International Politics and History – (B.A.)

The program in International Politics and History (IPH) probes the foundations of international politics in terms of institutions, processes and ideologies. It introduces students to basic issues and theories in the evolution of international politics, international economics, and comparative politics and history. The modules combine political and social science perspectives with an historical approach to international problems in the past and present. Besides political questions in the narrower sense, the courses impart fundamental knowledge about the institutions, mechanisms and ideas from the perspective of international law, finance, communication and inter-cultural exchanges. A strong comparative element provides students with broadly based knowledge reaching beyond the national realm and also beyond Europe. Students in the major come to a critical understanding of present issues and gain the necessary knowledge of developments which have formed today’s world during the past two centuries.

The concept of the IPH curriculum is based on three fundamental dimensions which can be distinguished in the study of international phenomena.

First, it recognizes the importance of relations between states and other forms of organization in the modern world. Understanding their interaction requires knowledge about the evolution of the states system, the development of international institutions, diplomacy, and the issue of security.

While relations of this kind assume that the actors remain unchanged in principle, the second dimension of international transfers emphasizes the exchanges which take place across borders. It therefore highlights the transformations affected by international activities in nations and societies. Transnational changes have occurred in economic history since the industrial revolution; technology, communication, and cultural factors also play a significant role as does, of course, politics.

The third dimension in the study of international politics and history is the comparative perspective. We can only realize the effects of exchanges and explain the relations if we know about the differences and similarities which exist internationally. For this purpose comparative politics and comparative history provide essential insights not only into the political systems and history of the Western World but also across different regions of the globe. While European developments figure prominently in the curriculum, North America and non-Western parts of the world, like Asia, will also be treated in their own right as well as through the systematic study of international institutions, economics and ideas which have shaped international politics and history.