Specialized courses (CS)

Colonialism in Perspective (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Robert IVERMEE
This course explores the historical phenomenon of colonialism and invites reflection on the ways in which it continues to shape our world today. Key terms, concepts, and theories are first studied. A thematic approach is then adopted that allows for the study of colonialism in relation to the economy, government and politics, and culture and society. The role played by intellectuals, activists, and others in resisting colonial domination is examined. The course is based on the collective study of a wide range of texts, including primary sources from the colonial period and more recent works by postcolonial scholars and thinkers, which will be discussed and critiqued. Your preparation and participation will be essential to the success of the class. Our focus will be on British, French, and broader European colonialism in the modern era (c. 1750–1950)—and its legacies today—although insights from other contexts and time periods may be included.  

Comparative Regionalism (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Fabien TERPAN
Regional integration has become a defining feature of world politics since the mid-1980s, marked by the rapid proliferation of various forms of regional organizations across the globe. While the European Union remains the most advanced example of regional integration, the phenomenon is global, with significant cases in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The aim of this course is to examine the dynamics of regionalization: the rise of regions, as well as their vulnerabilities and possible disintegration. We will do so by comparing their institutional and normative features (distribution of powers, delegation of competences, sources of law, enforcement mechanisms, citizen representation, and participation) and their embeddedness in global politics.
Together, we will seek to answer the following questions: How can varieties of regionalism be compared across time and space? How do theories of integration and regional cooperation explain the emergence, development, and outcomes of regions? Why are some regional organizations more integrated than others? Is regionalization primarily driven by legal dynamics, or is it ultimately a matter of power politics? Does overlapping regionalism foster cooperation or competition? What are the links between regional and global governance? To what extent do regions contribute to the stability of the international system?

Contemporary Issues in the Arab and Muslim World (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Daniel MEIER
This course provides an introduction to the key issues in contemporary Middle Eastern politics. It focuses primarily on the Mashreq states and various local non-state actors, including refugees and migrants. I will begin the course with a general lecture introducing Middle Eastern politics through its key historical moments in the 20th century—moments that gave rise to the modern nation-state system from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire and led to the establishment of authoritarian regimes once these states gained independence. I will also shed light on the current period of violence facing the entire region against the backdrop of the genocidal policy being carried out in Gaza.

Economic Globalization: Successes and Pitfalls (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Fanny COULOMB
This course focuses on the theme of economic and financial globalization, which accelerated in the 1990s and has experienced numerous crises since 2008, a date marking the “end of happy globalization.”
Our course presents both empirical facts and data as well as the main economic theories on the subject. 
We cover a wide range of topics. In particular, we examine the historical origins and characteristics of economic globalization, which has upended the international economic hierarchy. 
We also discuss the rise of multinational corporations and the redistribution of global economic power; the new mercantilism that is undermining the global economic order; the ever-expanding global financial system and the risk of financial crises; tax evasion and the weakening of economic and social balances; the issue of inequality as a global challenge; and environmental problems as a constraint on globalization.

Feminist Economics (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Clémence CLOS
While feminist economics is now well established in the United States, notably through the journal *Feminist Economics* and the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE), its institutionalization in France is more recent but reflects a paradigm shift in economics, particularly within less mainstream schools of thought (Lamarche & Lefevre, 2019; Périvier, 2020; Vallet, 2020). Nevertheless, behind this consensus, a variety of theories coexist. There are three reasons for this: first, not all schools of economic thought have the same relationship to the incorporation of feminism into their theories; second, not all feminist theories engage with economics in the same way; and finally, practicing feminist economics requires defining the forms of hybridization that are constructed between these two scientific fields.

Investigating Through Images (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Olivier IHL
This course in political iconography aims to familiarize students with an approach that has been revolutionizing the social sciences for the past twenty years: visual studies. Whether in history, sociology, or anthropology, the image plays a central role as both a document and a tool for analysis—whether it be painting, sculpture, photography, film, or video... Drawing on practical case studies, this course aims to explore the uses of images both today and in the past. What is an image? How should we look at it? What can it teach us, particularly about certain aspects of how politics works? 
Each session will be structured around three key components: an academic perspective (the trends and controversies that have emerged around the study of images), a methodological perspective (how can an image be used as a standalone demonstrative element in artistic research or a thesis?), and a practical perspective (how can we trace the conditions under which these images were produced, and what do they mean if we take them seriously?)
Students will be invited to submit their own visual materials for group visualization exercises (photos, drawings, videos).

Gender and Politics: The Fight Against Domestic Violence (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Thierry DELPEUCH
This course will explore the various concepts of public policy analysis by applying them to an issue that is currently high on the political agenda in many countries. I have studied this topic through two European Horizon projects and led the drafting of a European handbook on the subject.
The significance of this topic, beyond the obvious issues of personal safety and gender equality, lies in the fact that these policies are both highly cross-cutting and highly sensitive. This is due to the wide variety of actors and sectors involved (police, justice, health, social work, education), as well as the social mobilizations (particularly feminist movements) and processes of public outcry (linked to femicides, child victimization, etc.) that shape this field.
My knowledge of the sector is grounded in extensive fieldwork across all these sectors, particularly in Réunion, as well as in collaborations at the national and European levels with professionals and policymakers.
The aim of the course will be to help students understand the full complexity of public action dynamics (policy design, policy making, implementation, evaluation, unintended effects, etc.), especially when applied to a highly complex, multifactorial, politicized, and difficult-to-grasp problem due to its highly individualized nature.

Geoeconomics of International Security (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Fanny COULOMB
This course focuses on the topic of geoeconomics, a concept that emerged in the 1990s to describe the use of economic instruments in states’ power politics. It aims to demonstrate that the economy lies at the heart of international conflicts and the strategies of actors on the global stage.
The topics covered include arms production and trade, as well as the use of sanctions and other economic weapons in international relations for political or protectionist purposes. This course also addresses the cost of conflicts and their links to certain contemporary issues, such as sustainable development and cybersecurity. It presents various economic theories and analyses on the subject and cites numerous academic studies. 
This specialized course thus sheds light on many issues at the heart of current events, particularly during this period of geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions.

Social History of Political Ideas: Reason and the Sacred from the Enlightenment to the Republic (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Olivier IHL
This course in the history of political ideas aims to familiarize students with certain works (Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, Tocqueville, Péguy, Foucault, Lefort...) and certain schools of thought (utilitarianism, liberalism, romanticism, nationalism...) that form the fabric of our contemporary debates. The central theme of this course will be to understand how political reason has emancipated itself, since the late 18th century, from the powers and constraints of tradition. What role does this political reason play today in a world marked by growing social inequalities, controversies surrounding migration, and the redefinition of the relationship between humans and other living species? This is an opportunity to reconnect with the power of great texts to examine the role of ideas in history. What makes a written work a masterpiece? What connections can be drawn between text and context? Is the concept of “author” an illusion?

Introduction to Criminology (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Jean-Charles FROMENT
Criminology is the “science” that studies the characteristics and causes of crime. It aims to produce rigorous, interdisciplinary knowledge (drawing on law, sociology, economics, psychology, etc.) about crime, criminals, and criminal behavior, as well as the social and legal responses to them. This introductory course presents the major schools of thought in criminological analysis, their history, and the key concepts and knowledge produced by this discipline. From a critical and applied perspective, the course will also aim to discuss, based on objective data, various issues that shape contemporary social and political debates: trends in crime and its evolving nature, the place and role of victims, criminal justice responses and their “effectiveness,” the state of prisons, etc. While, given the available class time, the course will focus primarily on analyzing issues related to crime and its handling in France, it will also regularly incorporate comparative analyses.

International Relations: The Palestinian Question (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Sarah DAOUD
A religious issue (Laurens, 2008), an Arab and later Palestinian one (Dot-Pouillard, 2011), and a symbol of anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggle worldwide (Collins, 2011), Palestine embodies multiple logics of identification and is one of the issues that most strongly shapes contemporary debates. The massacres of October 7, 2023, have helped bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict back onto the international diplomatic agenda and have sparked numerous political and media debates. In the face of this intensity and, at times, frenzy, it is necessary to adopt the analytical and critical distance required to move beyond the immediacy of current events and to shed light on the long-term processes that have shaped the “Palestinian question” for decades. Moreover, the Palestinian question has often been analyzed from regional and international perspectives, and relatively little through the lens of Palestinian national dynamics. Yet, analyzing the latter is key to understanding the changing dynamics and processes of the conflict.
This course therefore aims to connect different scales of analysis—international, regional, and local—while paying particular attention to actors, their trajectories, and their interactions. Furthermore, it lies at the intersection of several disciplines—history, political sociology, and anthropology—and analyzes the various dimensions of the Palestinian question through an ethnographic approach and empirical methodology. From an epistemological standpoint, the course will draw on numerous secondary sources produced about and, as much as possible, within Palestine and Israel.

Authoritarianism: Political Regimes in the Arab World (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Ph DROZ-VINCENT
Understanding the changes that began in 2010–11—as well as their limitations and the meager democratic gains that resulted—or those that began in 2019 requires grasping the nature and functioning of political regimes.
The first two sessions will be devoted to a review of the Middle East and its political structure to ensure that everyone—from “newcomers” to “experts”—can participate.
Subsequent sessions will focus on the phenomenon of authoritarianism, if only because these states are marked by an authoritarian legacy, even as they enter a phase of political transition. The focus will be primarily on the regimes, the challenges they face (from Islamist groups), and societal resistance.
In the final section, we will explore the radically new nature of the protest movements that emerged from these societies in the 2010s. We will describe the various trajectories, ranging from the most favorable (Tunisia) to the chaotic (Egypt) and even those that have spiraled into civil war (Syria). We will also revisit the situations in Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Sudan after 2019.
 

Law and Justice in Major Current Issues (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Thierry DELPEUCH
This CS could be offered in either Political Science or Sociology. It will examine how law and justice (professionals, institutions, users) are mobilized to address various contemporary public issues at the heart of current events, such as the environmental crisis, digital technology and AI, wars, migration, terrorism, discrimination, democracy, populism (post-truth, challenges to the rule of law), gender inequalities, and changes in the family, healthcare, and the workplace, etc. The specific topics to be covered can be determined collaboratively: indeed, I plan to draw upon (and adapt) course materials developed for general legal and judicial studies as part of the ENM preparatory program at the École Normale Supérieure de Rennes, where I have been teaching for 20 years. These materials, which cover some thirty topics, have been continuously updated over the years. They are based on standard textbooks in political science and sociology for each topic, as well as on an international bibliography in sociology and the sociology of law pertaining to the subject. The approach, firmly rooted in the social sciences (rather than a mix of social sciences, humanities, philosophy, and literature, as in many general education courses), aims to analyze the concrete applications of law and justice by the actors who create (national and international public policies…), implement (judges, lawyers, experts…), and invoke or are subject to (recipients, citizens, activists, businesses, etc.) legal rules and institutions, in order to address these issues. These courses at ENS Rennes served as the basis for one of the leading textbooks in the sociology of law and justice (Collection U), co-authored with Laurence Dumoulin and Claire de Galembert in 2014.

Central and Eastern European Countries: A New Framework Within the European Union? (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
LEMASSON
While the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) do not form a homogeneous group within the European Union (EU), their role within the Brussels institutions continues to grow. Having once been regarded as second-tier players due to their late accession to the EU—and having not participated in the development of the EU’s institutional framework—they are now, in various capacities, becoming indispensable member states within the Brussels apparatus. The war in Ukraine has undeniably accelerated this process of maturation and transformation.
Whether in the realm of European defense, energy sovereignty, or even migration and remembrance policies, the CEECs now occupy a central place in the European decision-making process.
Their specific legacy and geopolitical positioning are contributing more than ever to the definition of new principles within the EU. The assertion of a strong Atlanticist stance—or, conversely, the maintenance of relations with Russia—challenges the EU to navigate unprecedented parameters.
Against this backdrop of major strategic change within the EU, this course first examines the historical roots of the CEECs to better understand their unique characteristics. It then examines the stages and factors driving the evolution of the EU acquis in light of these countries’ political and sociological “backgrounds.” Finally, it analyzes the CEECs’ commitments as they navigate between consensus-based action and normative deviation, particularly in the context of the entrenchment of illiberal democracies. Special attention will be given to the roles of Poland, Hungary, and the Baltic states.  

Cultural Policies: The French “Model” Under Scrutiny (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Lisa MARX
This course aims to enable students at various levels to explore, through readings, presentations, and “traditional” course elements, various issues surrounding public cultural policy, integrating elements of the sociology of culture and public policy analysis.
Government action in the cultural sphere is often viewed as an effort to bring as many people as possible together in an appreciation and admiration of both our shared historical heritage and contemporary artistic creation. It can also be seen as a cultural manifestation of the welfare state, which seeks to broaden access to cultural works and services as part of a broader effort to level the playing field.
The purpose of this course is to take a critical look at this ideology of cultural policy. Instead, we will show that in this field, as in other areas of public policy, government action is the product of interactions between actors and social groups. Indeed, the history and analysis of the contemporary period show that this field of intervention is a space of powerful material and symbolic struggles. The observable changes are not only the result of evolving ideas but also the outcome of power dynamics between groups holding differing visions of the role of public authorities with regard to cultural issues. Examples from various artistic sectors (museums, music, film, publishing, major institutions, etc.) will be examined throughout the course, along with issues related to cultural and artistic education and careers in the cultural sector.
This course is likely to be of interest both to students seeking to understand a field in which, in France, national and local governments are particularly involved, and to those wishing to further their Education by specializing in issues of public action and policy or political sociology. Finally, while the course focuses in part on the French “model,” it analyzes it through the lens of international comparisons and therefore also discusses the actions of other governments—notably, but not exclusively, European and North American ones—in this same field, from the regional to the supranational level.

The Middle East: States, Authoritarianism, and Political Realignments After 2011 (CS)
P. DROZ-VINCENT

Political Philosophy (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
BOCCON-GIBOD
This course is a general introduction to political philosophy. It aims to provide first-year students with the fundamental conceptual frameworks necessary to navigate both classical and contemporary political theories. The chronological progression, presented as a historical narrative, will facilitate the understanding of complex theories. 
The overarching theme is “justice and democracy”: the goal is to demonstrate that political philosophy, having originated as a theory of justice, was subsequently compelled to address the question of the justification of state power in the wake of the crisis of modernity, leading to the emergence of the democratic paradigm. 
After a brief overview of the origins of political philosophy in ancient Greece (Plato and, above all, Aristotle), we will focus on the crisis of the medieval synthesis of Aristotelian politics and Christian theology, which led to the advent of political modernity through state theory. The problem of the relationship between the state and justice will be explored through the major works of Rousseau, Kant, Mill, Hegel, Marx, and Durkheim.

Political Involvement from a Comparative Perspective (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Sonja ZMERLI
Conceptually, political involvement refers to citizens’ political attitudes, knowledge, and participation. To assess the perceived legitimacy of democratic regimes, political sociologists mostly draw inferences from comparative or longitudinal population surveys, which allow them to analyze democratic societies over time or in comparison with one another. For example, political support is considered a cornerstone of any legitimate and well-functioning democratic regime. Despite differing views on the required level of political support, scholars generally agree that a minimum level of political trust is necessary for stable and efficient democratic systems. Consequently, any potential sign of eroding political support—such as declining voter turnout, the loss of political party members, or rising political cynicism or apathy—has become the subject of heated scholarly debates.
Similarly, political participation is considered an integral part of democratic societies. And yet the interrelationship between the legitimacy of political rule and the “universe” of political participation is complex. While high turnout levels in national elections, for example, are an essential ingredient in legitimizing governments and their policies, non-institutionalized forms of participation—such as protest activities or boycotts—may be perceived as a threat to incumbent political parties or even to the democratic regime as a whole. 
This CS will address the full conceptual spectrum, including its contradictions, and investigate the empirical reality in European societies and beyond.

Politics and the Environment (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Esther HATHAWAY
The goal of this course is to critically examine how individuals, societies, and governments respond to socio-ecological complexity, and how these actors shape green political action at a time when the global ecological crisis is no longer in doubt. This course is not a comprehensive overview of the literature in political ecology or environmental governance, but rather aims to provide an understanding of ecologism as a distinct ideology that emerged in response to the ecological crisis. Together, we will explore some of the fundamental theories and concepts that underlie the relationship between the environment, politics, and society, with a primary focus on Western democracies.

International Relations: Between Conflict and Attempts at Order (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Ph DROZ-VINCENT
This course examines the evolution of the (liberal) international order and the challenges to it (from the Global South), as well as its current fractures, with a particular focus on the policies of the United States, Russia, China, and other actors…

The Climate Crisis: Global Responses (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Robert IVERMEE
This course examines responses to the climate crisis in different regions of the world and among diverse peoples. Its aim is to shift the focus away from Europe and North America and to reflect on the diversity of global responses to climate and environmental problems, revealing how these responses are influenced by different backgrounds and perspectives. Particular attention will be given to regions of the Global South and to the perspectives of Indigenous peoples. The ongoing global campaign for climate justice will be examined. The module is based on the collective study of a wide variety of sources, including texts, speeches, and visual representations, and will include reflections on how these different types of media shape the messages they convey. Your preparation and participation will be essential to the success of the class, which is student-led and interactive.

The Postcolonial Anglophone World (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Robert IVERMEE
This course focuses on the collapse of the British Empire in the twentieth century and the emergence of the English-speaking nation-states that replaced it in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. First, we will consider the roots of the modern Anglophone world during the period of British global domination, before studying the weakening of British hegemony and the attainment of political independence by various countries. Attention then shifts to the postcolonial period, as we examine how countries such as South Africa, Australia, and India have developed since independence. Emphasis is placed on how each country has sought to define itself—through processes of nation-building and the construction of new identities—as it has emerged from the shadow of colonial rule. Continuities and ruptures between the colonial and postcolonial periods are examined. The course also considers the influence of the United States on the English-speaking world and examines how, in the mid-twentieth century, the United States superseded the United Kingdom as the world’s dominant English-speaking power.

Trade Unions and Workers' Rights (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Laurent LABROT
Today’s world of work is shaped by organizational dynamics that generate tensions and crises, both at the collective level—through social conflicts and labor disputes—and at the individual level—through workplace grievances that may ultimately reach the courts, particularly the French Labor Courts (Conseils de Prud’hommes). Trade unions, whose mission is to represent employees, therefore play a fundamental role and support a large proportion of workers throughout their professional careers.
This course, taught by an instructor who worked for trade union organizations for more than ten years, aims to provide students with an understanding of how trade unions operate in practice, both in France and internationally. How were these organizations formed? How are they structured today, and what principles and practices underpin their day-to-day operations? What missions and services do trade unions provide to millions of people each year in France, and how and why should workers seek their assistance? What are the benefits of joining and becoming a member of a trade union?
The course also examines the tools available to trade union representatives for conducting negotiations and participating in social dialogue across all workplaces, including universities. How is a platform of demands developed? How are competing claims and priorities balanced? What is paritarianism (joint employer–employee governance), and how does it function in practice?
This specialized course answers all of these questions while also offering opportunities to meet and engage with trade union representatives, social dialogue practitioners, and labor court judges. The objective is to provide all participants with a clear understanding of the field, as well as practical and applicable knowledge of labor relations and trade union action.

Crisis Communication (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Camille CHAUSSINAND
In this course on crisis communication and management, we will explore the key elements for identifying the triggers of a crisis and the various stages of its management. You will learn how to build a monitoring system to be ready to respond quickly, plan for crisis scenarios, and anticipate the reactions of the media and influencers. By acquiring crisis management methods, you will be able to analyze, evaluate, and develop effective communication strategies to manage critical situations with empathy and clarity.

Consumer(s)' Republic: Politics, Culture, and Consumption in Postwar France (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Haithem GUIZANI
This course explores how postwar political discourses, economic policies, and popular culture contributed to the rise of the “consumer-citizen” in France from 1945 to 1975 and the emergence of modern consumer society. Through a comparative and applied perspective, students will analyze how consumption and media became intertwined in shaping civic identity, gender roles, class structures, national values, and “identity politics.”  And ultimately, the “new figures of the consumer.” The course combines lectures, media analysis, critical theory, and hands-on in-class work with primary sources such as advertisements, magazines, television shows, films, radio broadcasts, political speeches, and world’s fairs.

Advanced Administrative Law (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Benjamin BLAQUIÈRE
This course offers an in-depth introduction to administrative law, a special branch of law distinct from general law, which governs the actions of the public administration and regulates legal relationships between public entities and private individuals. The course will cover the key concepts that structure the field, such as the public interest, public service, the existence of administrative courts, actions for abuse of power, and administrative policing. 
Particular emphasis will be placed on litigation aspects, notably the legality of administrative acts, the liability of the government, and emergency procedures—which often place administrative judges at the center of societal debates. The course will thus provide an opportunity to take a step back from current events by examining, from a legal perspective, topics such as secularism, the neutrality of public service, the right of public employees to strike, and environmental protection by public authorities.
This course is primarily intended for students interested in civil service entrance exams or legal careers, particularly third-year students who are concurrently taking the administrative law methodology seminars, for which this course can serve as a useful supplement.

Public Economic Law (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Benjamin BLAQUIÈRE
Public Economic Law examines the body of legal rules governing the involvement of public entities in the economic sphere, whether for the purpose of regulating or guiding the activities of private entities, or more directly through the provision of services by public actors in the market. 
Long shaped by a liberal conception that limited the role of the state, this field has evolved considerably—first with the rise of the welfare state, and more recently through the creation of the European Common Market and the opening of numerous economic sectors to competition that had previously been subject to public monopolies (telecommunications, energy, transportation, etc.).
The objective of this course is to bridge the gap between public law and courses in economics and public policy. It will provide an opportunity to study, in particular, the legal mechanisms employed by the state to ensure the proper functioning of the market (merger control, enforcement against anticompetitive practices, price controls), those used to protect and regulate strategic sectors (equity investments, foreign investment controls), the rules governing public aid to businesses, and those governing the participation of public actors in the market (industrial and commercial public services, public enterprises, and public procurement).

Political Economy of Social Economy Organizations (Associations, Cooperatives, and Mutuals) (CS) (Course Syllabus) - French-taught
Amélie ARTIS
Cooperatives, mutuals, and associations: these organizations currently account for more than 10% of salaried employment in France and play a central role in sectors as diverse as banking, insurance, agriculture, personal services, and the energy transition. Yet they remain largely absent from standard economics curricula, which treat them at best as a historical curiosity and at worst as an anomaly in relation to the capitalist firm model
This course offers a political economy of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) and aims to understand, from an institutionalist perspective, the emergence, dynamics, and transformations experienced by associations, cooperatives, and mutuals. It provides an opportunity to examine the capacity of these SSE organizations for development, action, and project implementation in an increasingly competitive environment, as well as the modes of regulation within the SSE.

Elections and Political Competition in France Since 1958 (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Florent GOUGOU
The dissolution of the National Assembly and the unexpected 2024 election cycle—from the European elections on June 9 to the two rounds of the legislative elections on June 30 and July 7—have created significant turmoil in French political life. For many observers, French political competition is currently in a phase of extreme instability. This is not what my current research on electoral trends in France shows. Emmanuel Macron’s reelection in the 2022 presidential election and the three-way contest that now appears to pit the left, the center, and the radical right against one another have confirmed that France has entered a new political landscape. It remains to be seen what this means.
In this specialized course, I will share with you key insights for understanding electoral and partisan developments under the Fifth Republic. While staying attuned to current events—particularly the 2027 presidential election—I will present the major milestones in French electoral history since 1958. I will touch on local elections and revisit the 2026 municipal elections, but my primary focus will be on elections of national significance—presidential, legislative, and referendums.
This course is intended for both those who have never analyzed elections before and those who already have some knowledge of elections and voting. Looking beyond the case of France, my goal is to show that some of the recent changes in our country’s political landscape (declining voter turnout, the collapse of governing parties, the rise of the radical right, realignments on the left, etc.) reflect long-term trends affecting all Western liberal democracies.

European Union – Between the Past and the Present (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
BOUILLAUD
The course will explore two lines of inquiry:
– A review of the basic facts, already known to the students, to help them understand what the European Union (EU) actually is, what it does (and does not do), why, and how (general European history; institutional history of the EU; the main classical theories of European integration [neo-functionalism, liberal intergovernmentalism, federalism, etc.]; the main European policies [Common Agricultural Policy, Single Market, Monetary Union/Euro, etc.]);
– An exploration, through weekly press reviews, of the current state of the EU, with the aim of introducing undergraduate students to contemporary European politics (for example, defense, high tech, trade, etc.).
The course will be organized around students’ presentations of original documents and weekly press reviews.
It aims to develop students’ ability to present complex facts clearly and concisely in short oral presentations—a hallmark “know-how” of Sciences Po studies.

Frontlines in Global Arms Regulation: Geopolitics, Actors, and Emerging Threats (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Nicolas FLORQUIN
This course focuses on the “frontlines” of international conventional arms control and the challenge of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) proliferation in a context of growing geopolitical turbulence. It adopts a practitioner’s perspective to examine global security through data collection, multisectoral partnerships, and multilateral policy. Students will develop practical skills in data triangulation, tracing techniques, and the drafting and delivery of policy memos using real-world case studies from Ukraine, Libya, and the Caribbean.

Gender and the History of European Integration (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Simon GODARD
The process of European integration is multifaceted and began well before institutions were established around the ECSC and EEC in the 1950s. While Hartmut Kaelble had already emphasized the importance of studying the convergence of European societies in the longue durée (Kaelble, 1986; 2021; 2024), more recent historiography has come to challenge the very idea of “Europeanization” (Greiner, Pichler, and Vermeiren, 2022).
The concept, insofar as it analyzes the forms of convergence taking place at the level of European societies—and thus producing Europe “from below”—is nevertheless useful. However, studies on the role of women, as well as analyses of gender, are still lacking in European history. How did gender issues impact European integration?
Through the reading of scholarly texts, collective analysis of sources, and personal research, this course aims to address European integration through the lens of gender. The first step will be to highlight the contribution of women’s networks to bringing European societies closer together. Next, we will examine the role of feminism and reflections on gender in the development of European values, which today help set Europe apart on the global stage. In doing so, particular attention will be paid to the different experiences of gender and feminism in Western Europe and in Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War and after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Global Challenges Facing Democracies (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Tevfik Murat YILDIRIM
This course examines the major political, social, and economic challenges facing contemporary democracies. Around the world, democratic institutions are under pressure from democratic backsliding, populism, polarization, inequality, misinformation, migration, identity conflicts, and geopolitical instability. Rather than treating these developments as separate crises, the course asks how they interact with one another and how they reshape democratic representation, accountability, participation, and legitimacy.
The course introduces students to key debates in comparative politics, democratic theory, political behavior, and public policy. It examines both threats to democracy and potential sources of democratic resilience, including institutional reform, citizen participation, deliberative democracy, and democratic responses to long-term policy challenges. Students will learn to compare democratic systems, assess contemporary political developments, and critically evaluate whether democracies can adapt to global challenges without undermining their own normative foundations.
By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and explain major challenges facing democracies, compare how different democratic systems respond to them, and develop evidence-based arguments about democratic crisis, adaptation, and renewal.

Prison Governance Worldwide (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Carole BERRIH
Governing prisons relies on two complementary tools: punishment and reward. While punishments—“negative” forms of control—have been the subject of a long theoretical and critical tradition, rewards and privileges—“positive” forms of control—remain understudied and rarely analyzed. This course aims to examine these two dimensions jointly, as two sides of the same exercise of authority, by drawing on law, political science, sociology, and public administration.
Based on the reading and analysis of texts on prison governance, as well as the presentation of several non-Western case studies (Japan, Madagascar, Niger), the course adopts an international comparative perspective to understand how disciplinary mechanisms and reward systems are structured within diverse institutional, political, and cultural contexts.
The instructor will provide a list of contemporary and historical cases, while allowing students the opportunity to choose their own case studies. Students will conduct a collaborative research project on a national case, based on the analysis of regulatory texts, academic literature, and practical sources (institutional reports, NGOs, international organizations). This work will lead to a comparative analysis aimed at identifying common patterns and variations in prison governance models.
The course draws on academic research (Ph.D. in public administration, postdoctoral research) and over twenty years of field experience in various prison settings, in collaboration with NGOs and United Nations agencies.

Introduction to Journalism (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Sandy PLAS
This specialized course offers an introduction to journalism through an exploration of the French media landscape, the ethical principles governing the profession, and journalistic formats. These theoretical aspects will be complemented by an introduction to journalistic writing and a weekly review of current events, which will open each session. At the end of the semester, time will be devoted to preparing for journalism school entrance exams (compiling application materials, preparing for written and oral exams).

International (In-)security (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Franck PETITEVILLE
This course provides an overview of the main issues in “international security.” After presenting the main theories related to international security (realism, doctrines of collective security and human security, critical and constructivist theories), the course examines international security from a historical perspective, from the League of Nations to the UN. It highlights a critical assessment of these two organizations’ track records in collective security and peacekeeping. The case of NATO is analyzed from the Cold War through current challenges related to the war in Ukraine and the Trump administration’s U.S. withdrawal. The course then traces the evolution of international conflict since the end of the Cold War, ranging from the resurgence of interstate wars to the proliferation of internationalized civil wars. The legitimacy of these wars is questioned in light of the doctrine of “just war.” Finally, after addressing the uncertainties surrounding nuclear weapons regulation and international criminal justice, the course concludes with the screening of two war documentaries intended to illustrate the scale of violence committed against civilians during the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

China and the World: From the Ming Dynasty to Xi Jinping (CS) (Syllabus) - French-taught
Etienne BOURDON (UGA)
The course aims to cover the overall history of China from the mid-14th century to the present day. It seeks to provide students with the fundamental elements needed to understand Chinese history and civilization in order to put China’s current regional and global power into perspective. In particular, the course will help students understand the organization of power during the dynastic era (Ming, 1368–1644, and Qing, 1644–1912), imperial logic, major territorial dynamics, and the spatial manifestations of power, maritime voyages and expansion (notably Zheng He’s expeditions to the eastern coast of Africa in the early 15th century), the relationships China maintained with its Asian and European neighbors (particularly from the 16th century onward, through missionaries and traders), and how it, in turn, shaped the Western imagination, especially from the 18th century onward. In the following century, China faced multiple instances of European interference and significant political instability. The Opium Wars (1839–1842; 1856–1860) forced China to open up to the West, granting port access and territorial concessions that allowed for foreign settlements, particularly French ones (for example, in Tianjin, Shanghai, and Canton)—places of cultural exchange—and which accompanied the process of modernization, particularly political modernization with the establishment of the Republic (1912), and China’s involvement in major global geopolitical issues, notably during World War I. The Civil War, followed by Japan’s invasion of China beginning in 1931, ushered in a long and painful period lasting until the end of World War II and the 1949 revolution—an event that left a profound and lasting mark on China’s history, and whose political legacy and memory continue to resonate today. The People’s Republic of China subsequently experienced periods of openness and isolation, of liberalization and regime hardening, but gradually secured a recognized place in international relations and at the United Nations (1971). The course will conclude with an examination of China’s current place in the world, amid technological, scientific, and environmental challenges; economic growth and rivalries; and regional and global political and geopolitical issues and tensions.

International Public Law and Dispute Resolution: Navigating the Legitimacy Crisis (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Nikolaos KARMIS
This course introduces students to the foundational principles of international law and their application to contemporary global conflicts. It explores the primary sources of international law, the criteria for establishing state responsibility, and the roles of key institutions in the resolution of disputes. Students will critically engage with legal theory and examine landmark cases adjudicated by international courts and tribunals.
Moving beyond a strictly doctrinal approach, the course situates international law within the broader landscape of global politics. It considers how legal frameworks both shape and respond to pressing contemporary challenges, including growing concerns about the erosion of legal norms, the persistence of lawlessness in international affairs, and the perception that international law is facing an existential crisis. Particular attention is given to the proliferation of international organizations, the emergence of new actors such as cities and private entities, and the increasing influence of quasi-judicial bodies.
The course also engages with cutting-edge developments in the field, including debates over the legitimacy of international legal institutions and the evolving sources of international law, as well as the blurring of boundaries between public and private authority. It examines innovative forms of contestation, including scientific and visual evidence as tools for legal and political engagement.
Throughout the course, students are encouraged to reflect on how international law is mobilized, resisted, and reimagined in a world marked by both experimentation and entrenched power structures, as well as by recurring claims that the international legal order is under strain or in decline. By the end of the course, students will have developed not only a strong understanding of the foundations and transformations of public international law, but also the analytical skills to critically assess its claims to legitimacy and neutrality, and to evaluate whether narratives of crisis, breakdown, or resilience accurately capture the dynamics shaping contemporary global governance.

Public Administration (CS) (Course Syllabus) - French-taught
Jean-Charles FROMENT
According to Bernard Gournay, Administrative Science can be defined as “the branch of the social sciences that seeks to describe and explain the structure and activities of the bodies that, under the authority of political power, constitute the apparatus of the state and public authorities.” It aims to generate interdisciplinary knowledge (historical, legal, sociological, political science, etc.) of the administrative phenomenon: the history of the state and “its” administration; the sociology of public officials and their professional organizations; the diversity of administrative structures and modernization policies; the public decision-making process; relations between administrations and citizens; administrative action and its evaluation; and so on. The course offers both a review of the history of the development of this “science of administration” and the diversity of its schools of thought and methods, as well as an analysis of administration in practice, including its organizational and functional realities. In particular, it aims to deconstruct certain images and discourses about administration while seeking to understand the various factors that underpin them.

Science and Society: A Sociological Perspective on Responsible Research. (CS) (Course Syllabus) - English-taught
Séverine LOUVEL
Information and communication technology, biology, and environmental research profoundly shape contemporary societies. Scientific knowledge and technological innovation influence public policies, economic development, and everyday life. At the same time, science has become the subject of increasing public debate: while citizens expect scientists to provide knowledge and expertise to address major societal challenges, they also question the authority and credibility of scientific experts and the potential risks associated with scientific and technological developments.
These debates reflect broader transformations in the relationships between science and society. From a sociological perspective, they raise important questions: How are expectations regarding science socially constructed? How are the credibility and authority of scientific knowledge established and maintained? How are the boundaries between science, politics, and society negotiated? And how do different actors—scientists, policymakers, research institutions, and citizens—define what constitutes “responsible” research?
This course adopts a sociological perspective on science, technology, and expertise. It examines how the social responsibility of science has emerged as a key issue in contemporary science policy and public debate. In the sociology of science, responsible research can be understood as the contemporary expression of two long-standing concerns: (1) responsible research practices, referring to the social norms and institutional arrangements that support the production of valid and reliable scientific knowledge; and (2) socially relevant science, referring to the expectation that research should address societal issues and produce benefits for citizens.
While these two dimensions are widely recognized in contemporary science policy, they are interpreted differently by scientists, policymakers, research institutions, and citizens. The course therefore analyzes the social and political processes through which the responsibility of science is defined, governed, and contested. It will first examine policy initiatives aimed at promoting responsible research practices (for example, policies addressing research integrity, scientific misconduct, or open science). It will then explore how the meaning of socially relevant science has evolved in science policy and in scientists’ professional norms, and how institutions attempt to evaluate the societal value of research. Finally, it will examine new governance frameworks that seek to involve civil society more directly in scientific research and technological innovation, highlighting debates about public engagement, citizen science, and the role of lay expertise in knowledge production.
The course is open to any student interested in science and in understanding the relationships between science and society, including the challenges involved in assessing the societal impacts of research. It is also open to students who wish to reflect on the role that citizens can play in shaping socially responsible research, even in scientific areas where they lack technical expertise.

Sport and Human Rights (CS) (Syllabus) - English-taught
Dr. Tsubasa SHINOHARA
Sports are widely recognized as a transnational and global phenomenon that transcends national borders. People may participate as athletes, recreational players, coaches, trainers, or spectators, and sports play an important role in building social communities and promoting physical well-being.
At the same time, the sporting world has long operated as a relatively autonomous community with its own regulatory structures. This has sometimes led to human rights concerns, including abuse, harassment, and unequal power relations between athletes and coaches. In addition, mega-sporting events organized by major sports governing bodies such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) may raise human rights issues in host countries, including labor rights concerns.
This course examines the relationship between sports and human rights, focusing on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). It covers (1) theoretical frameworks for sports and human rights, (2) dispute resolution mechanisms in sports and the role of the ECtHR, and (3) case studies on sports and human rights.

Understanding Security Policy: The Case of the EU as an International Security Actor (CS) (Course Description) - English-taught
Delphine DESCHAUX-DUTARD
This 18-hour course taught in English offers a structured analysis of the European Union’s external action, with a particular focus on security and defense issues. Its objective is to equip students with the main theoretical frameworks and analytical tools needed to understand the EU as an international actor, while engaging them with contemporary case studies (including the war in Ukraine and the war economy, as well as cybersecurity).
The course content is organized around three complementary components:
1. Theorizing the EU as an external actor and examining its role within multilateralism;
2. The emergence and development of the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP), including the role of crises and Franco-German leadership, relations with major powers (particularly the United States), and the question of the EU’s power capabilities;
3.    New sectoral challenges, with a particular emphasis on cybersecurity and cyber defense.
The course’s professional dimension is ensured through a European Council simulation exercise, during which each student represents a Member State and participates in negotiations on a specific policy issue. In 2026, the simulation focuses on the potential creation of a common European defense debt, inspired by recent debates on European financial instruments. This exercise allows students to develop negotiation skills, public speaking abilities, position-paper writing skills, and a deeper understanding of the issues addressed throughout the semester.
A targeted bibliography of key academic works on European defense is provided to ensure the course is firmly grounded in current research.