Contemporary Challenges in International Relations

We live in an increasingly complex, interconnected, changing world, one that generates many challenges. And we want to help you to be better prepared to understand the world, analyse it, explain it and, if you want, intervene on those matters that you care the most want to change. The agenda of contemporary challenges in International Relations is enormous. Therefore, we have selected some issues to offer you an overview of key topics, such as development, peace and security, human rights, and energy matters. And we will study in detail the impact of some of these issues in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. The sessions will include lectures, debates, practical exercises and presentations by the students.

Middle East and North Africa: Energy, Governance and Globalisation (lecturer: R. Aarab). Analyses the role of energy in the evolution and transformation of international relations, and the processes of cooperation and conflict in the Mediterranean and MENA region. Students are introduced to the concept of energy and its transdisciplinary nature, governance and globalisation. The sessions will address the key events of the 20th century related to energy in the MENA region. Also, we will identify the factors that influenced the conflict processes and cooperation as: “the Seven Sisters” oligopoly, the 1973 oil embargo, OPEC’s Control Policy, and the Cooperation between the energy companies and states.


The Sustainable Development Goals: development, peace and security challenges (lecturer: P. Aguiar). On 2015 General Assembly of the United Nations approved the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, including 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Its implications are not only focused on the international dimension. It is a call for a substantial change on public policies at all levels. The subject will analyse the origins of the 2030 Agenda and then will make an overview of how SDG’s are being implemented. Furthermore, its relationship with concepts such as Development, Peace or Security will be explored. Additionally, a simulation on international bargaining and negotiations between countries will be held.


Sub-Saharan Africa: current political, economic and security challenges (lecturer: F. Guerrero). Introduce students to three different (but interlinked) aspects necessary to understand the current complex situation of the continent… From the political aspect, the crisis of the African model of state will be analysed to understand the current social protests; from the economic side, the erratic evolution of the several Regional Economic Communities towards an Africa Continental Free Trade Area will also be assessed; finally, an approach to the characteristics of African military conflicts will also be considered.



Latin America: regional and international challenges in an emerging international order (lecturer: J.P. Soriano). Students will identify and analyse contemporary regional and international challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean. This will be done from a multidimensional perspective, but special attention will be given to: political and economic regional integration; regional security and transnational crime; Latin America’s relations with the United States, the European Union, and China; and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the region.

Course leader

Rachid Aarab, Federico Guerrero, Juan Pablo Soriano and Pablo Aguiar
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona/Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)

Target group

The UAB Barcelona Summer School is open to standing local and international undergraduates and graduate students. International students who have been accomplished the first year of their undergraduate or at least the 50% of their first year credits at their home university could also be enroled at the programme. Working knowledge of the language instruction is highly recommended.

Course aim

We live in an increasingly complex, interconnected, and rapidly changing world, one which generates many challenges. We want to help students to be better prepared to understand our world, analyse it, explain it and, intervene on those matters which they care about the most. The agenda of contemporary challenges in International Relations is vast, but we have selected some issues to offer a comprehensive overview of key topics, such as polarization in contemporary democracies, peace and security, human rights, and the multidimensional global geopolitical competition. And we will study this with cases from Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The sessions will include lectures, in-class debates, small-group projects, and presentations by the students.

China’s international relations in the Xi Jinping Era: Grand strategy, Foreign Policy and Great Power Competition (lecturer: A. Peña González). Since President Xi Jinping came to power China’s global engagement through its grand strategy and foreign policy have peaked strategic adjustments to meet China’s growing power aspirations, and project a more proactive and leading international profile. These adjustments have resulted in a more self-directed and forward-looking foreign policy, the launching of unprecedented global policy initiatives, and the growing strategic competition with the U.S. Throughout the sessions, students are expected to engage with the fundamentals of these topics and understand the implications they have on the dynamics of contemporary international relations.

Latin America: regional and international challenges in an emerging international order (lecturer: J.P. Soriano). Students will identify and analyse contemporary regional and international challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean. This will be done from a multidimensional perspective, but special attention will be given to political and economic regional integration; regional security and transnational crime; Latin America’s relations with the United States, the European Union, and China; and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the region.

Middle East and North Africa: Energy, Governance and Globalisation (lecturer: R. Aarab). Analyses of the role of energy in the evolution and transformation of international relations, and the processes of cooperation and conflict in the Mediterranean and MENA region. Students are introduced to the concept of energy and its transdisciplinary nature, governance, and globalisation. The sessions will address the key events of the 20th century related to energy in the MENA region. Also, there will be identified the factors that influenced the conflict processes and cooperation as: “the Seven Sisters” oligopoly, the 1973 oil embargo, OPEC’s Control Policy, and the Cooperation between the energy companies and states.

Polarization: endemic problem of contemporary democracies (lecturer: P. Aguiar). Conflicts are part of human nature. To transform them and move forward, they must be managed in a peaceful and constructive manner. This requires dialogue, debate, and the confrontation of ideas.

This exchange of ideas can take place based on extreme positions: this is polarization and is part of democratic culture. However, for some time now, we have been encountering a perverse dynamic by which dialogue and debate have lost part of their meaning. It is a growing phenomenon in many consolidated democracies, affecting coexistence and social cohesion. It is what we call “toxic polarization”. In addition, we are going to learn why this is happening, how we can identify it and different ways to tackle it.

Credits info

6 EC
The subject is accredited with 6 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) that your university might transfer to you own degree programme (depending on your home university’s regulations), especially if it has a mobility programme in place with the UAB.

Fee info

EUR 910: The course fee for international and national students (non-UAB students) is € 910 but those who register before May 1st will get 20% discount.

Scholarships

No but there is 20% discount on the tuition fee if prospective students register before May 1st.