Theories of International Institutions - Einzelansicht

International institutions constitute order and cooperation in the international system. This lecture is intended to provide an introduction to the main theoretical debates in international relations (IR) regarding the relevance, emergence, design, change and effectiveness of international institutions. Apart from the theoretical tenets of the major IR theories of realism, neo-liberal institutionalism and constructivism, we will also discuss game theory and critical theory. While some empirical examples will be included for illustrative purposes, the lecture is heavily theory-oriented and is intended to give students a solid foundation in theoretical insights regarding the academic study of international institutions. At the end of this lecture students should be able to assess differing theoretical approaches in relation to their research goals and applicability in a reflective manner.