IR - International Relations
The Geostrategic Importance of Morocco in International Relations and Alliance-Building. This course examines the political and economic effects of the modern and contemporary Morocco. Specific analysis is placed on the role of the country in regional and international affairs, along with a geographical and historical background, relating to colonization and globalization, which has participated in this accomplishment. The course, therefore, provides an assessment of the challenges and the achievements of Morocco as part of the international community since the beginning of the 20th century.
Irreconcilable Differences? The Representation of Geopolitical Conflict In Western & Arab Media. This course provides a close view of the social, political and cultural contexts in the Arab region as they undergo far reaching transformations. Recent media developments in the world, in particular in the Arab region, have unseated the Western media perspective from its historical position as the sole purveyor of news and "common sense". Regional new perspectives, assisted as they are by favorable technological opportunities, are challenging established Western media centers and enriching (or problematizing) the global media space. Students will learn to integrate multiple viewpoints to better understand some of the most central geopolitical and intercultural conflicts of our times. Through a detailed analysis of the media treatment of these conflicts and disputes, students will discover firsthand the "artificial" nature of media constructions, and at the same time, measure the potential for the media people and institutions to influence some of the dynamics of these conflicts.
The course seeks to provide an overview of the theories, principles and tools used in the field of peace and conflict resolution. Students will acquire an understanding of the nature, dynamics, and intractability aspects of contemporary world conflicts and develop skills necessary to confront the challenges of conflict and peace building situations across cultures. This will be accomplished through role play and simulation, various negotiating techniques and strategies to deal with, manage, and attempt to resolve some of the most intractable conflicts of our time.