Course info

The module «Globalisation/Geopolitics» is intended for students to study the basic concepts, approaches and principles of international relations, as well as the characteristics of international political research in the field of geopolitics, premises and strategies in world politics at the present stage. The module includes Geopolitics, aimed for the ability of applying methods to analyze the conceptual provisions and theoretical foundations of international politics considering the geopolitical factor and the principles of building the world order in modern conditions of world development.

The course "Geopolitics" is a methodological and practical course, which is of peculiar importance for acquainting students with modern requirements, principles, methods and scientific research techniques in the field of international relations and developing the necessary vision for the practical implementation of theoretical and analytical knowledge that applies to geopolitics and geo-economics. The “Geopolitics” course has its own structure, components, requirements, principles, internal logic, methodology and techniques. The prerequisite to study this discipline is determined by its direct connection with such theoretical courses as "Theory of International Relations", "International Systems" and the formation of a student's holistic understanding of international political studies, the importance of geopolitical interests for the world order, as well as actors, in the process carrying out international activities and defending their national interests. The course is aimed at developing a student's ability to pose questions, argue opinions, analyze situations and develop research projects in this area.

The objective of the course is to cultivate fundamental knowledge in students' thinking and understanding regarding the basic principles of the world order development in various historical periods, the influence of geopolitics on international processes and the formation of foreign policy of states, as well as basic concepts on world politics. This goal will be achieved by solving several tasks, among which are: analysis of the evolution of world politics, the interdependence of world political systems, the role of the geopolitical factor in the dynamics of the global political arena. The course develops the learning awareness about the essence of the world politics concept, geopolitics, international geopolitical strategies developed by the actors of international relations in order to realize their national interests and achieve their foreign policy goals.

The course Geopolitics is designed as a theoretical and applied study of international policies and is intended for international relations students to assimilate the practical aspects of international policies developed and implemented at the present stage. The realm of international politics is heterogeneous and complex. The need for a comprehensive and exhaustive learning of this course is fundamental for the qualification of specialists in the field of international relations, since at the present time the scope and content of studies on international life is rapidly expanding and there is an urgent demand to bridge the gap between the theoretical foundations and effective implementation of international policies. These problems are thoroughly addressed in specialized state institutions, as well as international bodies.

The relevance of the course is determined by the fact that students specializing in the field of international relations will have theoretical and analytical-practical skills in studying international policies, considering the peculiarities of the geo-economic and geopolitical development of leading actors in world politics. The course is designed in such a way as to explore studies of international politics not only in the context of a retrospective analysis, but also taking into account the main changes that occurs in the world order at the present stage. An emphasized attention is paid to the geopolitical interests of states and their role in the emerging new configuration of the world order, new forms of threats and risks to international security. At the same time, the course is oriented to the applicative level, trying to underline the place and role of the Republic of Moldova in world politics, taking into account the geopolitical influence of the East and West on its modern development.

This document is a curriculum focused on the formation of common competencies and characteristics of the specialty "International Relations". The target of this course is to familiarize students with a range of issues the international community faces in researching the international policies, new methods and tools for performing national interests and expanding geo-economic and geopolitical relations within modern conditions. During the course, a major attention is paid to theoretical problems, specialized terminology in the field of geopolitics, world politics, international relations, international systems, etc. As training program for specialists in international relations, the mission of the curriculum is fundamental, compulsory, including lectures, seminars and individual work.

The purpose of the “Globalisation/Geopolitics” module is to instill knowledge about the international actors’ challenges, methods and tools to implement foreign policy including the geopolitical dimension, as well as the peculiarities of the organization of world order. At the same time, it endeavors to