The second semester of this course, History of International Relations (II), focuses on the evolution of the world order after the First World War, as well as the research themes related to war and peace that emerged in contemporary international relations. The main content is organized chronologically and is divided into the following periods: the First World War, the interwar period, the Second World War, the Cold War, the era of globalization, and the period of new mercantilism. In terms of course structure, the curriculum is divided into two parts: theory and thematic studies. The theoretical part distinguishes these key periods through major paradigms in international relations theory, with particular emphasis on grand theories, including classical realism, idealism, structural realism, neoliberalism, constructivism, and new mercantilism. The thematic component, by contrast, examines research topics such as the balance of power, power transition, balance of interests, balance of threat, conventional deterrence, nuclear deterrence, collective sanctions, collective security, and alliance behavior. The former adopts a vertical, chronological approach to the study of contemporary international relations, while the latter is organized around core issues to explore scholarly knowledge on war and peace.

Students are expected to be able to link the history of contemporary international relations to grand IR paradigms in the field, and to proactively identify how key research issues related to war and peace are connected across the history of international relations. With regard to grand theories, students are required to understand how each paradigm explains the outbreak of war and its peaceful resolution, as well as the extent to which these arguments are borne out by historical evidence. As for the various research themes, students should develop a solid grasp of their substantive content, underlying assumptions, core arguments, and the degree of empirical support they receive.

Students are expected to attend the class and participate in discussion (10%). They are required to take a midterm exam (40%) and submit a final paper (50%). The midterm will be held in class and will include short-answer questions. The final assessment will be an individual short essay, limited to a maximum of five pages, using 12-point font, single spacing, and standard margins (1-inch margin to all sides). An additional page may be included for the bibliography.

1 hour

•Carr, E. H. (1946). The Twenty Years’ Crisis. 2nd ed. London: MACMILLAN. •Morgenthau, H. J. (1980). Politics among Nations: the Struggle for Power and Peace. 2nd ed. New York: Knopf. •Kohane, R. O. & Nye, J. S. (2012). Power and Interdependence. Boston, MA: Longman. •Wendt, A. (1999). Social Theory of International Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. •Vasques, J. A. & Henehan, M. T. (1992). The Scientific Study of Peace and War: A Text Reader. New York: Lexington Books.