The World Wars, the Cold War, the fall of the Wall and World Trade Center – marked some of the turbulence and trouble in world politics of the last century. This introductory course will look at the thought and history, the theory and praxisof cross-border politics in the modern age. What motivates people and peoples to pursue war and peace? What role is there for philosophy, ethics and religion in global politics? How does economic and technological globalization affect statesmanship? Is thenation-state waning? What role do domestic policies play in setting foreign policy? These and other questions are the purview of International Relations. We shall trace the theoretical answers and test them in light of political, economic and military processesand crises. The course aims to shed light on the literature and state-of-the-art research, develop critical thinking and writing, and foster a deeper understanding of contemporary issues in global politics.