Center: 
Freiburg
Discipline(s): 
Political Science
Course code: 
PO 322
Terms offered: 
Spring
Credits: 
3
Language of instruction: 
German
Instructor: 
Anne Köhne
Description: 

Analysis of German foreign politics in the context of supranational and internaitonal organizations and cooperation. Introduction to the European Union, the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and other important organizations. Focus on current economic, social, environmental and security topics; attention to the historical background.

Prerequisites: 

None

Learning outcomes: 

An insight into the relevance of international cooperation and organization. An understanding of the multilateral orientation of German foreign policies. Critical stance with regard to current judgements of international affairs. Openess towards alternative ideas and activities.

Method of presentation: 

Lecture and discussion

Required work and form of assessment: 

Oral participation (20%)
term paper (30%)
mid-term exam (20%)
final exam (30%)

content: 

1. Introduction to the course

Europäische Union (EU)

2. Basic information; important steps in the development of the EU

3. “European Economic Community” and “single market”

4. “Economic and Monetary Union”; the effects on German economic and social politics

5. Enlargement (12 new members since 2004; Turkye as a member?) and alternatives

6. Germany as a member of the EU: history and current positions and activities

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE)

7. The “old” NATO (1949 – 1990)

8. The development of the “new” NATO since 1990; experiences in Afghanistan/German positions

9. Midterm

United Nations Organization (UNO)

10. Basic information, history, competences

11. Security missions: from traditional “peace keeping” to “peace making”, “nation building” and “integrated missions” (experiences in Afghanistan)

12. “Humanitarian intervention” (Iraq 1990, Somalia, Rwanda, Sudan?): a new task for the UN?

13. “Humanitarian intervention”: “International Criminal Court” (ICC)

Peace, Security, Sustainability: two field studies

14. Climate change: international, European and German politics since 1992

15. Climate change and international security

16. Renewable Energies

17. Global crisis in food supply and agriculture: basic information

18. Global crisis in food supply and agriculture: the European Union in Africa

19. Sustainable food production and climate change

20. Final

Required readings: 

“Europa im Alltag,” in Stratenschulte, Eckart D.. Europa: Ein(Über)Blick. Bonn: bpb, 2007, pp. 12 – 19.  Heinemann, Friedrich. “Binnenmarkt,” in Europäische Union. Informationen zur politischen Bildung, No. 279, 2005, pp. 32 – 36

„Der Euro – eine gemeinsame Währung: Antwort auf die Globalisierung, Funktionsweise des Stabilitätspakts, der ‚Teuro’? – Beispiel für Preisvergleich,“ in Böhm, Wolfgang; Lahodynski, Otmar. EU for You! So funktioniert die Europäische Union, Wien: öbv & hpb, 2005, pp. 57 - 64

Verheugen, Günter. „Das Kuschel-Europa ist von gestern. Ein Beitritt der Türkei würde die Europäische Union stärken …,“ in Die Zeit (7 Oktober 2004)

Bittner, Jochen. „Gibt es die NATO noch?“ in Die Zeit (7 April 2008)

Neu, Alexander. „NATO First – UNO ade!?“ in W&F. Wissenschaft und Frieden 1/2009, pp. 17 - 21

„Sechzig Jahre UNO,“ in Wolf, Klaus Dieter. Die UNO. Geschichte, Aufgaben, Perspektiven. München: Beck,
2005, pp. 32 – 52

Simonitsch, Pierre. „Kann Nichteinmischung ein Verbrechen werden?“ in Frankfurter Rundschau (30 April
1991)

„Festival der Heuchelei. Noch zwei Wochen bis zum Weltgipfel in Rio de Janeiro …,“ in Der Spiegel 21/1992 Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (ed.). Klimaschutz lohnt sich. Das Kyotoprotokoll umsetzen und ausbauen. Berlin: BMU, 2006

Kriener, Manfred.“Der Griff nach dem Ackerland,“ in Ver.di publik 05/Mai 2009

Herren, Hans. „Wir müssen die Agrarwende schaffen,“ in Greenpeace Magazin 4/2008, p. 6

Brief Biography of Instructor: 

Anne Köhne studied political science, modern history, philosophy, German studies and received a Magister Artium (1976 -1978) at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in Freiburg. She has worked as a librarian, an instructor at the IES Abroad Freiburg, and within the technology assessment field at the “Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse” (ITAS) in Karlsruhe. She is currently head of the Library and Information Service at the “Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme” in Freiburg and works for the “Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag” (TAB) in Berlin, in addition to teaching for IES Abroad Freiburg.