Geopolitics and Energy Security of Eurasia – Undergraduate Course Syllabus

Course Description

The primary aim of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse and multifaceted policy implications of energy-related challenges in Eurasia. In addition, by considering historical, economic, logistical, social, national and international contexts, the course aims to promote the ability to assess the political dimensions of energy security and geopolitics. Students should be able to identify key energy-related issues affecting Eurasian regional and global politics, international energy governance mechanisms, and their limitations and vulnerabilities; have a thorough understanding of regional energy policy agendas; be able to analyse likely trends of political agendas related to energy issues; and conduct case studies on specific topics of the Eurasian energy scale.

Applying the Aristotelian method of teaching, I will focus on developing both the intellectual and moral virtues of students. Intellectual virtues are character traits such as the ability to judge the truth and comprehend the nature of things, whereas moral virtues are habits of living that involve the whole person and include justice, temperance, prudence, and fortitude, which are characterised by desire and emotion.

In addition, the course is designed with the following implications in mind: to understand the diverse backgrounds of undergraduate students, to provide full support to non-native speakers in relation to academic English, and to engage the students in practical discussions and seminars. An inclusive curriculum implements policies and resources to ensure that all students are supported in their learning.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

• Analyse and apply diverse theoretical approaches to energy geopolitics.
• Examine critically the reasons for cooperation in energy security.
• Engage in contemporary theoretical discussions of the energy diplomacy of Eurasian states.
• Construct and defend theoretically sophisticated arguments regarding Eurasian energy.
• Learn to think and write critically about crucial energy security concepts in Eurasia.
• Effective communication in professional applications of energy security and geopolitics.
• Develop innovative ways of thinking about the practical implications of energy policy in Eurasia (pipelines politics, geopolitics of Russian gas, Northeast Asia’s energy hub, India’s energy role). 

Reading Materials

Foundation texts

Books

1. Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.
2. Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Supportive texts

• Huntington, S.P. (2002) The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order. Repr. London: Free Press.
• Okunev, I.I. (2021) Political geography. English edition. Bruxelles: Peter Lang.
• Smil, V. (2017) Energy and civilization: a history. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
• Yergin, D. (2021) The new map: energy, climate, and the clash of nations. London: Penguin Books.

Additionally, essential and recommended readings based on scholarly articles are provided for each lecture to introduce students to academic analytical and critical thinking.

The quality of teaching, course content, and literature included reflect the advanced practice of worldwide recognised departments of politics and international relations.

Course Content

Lecture 1: Energy Security and Geopolitics

Core Required Reading

1. Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Energy Security: An Analytical and Theoretical Framework
• The History of Energy Security

2. Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

• Writings
• Spaces
• Becomings

Essential Required Reading

Introduction to Online Reports – why do we need them?

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Recommended Reading

• Barnes, J. and Jaffe, A.M. (2006) ‘The Persian Gulf and the Geopolitics of Oil’, Survival, 48(1), pp. 143–162. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00396330600594348.
• Hendrix, C.S. (2018) ‘Cold War Geopolitics and the Making of the Oil Curse’, Journal of Global Security Studies, 3(1), pp. 2–22. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jogss/ogx022.
• Rubinovitz, Z. and Rettig, E. (2018) ‘Crude Peace: The Role of Oil Trade in the Israeli-Egyptian Peace Negotiations’, International Studies Quarterly [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/isq/sqx073.

Lecture 2: Worldwide Energy Assets & Resources

Core Required Reading

Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Energy Security and Domestic Security
• Energy Security and Energy Markets

Essential Required Reading

• Arps, J.J. (1956) ‘Estimation of Primary Oil Reserves’, Transactions of the AIME, 207(01), pp. 182–191. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2118/627-G.
• Olcott, M.B. (2010) ‘Central Asia’s Oil and Gas Reserves: To Whom Do They Matter?’, Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, 2(3), pp. 257–300. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/097491011000200303.
• Tarekegne, B., O’Neil, R. and Twitchell, J. (2021) ‘Energy Storage as an Equity Asset’, Current Sustainable/Renewable Energy Reports, 8(3), pp. 149–155. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40518-021-00184-6.

What do energy assets and resources mean for energy security?

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022

Recommended Reading

• Dutta, A. and Dutta, P. (2022) ‘Geopolitical risk and renewable energy asset prices: Implications for sustainable development’, Renewable Energy, 196, pp. 518–525. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.07.029.
• Feldhoff, T. (2016) ‘Asset-based community development in the energy sector: energy and regional policy lessons from community power in Japan’, International Planning Studies, 21(3), pp. 261–277. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2016.1185939.
• Van de Graaf, T. (2018) ‘Battling for a Shrinking Market: Oil Producers, the Renewables Revolution, and the Risk of Stranded Assets’, in D. Scholten (ed.) The Geopolitics of Renewables. Cham: Springer International Publishing (Lecture Notes in Energy), pp. 97–121. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67855-9_4.

Lecture 3: Transportation and Pipelines Geopolitics

Core Required Reading

Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Energy Security and Domestic Security

Essential Required Reading

• Öge, K. (2021) ‘Understanding Pipeline Politics in Eurasia: Turkey’s Transit Security in Natural Gas’, Geopolitics, 26(5), pp. 1510–1532. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2019.1687447.
• Pradhan, R. (2021) ‘Central Asia’s pipeline politics and India’s energy quest’, Asia Europe Journal, 19(1), pp. 129–148. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10308-020-00588-x.
• Proedrou, F. (2018) ‘Revisiting Pipeline Politics and Diplomacy: From Energy Security to Domestic Politics Explanations’, Problems of Post-Communism, 65(6), pp. 409–418. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10758216.2017.1303616.

Gas and Oil Transportation Routes

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022

Recommended Reading

• Anceschi, L. (2017) ‘Turkmenistan and the virtual politics of Eurasian energy: the case of the TAPI pipeline project’, Central Asian Survey, 36(4), pp. 409–429. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02634937.2017.1391747.
• Kulkarni, S.S. and Nathan, H.S.K. (2016) ‘The elephant and the tiger: Energy security, geopolitics, and national strategy in China and India’s cross border gas pipelines’, Energy Research & Social Science, 11, pp. 183–194. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2015.09.010.
• Martins, M.R. and Maturana, M.C. (2010) ‘Human Error Contribution in Collision and Grounding of Oil Tankers’, Risk Analysis, 30(4), pp. 674–698. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.2010.01392.x.

Lecture 4: Social and Political Aspects of Energy Security

Core Required Reading

Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Conclusion

Essential Required Reading

• Jewell, J. and Brutschin, E. (2021) ‘The Politics of Energy Security’, in Jewell, J. and Brutschin, E., The Oxford Handbook of Energy Politics. Edited by K. J. Hancock and J. E. Allison. Oxford University Press, pp. 247–274. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190861360.013.10.
• Kisel, E. et al. (2016) ‘Concept for Energy Security Matrix’, Energy Policy, 95, pp. 1–9. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.04.034.
• Sovacool, B.K., Sidortsov, R.V. and Jones, B.R. (2013) Energy Security, Equality and Justice. 0 edn. Routledge. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203066348.

Recommended Reading

• Goldthau, A. and Sovacool, B.K. (2012) ‘The uniqueness of the energy security, justice, and governance problem’, Energy Policy, 41, pp. 232–240. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2011.10.042.
• Le, T.-H. and Nguyen, C.P. (2019) ‘Is energy security a driver for economic growth? Evidence from a global sample’, Energy Policy, 129, pp. 436–451. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2019.02.038.
• Youngs, R. (2011) ‘Foreign Policy and Energy Security: Markets, Pipelines, and Politics’, in V.L. Birchfield and J.S. Duffield (eds) Toward a Common European Union Energy Policy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 41–60. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230119819_3.

Lecture 5: Renewable Energy and Environmental Debates

Core Required Reading

1. Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Energy Security and Sustainability

2. Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

• Global Challenges and the State

Essential Required Reading

• Fraser, T. (2020) ‘Japan’s resilient, renewable cities: how socioeconomics and local policy drive Japan’s renewable energy transition’, Environmental Politics, 29(3), pp. 500–523. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2019.1589037.
• Gansukh, Z. (2021) ‘Mongol dream beyond fossil fuels: Prosperity of greenification’, Renewable Energy, 171, pp. 95–102. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.02.079.
• Koch, N. and Tynkkynen, V.-P. (2021) ‘The Geopolitics of Renewables in Kazakhstan and Russia’, Geopolitics, 26(2), pp. 521–540. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2019.1583214.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022

Recommended Reading

• Borgford-Parnell, N. (2011) ‘Synergies of scale: A vision of Mongolia and China’s common energy future’, Energy Policy, 39(5), pp. 2764–2771. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2011.02.046.
• Chen, W.-M., Kim, H. and Yamaguchi, H. (2014) ‘Renewable energy in eastern Asia: Renewable energy policy review and comparative SWOT analysis for promoting renewable energy in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan’, Energy Policy, 74, pp. 319–329. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2014.08.019.
• Kim, S.-Y. (2019) ‘Hybridized industrial ecosystems and the makings of a new developmental infrastructure in East Asia’s green energy sector’, Review of International Political Economy, 26(1), pp. 158–182. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2018.1554540.

Lecture 6: The Middle East & Caucasus

Core Required Reading

1. Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Energy Security and Contemporary International Security
  •  9/11, Energy and Persian Gulf Security

2. Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

• Middle East

Essential Required Reading

• Amoatey, P. et al. (2021) ‘A review of geothermal energy status and potentials in Middle-East countries’, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14(4), p. 245. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-06648-9.
• Bronk, C. and Tikk-Ringas, E. (2013) ‘The Cyber Attack on Saudi Aramco’, Survival, 55(2), pp. 81–96. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00396338.2013.784468.
• Hamed, T.A. and Bressler, L. (2019) ‘Energy security in Israel and Jordan: The role of renewable energy sources’, Renewable Energy, 135, pp. 378–389. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2018.12.036.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Recommended Reading

• Gurol, J. (2020) ‘The Role of the EU and China in the Security Architecture of the Middle East’, Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, 14(1), pp. 18–34. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/25765949.2020.1728969.
• Meza, A., Koç, M. and Al-Sada, M.S. (2022) ‘Perspectives and strategies for LNG expansion in Qatar: A SWOT analysis’, Resources Policy, 76, p. 102633. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2022.102633.
• Tagliapietra, S. (2019) ‘The impact of the global energy transition on MENA oil and gas producers’, Energy Strategy Reviews, 26, p. 100397. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2019.100397.

Lecture 7: Central Asia

Core Required Reading

1. Bahgat, G. (2006) ‘Central Asia and energy security’, Asian Affairs, 37(1), pp. 1–16. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/03068370500456819.
2. Jalilov, S.-M., Amer, S.A. and Ward, F.A. (2013) ‘Water, Food, and Energy Security: An Elusive Search for Balance in Central Asia’, Water Resources Management, 27(11), pp. 3959–3979. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-013-0390-4.
3. Rahman, K. (2011) ‘Central Asia, Energy Security and Shanghai Cooperation Organization’, Policy Perspectives, 8(1), pp. 65–76. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/42909267.

Essential Required Reading

• Agadjanian, V. and Nedoluzhko, L. (2022) ‘Imperial legacies, nation building, and geopolitics: ethno-regional divides and the Russian language in Central Asia’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 45(10), pp. 1846–1872. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2021.1981966.
• Foxall, A. (2018) ‘Borders, Boundaries, and Central Asia Geopolitics’, Geopolitics, 23(3), pp. 743–746. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2018.1451845.
• Pradhan, R. (2022) ‘Energy Geopolitics and the New Great Game in Central Asia’, Millennial Asia, 13(2), pp. 265–288. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/09763996211003260.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Recommended Reading

• Huasheng, Z. (2009) ‘Central Asian Geopolitics and China’s Security’, Strategic Analysis, 33(4), pp. 475–477. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09700160902930979.
• Indeo, F. (2018) ‘The Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Central Asia: Building New Relations in a Reshaped Geopolitical Scenario’, in W. Zhang, I. Alon, and C. Lattemann (eds) China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 135–153. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75435-2_8.
• Rumer, B. (2002) ‘The Powers in Central Asia’, Survival, 44(3), pp. 57–68. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00396330212331343422.

Lecture 8: South & Southeast Asia

Core Required Reading

Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

• South Asia

Essential Required Reading

• Jackson, P.A. (2019) ‘South East Asian Area Studies beyond Anglo-America: geopolitical transitions, the neoliberal academy and spatialized regimes of knowledge’, South East Asia Research, 27(1), pp. 49–73. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/0967828X.2019.1587930.
• Pradhan, R. (2019) ‘Petropolitics and Pipeline Diplomacy in Central Asia: Can India Afford to Wait in the Wings?’, India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, 75(4), pp. 472–489. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0974928419874549.
• Stubbs, R. (1989) ‘Geopolitics and the Political Economy of Southeast Asia’, International Journal: Canada’s Journal of Global Policy Analysis, 44(3), pp. 517–540. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/002070208904400301.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Recommended Reading

• Cameron, F. (2010) ‘The geopolitics of Asia – What role for the European Union?’, International Politics, 47(3–4), pp. 276–292. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/ip.2010.10.
• Kumar Singh, B. (2013) ‘South Asia energy security: Challenges and opportunities’, Energy Policy, 63, pp. 458–468. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.07.128.
• Nepal, R. and Paija, N. (2019) ‘Energy security, electricity, population and economic growth: The case of a developing South Asian resource-rich economy’, Energy Policy, 132, pp. 771–781. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2019.05.054.

Lecture 9: Northeast Asia

Core Required Reading

1. Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Energy Security and Contemporary International Security
  • Energy Security and the Rise of China
  • Energy Security and the Return of Russia

2. Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

• China and Its Neighbors
• Russia and Its Neighbors

Essential Required Reading

• Lee, P.K. (2005) ‘China’s quest for oil security: oil (wars) in the pipeline?’, The Pacific Review, 18(2), pp. 265–301. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09512740500162949.
• Matsumoto, K. and Shiraki, H. (2018) ‘Energy security performance in Japan under different socioeconomic and energy conditions’, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 90, pp. 391–401. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.03.070.
• Novikau, A. (2021) ‘What does energy security mean for energy-exporting countries? A closer look at the Russian energy security strategy’, Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, 39(1), pp. 105–123. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02646811.2020.1794108.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Recommended Reading

• Diener, A.C., Grant, A. and Bennett, M.M. (2021) ‘Northeast Asia in regional perspective’, Asian Geographer, 38(2), pp. 95–118. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2021.1952778.
• Roland, G. (2021) ‘China’s rise and its implications for International Relations and Northeast Asia’, Asia and the Global Economy, 1(2), p. 100016. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aglobe.2021.100016.
• Romanova, T. (2021) ‘Russia’s political discourse on the EU’s energy transition (2014–2019) and its effect on EU-Russia energy relations’, Energy Policy, 154, p. 112309. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112309.

Lecture 10: Europe

Core Required Reading

1. Dannreuther, R. (2017) Energy security. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA: Polity Press.

• Energy Security and Energy Markets

2. Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

• Europe

Essential Required Reading

• Youngs, R. (2009) Energy Security. Routledge. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203882627.
• Umbach, F. (2010) ‘Global energy security and the implications for the EU’, Energy Policy, 38(3), pp. 1229–1240. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2009.01.010.
• Shagina, M., Westphal, K. and Stiftung Wissenschaft Und Politik (2021) ‘Nord Stream 2 and the energy security dilemma: opportunities, options and obstacles for a grand bargain’, SWP Comment [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18449/2021C46.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Recommended Reading

• Pänke, J. (2019) ‘Liberal Empire, Geopolitics and EU Strategy: Norms and Interests in European Foreign Policy Making’, Geopolitics, 24(1), pp. 100–123. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2018.1528545.
• Raik, K. (2019) ‘The Ukraine Crisis as a Conflict over Europe’s Political, Economic and Security Order’, Geopolitics, 24(1), pp. 51–70. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2017.1414046.
• Varga, M. and Buzogány, A. (2021) ‘The Foreign Policy of Populists in Power: Contesting Liberalism in Poland and Hungary’, Geopolitics, 26(5), pp. 1442–1463. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2020.1734564.

Lecture 11: Arctic

Core Required Reading

Short, J.R. (2022) Geopolitics: making sense of a changing world. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

• Global Challenges and the State

Essential Required Reading

• Agarcov, S., Kozmenko, S. and Teslya, A. (2020) ‘Organizing an oil transportation system in the Arctic’, IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 434(1), p. 012011. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/434/1/012011.
• Knecht, S. and Keil, K. (2013) ‘Arctic geopolitics revisited: spatialising governance in the circumpolar North’, The Polar Journal, 3(1), pp. 178–203. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/2154896X.2013.783276.
• Knol, M. and Arbo, P. (2014) ‘Oil spill response in the Arctic: Norwegian experiences and future perspectives’, Marine Policy, 50, pp. 171–177. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2014.06.003.

Online Reports

• bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022
• European Commission Quarterly Report on European Gas Markets
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
• OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Recommended Reading

• Schreer, B. (2022) ‘A geopolitical and geostrategic blueprint for NATO’s China challenge’, Comparative Strategy, 41(2), pp. 189–202. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/01495933.2022.2039013.
• Sidortsov, R. and Sovacool, B. (2015) ‘Left out in the cold: energy justice and Arctic energy research’, Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 5(3), pp. 302–307. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-015-0241-0.
• Weidacher Hsiung, C. (2016) ‘China and Arctic energy: drivers and limitations’, The Polar Journal, 6(2), pp. 243–258. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/2154896X.2016.1241486.

Required Students’ Skills

Read the course materials carefully and focus on the core and essential required readings that will greatly increase your level of knowledge.

Learn how to use search engines for academic articles, primarily Web of Science, JSTOR, SAGE Journals, and Google Scholar.

To pass an essay assignment with flying colours, you must master the Harvard citation style. Also, it is highly recommended to read the following publication about research methods and design to improve your essay score:

• Lamont, C. and Boduszynski, M. (2020) Research methods in politics and international relations. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

Throughout the course, students are also expected to familiarise themselves with leading academic journals to locate the latest articles, thereby connecting with the international relations academic community.