Philosophical Foundations of International Relations
During this course, subtitled 'Why Theory Never Loses Its Moral Importance', master's students have the opportunity to interrogate the founding concepts of international relations through a philosophical and historical lens.
Why do we study politics? For Professor Philip Golub – who, for 13 years, has taught a course in the “Philosophical Foundations of International Relations” for master’s students at AUP – it’s for both intellectual and moral reasons. “The core issues of international relations, such as power hierarchies, forms of domination, problems of inequality and global justice, are all inescapable phenomena,” says Golub. “Our lives are shaped by politics. People get swept up in moments of historical change and face the moral, intellectual and practical challenges of their times. In that sense, humans, as Aristotle emphasized, are ‘political animals.’”
Studying politics allows students to better understand the underlying mechanisms of the world they live in and to prepare themselves to act upon it to effect change. In Golub’s class, this process begins by asking students to reflect upon their own interest in studying politics, before diving into an exploration of core theoretical and philosophical frameworks. “Without theory we wander blindly in a world in constant phenomenal flux. Theory helps us create images of reality that allow us to answer why things happen in the ways they do,” he explains.
The course begins with an examination of realism, which theorizes power relations, taking on classical authors such as Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, alongside 20th-century realists such as E. H. Carr, Morgenthau or Kenneth Waltz. Students then move on to classical liberalism, which emerged from the Enlightenment and concerns ideas of individual autonomy, human freedom and moral progress; here, the focus is on the liberal understanding of moral progress, as notably seen in the work of Immanuel Kant. The course also covers critical approaches, such as Neo-Marxism and other perspectives in historical sociology, as well as feminist international relations theory.
The idea is that students work their own way through the intellectual puzzle of the world.
Golub encourages students to critique each framework, resisting theoretical hierarchies and encouraging students to come to their own conclusions about which frameworks are best suited for their concerns and academic pathway. “The idea is that students work their own way through the intellectual puzzle of the world,” he explains. The course is a core course for both the MA in Diplomacy and International Law and the two MAs in International Affairs and can be adapted to individual students’ interests.
International relations theory helps students understand the underlying issues that fuel competition and conflict between states and the interactions between economics and politics. Students refine their conceptual abilities to be able to apply theory to current or past international or global contexts. A strong grasp of theory strengthens students’ arguments and helps them communicate with other people they will be working with going forward, such as the actors involved in situations of conflict or conflict resolution. “It will augment their ability to understand and deal with whatever they are trying to do in the world,” says Golub.
Though many of the core elements of theory are not time-bound, their relevance shifts over time. As the world faces new challenges, so too are global issues increasingly falling outside of the realm of interstate power politics. Issues such as climate change or pandemics require a coordinated, cooperative, transnational response – global governance. The evolution of political events may diminish a certain theory’s practical importance – but never its moral importance. That’s why theory forms such a strong foundation for AUP’s master’s programs.