Winter semester

Politics of Development and the Sustainable Development Goals | 5 ECTS | Seminar

• Modul Number: 85716
• Examination Number: 57161
• Study program: International Business Studies, International Economic Studies, Sozialökonomik, Wirtschaftsmathematik
• Description: Hunger, food insecurity, poverty, environmental degradation, gender inequality, and other issues are problems that affect individuals in different parts of the world. Since the 1990s, there has been a strong international debate on how to tackle these challenges. This class provides an introduction to the politics of development, with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs, being universal, impact all countries worldwide while also highlighting the persistent inequalities between nations. The course explores the political dimensions of the SDGs and the challenges for their implementation, with an emphasis on both the global governance level and the national level. The implementation of the SDGs is one of the major challenges linked to Agenda 2030. Therefore, the commitment of governments to provide programs, legislation, enforcement, and investment is crucial for the successful implementation of the SDGs. However, other actors play an important role. During the semester, we will look, based on an interdisciplinary perspective, into governance structures, institutions, and power relations shaping the discussion and the success in areas such as poverty, health, the environment, and gender. In addition to intergovernmental cooperation, the course examines the contributions of various nonstate actors, including foundations, NGOs, and companies, in these efforts. Special attention is given to case studies. Enrolment requires the willingness to actively participate in the course, work in small groups, and take part in the discussions.
• Teaching and examination language: english
• Lecturer: Júlia de Sousa e Berruezo, M.A.

Social, ecological and economic sustainability in a globalized world: Paths for transformation (Latin America) | 5 ECTS | Seminar

• Modul Number: 85875
• Examination Number: 58751
• Study program: International Business Studies, Sozialökonomik, Wirtschaftsmathematik
• Description: Dieses Seminar behandelt die Konzepte der sozialen, ökologischen und wirtschaftlichen Nachhaltigkeit und analysiert sowohl deren Synergien als auch Spannungen. Es werden die wichtigsten gegenwärtigen Herausforderungen untersucht, und es wird vertieft auf globale Umweltkrisen – wie den Klimawandel, die Energiekrise, Bodenerschöpfung und Abholzung – aus der Perspektive der Politischen Ökologie eingegangen, mit besonderem Augenmerk auf Lateinamerika und dessen Verknüpfung mit dem globalen Kontext. Der Ansatz des Seminars geht davon aus, Umweltkrisen und -konflikte als eng mit Machtverhältnissen, Dominanz und Ungleichheit verbundene Phänomene zu verstehen.
• Teaching and examination language: german
• Lecturer: Dr. Jaime León González

Transnational Business Governance for Sustainable Development | 5 ECTS | Seminar

• Modul Number: 85724 
• Examination Number: 57241
• Study programm: International Business Studies, International Economic Studies, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Informatik
• Description: Transnational business has contributed to economic growth and to provide consumers with better access to goods and services. However, multinational companies and global supply chains have also been associated with or have contributed to the violation of human rights and environmental damages. In this course, we will focus on the question of how transnational business can be governed in a way that contributes to socially and ecologically sustainable development. In four thematic blocks, we will analyze and discuss different governance approaches that aim to steer transnational business towards sustainability: 1) multilateral governance instruments, 2) private and voluntary sustainability standards, 3) state regulations of global supply chains and 4) civil-society led and multi-stakeholder governance initiatives. To analyze these instruments, we will refer to concepts such as effectiveness, legitimacy and accountability. We will also discuss how different governance instruments can be fruitfully combined and how they can be implemented in different contexts using case studies. This course will consist of input provided by the lecturer, the reading and discussion of academic literature, interactive group exercises, presentations on specific governance instruments by students and an expert talk guided by seminar participants.
• Teaching and examination language: english
• Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Almut Schilling-Vacaflor del Carpio

Internationale Studien I | 5 ECTS |

• Modul Number: 83691
• Examination Number: 36901
• Study programm: International Business Studies, International Economic Studies, Sozialökonomik
• Description: The module covers various topics, questions, and issues in International Studies, with the specific content varying considerably depending on the foreign university where the student is enrolled. Possible areas of focus include the development and structure of the international system; problems and processes of regional and global cooperation and integration; theoretical and research approaches to international and transnational relations; fundamental questions of intercultural perceptions and perspectives; and the development of society, economy, politics, and culture in other countries, especially in regions represented by the university’s area studies departments. Comparative approaches may also be included.

Internationale Studien II | 5 ECTS |

• Modul Number: 83692
• Examination Number: 36903
• Study programm: International Business Studies, International Economic Studies, Sozialökonomik
• Description: The module addresses various topics, questions, and issues in International Studies. The specific selection varies considerably depending on the foreign university where the student is enrolled. Possible areas of focus include the development and structure of the international system, as well as the problems and processes of regional and global cooperation and integration.

Between the Global and the Local: Sustainability in Practice | 5 ECTS | Seminar

• Modul Number: 57484
• Examination Number: 74841
• Study programm: International Business Studies (Latin America Area), Sozialökonomik
• Description: Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time, with far-reaching consequences for human rights, intergenerational equity, and global justice. This course explores how globalized systems of production and consumption contribute to climate injustices—and how various actors, territories, and impact chains are entangled in this complex landscape. Corporations, as key players in the global economy, hold a central role in this debate. In response to growing pressure, many have adopted sustainability governance frameworks. Yet these efforts often fall short, especially when confronted with the urgency of a just transition and the intricacies of global supply chains. This course offers a critical and hands-on approach to understanding and engaging with these issues. Through case studies, collaborative research, and practical tools, students will: Understand the dynamics of climate injustice and its global dimensions; Map the networks of actors and territories involved in climate-related conflicts; Evaluate corporate sustainability efforts in light of justice and accountability; Reflect critically on the power and limitations of corporate sustainability strategies in the climate fight. This course equips students with the analytical frameworks and methodological tools to investigate climate justice issues in depth, and to contribute meaningfully to debates and actions for a more equitable and sustainable world. Throughout the course, we investigate the roles of different actors—states, corporations, civil society, and frontline communities—and the territories and impact chains that connect them, between the global and local. We pay particular attention to the concept of a “just transition,” examining what it means for corporations to take responsibility in a way that is socially inclusive and environmentally sound.
• Teaching and examination language: english
• Lecturer: Dr. Julia Stefanello Pires

Business and Human Rights in Latin America | 5 ECTS | Seminar

• Modul Number: 57463 | 35930 Pol MR (B) Menschenrechte/ Menschenrechtspolitik (Prüf.-Nr: 20242)
• Examination Number: 74631
• Study programm: International Business Studies (Latin America Area), Sozialökonomik, Politikwissenschaft, Nahoststudien (Middle Eastern Studies), Development Economics and International Studies, Wirtschaftsmathematik
• Contenst: Human rights have been comprehensively recognized by Latin American states, including social rights, Indigenous peoples’ rights, environmental rights, and new types of rights, such as the rights of nature and to “buen vivir” (good living). However, the implementation of rights in the region has often been weak and important challenges remain. The rights of Indigenous peoples, peasant communities and family farmers have in many cases been negatively affected by the extractive industries, large-scale agricultural production and, more recently, by renewable energy projects. The rights of workers in formal and informal sectors are also often insufficiently protected and problems of child labor and modern slavery persist in the region. In this course, students will first acquire knowledge on international human rights and their legal recognition and implementation in Latin America. Second, we will analyze and discuss relevant governance instruments for protecting human rights in the context of business activities. Among them are human rights impact assessments (HRIA); human rights due diligence (HRDD) systems; free, prior and informed consent processes (FPIC); and human rights-related lawsuits in national and international courts. For analyzing these instruments in a context-sensitive way, we will have a closer look at actor constellations, institutional environments, policy processes and contestation and conflict dynamics. Based on the gained insights, we will explore different paths for transformation towards a better protection of human rights in the context of business activities in Latin America. This course will consist of input provided by the lecturer, the reading and discussion of academic literature, interactive group exercises, presentations on specific cases by students and the discussion of audiovisual documents.
• Teaching and examination language: english
• Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Almut Schilling-Vacaflor del Carpio

Internationale Entwicklungen im 21. Jahrhundert: Wo steht Lateinamerika in der Weltpolitik? | Desarrollos internacionales en el siglo XXI: ¿Dónde se encuentra América Latina en la política mundial? | 5 ECTS | Online Course

• Modul Number: 87005 | 52461 Latin America in the era of globalization (Prüf.-Nr: 24611) | 37530 Transregionale Themen und Methoden I (Prüf.-Nr: 81011) | 37535 Transregionale Themen und Methoden II (Prüf.-Nr: 81211)| 34760 América Latina: Política y sociedad (Prüf.-Nr: 47601) | 34675 Estudios latinoamericanos (Prüf.-Nr: 46751) | 38101 Regional Module I (Prüf.-Nr: 75301) | 38121 Regional Module II (Prüf.-Nr: 75351)
• Examination Number: 70055 
• Study programm: International Business Studies (Latin America Area),  Sozialökonomik, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschaftspädagogik, Development Economics and International Studies, Nahoststudien (Middle Eastern Studies), Wirtschaftsmathematik
• Description: Die zunehmende globale Verflechtung von Wirtschaft, Politik und Gesellschaft prägt die heutige Zeit und stellt die Weltpolitik vor vielschichtige Herausforderungen. Der Kurs befasst sich mit den zentralen internationalen Entwicklungen im 21. Jahrhundert und arbeitet für jedes Phänomen (wie z.B. Migrationsbewegungen, strukturelle Ungleichheit, nachhaltige und menschliche Entwicklung, digitale Transformation, organisierte Kriminalität, (Des-)Integrationsbewegungen wie Brexit) die Rolle und Interessen Lateinamerikas heraus. Dabei werden zu Beginn jeden Kapitels theoretische Überlegungen, mögliche Messinstrumente sowie aktuelle Daten zu deren fundierten Analyse vermittelt und daraufhin an länder- und regionenspezifischen Fallbeispielen angewandt. Der Kurs ist eine bilinguale Online-Vorlesung, dessen Inhalt durch den Einsatz unterschiedlicher Medien in beiden Sprachen, Deutsch und Spanisch, verfügbar ist. Der Kurs ist von Studierenden mit sehr guten Kenntnissen in einer der beiden Sprachen (und keinen/wenigen bis hin zu sehr guten Kenntnissen der jeweils anderen Sprache) studierbar. Gleichzeitig ermöglicht der bilinguale Aufbau eine spielerische Sprachvermittlung der jeweils anderen Sprachen. An relevanten Inhalten lassen sich die Sprachkompetenzen so nachhaltig verbessern und vertiefen. 
• El creciente entrelazamiento global de la economía, la política y la sociedad caracteriza la época actual y plantea a la política mundial desafíos complejos y multidimensionales. El curso aborda los principales desarrollos internacionales del siglo XXI y analiza, para cada fenómeno (como los movimientos migratorios, la desigualdad estructural, el desarrollo sostenible y humano, la transformación digital, la delincuencia organizada o los movimientos de (des)integración como el Brexit), el papel y los intereses de América Latina. Al inicio de cada capítulo se presentan consideraciones teóricas, posibles instrumentos de medición y datos actuales que permiten un análisis fundamentado, los cuales posteriormente se aplican a estudios de caso específicos por país y región. Se trata de un curso bilingüe en formato en línea, cuyo contenido está disponible en ambos idiomas, alemán y español, mediante el uso de diversos medios didácticos. El curso puede ser cursado por estudiantes con muy buen dominio de uno de los dos idiomas (y conocimientos nulos, limitados o avanzados del otro). Al mismo tiempo, la estructura bilingüe facilita el aprendizaje lúdico del segundo idioma, permitiendo mejorar y profundizar de manera sostenible las competencias lingüísticas a través de contenidos relevantes. 
• Teaching and examination language: german and spanish
• Lecturer: Dr. Jaime León González 

Power, order and institutions in world politics | 5 ECTS | Seminar

• Modul Number: 52700
• Examination Number: 27001
• Study programm: International Business Studies, Wirtschaftsmathematik
• Description: The seminar will cover the following main topics. (I) International system, international organizations (e.g., UN), cooperation and global governance: theoretical perspectives and historical evolution. (II) The contested notions of power, order and institutions: theoretical perspectives and empirical examples, bridging the gap between academia and the practice of international affairs. (III) The changing nature of international power and its distribution: rising powers, transnational corporations, state and non-state actors. (IV) Topical and new issues in international organization/global governance: peace and security, economic and social development, geopolitics, human rights, the environment.
• Teaching and examination language: english
• Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Almut Schilling-Vacaflor del Carpio