Transnationalism in World Politics

4 SKS, SPHII212121

Course Description

This course is a skills-based course designed not only to provide knowledge about transnationalism in world politics as part of the study of International Relations (IR), but also to train students’ skills in conducting fieldwork research. Through field research, students are encouraged to find solutions to various issues of concern in interstate relations using a transnationalist perspective. Therefore, this course is contextual, problem-based, and/or research-based.

The phenomenon of transnationalism in IR emerged as a response to several weaknesses of the realist perspective, which was deemed incapable of resolving conflict in international relations. In the era of globalization, conflict between states is not always caused by power struggles using weapons or struggles for influence and geographical territory (territorial conflict). International conflict can arise from issues of poverty, the environment, social inequality, culture, and other issues, which cannot be resolved comprehensively using a realist perspective. Therefore, the transnationalist perspective is put forward as an alternative study in analyzing conflict and seeking solutions to problems in interstate relations, which encompass many aspects such as politics, economics, security, social, and culture. Furthermore, the transnationalist perspective also provides an opportunity for international relations studies to examine the role of actors other than states (e.g., IGOs, NGOs, individuals, and corporations) as a crucial component of international relations. The transnationalist perspective offers a relatively more comprehensive understanding of the increasingly complex phenomena of international relations in today’s global era compared to realism.

In this course, students will first be introduced to the transnationalist perspective as a field of study within international relations, encompassing understanding its definition, scope and method, and theories and concepts. By understanding the fundamentals of the transnationalist perspective, students are expected to be able to analyze the relationship between transnational relations and local or national political phenomena. In the second half of the course, students will conduct field research (or desk research as an alternative) to identify issues in the political, economic, and sociocultural sectors faced by local or national communities and propose solutions using a transnationalist perspective. This will enhance the skills expected to be the final outcome of the learning process.

Expected Learning Outcome

Explain, define, and describe various phenomena in international relations through a transnational perspective.
Formulate (abstract) and formulate various solutions to international relations problems using a transnational perspective.
Identify and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the transnational perspective in international relations through research themes.
Conduct a series of fieldwork/desk research activities, beginning with the formulation of ideas and the preparation of a research outline. Conduct fieldwork/desk research to collect data and present the results in class discussions.