300150 Transnational Governance (S) (WiSe 2020/2021)

What is transnational governance? Why and how does it matter? What are its historical origins and how does it materialize in contemporary contexts? What kind of structures, actors, practices, and patterns of interaction can we identify when examining transnational governance? What role do international governmental and non-governmental organizations play in it? How about the role of national governments and private corporations? What kind of tensions can we identify with respect to the transnational governance, what are their origins, and how do they resolve?

The aim of the seminar “Transnational Governance” is to explore different ways of addressing these and related questions. We will approach the topic through case studies, and focus on, among others, practices, actors, tensions, and critical events of theoretical or empirical relevance. We will use this approach to ask: What kind of theoretical and methodological tools can we use to study transnational governance? What aspects of the phenomenon do different theoretical traditions, such as the realist, constructivist, or bureaucratic one, illuminate? How can relevant literature help us in grappling with this complex phenomenon?

The language of the seminar is English. Course syllabus and readings will be made available via Lernraum before the introductory seminar (October 29, 14h, Zoom).

The Zoom link for the introductory seminar can be found in the course Lernraum.