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Modules
The curriculum is composed of seven courses that have to be attended by all students. The probable course listing for the 2008 Summer School can be seen below.
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Global Politics: New Concepts for Challenges, Risks and Opportunities
(Prof. Klaus Segbers)
The Summer School starts off with an introduction to the emergence of new global structures after the end of the Cold War. This new global context can be characterized as follows: first, by a complex landscape of new and old actors (states, non-governmental organizations, transnational corporations, sub- and supranational regions etc.); second, by a mix of old and new forms of interaction (diplomacy, networks, political movements); third, by new forms of political agency and decision-making (externally driven agendas, ad-hocism, gaps between popular expectations and political feasibility). Political analysis based on the traditional categories of the Westphalian state system, i.e. the idea of world politics basically as politics designed and executed by states and governments, delineated by borders and protected by sovereignty and territoriality, does not have sufficient explanatory power anymore. Some new approaches that help you understand the emerging global patchwork will be presented and discussed. The case study will be Europe, its geography, identity, economy, borders, space and time.
Multilevel Governance
(Prof. Chen Zhimin)
Prof. Chen's class is mainly concentrated on power shifts in present international politics. Multi-level governance is a perspective of understanding international politics which was developed out of the European Union's experience. It looks at international politics as a multi-level governance system, where actors at different levels share competencies and have to work with each other to pursue their aims. While states are still the central players in this approach, it leaves room for reaching a better understanding of other players in the system. Hence, the focus is not only on inter-governmental communication and political activities, but on the influence and status of regional governments and of transnational institutions. The course thereby widens perspectives of different working mechanisms of various institutions and newly evolving mechanisms of governance. This course consists of three sessions: 1) Multi-level Governance and the European Union; 2) Subnational Dimension of Multilevel Governance; 3) the Interregional Dimension of Multilevel Governance. We will also discuss how this approach could help to better understand trilateral relations between China, Europe and the US.
Comparative Environmental Politics
(Prof. Miranda Schreurs, Prof. Bo Yan)
This course will examine the reasons for comparative research and approaches to the study of comparative politics in the field of environment protection. The course will consider forms of state structures and institutions found in different parts of the contemporary world as well as the role of non-state actors (social movements, non-governmental organizations, businesses) as they function in different political settings. The course pays special attention to the following issues: An introduction to German and European Environmental Policy: What lessons for China?; A comparative study of Environmental Disaster Management; Climate and Energy: Comparing the Politics and Policies of the EU, the US, and China; China and the Global Climate Change Regime; China and the International Ozone Regime. The course will be complemented by a roundtable discussion with renowned experts from German and Chinese NGOs as well from bodies of international cooperation. The roundtable discussion will be organized in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Current Conflicts in Asia
(Prof. Shen Dingli)
This course concentrates on the political dilemmas of cooperation in 21st-century Asia. The Asian continent has become a main field of activity for international diplomacy, not only because of its economic developments, but also as a result of its political tensions. These conflicts arise from the triple challenge presented by the biggest populations in the world, the most dynamic economic development, and serious security challenges. In all regions (South East Asia, Central Asia, and Middle East), there are hotbeds of terrorism and a range of otherwise diverse conflicts that can be characterized by one common denominator, namely their nuclear dimension. Southeast Asia has not been able to escape volatility in that the two regional powers - India and Pakistan - are still antagonistic. On the Korean Peninsula, the Six Party Talks have been a negotiation mechanism for a couple of years, but there seems to be no clear perspective for settling the nuclear issue. Also, Asia is plagued by inter-state and intra-state rivalry and strife, e.g. the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the relations between Taiwan and Mainland China. This course aims to discuss the root causes of conflict, why and how these issues escalate and by what means they can be solved.
The New European Union - After Enlargement, Elections and Reform
(Dr. Ulrich Brückner)
The course examines the current state of the European Union after its enlargement by 10 new member states in 2004 and the crisis caused by the failed referenda in the ratification process of the European Constitution in 2005. After an introduction to the European Union's institutional, economic and political characteristics, selected aspects of current challenges will be discussed: internal power balance and decision-making procedures, European identity, democratic legitimacy of EU institutions, and the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Finally, the course will discuss the question of whether the EU can live up to the reputation as a successful example of supranational cooperation and regional integration that it enjoys in wide parts of the world.
Simulation game
(Christoph Raiser, M.A.)
This course consists of the preparation and implementation of a simulation game. Through the simulation of a current international negotiation situation, students will be given an insight into the political dynamics affecting the global governance of political crises. On the first day, students will be introduced to the actors and interests relevant to the conflict. The second day will see the actual negotiations, leading preferably to a joint resolution. The learning target is to enable students to actively experience the following hypotheses: International politics is increasingly based on multi-level governance. More actors with changing relative importance are involved. Political problems and issue areas are growing more complex and interdependent. The sharp analytical divide between domestic and foreign/international politics is increasingly blurred. International politics cannot be explained without examining domestic factors, and vice versa. Politicians on the global stage always have to consider both levels.
Project Module
(Ole Jantschek, M.A.)
The project module will introduce students to the growing literature and research on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The course will briefly establish a theoretical framework and familiarize students with key developments in this field. Special consideration will be given to auditing and reporting initiatives on the global level, such as the Global Compact. Additionally, the course will outline the main fields of activity for CSR, as well as the key concepts and strategies of both the state and private actors involved. However, the focus will be on applying these concepts in order to develop practical strategies. Students will be acting as groups of consultants to internationally-oriented companies with the task of working out a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy in a given context. They will then present their strategies to a jury of external experts from the German business delegation and Shanghai-based companies. The best strategy will be awarded a prize during the farewell dinner.
The Global Politics Summer School China program varies from year to year. Here are two more examples of courses offered in previous years:
Media and International Politics
(Kristina Klinkforth, M.A.)
The course ”Media and (World) Politics“ focuses on mass media as a new agent and factor in world politics. In the introductory part, it examines the development of new communication agents and devices such as electronic mass media as well as the internet, and identifies pivotal questions for today’s media-policy interactions.
At the heart of the debate on the role mass media play in world politics today is the question to what extent mass media are capable of influencing politics and even of determining policy outcomes by means of the “CNN effect.” Scholars doubting the existence of the CNN effect argue that the mass media have just become another vehicle for policymakers to “manufacture consent” for their policies. Both theses will be considered throughout the course and evidence for both positions will be considered. The overall objective of this course is to identify (new) conditions for policymaking in a media-driven environment and to look at ways policymakers attempt to cope with this challenge.
Realities and Perception of Rising China
(Prof. Ulrich Menzel)
Rising China has become a dominant subject of international relations in recent years, attracting a great deal of attention from experts and the broad media. While China's leaders have given this dynamic process the motto of "peaceful rise" since the inception of reform policies in 1978, it is often perceived as both fascinating and threatening abroad. The course introduces students to various dimensions of China's rise in recent years and analyses its consequences for the international system. On the one hand, it aims at clarifying the distribution of gains and losses of China's rise in the domestic and international spheres. On the other hand, the course situates today's development in a historical comparative perspective by referring to hegemony and empires of former times. Not least, the class raises students' awareness for the complex genesis and importance of diverging perceptions in international politics.
Impressions
During class. Students working in one of the seven courses on Global Politics.
(photo: Summer School)
