This course seeks to ground students in the so-called “root discourses” of International Relations (IR) – the field’s core theoretical paradigms, concepts, debates, and questions – analysing how they relate one to another and exploring their implications for understanding contemporary global issues.  Students will learn how to use the theories to critically analyse and explain real-world events, tendencies, and institutions.  The subject matter will include inter- and intra-state violence (such as wars and civil wars), patterned international economic exchanges, transboundary flows of ideas and images, the complex impacts of globalization, how state identities shape foreign policies, the evolving roles of international non-governmental organizations, and more.  Students will participate actively in the class-wide discussions held as a part of every lecture session and will give presentations on how the theories can be used to illuminate contemporary global issues.