Selected Topics: International Relations | Critical Approaches to International Relations and Global Governance - Gender, Power, Populism - Ausgewählte Themen: Internationale Beziehungen |

Knowledge

Basic knowledge about International Relations and/or Global Governance is an advantage but not necessary for the seminar. Students from all disciplines are welcome. International students are very welcome to join!

This class will be conducted in English, but don't worry if English isn't your first language; everyone will be supported to feel comfortable and succeed. 

Description

Critical Approaches to International Relations and Global Governance - Gender, Power, Populism

Liberal democracies appear increasingly fragile and polarized, while liberal values face growing backlash worldwide. Populist movements and illiberal actors promote anti-gender politics and undermine democratic norms, often targeting feminist, queer, and racialized communities. This seminar critically examines how gender, power, and populism intersect to shape global politics, offering students the opportunity to explore how power dynamics influence International Relations.

Drawing on feminist theory, postcolonial theory, queer studies and intersectional approaches in International Relations, Security Studies and Global Governance we will engage with fundamental questions such as:

Are female political leaders more likely to promote peace? Can the UN’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) be applied in current wars in the Middle East and Ukraine? How do anti-gender movements undermine gender equality globally and how do feminist organizations push back?  What role does social media play in reinforcing masculinist cultures and militarism through gendered disinformation? How feminist has Germany's foreign policy been?

This seminar will be divided into two main sections:

• In the first part, we will explore feminist theories and key concepts from gender studies in political science, such as feminism, masculinity, intersectionality, queerness and postcolonial critiques, examining how they have shaped the discipline of International Relations. Students will learn to deconstruct traditional IR theories and explore how class, race, sexuality, and other forms of identity shape power dynamics globally.
• In the second part, we will apply these theoretical underpinnings to current global issues, focusing on real-world case studies and challenges in international relations. Topics will include the role of women in conflict resolution, the impact of anti-gender movements on international norms, Germany’s feminist foreign policy, and the effectiveness of feminist approaches in development programs and International Organizations. We will ask whether gender equality can lead to more peaceful and equitable global outcomes and how gendered power imbalances perpetuate conflicts and inequalities.

Learning objectives

1. Participants can outline critical approaches to International Relations, including gender and postcolonial approaches, intersectionality and queer theory, and discuss their significance for the discipline and social science more broadly.
2. Participants can apply the learned theories and concepts to topics of international politics and develop relevant research questions.
3. Participants learn how to justify their own positions with sound arguments and critically reflect and position themselves in the broader scientific discourse.

Comment

Reading examples: 

• Richter-Montpetit, Melanie. 2018. “Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex (in IR) But Were Afraid to Ask: The ‘Queer Turn’ in International Relations.” Millennium 46 (2): 220–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305829817733131.
• Melander, Erik. 2005. “Gender Equality and Intrastate Armed Conflict.” International Studies Quarterly 49 (4): 695–714. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2478.2005.00384.x
• Leidig, Eviane, and Gabriel Bayarri. 2023. “Not Your Grandma’s Fascism: Fame, Femininity, and Race in Far-Right Postcolonial India and Brazil.” Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society 30 (1): 239–67. https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxac013.

Detailed information about the examinations

During the seminar, students will give one presentation as part of a thematic session. The specific topic of the presentation can be chosen by the students based on their personal interests. At the end of the semester, students will write an academic paper that connects the theories covered in the first part of the seminar with a topic of their choice from the second part, or a policy paper that gives an overview of current policies and empirical findings and outlines further recommendations. Both options will be discussed in the first session of the seminar.

Second additional field

Please indicate the language of the course here:

English