Courses

Information TBD

This course examines conflicts and para-states in the European Union’s (EU) backyard. As EU enlargement continues, the European Commission has confirmed that it will be importing any bilateral conflicts into the Union. Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are already candidates to join the EU. Bosnia and Kosovo are potential candidates. Despite more than twenty years since the wars ended, a plethora of regional disputes and domestic shortcoming plague the Europeanization project. The first six classes examine bilateral and domestic challenges in the potential EU member states of the so-called Western Balkans. The starting point of the Balkans module is the origins of the wars and the peace treaties that followed. The second module examines para-states in countries that are under the umbrella of the EU’s European Neighborhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership. It examines the origins of largely separatist wars, the role of the EU, Russia and the United States and the paths to something more than the ceasefires that are now in place. The course emphasizes intensive reading along with feature films and documentaries. Students will be expected to completely familiar with the historical and contemporary contexts along with the peace treaties that shape the region.

Day and time: Thursdays, 1-3 pm
Location: CR 107
Instructor: Austin
Term: Fall
Credit: 0.5

The twentieth century has sometimes been referred to as a “century of Refugees”. Today, there are over seventy million refugees in the world. As a result of World War I, the Russian Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, World War II, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, the Syrian civil war, the Russian War on Ukraine and many other turbulences of the past hundred years, refugees become an important part of European culture. This course will examine works of literature, music, theatrical plays and journalistic writing produced by European refugees. The goal of the course is to discuss how refugees made sense of their experience during the past hundred years.

Wednesdays 12 - 2 pm
Location: JHB318
Instructor: Shternshis
Term: Fall
Credit: 0.5

On 24 February 2022 Russia attacked Ukraine. How did we get there? This course will explore the complex relationship between Ukraine, Russia, and the West on the eve of Russia’s war in Ukraine. We will cover Ukraine’s pre-Soviet, Soviet, and post-Soviet history, with special attention to the country’s current political, social, and cultural issues, including the legacies of the past in post-1991 Ukraine, corruption and the ambitious anti-corruption reforms, the power of oligarchs, the role of mass civic protests such as Euromaidan, Ukraine’s new cultural achievements, decommunization, post-Soviet urbanism, and the shaping of an inclusive civic identity in the wake of the Russian invasion. The course will also provide students with tools for verifying information in the fast-moving context of war. Finally, students will be asked to think about and develop postwar scenarios.

Tuesdays 2-4 pm
Location: Scheybal Seminar Room, 14th Floor of Robarts Library
Instructor:  Bilenky
Term: Spring
Credit: 0.5

** This is a 12-hour intensive workshop which meets four times over two weeks (see below). The workshop is worth .25 credits and can/will be combined with another .25 credit workshop in the spring. **

The attack of Russia against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, and the ongoing hybrid warfare made it blatantly clear that Russia’s efforts in Europe cannot be described anymore with the concept of “soft power.” The goal of Russian foreign policy – not only in the post-Soviet space but beyond as well – is to invoke fear instead of raising sympathy. This fits a general trend among authoritarian superpowers who are increasingly using new instruments and modern technology to change the behavior of other countries. “Sharp power” is an approach to international affairs that typically involves efforts at censorship, coercion, misinformation, and the use of manipulation to sap the integrity of independent institutions. In line with this approach, Russian foreign policy and geopolitical efforts increasingly aim at undermining democratic institutions – especially in the “near abroad,” but also in the Western World. This is especially true for Central and Eastern Europe. This region belonged to the sphere of influence of the European Union and now mainly consists of countries that belong to the Western alliances (EU and NATO). Using the works of leading scholars and experts in this field as our own research, we aim to reveal the economic, political, and informational dimensions of sharp power influence and its channels, patterns, goals, and functions. At the same time, we will also draw the limits of such influence, analyzing the reasons for the failures of Russia in some cases to change the behavior of political leaders in Central Eastern Europe. The impact of the Ukraine crisis on the relationship between Central Eastern European countries will be also discussed and analyzed.

Wednesdays and Fridays (28, 30 September, 5, 7 October): 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: 208N 1 Devonshire Pl.
Instructor: Dr. Habil. Péter Krekó
Term: Fall
Credit: 0.25 (NOTE, this is an intensive, 12-hour workshop worth .25 of a credit)

** This is a four-week workshop, which meets once per week. The workshop is worth .25 credits and is combined with another .25 credit workshop in the fall. **

The workshop will begin with an examination of the many definitions of the term ‘terrorism’, its most contentious elements, and the implications of these definitional debates. We will then explore the history of terrorism and counterterrorism in Western Europe, from the French Revolution via the left-wing and separatist movements of the 70s-90s to the Jihadist and far-right terrorism most prominent today. An analysis of the key characteristics of terrorist groups and lone actors will be followed by an assessment of various policy responses, with specific case studies on France and the role of the EU. Our final discussions will centre on the latest trends in counterterrorism, including the role of human rights and civil society actors in promoting a potentially more humane and effective response than the so-called War on Terror.

Fridays 10 am- 1 pm (Feb 17, March 3, 24, 31)
Location: Scheybal Seminar Room, 14th Floor of Robarts Library

Instructor: Benoit Gomis
Term: Spring
Credit: 0.25

Information TBD

Information TBD

*This course is offered jointly with MGA. It is open to MA CERES and MGA students only.

The first four weeks will focus on the basics of policymaking, particularly from the perspective of the non-partisan public service. How do governments set and prioritize their agenda? What is the process of interaction between political officials, including ministers, and the public service? How do stakeholders – interest groups and citizens alike – engage in the process? How do public servants choose and design delivery methods to turn policy proposals into initiatives. What can go wrong and how can one best avoid this? How are results assessed? How does one communicate appropriately and effectively, including in the era of social media and the 24/7 news cycle.

Specific examples will be cited often. Students will do a Briefing Note assignment individually on a topical issue, based on a template common in government for the written briefing of senior officials and ministers.

The second four weeks will apply these learnings to the global context in which Canada operates and engages, including vis-à-vis Europe. While the first four weeks will be based on lectures, decks and discussions, the second four weeks will also benefit from presentations and discussions with seniors practitioners. Students will prepare and present a Minister’s Briefing deck on a topical issue of importance to Canada’s global interests and values and/or international policy broadly. This presentation is designed to mimic what its like inside government. Students will work in teams of four, applying a template common in government for the oral briefing of senior officials and ministers.

Students will be assessed on a marking rubric of: 40 per cent for the briefing note assignment, 40 per cent for the minister’s briefing assignment and 20 per cent for class participation.

Emphases: How policymaking is really done
Term: Winter/Spring
Day & time: Thursday 1:00-4:00 pm
Instructor(s): Drew Fagan
Room: Transit House, 315 Bloor St. West, Munk School
Dates: January 19, 26, February 2, 9, March 2, 9, 16, 23

This course examines the ways in which contemporary European societies have confronted – and, equally, repressed - memories of the past, including histories of war, genocide, dictatorship, and imperialism. The future of liberal democracy and the return of authoritarianism; boundaries of citizenship and political legitimacy; the definition of national and European identities; these and many other questions have all been refracted though competing claims to the legacies of the past. Students will develop methodological and theoretical perspectives on memory politics and explore “sites” ranging from museums and monuments to legislation and educational curricula, from across the continent.

Tuesdays 10am - 12 pm
Location: Scheybal Seminar Room, 14th Floor of Robarts Library
Instructor: Arthurs
Term: Fall
Credit: 0.5

Independent Reading Course offered in Fall

A number of courses offered at the graduate level in Anthropology may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the department’s own students have enrolled. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings in Anthropology, please view the department’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.

A number of courses offered at the Centre for Comparative Literature may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the Centre’s own students have enrolled. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings at the Centre for Comparative Literature, please view the Centre’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.

A number of courses offered at the graduate level by the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the Centre’s own students have enrolled. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings, please view the Centre’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.

A number of courses offered at the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the Department’s own students have enrolled. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings at the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, please view the Department’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.

MGA’s Policy on Non-Departmental Enrollment in Elective Courses:

Non-departmental students may request to enroll in any MGA elective unless it is specified that it is open to MGA students only. Students in the MPP and CERES MA program have priority access to MGA elective courses. CERES students may request enrollment starting  Monday Tuesday, August 29, 2022.

Enrollment is not guaranteed and is at the discretion of the MGA program and the course instructor. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.

Students who are interested in enrolling an MGA elective may submit an SGS Add Drop Course Form listing the courses they would like to enroll in to the MGA Program Office via email to mga@utoronto.ca or in person. Students will be sent a confirmation e-mail if their enrollment is successful.

Please contact the MGA Program Office if you have any questions mga@utoronto.ca.

For more information, please check https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/mga/courses/mga-courses.

A number of courses offered at the Department of History may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the Department’s own students have enrolled.

Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings at the Department of History, please view the Department’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.

A number of courses offered at the Department of Political Science may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the Department’s own students have enrolled. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings at the Department of Political Science, please view the Department’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.

All fall (H1F), full/year (Y1Y) and spring term (H1S) courses administered through the Department of Political Science will have an enrollment  window exclusively for political science graduate students.  For fall and full year courses the window will be September 1st through 14th and for spring term courses , September 1st through January 11th.  From September 15th to the 21st for fall/winter courses and Jan 12th through 18th for spring term courses, enrollment may open up to students on wait lists and those from outside the department if instructors indicate they would like us to do so and provided there is space in the classroom.

A number of courses offered at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the Department’s own students have enrolled. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, please view the Department’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.

A number of courses offered at the Department of Sociology may be of interest to CERES MA students.  ADD/DROP forms are required, and enrollment opens to CERES students only after the Department’s own students have enrolled. Please note also that research projects and essays written for these courses must be focused on the region.  For a complete list of course offerings at the Department of Sociology, please view the Department’s Graduate Course Descriptions and Course Schedule.