LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, the student is able to: ● know history, structure, aims and members of the main international organizations in a globalized system; ● identify causal relationships between historical events; ● know how to use the historical methodology to understand the present of international organizations, in their potential and in their limits.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Ability to understand the complexity and versatility of international and regional organizations of the contemporary era;
• ability to identify tools, techniques, dynamics and limits of international organizations of the contemporary era;
• ability to interpret the current international scenario thanks to the mastery of historical dynamics.

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of European history after the Vienna Congress and of the history of international relations of the 20th century.

Knowledge of English.

TEACHING METHODS

The lectures will alternate with student case studies: each student, alone or in pairs, will choose an international organization or NGO to present to the class.

Slides and other material will available in Aulaweb.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course will address the following topics:

1) cooperation and security in 19th century Europe: the congress system and the “concert of Europe”;

2) the “first globalization” and its effects: transnational political movements, international public unions, collaboration in legal matters, the “Hague system”;

3) the Paris peace conference and the League of Nations system;

4) rise and decline of “collective security”: the political action of the League of Nations between the two wars;

5) successes and limits of socio-economic cooperation in the 20s and 30s: the ILO, the economic commissions of the League of Nations, the other experiences of economic collaboration;

6) the “internationalist” perspectives during the Second World War and the birth of the United Nations;

7) the UN system, specialized agencies and Bretton Woods organizations;

8) the UN and security problems in the cold war years;

9) the impact of decolonization and the new focus on development problems;

10) the international economic organization from the “golden age” to the “second globalization”;

11) notes on the evolution and problems of the UN system after the cold war.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bob Reinalda, Routledge history of international organizations: from 1815 to the present day, London and New York: Routledge, 2009 [Chapters: 2-3 (p. 17-33), 7 (p. 65-82), 11 (p. 120-135) and 15-41 (p. 177-694)]: the book is available as an e-book and can be found at the Library of the School of Social Sciences (Albergo dei Poveri).

Presentation of a case study.