Syllabus
Week 1: Introduction
Course requirements, course program, Area Studies as a concept
Week 2: Area Studies as a Discipline
David Szanton: The Politics of Knowledge. Area Studies and the Disciplines. University of California, 2002.
Week 3: What is an Area?
The Rebirth of Area Studies: Challenges for History, Politics and International Relations in the 21st Century Chapter 3
Week 4: Introduction to the World-system
World-systems analysis - Immanuel Wallerstein (2013)
The Modern World-System as a Capitalist World Economy - Immanuel Wallerstein 2004 (Chapter 2)
Week 5: Periphery, Semi-periphery, and Core in the Modern World-system
Rise And Demise: Comparing World Systems - Christopher Chase-dunn, Thomas D Hall 79-98 (1997)
Week 6: Regions and Area Studies https://europe.unc.edu/toolkits/chapter-1/ Chapters 1, 2, 5 (they're not long, don't worry)
The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations - Chapter 23 (365-382)
Week 7: Area studies and nationalism
Colin Flint and Peter J. Taylor: Political Geography, World-Economy, Nation-State and Locality Seventh edition, Routledge, 2018, Chapter 5.
Week 8: Current issues through Area Studies: War and Conflict
The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations Chapter 14 (225-239) https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan
Week 9: Current issues through Area Studies: Poverty & Development
The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations Chapter 26 (419-433)
The Slum - Al Jazzera Pick at least one episode to watch https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzGHKb8i9vTzzdepVrNsOATf9u44nfIXH
Week 10: Current issues through Area Studies: Rising China
China and the Return of Great Power Strategic Competition? - Bruce Jones - 2020
Week 11: Current Issues through Area Studies: Climate Change and Migration
The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations - Chapter 24
Report on the Impact of Climate Change on Migration - 2021 (Sections I & II)
Week 12: Presentations
Week 13: Presentations
Annotation
The course Introduction to Area studies will focus on key concepts and key texts relevant for area studies as a specific academic discipline. Basic methodological approaches and discussions will be covered as well. Examples of practical research questions related to specific aspects of area studies will be provided throughout the course.