Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Faculty of Law :: International Relations

Versao Portuguesa

POLÍTICA INTERNACIONAL CONTEMPORÂNEA - 2021/2022

2º curricular year
Semestralidade: 1st semester
ECTS: 6

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutor Paulo Amorim
Assistant Professor: Drª Susana Ferreira

Class type and School hours

Teórico-prática : 2 Horas
Orientação Tutorial : 1 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

The curricular unit has three general objectives: 1) Contribute to the understanding of the main processual dynamics that structure the development of international relations since the end of the Second World War; 2) Contribute to the understanding of how these dynamics are responsible for the current form of international relations; 3) Contribute to the scientific and critical reflections about the future development of international relations on the basis of the acquired historical knowledge.

Specific Aims/Objectives

The curricular unit?s specific objectives are to promote: 1) The understanding of what are the main actors in the development of international society since the end of the Second World War; 2) The understanding of how the relations between these actors structure international society in different ways in different periods; 3) The understanding of how, in its turn, the structure of international society in different periods has conditioned the behaviour of the different international actors.

Skills to be acquired

The curricular unit seeks to transmit the following skills: l) Knowledge of the history of international relations since the end of the Second World War; 2) Understanding of the main processual structuring dynamics of international relations in the period under analysis; 3) Understanding of how the history of international relations should inform contemporary analysis of international reality; 4) Development of scientific skills of research and critical analysis.

Teaching Procedures

Classes will be based on the exposition of contents accompanied by the debate and discussion of the themes under analysis, as well as of audio-visual based contents. Highlight will be given to the use of PowerPoint and to making available online contents via Moddle. The analysis and presentation of scientific texts by the students will also be promoted in the tutorial orientation classes, which will have the additional purpose of clarifying doubts.

Programme

1. A New World Order 1945-1947
1.1. International order after the Second World War
1.2. American perspective
1.3. Soviet perspective

2. The Beginning of the Cold War 1945-1955
2.1. The German question and the European east
2.2. The emergence of the blocks, the nuclear impasse and the politics of contention
2.3. The Marshall plan and KOMECON
2.4. ECSC and EDC
2.5. Chinese revolution and Korean War
2.6. NATO and the Warsaw pact
2.7. The alliances structure of the bipolar world

3. Consolidation of the Cold War 1956-1961
3.1. Destalinisation and pacific coexistence
3.2. Consolidation of the new world order: The Suez and Hungary crises
3.3. The future of western Europe: EEC and EFTA
3.4. Cuban revolution and sino-soviet split
3.5. Decolonisation, the emergence of the third world and the non-aligned movement
3.6. Berlin crisis

4. Detente and Revolution 1962-1980
4.1. The Cuban missile crisis
4.2. MAD
4.3. Detente through triangular diplomacy
4.4. The end of detente
4.5. Revolution and contention

5. The End of the Cold War 1981-1991
5.1. USA?s strategic assertiveness
5.2. The reduction of soviet influence in the third world
5.3. Crises and soviet response: Perestoika and Glasnot
5.4. The fragmentation of the soviet empire
5.5. The end of the third world
5.6. German reunification and European unification

6. A New World Order 1992 -
6.1. Pax Americana?
6.2. Fragile states and state building

Evaluation Type

The assessment of the curricular unit will be continuous and includes:
- Two written tests;
- Frequency / Written exam
- Oral presentation/discussion of articles and chapters;
- Attendance and class participation.

Teaching Resources

- Recommended bibliography
- Use of audio-visual contents

Sustainability Objectives

Keywords

- International Relations
- History of International Relations
- Cold War
- Communism
- Capitalism
- Revolution
- Contention
- Alliances
- World Order
- International Society

Main Bibliography

Author YOUNG, John W.; KENT, John
Title International Relations Since 1945: A Global Histo
Edition 2ª ed.
Place Oxford
Editor Oxford University Press
Year 2013
Author MCMAHON, Robert
Title Cold War: A Very Short Introduction
Edition 1ª ed.
Place Oxford
Editor Oxford University Press
Year 2003
Author KISSINGER, Henry
Title Diplomacia
Edition reimp.
Place Lisboa
Editor Gradiva
Year 2010

Complementary Bibliography

Author BEST, Antony; HANHIMAKI, Jussi; MAIOLO, Joseph e S
Title International History of the Twentieth Century
Edition 2ª ed.
Place Oxon
Editor Routledge
Year 2004
Author GADDIS, John
Title The Cold War: A New History
Edition 1ª ed.
Place New York
Editor The Pengiun Press
Year 2005