Contested World Orders

The course is an in-depth course in the second cycle and can be studied as a single subject course.
The course can be part of the following program: 1) Master's Program in Global Studies (S2GST)

Entry to the course requires 20 credits of completed second cycle courses in the field of global studies, social sciences or equivalent.

This course critically examines contemporary contestations of world orders. While many scholars and policy-makers in the West often seek to ‘defend’ the so-called liberal international order (LIO; a.k.a. rules-based international order), this course interrogates hegemonic interpretations of world order, explores key alternatives, and analyzes diverse ordering practices.

Engaging with concepts of world order and disorder, as well as contestation and the practices of ordering, necessitates a strong theoretical foundation. The course is therefore premised on students’ deep engagement with competing theoretical perspectives on world order and its contestation.

Instead of Eurocentric and Western-centric biases that permeate much of the debate on world order, the course embraces theoretical pluralism and diversity. Rigorous engagement with cases, models, or problems of global order enables students to apply, and evaluate theories and theoretical assumptions across a range of issue areas and regions.

World orders are shaped by political dynamics and manifest themselves in varied forms across different global contexts. These orders evolve, merge, integrate, or reject alternative models which challenge prevailing structures and norms. Such challenges may arise from geopolitical conflicts and rivalries; the ascent of emerging or revisionist states; disillusioned and distrustful electorates; rapid technological transformations; rentier capitalism; or from the internal contradictions and disruptive effects inherent in the hegemonic order itself.

After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding 

• Identify and account for theories and perspectives that are central to academic and public debates on the contestation of world orders. 
• Identify key actors, institutions, and problems that characterize the evolution and consolidation of world orders past and present. 

Skills and abilities 

• Apply theories to understand, explain and analyze the rise, demise and contestation of world orders. 
• Analyze dynamics, challenges and effects of different models of world orders. 

Judgement and approach 

• Critically evaluate strengths and weaknesses of theories and perspectives to world orders, and their real world implications. 
• Assess the rise, demise and contestation of world orders.

The main forms of teaching on the course are lectures, seminars, and group work.

Language of instruction: English

The examination will be conducted through an individual final examination and a mandatory group work. The group work is designed to engage students with existing theoretical perspectives to deepen their understanding of world (dis)orders.

• Mandatory group-work (2,5 credits). The assessment is based on both oral and written presentations. Absence from group work is supplemented with a comprehensive individual writing assignment. 
• One final, individual, written examination, including an oral presentation (5 credits). 

Any restrictions regarding the use of generative AI (genAI) applications are indicated on the course's Canvas page (or equivalent). Students are obliged to inform themselves about the applicable rules for written assignments, seminar tasks, and exams in the current course.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

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

• For the final exam (5 credits), a three-grade scale U/G/VG is applied. 
• For the group work (2,5 credits), a two-grade grade scale U/G is applied. 

In order to obtain the grade Pass (G) on the whole course, students need to receive Pass (G) on all of the required assignments.

In order to obtain the grade Pass with Distinction (VG), the student needs to receive the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) on the final exam and Pass (G) on the group-work.

The course coordinator is responsible for systematically and regularly collecting the students' views of the course, and for making sure that the results of the evaluations in different forms are taken into consideration when developing the course. 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.