Introduction to International Negotiations

Introduction to International Negotiations (GVPT 250)

This course is intended provide you with a better understanding of the nature of negotiations that occur among states and other actors in the international arena. In the beginning of the semester, we will explore some of the ideas that underlie why and how people—and states—negotiate. We will examine different strategies that negotiators adopt for a situation and the types of tactics they employ in an effort to meet their goals. We will then shift our focus from negotiations, in general, to international negotiations and diplomacy more specifically. We will explore system- and state-level factors that influence how a negotiation might proceed and evolve, as well as how the issue of a negotiation might determine how the process evolves. In addition, we will look at cultural and psychological factors that also affect negotiations and the negotiators involved. Finally, throughout the semester, we will consider the question of why international negotiations are relevant to the study of international politics today.

We will examine each of these elements in a variety of ways. We will be exploring the theories behind international negotiation and negotiation behavior. We will examine historical cases that involved negotiations among states. In addition, you will have the opportunity to use what you have learned about negotiations and watch negotiation processes in practice through your involvement in a series of negotiation simulations, including a 3-week on-line negotiation with students at other universities run by the ICONS Project within the GVPT department.