Syllabus- International Organizations

Term/Year: Fall 2024

Subject Code and Course Number: PG 211
Course Title: International Organizations
Number of Credits: 3
Instructor Name: Armen Mazmanyan; https://people.aua.am/team_member/armen-mazmanyan/
Email Address: [email protected]
Telephone Number: 374 60 612755
Office Location: 103 W
Office Hours: Tue and Thu 2-3pm, with prior appointment by email
Class Schedule: Tue 9:00am- 10:20am, Thu 9:00am- 10:20am, Classroom 214M (Main Bld)
Moodle Enrollment Key: IntOrg-A

Course Description: The course discusses key international organizations and how they shape
international cooperation, particularly in the fields of peace and security, development, finance
and trade, and human rights protection. The focus is on major supranational and
intergovernmental organizations which play a significant role in international and regional
affairs. The course will explore the historical origins, institutional specifics and the main
functions and operations of these organizations and will attempt to analyze their role and
influence on political and economic development in the world in general and its various parts

Prerequisites: None
Co-Requisites: None

More about this course:

Required Materials: Selected chapters and excerpts from Ian Hard, International
Organizations: Politics, Law, Practice, 2020, Cambridge University Press. Other readings,
including scholarly articles and excerpts from textbooks, as well as treaty provisions will be
assigned (see the table below).

Schedule & Topics:

Course Syllabus is subject to change to address student needs.

Week Topic Readings Non-Reading Home
Tasks/Due Dates for
Assignments
1 Aug 29. Introduction to the Abbott, K.W. and Snidal, D. (1998).
Course. Why states act through formal
Introduction to International international organizations. Journal of
Organizations. Why do we need Conflict Resolution, 42(1), pp.3-32
international organizations?
Hard, pp. 1-15 (optional)

Sept 3. Theory and methods.

Hard, 16-41
2 Sept 5. Politics of international Mearsheimer, J.J. (2017). The false
institutions promise of international institutions.
International Security, 19(3), pp.5-49.

Keohane, R. O. and Martin, L. (1995).

The Promise of Institutionalist Theory,
Sept 10. Politics of international International Security 20(1), 39-51.

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institutions

3 Sept. 12. Seminar: How to write Students start discussing

your essay the topic of the essay
with the instructor

Sept. 17. International Malcolm N. Shaw, International Law,

organizations and international 8th Edition (2017), Cambridge Univ.
law Press, pp. 1-64
4 Sept. 19. History and evolution. Herren, M. (2016). International
Organizations, 1865-1945. In Cogan, J.
K., Hurd, I. and Johnstone, I. eds.
(2016). The Oxford Handbook of
International Organizations, 91-108.

Grigorescu A. Mapping the UN–

Sept. 24. Global
League of Nations analogy: are
intergovernmental organizations.
there still lessons to be learned from
From the League of Nations to
the United Nations the League? //Global Governance. –
2005. – С. 25-42.
5 Sept. 26. Global NGOs and Götz N. The emergence of NGOs as
Transnational Actors actors on the world stage
//Routledge Handbook of NGOs
and International Relations. –
Routledge, 2019. – С. 19-31.

Oct. 1. United Nations: Charter

and Governance Hard, 42-80; UN Carter
6 Oct. 3. The UN Security Council Hard, 81-108

Oct. 8. The UN: Agencies Malcolm N. Shaw, pp. 1082- 1215

7 Oct. 10. The Bretton Woods Deadline to have the

System. IMF and the World Bank Hard, 141-170 topic of the essay
confirmed with the
instructor
Oct. 15. International Trade. Hard, 109-140
GATT & WTO.
8 Oct. 17. Institutions of Andrew Moravcsik, “The Origins of
International Human Rights Human Rights Regimes: Democratic
protection. The UN Human Delegation in Postwar Europe”,
Rights Bodies International Organization, vol. 54 (2)
(2000), pp. 217-252

Oct. 22. Council of Europe.

The Council of Europe: An
European Court of Human
Overview (2023)
Rights.
9 Oct. 24. International Courts. The Hard, 219-252
International Court of Justice.

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Oct. 29. International Criminal Hard, 253-280

Law. The International Criminal
Court
10 Oct. 31. Regional Security Kupchan, C. and Kupchan, C.
Organizations. NATO. (1995). The promise of collective
security. International Security
20(1): pp. 52-61

Nov. 5. CSTO. Rozanov, A. A. and Douhan, A. F.

(2013). Collective Security Treaty
Organization 2002-2012, DCAF, 3-10,
12-19, 27-32, 65-74
11 Nov. 7. The OSCE. CSCE Helsinki Act (1975) Explore open-source info
on the OSCE to track its
evolution from CSCE to
OSCE and its modern-day
institutions, functions and
challenges

Nov. 12. International Election Kelley, Judith. “D-minus elections: The

Observation. politics and norms of international
election observation.” International
Organization 63.4 (2009): 765-787.

OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation

Mission Reports on Armenia (2017,
2018 & 2021)

12 Nov. 14. Regional Integration Hard, 281-310

Organizations.

Nov. 19. The European Union “EU Law: Cases & Materials”,
(historical development). Chalmers, Davies and Monti (2010), 1-
51

13 Nov. 21. The European Union “EU Law: Cases & Materials”,
(institutions) Chalmers, Davies and Monti (2010),
52-91

Nov. 26. The Eurasian Economic Yeliseyeu, A. (2019). The Eurasian

Union Economic Union:
Expectations, Challenges, and
Achievements
14 Nov. 28. Thanksgiving. No
class!

Dec. 3. International Migration.

The IOM and UNHCR Hard, 195-218
15 Dec. 5. The International Labor
Organization Hard, 171-194

Dec. 10. Recap class. Preparing Deadline to submit the

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for the final test. essay

Student Learning Outcomes:

The following chart shows alignment between course-specific and program student learning
outcomes and program goals.

Program Goal Program Student Learning Course-based

Outcomes Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to: In this course, students will
be able to:
1. Acquire a knowledge and 1.1. Describe and discuss modern Apply theoretical and
understanding of the values, Armenian, regional and international normative frameworks to
beliefs, and institutions that political landscape from various understand the complex
constitute governing theoretical and normative interaction of global political
processes perspective actors through international
organizations
4. Develop 4.2. Think critically and Identify how global governance
articulate, conscientious creatively, conceptualizing is constructed and how it
leaders and problem real-world problems from functions, from a critical
solvers who are committed different perspectives perspective
to contributing to their
fields and society
5. Provide students with a 5.2. Weigh evidence and arguments, Analyze evidence and
broad foundation of and appreciate and engage in arguments elaborating on the
knowledge and skills and diverse modes of inquiry roles and significance of
cultivate a commitment to characteristic of historical, global institutions, from
life-long learning cultural, political, economic, and
comparative and historical
quantitative disciplines
perspectives

Identify and assess the multi-

layered role of different
international organizations on
security, politics and
development, in Armenia and
the region

Course Structure: Instructor-led class will meet twice per week. Home tasks include readings,
problem sets, and presentations. All home tasks must be completed before the session starts.

Method of Evaluation:
Student learning will be evaluated on the basis of the following components:

1. Attendance and Participation (15 %)

Attendance is required. Don’t be late. If you are late for 10 minutes, you will be considered
absent. More than three unexcused absences will decrease your grade by 15 percent. In case of
more than 5 unexcused absences you may fail the course. Your education will be severely
impaired without active participation, so please take your classmates and your development
seriously by participating actively. Your in-class participation (discussions, comments, questions,
insights) will be evaluated according to specific criteria explained in the first class.

2. Pop-up Tests: (30 %)

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During the semester, there will be several pop-up reading tests and quizzes. The date/time of
these assignments won’t be announced in advance so the students should be prepared to take them
anytime in the class.

3. Essay (25 %)
This is an essay-type writing assignment of up to 4,000 words based on the topics covered
during the course and as assigned by the instructor. The essay will be due on the date of the last
session of the course.

4. Final Test (30 %)

The in-class test will feature some 30-40 multiple-choice questions related to the topics covered
during the semester. More guidelines will be given closer to the date of the test which will be
announced several weeks in advance.

The following standard grading range at AUA will be used:

A+ 97-100; A 93-96.99; A- 90-92; B+ 88-89; B 83-87; B- 80-82; C+ 78-79; C 73-77; C- 70-72;
D+ 68-69; D 63-67; D- 60-62; F 59 and below
________________________________________
Grades are evaluations of your work and performance. Plagiarism including submission of
written assignments that include any portion of text generated by AI is unacceptable.
Accidental or willful use of someone else’s words, ideas, or evidence without attribution
will be penalized. For penalties, the following system will be applied:
1st time: the student will be reported for violation of academic integrity and fail the
assignment
2nd time: the student will fail the course.
__________________________________________________

Library and Media/Technology Use

Students are encouraged to use supplemental online and reference materials available at
the library to enhance their overall learning in the course. Students are encouraged to use
audiovisual aids and presentation software as appropriate. If students have any questions
or need additional support in using library resources or technology, they should confer with
library staff, ICT, or the instructor. Course schedule, assignments and additional materials
are posted on Moodle. Students should make sure they are able to use it.

Smartphones and Laptops

Smartphones and laptops are only allowed to be used for class purposes when instructed or
according to a prior discussion with the instructor.

Late Policy
Students will not be admitted to the class more than 10 minutes after the start of class.

Make-up Procedures
Except for medical or other emergency cases that makes completing an assignment or
taking an exam at the scheduled time impossible, there will be no make-ups. To be

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eligible for a make-up, you have to contact the instructor via email before the
assignment/exam, providing reasons for not being able to take the exam at the scheduled
time.

Communication: Official communication between the instructor and students will be via email.
A discussion forum in Moodle for course-related Q&A may be set up as well.

Policy on Grade Appeal

Students are entitled to appeal grades in line with the university’s Grade Policies policy which is
available online at http://policies.aua.am/policy/11

Standards for Academic Integrity

Students are required to conduct themselves in an academically responsible and ethical manner in
line with AUA’s Student Code of Ethics. Acts of academic dishonesty impair the academic
integrity of AUA and create an unfair academic advantage for the student involved and other
member(s) of the academic community. These acts are subject to disciplinary measures as
prescribed in the AUA Student Code of Ethics, http://policies.aua.am/policy/10

The Student Code of Conduct can be found at http://policies.aua.am/policy/101

Special Needs:
Students requesting special accommodations for learning should contact the Office of Student
Affairs, [email protected], https://studentaffairs.aua.am/disability-support-services/ by the
end of the Add/Drop period with such requests.

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Assignment-Essay

Essay Advanced Proficient Developing Not Yet Competent

(A+…A…A-) (B+…B…B-) (C+…C…C-) (D-F)

• The paper addresses the • The paper addresses most of • The paper attempts to address • The paper does not address the
assigned topic fully and the issues of the assigned the main issues in the assigned issues of the assigned topic
Content effectively topic topic • The essay does not refer to
• The thesis is clearly defined and • The thesis is defined and • There is a thesis, although it any literature or sources
developed throughout the paper; developed throughout the lacks development. Ideas • The essay fails to meet the
ideas are well developed and paper; ideas are generally frequently lack support requirements as per format of
supported developed and supported • The paper rarely refers to the essay
• The paper properly refers to • The paper refers to some relevant literature and sources,
relevant literature and sources, relevant literature and sources, does not properly align its
aligns its theses with these somewhat aligns its theses with theses with these
• The essay is of the these • The length of the essay is
appropriate length • The essay is of the inappropriate (e.g. unduly
appropriate length inflated or too short to address
the issues)

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 • The paper is well-structured, • The paper is structured, • There is an attempt to provide • Paper lacks an overall
with clearly defined with introduction, body an overall structure, but it structure
Organization introduction, body and and conclusion lacks proper logic and • Paragraphs are not focused or
conclusion • Paragraphs are mostly coherence coherent
• Paragraphs are focused and focused and coherent • Paragraphs lack focus and • The connections between
coherent • Ideas are mostly connected, coherence ideas are not clear
• Ideas are connected clearly & are clear & logical • The connections between • Transitions are lacking or
logically • Transitions are mostly smooth ideas are often unclear ineffective
• Transitions are smooth and and properly signaled • Lacking or ineffective
properly signaled transitions

• All sources are cited in text • Most sources are cited in text • Some sources may lack • More than a half of the
and referenced in the and referenced in the acknowledgement in text or in sources may lack
Academic bibliography bibliography the bibliography acknowledgement in text
Ethics • Borrowed ideas are properly • Some wording may be too • Some wording may be too and in the bibliography.
summarized, paraphrased, or close to others’ works, but close to others’ works, but no Wording tends to be too close
quoted there is no evidence of evidence of improper to others’ works, and there is
• There is no evidence of improper borrowings borrowings evidence of improper
borrowings & cheating
improper borrowings
from others’ works