Course Title：Evolution of the International System

This course will deal with formation of an international system (IS) through combining historical development of IS with a theoretical overview. The course is based on chronological order discussing issues from premodern era to present times. Lectures will focus on period since the middle of 17th century (Westphalian order) with particular emphasis on the last century (development since 1914). The course will discuss phenomena such as importance of state formations, international alliance making and existence of power blocks, colonialism and imperialism. Besides cold war, a detailed attention will be paid to bipolar, post-bipolar and today’s nature of IS. Lectures will pay equal attention to European and American as well as non-Western problems of IS. Lecture series will be concluded with analysis of the recent IS trying to assess contemporary leading forces of IS such as PRC, USA and the EU.