This course engages with two of the most basic and yet most elusive concepts of modern international relations: Sovereignty and the state. Conventionally, the field of International Relations (IR) and neighboring academic disciplines assume the existence of individual states, treating them as actors in an international landscape in which, to paraphrase Max Weber, politics within and politics between states play out. Yet where do states come from in the first place, how do new states emerge, and what does sovereignty entail? Are states ultimately characterized by their means of violence and capital, by bureaucratic procedures, the majesty of rulers, the representation of national communities, the delineation of distinct territories, or the recognition of their legal status under international law? Taking an interdisciplinary journey to the foundations of the modern international order, in history, theory, and practice, the course helps students reflect on the multi-sited enactment of the state and sovereignty, and their ambiguous but central role.

In order to pass the course, each student has to fulfill three requirements. The final grade of the course is composed of the following assignments:
(1) Participation (30%): This is a very reading-heavy class. Each student is expected to read all assigned texts before each class and participate actively in class discussions. Students may miss one session without justification, any other absence must be justified.
(2) Class paper (30%): Students choose a theme from sessions 2-7 for a class paper of around 800 words (plus/minus 100 words) to critically engage with the week’s readings. The paper must be submitted by 11pm the day before class. Details will be discussed in the introductory session of the course.
(3) Group debates (40%): Students will be subdivided into groups for sessions 8-11 to debate specific questions in a moderated format. Details will be discussed in the course.