This course will examine important contemporary themes in international relations since World War I. We will focus on the causes of major wars, the development and retreat of imperialism, the rise of nationalism and the third world, the transformation of international institutions, and international diplomacy. Although we will pay special attention to how historians use historical methods to interpret these major events, we will also look at how international theorists explain them. Students will develop the ability to grasp key concepts in international relations history, to analyze historical events with the help of theoretical tools, and to conduct international relations research that is historically grounded.

CILO-1: Explain major events and their linkages in the history of contemporary international relations, including the Cold War, the end of the Cold War, the Gulf War, the rise of Asia and China, September 11, the ‘War on Terror’, the Global Financial Crisis, the rise of populism, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the likely return of the Cold War in great power relations. CILO-2: Identify and analyze key actors, main causes, and the broader contexts of major international events and their consequences for contemporary international relations. CILO-3: Appreciate the importance and relevance of history and historiography to the study of International Relations, and develop a historical perspective on the understanding of contemporary world politics. CILO-4: Express clear and evidence-based arguments on the history of contemporary international relations in both oral and written forms.