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Methods

Entailing state of the art teaching methods - ranging from interactive working groups to simulations – the Global Politics Seasonal Schools are an enriching and enjoyable learning experience.

Seasonal School courses are dedicated to important issues of global politics. Each of them provides in-depth knowledge about current developments, as well as the actors and institutions involved. In addition, the Global Politics Seasonal Schools familiarize students with theory-based empirical research in IR. In introductory courses, students become acquainted with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify relevant problems in IR, to explore theoretical references, and to design a research proposal. During the courses, students are asked to discuss and critically evaluate the explanatory power of different theoretical frameworks.

Theoretically based courses are complemented by practice-oriented modules that encourage students to expand their potential outside of the traditional academic setting.  The latter modules include simulation games in which students take the roles of different global actors in the field of conflict resolution, thereby looking beyond their personal positions and seeking to understand the rationales of all actors involved.  Such simulation offers a unique opportunity to train strategic understanding and negotiation skills. Other practice modules focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for instance. In these courses, students act as teams of advisors for international companies and develop CSR strategies. This exercise is designed to impart communicative and practical competence in the field of consultancy.

The Seasonal Schools' goal is to offer intensive short-term programs with students becoming actively involved through presentations, group work and discussions.  In order to enable this goal to be reached within the limited timeframe of the programs, the Seasonal Schools' courses are introduced and supported through the e-learning platform Blackboard. This learning-management system allows students to access the required reading and other study material well in advance of the start of the program, giving them sufficient time to prepare for the courses and for their presentations.  In addition, Blackboard gives program participants long-distance access to the professors and lecturers in case of any questions or difficulties.

Moreover, all participants receive a personalized log-in to the internal area of the Seasonal Schools homepage. In this section, students gain access to a rich resource pool with a wide range of links to research databases, libraries, actors, and issues in the field of international relations, thus providing an excellent start for individual research.