Inhalt

Abstract:

The course examines the wide spectrum of promising potential and high hurdles regional integration faces. Various regional organizations (ROs) are presented and analyzed. The main focus is placed on the analysis of institutional characteristics of ROs (structures, decision-making processes) as well as their role in providing governance functions in the global context. Against the background of inter-regional agreements’ increasingly displacing global, multinational agreements, ROs play an increasing role for ‘global governance without global government’.

Gliederung:

Chapter I: Introduction and Theories
1. Introduction
2. Liberal Institutionalism
3. Theories of Regional Integration
4. Sociological Neo-Institutionalism

Chapter II: Regional Organizations (ROs) - Cases and Analysis
5. African ROs
6. Arab ROs
7. Pan- and Latin American ROs
8. North American ROs
9. Asian ROs
10. European ROs

Chapter III: ROs and Global Governance
11. "Second-best solutions" - Interregionalism as an answer to stalling Global Governance?
12. Interregionalism and the EU
13. Legitimacy and Acceptance of ROs
14. Closing Session | Academic Writing

Detaillierter Inhalt:

The seminar is structured in three chapters, which extend over a total of 14 online sessions. After providing an overview of the issue, the theoretical foundations for the analysis of ROs are established in the introductory chapter of the course. In the process, we draw on theories (Liberal Institutionalism and different theories of regional integration) to explain the foundation, genesis and development of ROs. Sociological Neo-Institutionalism explores the question of how inter- and ROs influence each other.

In the second chapter, several ROs are presented and analyzed in detail. The selection of ROs reflects the wish for a large variance and caters to the individual interests of students. This is true for the geographical factor (various world regions are included) as well as for ROs, which varies from near-universal (EU) to narrowly defined functions within a specific policy area (e.g. USMCA). The chapter thus enables students to establish a deep understanding and knowledge of various ROs and processes of regional integration. Further examples of ROs addressed in the course: African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), MERCOSUR and the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Arab League (AL) amongst others.

The last chapter discusses ROs’ impact on global governance. Against the background of inter-regional agreements’ displacement of global, multinational agreements, ROs play an increasing role for ‘global governance without global government’. Departing from the failure of the ‘Doha-round’ of WTO negotiations, the chapter shows that inter-regional agreements have been adopted increasingly over the last years. Moreover, the challenges of ROs’ legitimacy and acceptance and the topic of inter-regionalism, with a focus on the EU, are addressed. As an overarching topic, the course also covers the capability of ROs to react to crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The final session of the course prepares the students for writing their seminar paper and provides them with useful resources & materials for the writing process.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students shall be able to make a qualified assessment of specific regional organizations in the context of global governance. They will have profound knowledge of the institutional characteristics of various regional institutions in different world regions. Also, they should be able to compare regional organizations in a structured and focused manner. Students will be versed in the relevant literature on regionalism and global governance by a wide range of authors from Europe and beyond. This course specifically aims to give adequate room to non-Eurocentric perspectives.
Furthermore, by the end of the course, students will possess substantial knowledge of the theories that are presented and discussed in the course and shall be ready to apply these theories within a seminar paper.

Skills
On the one hand, students will learn how to use Learning Management Systems (LMS) and thereby acquire important skills with a view to the handling of digital media in an academic context. On the other hand, they will – ensured by the structure of the course and the continued engagement with the course issues – improve their learning capacities by working independently as well as cooperatively in peer-review exercises and thus develop their expertise in the field as well as their soft skills. Furthermore, students will acquire the ability to discuss matters of regionalism and global governance in English.

Schwierigkeitsgrad:

Experten, Erfahrene

Lehr-/Lernform:

Kurs

Interaktionsformen mit dem System/Betreuer:

E-Mail

Interaktionsformen mit Mitlernenden:

Gemeinsame Aufgabenbearbeitung, Forum

Kursdemo:

zur Kursdemo

Schlagworte:

Institutions, Globalisierung, Kooperation, Region, Institutionenlehre, European Integration

Nutzung

Zielgruppe:

Sozialwissenschaften für Uni-Studierende

Nutzbar im Studiengang:

The target group of this course consists of advanced students in study programs such as "B.A. Governance and Public Policy - Staatswissenschaften" and "M.A. Governance and Public Policy - Staatswissenschaften" (University of Passau). In general, the course is open for all study programs at Bavarian universities with a share of political science or economics as well as for regional/area studies, especially study programs such as "European Studies", "Southeast Asian Studies" or "North- and Latin American Studies". Required is an advanced knowledge of international politics.

Geeignet für Berufsfeld:

A wide range of professions could potentially benefit from enrolling in this course, for instance, future employees of political parties and government officials, political consulting, NGOs, banks, international organizations, political science, etc. Students who aspire to work for a regional organization (the European Union, for instance) will, of course, benefit highly from taking part in the course.

Formale Zugangsvoraussetzungen:

There are no formal requirements for this course. Please see: Inhaltliche Voraussetzungen.

Erforderliche Vorkenntnisse:

Course participants are expected to have successfully completed introductory courses (university level) in international relations/international politics as well as basic seminars in the discipline (Proseminare). The course is not suitable for beginners. The target group of this course are advanced students (second and third-year Bachelor's students and Master's students) in the social sciences.

Erforderliche Vorkenntnisse bzgl. Handhabung der Lernplattform:

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Verantwortlich

Trägerhochschule:

Uni Passau

Anbieter:

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Stahl Prof. Dr. Stephan Stetter

Autoren:

Bernhard Stahl, Robin Lucke

Betreuer:

Dr. Sören Keil

Prüfung

Hausarbeit - PL für UniBw

Art der Prüfung:

Studienarbeit

Prüfer:

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Stahl

Anmeldeverfahren:

Die Anmeldung erfolgt über das WWW.

Prüfungsanmeldefrist:

31.03.2025 00:00 Uhr bis 23.05.2025 23:59 Uhr

Prüfungsabmeldefrist:

31.03.2025 00:00 Uhr bis 23.05.2025 23:59 Uhr

Kapazität:

–

Prüfungsdatum:

04.06.2025

Prüfungszeitraum:

–

Prüfungsdauer:

–

Prüfungsort:

–

Zustündiges Prüfungsamt:

Anerkennung: Heimathochschule

Zugelassene Hilfsmittel:

Regeln der UniBw gelten uneingeschränkt

Formale Voraussetzungen für die Prüfungsteilnahme:

Bestehen aller Quizzes (nicht benotet)

Inhaltliche Voraussetzungen für die Prüfungsteilnahme:

Durcharbeiten aller Quizzes im Kurs

Zertifikat:

Nein

Anerkennung an folgenden Hochschulen:

UniBw München

Sonstige Anerkennung:

Noten werden direkt an die UniBW weitergeleitet

Online-Prüfungsan-/-abmeldung:

Ja

Bemerkung:

Nur für Studierende der UniBw - Abgabefrist: Ankündigung im Kurs

Seminararbeit

Art der Prüfung:

Studienarbeit

Prüfer:

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Stahl

Anmeldeverfahren:

Die Anmeldung erfolgt über das WWW.

Prüfungsanmeldefrist:

31.03.2025 00:00 Uhr bis 23.05.2025 23:59 Uhr

Prüfungsabmeldefrist:

31.03.2025 00:00 Uhr bis 23.05.2025 23:59 Uhr

Kapazität:

–

Prüfungsdatum:

05.09.2025

Prüfungszeitraum:

–

Prüfungsdauer:

–

Prüfungsort:

–

Zustündiges Prüfungsamt:

Anerkennung: Heimathochschule

Zugelassene Hilfsmittel:

Siehe Ankündigung im Kurs

Formale Voraussetzungen für die Prüfungsteilnahme:

Bestehen aller Quizzes (nicht benotet), Einreichen eines Essays mit der Seminararbeit

Inhaltliche Voraussetzungen für die Prüfungsteilnahme:

–

Zertifikat:

Ja (Benoteter Schein)

Anerkennung an folgenden Hochschulen:

Uni Passau

Sonstige Anerkennung:

Für Studierende der Universität Passau werden Noten direkt im Campusportal eingetragen.

Online-Prüfungsan-/-abmeldung:

Ja

Bemerkung:

Abgabefrist für Seminararbeiten: 5. September 2025

Erforderliche Technik

Betriebssystem:

Nutzungsbedingungen

Gebühren:

Nein

Nutzungsentgelte:

für andere Personen als (reguläre) Studenten der vhb Trägerhochschulen nach Maßgabe der Benutzungs- und Entgeltordnung der vhb

Copyright:

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Hinweise zur Nutzung:

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