Theoretical and Historical Perspectives on Global Governance

The course is a compulsory core course within the Master's Programme in International Administration and Global Governance.

Students enrolled in the Master´s Programme in International Administration and Global Governance are eligible for the course. The requirement for admission to the programme is a Bachelor's Degree with a minimum of 60 credits in a social science discipline, or equivalent. Applicants must prove their knowledge of English: English 6/English B from Swedish Upper Secondary School or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.

The course covers the concepts of global governance and global policy making along with theory and research that apply these concepts to study the governance of complex global problems. These complex global problems are revolutionizing policy making by generating new domains of public action beyond the nation-state. Thus, the course covers literature and topics that support a problem-oriented approach to global governance and global policy making. In addition, the course identifies and critically analyzes the various actors, institutions and regimes involved in global governance and global policy making.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Understand the concept of global governance and global policy making;
• Identify and critically analyze approaches to complex global problems, global governance and global policy making;
• Analyze theoretical approaches in global governance by critically assessing their applicability to current global governance challenges;
• Identify the roles of the principal institutions, organizations and actors for global policy making in the contemporary international arena;
• Understand the actors that make up transnational policy communities and the new domains of public action beyond the nation-state in which they engage in their global policy making efforts;

Competence and skills

• Interrogate theoretical frameworks on global governance interventions and their applicability to different international challenges;
• Argue persuasively in order to draw attention to international issues and promote possible solutions to global challenges;
• Negotiate global issues;
• Present global governance theories and analysis of global challenges;
• Assess one others’ work and provide feedback constructively;
• Independently produce text in accordance with good academic practice in the Social Sciences, including proper citation technique and use of references.

Judgement and approach

• Demonstrate awareness of the challenges to solving global governance challenges.

The course consists of both lectures, seminars and a role play.

Language of instruction: English

Students will be evaluated based on their performance on a final take home exam, one seminar paper, two seminar presentations (just pass or fail) and their country position paper and participation in a UN Role Play. The final take home exam, seminar paper and country position paper/participation in the UN Role Play are the three graded individual assignments in the course with the grades fail/pass/pass with distinction.

Students can be asked to re-work graded assignments and re-submit them, except the take home exam. It needs to be re-taken. If the student does not re-submit the reworked assignment on time, the student will be failed on the assignment.

A student who is not able to attend a compulsory part of the course can do an alternative assignment. The assignment will be described in the course guide.

Restrictions on the use of generative AI are stated in the course guide. Students are obliged to inform themselves about the current rules for examining elements such as assignments, seminar papers and other forms of exams in the course in question.

If a student who has twice received a failing grade for the same examination component wishes to change examiner ahead of the next examination session, such a request should be made to the department in writing and should be approved by the department unless there are special reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 of the Higher Education Ordinance).

If a student has received a recommendation from the University of Gothenburg for study support for students with disabilities, the examiner may, where it is compatible with the learning outcomes of the course and provided that no unreasonable resources are required, decide to allow the student to sit an adjusted exam or alternative form of assessment.

At least five occasions shall be offered the students to pass a course or part of a course (Chapter 6, Section 21 of Higher Education Ordinance).

In the event that a course has ceased or undergone major changes, students are to be guaranteed at least three examination sessions (including the ordinary examination session) over a period of at least one year, but no more than two years, after the course has ceased/been changed.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

To get the grade Pass (G) on the entire course, the student must achieve at least the grade Pass on all assignments.

To receive the grade Pass with distinction (VG) for the entire course, the student must have the grade Pass with distinction on two out of the three individual assignments (home exam, seminar paper and country position paper/participation in the UN role play) and passed all other assignments.

The student will be given the opportunity to do a course evaluation. The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.