Topic outline

  • General

  • Contact form

    University:Mohamed Seddik Ben Yahia Jijel.

    Faculty:Faculty of Law and Political Science.

    Department:Department of Political Science

    Dr .Khadidja Bourib,Lecturer A

    Contact: khadidja.bourib@univ-jijel.dz


  • Course identification card

    Course lecturer: Dr .Khadidja Bourib

    Directed activities: Pr .Mohamed Semiem

    Target category: Third-year International Relations students

    Academic year:2024-2025

    Course: Foreign Policy of  great powers

    Unit of Education: principal

    Weekly hours:Three hours per week.

    The duration of the study is 13 weeks in the semester.

    The coefficient: 3

    Balances: 6

    Lecture schedule: Wednesday from 8:00 to 9:30 AM.

                                    Wednesday from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM.


  • Evaluation methods for Foreign policy of great powers course

    The final evaluation of  foreign policy of great powers course will be according to the following mechanisms:

    First/ Final Exam: A written final exam that focuses on what was taught in this semester, which represents 67% of the final mark.

     - The exam consists of several types of questions: concepts, analytical questions.

    Second/ Directed Work: The directed work,which represents 33% of the final mark, is evaluated according to the following criteria and percentages:

    - Participation:07 points

    - Written Exam:06 points

    - Research:07 points


  • Educational objectives course: foreign policy of great powers

    -Foreign policy of great powers is a complex process influenced by various factors, including historical evolution,components and conditions for identifying a state as a great power, objectives and determinants of foreign policy,tools for implementing foreign policy,globalization and great power relations, and grand strategies governing their behavior in international relations.These factors help decision-makers build effective strategies and maintain their goals  in international relations.

    -These lessons aim to analyze the nature of the role played by great powers in international relations through foreign policy, as well as the impact they have on the dynamics of the international system.

    -enabling the student to study, analyze, understand and interpret the external behavior of great powers in international relations.

    -This course aims to teach students how to analyze foreign policy and understand the external behavior of great powers. It covers theories of international relations, decision-making institutions, goals, internal, external, and psychological variables affecting decision-makers.The goal is to understand continuity and change in foreign policy,the dominant variables in decision-making, and compare the foreign policies of great powers. The student will gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing foreign policy and their impact on great powers.


  • Pedagogical approach

    The pedagogical approach to this course consists of three pillars: knowledge, employment of knowledge, and creating behaviors. Knowledge involves understanding the basic concepts of foreign policy of great powers, as well as the social, economic, and political aspects that influenced its development. Employment of knowledge allows students to apply this knowledge in political or diplomatic practice.
    Personal skills, which include communication, listening, teamwork, initiative, and adaptability, are also developed to positively interact with their professional and personal environment.
  • Educational activities

    To facilitate students' absorption of the lessons,we will implement the following method:

    First/Lectures:

    - Transferring knowledge through lectures.

    - Addressing some notes in a detailed manner during lectures.

    - Mastering the basic terms to understand diplomacy and international cooperation

    Second/Discussions in directed activities

    - Opening a discussion on the topics studied in the lectures.

    - These discussions aim to develop the exchange of knowledge between students.

    - Evaluating students' participation in these discussions in directed work classes.

     - Participating freely in these discussions with the aim of enhancing students' understanding of concepts and terms.

     - Students getting to know their different points of view and comparing them.

     - Students benefiting from the exchange of knowledge between them.

     -Scheduling some sub-questions during the semester to test students' comprehension before the main exam.

    - Proposing individual research with the aim of helping students learn scientific research methods.

     


  • Lessons contents

    The first axis:Definition of great powers concept

    The second axis:The great powers in international system

    The third axis:Determinants and objectives foreign policy of great powers

    The fourth axis:Mechanisms for  implementing the foreign policies of great powers

    The fifth axis:Great powers and international alliances

    The sixth axix:Models of great powers foreign policies

     -American Foreign policy

    -French foreign policy

    -Chinese foreign policy

     -Russian foreign policy

    -British foreign policy

    -German foreign policy


  • directed activities


  • Discussion forum

  • The first axis:Definition of Great powers concept

    • The concept of great powers is a complex one, with traditional definitions focusing on wealthy states with economic power,large military capabilities, and involvement in the international system's economic and security matters. However,the study of great powers has been influenced by the realist tradition, which defines them in terms of their relative power to other states.This means that maintaining a great power's relative power advantage is a major concern for maintaining security. Power is measured in terms of relative military powers, economic power,and potential power, including factors such as population size,raw materials reserves,technological levels,educational development,and unused fertile territory.

      References for the first axis:

      1-StephenM.Magun,Great Powers and US Foreign Policy towards Africa.Palgrave Macmillan,2019.

      2-Nick Bisley,Great powers in the changing international order.Lynne Rienner Publishers,2012.

      3-Carla Martinez Machain,Rebecca Kaye,and Jared Oestman,Great Power and Foreign Policy.Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics,2017.

      4-Alexadra  Gheciu and William  Wohlforth,The oxford handbook of international security.Oxford University Press,2018.


  • The first axis chat and test :Definition of Great powers concept

  • The second axis:The great powers in international system

  • The third axis:Determinants and objectives foreign policy of great powers

    • One coercive foreign policy tool available to great powers is economic sanctions,which are often considered a tool on the spectrum between military force and diplomacy.Given the comparative wealth and resource advantage of great powers,they are in a unique situation to be able to impose effective sanctions.They are more likely to use them than great powers,as economic sanctions are an attractive foreign policy tool for great powers to mold the international system to their liking and impose pressure on other states. Sanctions do not often reduce the probability of conflict for great powers,but rather they are often signals of conflict by major powers.While sanctions are often a precursor to conflict,they do not find the inverse true(sanctions following militarized conflict).
       references of the third axis:

      1-Stephen Magun,Great Powers and US Foreign Policy towards Africa.Palgrave Macmillan,2019.

      2-Carla Martinez Machain,Rebecca Kaye,and Jared Oestman,Great Power and Foreign Policy.Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics,2017.


  • Topic 14

    • السياسة الخارجية للدول الكبرى : الأعمال الموجهة 

  • The fourth axis:Mechanisms for implementing the foreign policies of great powers

  • The fifth axis:Great powers and international alliances

  • The sixth axis:Models of great powers foreign policies

  • Topic 18

  • Topic 19

  • Topic 20

  • Topic 21

  • Topic 22