Training code AYC0435/1
Registration deadline
Credits 52 academic hours (contact study 25 hours, independent study 27 hours)
Price 55 EUR. The course is facilitated with support from the Ministry of Education and Science. We will issue an invoice after 26.01.26
Document issued upon completion of training TLU certificate
Kaia Ljaš
Student Academy Project Manager
Training and Conference Centre
+372 640 9369
International Relations in the Modern World / Rahvusvahelised suhted tänapäeva maailmas
School of Governance Law and Society
Training and Conference Center
Do you want to understand complex developments in international politics? Are you curious about the state of modern politics and want to develop deeper knowledge of geopolitics, security, governance, and other issues? In this course, we will become equipped with knowledge about history and political theory to take an informed look at what goes on in the world. We will unpack modern international relations with an analytical perspective, taking IR theoretical and conceptual frameworks and our critical thinking to understand how issues like geopolitical disputes, the climate crisis, economic inequalities, trade wars, and so on intersect with our lived realities and understand whose voices matter and why.
- 11:00 - 15:15
Motivation letter - International Relations in the Modern World / Rahvusvahelised suhted tänapäeva maailmas
In your motivation letter, please describe why you would like to take part in the Student Academy "International Relations in the Modern World" course
Thank you for applying! We will inform everyone about the results of your application personally by email no later than 28.01.2026.
Training code AYC0435/1
Registration deadline
Credits 52 academic hours (contact study 25 hours, independent study 27 hours)
Price 55 EUR. The course is facilitated with support from the Ministry of Education and Science. We will issue an invoice after 26.01.26
Document issued upon completion of training TLU certificate
Kaia Ljaš
Student Academy Project Manager
Training and Conference Centre
+372 640 9369
Target group: High school students and vocational school students, young people taking a gap year.
English at least level B2.
NB! When registering for the course, please also fill out the motivation letter block, which is located on the right side of this page under the button "Fill out a motivation letter"
Course schedule:
| TIME | TOPIC | LECTURER | ROOM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.02.2026 | 11:00-15:15 | Introduction to the course. What is International Relations? What will we study? What is a theory in IR and how do we use theoretical perspectives to understand the world? Introduction to mainstream approaches in IR: Realism and Liberalism. History of IR as a discipline in academia. | Victor Jimenez Rivera | M133 |
| 07.03.2026 | 11:00-15:15 | Small States and the Global East: Our Place in the World. Estonia’s place in the world. How do we understand international relations from our digitally advanced frontline NATO small state in a complex neighborhood? How does Estonia interact with the rest of the world and what does it say about it? Constructivism and small state theories. | Victor Jimenez Rivera | M133 |
| 21.03.2026 | 11:00-15:15 | (Post)Colonialism and Globalization: The Modern World Economy and its Unequal Relations. Historical overview of European expansion and colonialism. How have colonial empires shaped the modern world economy and what are the legacies of colonialism that we experience today? How is the modern world economy organized and why do inequalities persist? | Victor Jimenez Rivera | M135 |
| 04.04.2026 | 11:00-15:15 | Critical Approaches in IR. Introduction to critical theory. What is the difference between critical and normative theories and why does it matter? Overview of the main critical approaches in IR: relational, decolonial, feminist, and ethnographic approaches. How do these approaches help us understand whose voices are heard and whose are silenced in today’s world? How do these approaches differ from mainstream, traditional IR? | Victor Jimenez Rivera | M133 |
| 25.04.2026 | 11:00-15:15 | Course Conclusion: Today’s World. The Climate Crisis, Pandemics, Trade Wars, the Anthropocene and our Future. Overview of how the theories we have discussed tell us about what is happening in today’s world. Whose voices shape what counts as international order? Whose security truly matters? How do climate crisis, inequality, and conflicts interconnect? How do grand geopolitical dramas intersect with the lived realities of people on the ground? What kinds of political futures can we imagine and work towards? | Victor Jimenez Rivera | M133 |
Course coordinator: Kaia Ljaš, kaia.ljash@tlu.ee, 6409369
Course lecturer:
Course participants have thought about this course:
- I liked the most the amount of new, interesting and useful information.
- Course lecturer is kind, helpful, conveys the curriculum well.
- The biggest benefit of this course were possibilities to speak with other students, who has the same interests as you.
Learning outcomes, the course graduate:
- understands of mainstream and critical theories in International Relations;
- is able to debate contemporary issues on the basis of theoretical knowledge, history, and empirical evidence;
- is prepared for future studies in political science, international relations, political economy, governance, security, international law, and related fields;
- knows how to present their thoughts in written academic English.