Bachelor of Science including at least 180 credits or equivalent foreign degree in political science, or equivalent, and at least 22.5 credits in the master´s programme of global politics and societal change or equivalent.

This course is part of the main field of political science at advanced level and can be included in the degree requirements for the master's degree with a major in political science.

What characterizes current decision-making processes in global politics?

The course covers the perspectives of policy-making and multilateral negotiations and provides an overview of relevant conceptual approaches, in order to analyze how decision-making takes place at different levels, ie local, national, regional and international levels. Focus will also be on how different levels can affect each other. It discusses the different theoretical models to analyze foreign policy decision-making.

On completion of the course “Decision-making, states and institutions”, students should be able to:

1. Critically and independently discuss theories of decision-making and negotiation models,
2. Critically, independently and creatively analyze decision-making at various levels by using decision theory,
3. Interpret and analyze international negotiations by applying various conceptual frameworks and negotiation models.
4. Orally present current research on decision-making and negotiations.

Teaching is conducted through lectures, seminars and tutorials. In addition, students may be expected to organize workshops and prepare and present their work at the seminars.

The learning outcomes will be assessed through a course paper presented at a seminar as well as through other seminar work.

• Alden, C. and A. Aran (2017 or later) Foreign Policy Analysis – New Approaches (London: Routledge).
• Neuendorf, Kimberley A. (2016 or later) The Content Analysis Guidebook. Sage Publications.
• Stone, Deborah (2011) Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making. W. W. Norton and Company. (selected parts)
• Yin, Robert (2017) Case Study Research and Applications (International Student Edition). Sage Publications Inc. (selected parts)
• Additional literature in the form of articles (approximately 400 pp.)

The University provides students who participate in or who have completed a course with the opportunity to make known their experiences and viewpoints with regards to the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarize the results of course evaluations as well as informing participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures initiated in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format.