The course gives an overview of the evolution of the contemporary international system since 1815. It does not analyze in the detail all the events but brings to light the continuities and the breaks of these international relations. The course gives a priority to the political factor.
Aims
With the main concepts of International Relations, the course suggests the notion and the forms of the international system. It realizes this objective through an historical way.
At the end of this course, the student has a good knowledge of the international relations (since 1815) and of their organization (balance and stability)
Content
The course examines the various forms of the international system since 1815 :
- system of the concert (Vienna);
- system of alliance and counter-alliances (Bismarck);
- bipolar system before the first world war;
- system of the interwar period and formation of the east-west relationship.