation. Hence the course will begin by studying global and so-called transversal issues to lay the foundations for examining regional and national issues. Theories of international relations will be used in as far as they shed light on the practice of world affairs as well as history, geography, economics, strategy or other social sciences. The study of the international system requires an introduction to the various actors of the international scene, conflicts, regional issues, etc. The course will attempt to be as exhaustive as possible to cover the most important issues, actors and geographical areas. In addition to the teacher’s introductions and class discussions, we will use class debates, case studies and students’ presentations to practice the skills that are critical to success in public service as well as the private sector—deep intellectual knowledge of the core issues of our time, analytical thinking, effective writing skills and the ability to make clear, succinct oral presentations. Each student will be required to make a presentation and write an essay on a topic of their interest. Selected readings will be required, while a larger bibliography will be provided for those interested in further reading.

1) Introduction Presentation of the course. Distribution of assignments. Short presentation of the actors in contemporary international affairs (states, multilateral, legal – economic, cultural, religious, public opinion, media, or illegal transnational actors – mafias, terrorists, etc.).

2) The international system and some historical background The main paradigms for thinking about international affairs will be of interest: classical (realism, liberalism), ideological (Marxism, Islam, Christianity), scientific (geopolitics), recent (Clash of Civilizations, End of History). They are useful inasmuch as they provide a framework to use when analysing events and trends. Besides, the understanding of the contemporary world is rooted in its historical legacy. The world is not a tabula rasa. We will try to capture continuities and ruptures of the current events and how the international system is evolving. - The proliferation of States - Is the contemporary international system multipolar?

3) Globalization and the world economy Globalization has brought along themes, next to traditional international relations themes, such as trade, security and expansion, and transversal issues, like environment, human rights and sanitary problems, that should seemingly unify the world around similar preoccupation and common values. - Oil and power - Is globalization an Americanization of the world?

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4) War, peace and strategy Contrary to the past, most wars are civil and intra state wars rather than inter states. Warfare will be put in historical context as well as strategies. Contemporary changes, including preventive diplomacy, disarmament, nuclear equilibrium, proliferation, failed states and terrorism are very much relevant to the study of this theme. - The war on terror - Nuclear proliferation

5) The United States of America The United States remains the most important state and actor. The short unipolar moment that followed the bipolarity of the Cold War has led to a more troubled present. Does the USA remain the sole power? - The American leadership in 2013 - Is the USA in decline?

6) China China has come to the forefront of international affairs in the past 20 years with the legacy of its history. How has it changed international relations in the early XXIst century? What challenges does this rise imply for China and for the world in general? - China and the USA - China, a pacific emergence?

7) Emerging countries The so-called emergent countries are becoming increasingly important in the economic, financial and political fields. They are challenging the rest of the planet. - What is an emerging country? - Is India a global power?

8) The MENA region The Middle East and Northern Africa region goes from Iran and Turkey to Morrocco. It is not exclusively an Arab region nor a Muslim one, even though it is at the heart of the Muslim and Arab worlds. It has been a geopolitical quagmire for some time and remains a region of the world where geography and history are paramount to understanding it. - Iran in its regional environment - Is peace possible in the Middle East?

9) Africa For a long time, Africa was left out from international affairs thinking. It has undoubtedly changed since Africa has become part and parcel of both threats (conflicts, diseases, terrorism) and opportunities (raw materials, economic growth). Has the time of Africa come? Where does it stand in contemporary international affairs? - Is Sub-Saharan Africa on the right track? - War and peace in Sub-Saharan Africa

10) Europe Europe is at a crossroads and has been for a few years. Its powerful and flamboyant past has led to an uncertain present about its political, economic and social identities. After times of turmoil in the past, European countries have managed to rebound and maintain a centrality in world affairs. How do the internal problems of Europe affect its power and influence outside its borders? - Is the European Union weak? - The borders of the European Union

11) France With the background of a political change in France, the continuities and discontinuities of the orientation of French foreign policy will be at the heart of the class. - France and Germany in the European Union - The French power and influence today

12) Conclusion - The “international community” - The world’s challenges by 2030

27, rue Saint-Guillaume 75007 Paris France T/ +33 (0)1 45 49 50 51 - F/ +33 (0)1 42 22 39 64 www.sciences-po.fr Présentation des modalités d’évaluation : The exposé lasts 15 minutes. It is an oral exercise to be told, not read. In addition to the form of your exposé, its assessment will take into consideration: the contextualisation of the topic, a precise definition of terms, a clear organisation and dynamic of ideas, facts, examples and arguments. It will count for half of the final grade. A continuous and apposite participation will be valued in the grades; on the contrary, a feeble participation will be sanctioned. The essay will be a 20 000 character dissertation on a topic chosen in agreement with the teacher. It will be handed in at least two classes before the end of the semester. It will also count for half the final grade

Références bibliographiques : - BAER, Robert. See no evil. New York: Crown Publisher, 2002, 284 p. - BAYART, Jean-François. Le gouvernement du monde. Une critique politique de la globalisation. Fayard, 2004, 448 p. - BRZEZINSKI, Zbigniew and SCOWCROFT, Brent. America and the World, Basic Books, 2008, 304 p. (L’Amérique face au monde. Pearson, 150 p.) - CHALIAND, Gérard, (coll. Michel Jan), Vers un nouvel ordre du monde, Seuil, 2013, 299 p. - COULOMB, Catherine. Chine, le nouveau centre du monde ? Ed. de l’Aube, 2007,470 p. - COURBAGE, Youssef et TODD, Emmanuel. Le rendez vous des civilisations. Seuil, 2007, 159 p. - De MONTBRIAL, Thierry. L’Action et le système du monde, PUF, 2001 xv-472 p - DEJAMMET, Alain. Supplément au voyage en Onusie. Paris : Fayard, 2003, 140 p. - DIAMOND, Jared. Collapse. How Societies choose to Fail or Succeed. Viking Adult, 2004, 592 p. (Effondrement. Comment les sociétés décident de leur disparition ou de leur survie. Gallimard, 2006, 648 p). - FUKUYAMA, Francis. The End of History and the Last Man. Free Press, New York, 1992, 418 p. (La fin de l’histoire et le dernier homme, Flammarion, 1993, 448 p). - GODEMENT, François. La renaissance de l’Asie. Paris : Point Seuil, 1995, 425 p. - HUNTINGTON Samuel P. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order. Simon & Schuster, New York, 1996, 318 p. (Le choc des civilisations, Paris : Odile Jacob, 2000, 545 p). - JAFFRELOT, Christophe (sous la direction de). L’enjeu mondial. Les pays émergents. Presses de Sciences Po-L’Express, 2008, 381 p. - JUDT, Tony. Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945. The Penguin Press, 2005, 896 p. (Après guerre, une histoire de l’Europe depuis 1945, Armand Colin, 2007, 1023 p.) - KENNEDY, Paul. The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers. Vintage, 1989, 677 p. (Naissance et déclin des grandes puissances : transformations économiques et conflits militaires entre 1500 et 2000, Paris : Payot, 1991, 730 p). - KHANNA, Parag. The Second World. Empires and influence in the new global order. London: Allen Lane, 2008, 466 p. - KISSINGER, Henry. Diplomacy. Simon & Schuster, 1994, 912 p. (Diplomatie. Fayard, 1996, 860 p). - LANDES, David, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, New York: W. V. Norton, 1998 (Richesse et pauvreté des nations. Albin Michel, 2000, 744 p.) - LAURENS, Henry. L’Orient arabe à l’heure américaine. Hachette Littérature, 2008, 452 p. - LIEVEN, Anatol. America Right or Wrong. Oxford University Press. 2004, 288 p. (Le nouveau nationalisme américain. Paris : Lattès, 2004, 488 p). - MADDISON, Angus, Contours of the World Economy, Oxford University Press, 2007, 418 p. - MAGNETTE, Paul. L’Europe, l’État et la démocratie. Le souverain apprivoisé. Complexe, Bruxelles, 2000, 262 p. - RAY, Olivier et SEVERINO, Jean-Michel. Le Temps de l’Afrique, Odile Jacob, 2010, 345 p. (Africa's Moment, Polity, 352p.) - SALAME, Ghassan. Démocraties sans démocrates. Politiques d’ouvertures dans le monde arabe et islamique. Paris : Fayard, 1994, 452 p. - Atlas du monde global, Hubert Védrine, Pascal Boniface Armand Colin, 2008 - Atlas historique, Histoire de l’humanité, de la préhistoire à nos jours, Pierre Vidal-Naquet et Jacques Bertin (dirs), Hachette, 1987. 339 p. - L’Atlas des atlas : le monde vu d’ailleurs en 200 cartes. Arthaud, 2008, 191 p.

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