Course for international guest/part time students

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences

Organization

TÁTK Department of European Studies

Code

IRB105

Title

History and theory of international society

Usual semester

Autumn

Published semester

2025/26/2

ECTS

3

Language

en

Learning outcomes

The course focuses on the concept of international society, based on the theory of the English School of International Relations. In the center of the English School’s thinking is the assertion that through interactions between states shared norms and institutions evolve. The English school argues that in case states recognize that upholding these is their common interest we may talk not merely about a system, but a society between states. During the course students are introduced to the main concepts of the theory and the workings of various international societies starting from the Greek poleis, the Westphalia order or the China centered international society. Given that the class follows the classic ideas of the English School, it admittedly has a Western bias; however, the lectures also point out some recent criticism of the Eurocentric approaches, highlighting how traditional theorization of international society is intertwined with imperial projects based on racial, ethnic and other hierarchies.

Course content

1. Introduction (September 16) 2. The English School, international society, cooperation (September 23) 3. The antropomorphization of states and the domestic analogy (September 30) 4. International system vs. society; the three traditions; anarchy (October 7) 5. Historical international systems (October 14) 6. Medieval Europe and the world in 1490 (October 21) 7. Summary and consultation (November 4) 8. Westphalia and its myth: sovereignty and the dynastic European order (November 11) 9. 19th century European order: balance of power, great power management, diplomacy, international law (November 18) 10. Imperial projects and the globalization of international society (November 25) 11. Cultural diversity and international society (December 2) 12. International relations and the morality of the state (December 9) 13. Summary and consultation (December 16)

Assessment method

The course ends with a written exam, which will be based on both the lectures and mandatory readings.

Bibliography

Bull, Hedley. The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics. London: Macmillan, 1997, Introduction; chapters 1-3. (pp. 1-73.) Watson, Adam. The Evolution of International Society: A comparative historical analysis. London: Routledge, 1992, selected chapters (see on Coospace!) Kang, David C. East Asia Before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 54-81. For additional recommended readings, see Coospace!

Programmes of the course