About the Course

Global Politics: Contemporary World Affairs


The course provides an introduction to contemporary world affairs. The primary objective of the course is two – first, to enhance the understanding of contemporary global developments, with an attempt to comprehend the larger picture. Second, to identify trends leading forecasts on contemporary world affairs.

The Course will also invite senior scholars within and outside NIAS – also from within and outside India to provide lectures on contemporary world affairs.

Research Questions on Global Politics

The course focus on providing an explanation, and expects the scholars to increase their understanding on the following:

1. Contemporary World Order:

  • Policies of the US, China, EU and Russia and their implications on the global order

2. Regional Security:

  • South Asia, Southeast and East Asia, West Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa

3. Maritime Security:

  • South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Indo-Pacific, Arctic and Blue Economy

4. Science and Security:

  • Energy Politics, Climate Change, Outer Space, Nuclear Order and Disarmament, Cyber Security and Drones and Internal Security

5. International Economy and Security:

  • G7-G20 Summits, WTO, World Bank, Trade and Conflict and Regional Economic Integration

Special Focus on South Asia

The Course aims to create an understanding from a South Asian perspective. Given the enormity of literature, primarily from an international perspective, there is a substantial gap in terms of approaching contemporary global issues from a South Asian perspective.

The course also aims to create a pool of scholars, thereby build capacity that would help the region in understanding issues of global politics, regional and international conflicts and also regional security in South Asia.

Enhancing Presentation Style & Writing Skills

A common issue facing young scholars is the challenge of effective communication. This course aims to address the same in terms of building basic skills of research presentation.

On the basic research tools side, the course aims to pick up different contemporary issues and make presentations – oral and power point, with an objective to convert the same into short writings to be published in the Course Portal

Effective Use of Social Media for Dissemination

The course will also recommend its scholars to maintain their own individual blogs and also help improving their tweets and related social media communication; the objective of this endeavour is to create awareness about making effective use of the social media for research and dissemination.

The course also aims to create a group of young scholars working on issues relating to peace and conflict and pool them together with an online identity.

Online Portal: Global Politics

The Course will also have an Online portal managed by the Course Instructor, where the writings of the scholars on contemporary world affairs will be published on a regular basis.

The Online portal of the Course will also have lectures by the international faculty uploaded.

II
Course Outline
Global Politics: Identifying Contemporary Issues

The course focuses on providing an explanation, and expects the scholars to increase their understanding on the following:

1. Contemporary World Order:

  • Policies of Big Power: US, China, EU, Russia and India
  • Institutionalism and World Politics: Role of International and Regional Organisations

2. Regional Security:

  • South Asia
  • Southeast and East Asia
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • Africa

3. Maritime Security:

  • South China Sea
  • Indian Ocean
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Arctic
  • Blue Economy

4. Science and Security:

  • Energy Politics
  • Climate Change
  • Outer Space
  • Nuclear Order and Disarmament
  • Cyber Security
  • Drones and Internal Security

5. International Economy and Security:

  • Globalism and Economic Diplomacy: G7-G20 Summits
  • International Economic and Financial Organisation- WTO, World Bank
  • Trade and Conflict
  • Regional Economic Integration

III
Course Framework

For the NIAS scholars, there will be regular classes, every Wednesdays between 1000 and 1300 hrs.

Every session would involve 45 minutes of lecture, followed by 45 minutes of interactions.

The above will be followed by students’ presentations for 90 minutes

Student Presentations, followed by Short Commentaries will play a crucial role in deepening the understanding of students. Each student will be asked to make minimum two presentations and write two short commentaries every month.

The portal on Global Politics will engage the students of the course on a regular basis in following subjects on a daily basis and also prepare online databases.

Guest Lectures and International Faculty:

Since the course is also designed as an online one, this would give flexibility to invite faculty from across the world.

Academics, Think Tankers, former government officials will be requested to take guest lectures on specific subjects.

Course Scholars

Sourina Bej is a doctoral candidate in the Department of South Asian Studies at the University of Bonn. She has received the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung European International Cooperation (KAS-EIZ) scholarship for her doctoral study on climate migration, sustainability, and resilience among the rural...


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Aparupa Bhattacharjee is currently pursuing her PhD at the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore.  Her research is focussed on Southeast Asia, primarily Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. In particular, she studies politics, conflicts...


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Harini Madhusudan is a doctoral scholar with the School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS. Her thesis looks at Militarisation in Outer Space, which draws from a combination of disciplines of International Law, Security Studies, International Relations, and Outer Space as a domain. She is looking...


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Rashmi Ramesh is currently pursuing PhD at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Rashmi completed her BA in Economics, Political Science and Sociology from Christ (Deemed to be University), Bangalore. She holds a Masters Degree in Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal Academy of Higher...


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Akriti Sharma is a doctoral scholar at the Science, Technology and International Relations Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies. She has completed her Bachelors in Political Science and Masters in Political Science from the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. She is also the recipient of...


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Ankit is a Ph.D. scholar at NIAS, his research interests lie South Asia, peace studies and oral history. His research topic is on political economy of external debt in Pakistan (1971-2021).   Research activities In the STIR program, he is currently assisting in preparations of PR evening...


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Padmashree Anandhan is currently a project associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore. Her research for the NIAS Europe Studies under the Area Studies initiative focuses on protest movements, conflicts, energy, economic, migration...


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Anu Maria Joseph is a Research Assistant in School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. She holds masters in Political Science from Madras Christian College, Chennai. As part of NIAS Africa Studies, she looks into internal politics, external relations,...


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Femy Francis is a Research Assistant at NIAS. She is currently a part of the Pakistan Reader team at NIAS, and an assistant editor of The World This Week. Her research interests include China, East Asia and Pakistan.


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Vetriselvi Baskaran is a Research Assistant with the Pakistan Reader Area Studies at NIAS. She has completed a postgraduate degree in the Defence and Strategic Studies department at the University of Madras, Chennai.  Her area of interest revolves around Africa and the South Asian region...


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Dhriti Mukherjee is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. She is an assistant editor for the Conflict Weekly. Apart from this, she is also a part of the Pakistan Reader team and Indian Neighbourhood Studies Team. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, Media...


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Shamini Velayutham is currently a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. She holds a Master's in International Studies from Women’s Christian College, Chennai. Her areas of interest include Indo-pacific, Middle- East, Maritime and Transnational Crimes


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Ms Rohini Reenum is a Doctoral Student at the Science, Technology and International Relations Programme, School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies. Her areas of interest in terms of research are Maritime Security, Ocean Governance, International Relations Theory,...


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Prajwal TV is a student pursuing a Bachelor's in Journalism, International Relations and Peace Studies at St Joseph's University, Bengaluru. Currently, he is part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies,...


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Sayeka Ghosh is pursuing a bachelor's degree in International Relations and Public Policy at the Department of International Relations, Peace, and Public Policy at St Joseph’s University. She is also enrolled in the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security...


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Devi Chandana M is a student pursuing a Master's in Politics and International Relations at the School of International Relations and Politics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. Currently part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National...


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Shreya Jagadeesan is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, International Relations and Peace Studies at St Joseph's University. She is also enrolled in the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Her...


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Sounak Ghosh is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, International Relations and Peace Studies at St Joseph's University, Bengaluru. He is currently a part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies(NIAS),...


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Kavithasri M is currently pursuing postgraduation at South Asian Studies at Pondicherry University. She has a background in journalism. Her areas of interest are peace and conflict studies, climate change, Japan's demographic issues, maritime and journalism.


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Mariyam Siddika G is pursuing a postgraduate degree in Political Science at Government Arts and Science College Coimbatore. She is also enrolled in the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflicts and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. Her area...


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Neha Tresa George is a student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Political Science at Madras Christian College, Chennai. She is currently part of the Global Politics course offered by the National Institute of Advanced Studies(NIAS), Bengaluru.  Her interests include the USA, gender and ethnic...


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Ayush Bhattacharjee is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, International Relations and Peace Studies at St Joseph's University, Bengaluru. He is currently a part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced...


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Tejasvini Adya MM is currently pursuing an MA in Political Science and has completed her BA in Political Science at the Madras Christian College, Chennai, India. She is currently a part of the Global Politics course offered by the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru. She...


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Vaneeta is pursuing a postgraduate degree at UMISARC Centre for South Asian Studies, Pondicherry University, and has done her BA(Hons) Spanish at Delhi University. She is currently part of the Global Politics and Contemporary Conflicts courses offered by the National Institute of Advanced Studies(NIAS),...


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Tiara Marie Warjri is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, International Relations and Peace Studies at St Joseph's University, Bengaluru. She is currently a part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced...


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Navinan GV is pursuing a postgraduate degree in Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras. He is currently a part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. His area of interest includes...


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Shifa Moideen is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Journalism, International Relations, and Peace Studies at St Joseph's University, Bengaluru. She is also enrolled in the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. She...


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Bishwarupa Kar is a postgraduate student in Political Science from Pondicherry University. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry, where she majored in English, French, and Political Science. She is also part of the Global Studies course offered...


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Ken B Varghese is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Political Science at Madras Christian College, Chennai.  He is also part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. His interest...


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Nupur Priya is a student currently pursuing a Masters's degree in Politics and International Relations at Pondicherry University. She is also a part of the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. Her...


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Nivetha B is pursuing a Master's degree in Political Science and has completed her Bachelor's degree in Political Science at Madras Christian College, Chennai. She is currently enrolled in the Global Politics course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute...


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Diya Madhavan is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Peace, and Public Policy at St. Joseph’s University, Bangalore. She is also enrolled in the Global Studies course offered by the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced...


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Course Alumni

Divyabharathi E
Shalini.E
Dhruv Ashok
Jamyang Dolma
Samreen Wani
Ann Maria Shibu
Siddhatti Mehta
Manushi Kapadia
Hely Desai
Miti Shah
Druta Bhatt
Oishee Majumdar
Gayan Gowramma KC
Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer
Ryan Mitra
Komal Tiwary
Kriti
Abhishrut Singh
Abishek RL
Alka Yadav
Jerin George
Kritika Shukla
Vallari Parashar
Wangchuk Thinley
Sanjali Mitra
Ninaad Ghoshal
Mahath Mangal
Raakhavee Ramesh
Titsala Sangtam
Parikshith Pradeep
Sukanya Bali
Vijay Maidergi
Lakshman Chakravarthy N
Nidhi Dalal
Yashaskar Shubham
Lokendra Sharma
Sneha Tadkal
Jenice Jean Goveas
Harini Sha P
Aarathi Srinivasan
Keerthana Rajesh Nambiar
Vishnu Prasad
Joeana Cera Matthews
Udbhav Krishna P
Rishika Yadav
Porkkodi Ganeshpandian
Julia Mathew
Sarthak Jain
Vibha Venugopal
Dhanushaa P
Dincy Adlakha
Juan Mary Joseph
Wonchibeni Tsopoe
Rishma Banerjee
Lakshmi V Menon
Abigail Miriam Fernandez
Apoorva Sudhakar
Avishka Ashok
Sethuraman Nadarajan
Melvin George
Sreeja JS
Nithyashree RB
Lakshmi Parimala H
Immaculine Joy Paul
Jerry Franklin
Taffy Tonia
Subiksha
Varsha
Ryan Marcus
Prerana P
Sneha Surendran