Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)

Course Description Status: Approved

Course Description Version: 24/25.P.1.00

Description Period: 2024./25 academic year pavasara semestris

Study Course Accepted: -

Study Course Description

Academic Workshop

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
SZF_057
Branch of Science
Political science
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Political Science
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Māris Andžāns
Structure Unit Manager
Karina Palkova
Structural Unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Contacts

Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf@rsu.lv

About Study Course

Objective

To enhance overall students' academic knowledge, skills and competencies in international relations and diplomacy.

Preliminary Knowledge

General knowledge on international relations and diplomacy, as well as on research methods.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.Students will carve future scenarios and development of empirical phenomena, based on advanced knowledge acquired in the study course on international relations’ theoretical and methodological aspects and comprehension of empirical phenomena. Students will navigate across the most significant international relations’ issues in current context.

Skills

1.Students will individually conduct analytical work of large scale, by critically selecting and objectively evaluating sources and arriving at objective and neutral solutions. Students will endeavour in a professional team, that will include leading group work, persuading others on own opinion and motivating others along with coordination of multiple simultaneous tasks. Students will conduct individual work of a large scale when a range of tasks of varying importance and complexity should be performed. Acquired skills will include work planning, task prioritization skills, as well as stress resilience skills.

Competences

1.Students will develop and discuss innovative solutions to be used in solving the most important problems of international relations.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Individual work
-
-
Preparation for workshops according to the guidance provided by the lecturer. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Examination
-
-
Discussion on the topical issues of International Relations and diplomacy, as well as research methods.
2.
Examination
-
-
Activity in workshops and lectures – 30%. Quality of answers in workshops – 70%.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1

  1. Topical issues of international relations and diplomacy

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
3.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
4.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
5.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
6.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
7.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
8.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Topicalities of international relations research methods and research at large

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
3.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
4.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
5.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
6.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
7.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
30 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Visa literatūra ir angļu valodā un piemērota gan latviešu, gan angļu plūsmas studentiem

2.

Kurki, Milja, Wright, Colin. Chapter 1. International Relations and Social Science. In: Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki, Steve Smith (eds). International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021. Pp. 13-34.

3.

Blaikie N. Designing social research: the logic of anticipation. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2019.

Additional Reading

1.

Popper, Karl. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. N.Y.: Routledge, 2002 (published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005). Pp.3-34.

2.

Serena Bertogliatti. What is the significance of the fourth debate in the contemporary discipline of IR? Has it, and should it, be transcended? What is the significance of meta-theoretical debates for IR theory and research?

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