IR211 International Relations Theories
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Political Science and International Relations
Mirsad Karić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course introduces students to the historical development of International Relations as an academic discipline and familiarizes them with the basic ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying major IR theories. It aims to develop students’ ability to describe, compare and contrast major and selected minor theories, apply them to analyse the conceptualization of the international system and foster awareness of non-Western and alternative theoretical approaches in International Relations.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki & Steve Smith (eds.), International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2013.
Additional Literature
Stephanie Lawson, Theories of International Relations: Contending Approaches to World Politics, Polity Press: Cambridge, 2015. Karčić Hamza, American Realist and the War in Bosnia 1992-1995, Historical Views, Vol. 10, pp. 356-370. Nicholas R. Smith and Grant Dawson, Mearsheimer, Realism, and the Ukraine War, Analyse & Kritik, Vol.44, No. 2, pp. 175-200. Harald Edinger, Offensive Ideas: Structural Realism, Classical Realism and Putin’s War on Ukraine, International Affairs, Vol.98, No.6, pp.1873–1893. Andreas Krieg, The war in Gaza, the decline of US leadership and the emergence of a networked regional order, Mediterranean Politics, Vol. 30. No.4, pp.892-901. Ekinci, Didem, The War in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkish Parliamentary Debates (1992-1995): A Constructivist Approach, Uluslararası İlişkiler, Vol. 6, No. 22, pp.37-60. Deina Abdelkader, Nassef Manabilang Adiong & Raffaele Mauriello (eds.), Islam and International Relations: Contributions to Theory and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan: London, 2016. "Teaching Methods
Lectures
Case studies
Text analysis and discussions
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course introduction | No Reading |
| 2 | Historical Development of IR Theory as an Academic Discipline | Stephanie Lawson, ch. 1. |
| 3 | Classical Realism | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 3 |
| 4 | Structural Realism_Defensive | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 4; Waltz. |
| 5 | Structural Realism_Offensive | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 4; Mearsheimer. |
| 6 | Case study 1 and 2 | Karčić, pp.356-370; Smith and Dawson, pp.175-200. |
| 7 | Case study 3 and 4 | Edinger, pp. 1873-1893; Krieg, pp. 892-901. |
| 8 | Mid-term Exam_1_Centralized-25% | No reading |
| 9 | Liberalism and Neoliberalism | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, chs. 5 and 6. |
| 10 | English School | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 7 |
| 11 | Social Constructivism-Case Study 5 | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 10; Didem, pp.37-60. |
| 12 | Feminism | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 11 |
| 13 | Green Theory | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 14 |
| 14 | Non-Western Theories in IR | Deina, Nassef & Raffaele, ch. 8 |
| 15 | Mid-term Exam_2_January 6, 2026-25% | No Reading |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR211.1 | Course | Tuesday 09:00 - 11:50 | A F1.10 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 14:00 - 17:00 | A F1.7 | |
| Tuesday | 12:00 - 13:00 | A F1.7 | |
| Thursday | 12:00 - 13:00 | A F1.7 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Attendance and Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3 4
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
36 hours ⏳ (12 week × 3 h)
Individual Learning
50 hours ⏳ (10 week × 5 h)
Midterm exam
36 hours ⏳ (4 week × 9 h)
Final exam
28 hours ⏳ (4 week × 7 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [IR211] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| IR211 | International Relations Theories | 3 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | IR101 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Mirsad Karić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 14:00-17:00 Tuesday: 12:00-13:00 Thursday: 12:00-13:00 |
|||||||
| mkaric@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course introduces students to the historical development of International Relations as an academic discipline and familiarizes them with the basic ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying major IR theories. It aims to develop students’ ability to describe, compare and contrast major and selected minor theories, apply them to analyse the conceptualization of the international system and foster awareness of non-Western and alternative theoretical approaches in International Relations. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki & Steve Smith (eds.), International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2013. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lectures, case studies, text analysis and discussions | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course introduction | No Reading | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Historical Development of IR Theory as an Academic Discipline | Stephanie Lawson, ch. 1. | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Classical Realism | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 3 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Structural Realism_Defensive | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 4; Waltz. | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Structural Realism_Offensive | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 4; Mearsheimer. | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Case study 1 and 2 | Karčić, pp.356-370; Smith and Dawson, pp.175-200. | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Case study 3 and 4 | Edinger, pp. 1873-1893; Krieg, pp. 892-901. | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Mid-term Exam_1_Centralized-25% | No reading | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Liberalism and Neoliberalism | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, chs. 5 and 6. | ||||||||
| Week 10 | English School | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 7 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Social Constructivism-Case Study 5 | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 10; Didem, pp.37-60. | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Feminism | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 11 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Green Theory | Dunne, Kurki & Smith, ch. 14 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Non-Western Theories in IR | Deina, Nassef & Raffaele, ch. 8 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Mid-term Exam_2_January 6, 2026-25% | No Reading | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 2 | 50 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Attendance and Participation | 1 | 10 | 1, 3, 4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 12 | 36 | Individual Learning | 5 | 10 | 50 | |||
| Midterm exam | 9 | 4 | 36 | Final exam | 7 | 4 | 28 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||