Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2016

GESS Science in Perspective Information
Only the topics listed in this paragraph can be chosen as GESS Science in Perspective.
Further below you will find the "type B courses Reflections about subject specific methods and content" as well as the language courses.

6 ECTS need to be acquired during the BA and 2 ECTS during the MA

Students who already took a course within their main study program are NOT allowed to take the course again.
Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence
Suitable for all students
Students who already took a course within their main study program are NOT allowed to take the course again.
Political Science
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
851-0594-00LInternational Environmental Politics
Particularly suitable for students of D-ITET, D-USYS
W3 credits2VT. Bernauer
AbstractThis course focuses on the conditions under which cooperation in international environmental politics emerges and the conditions under which such cooperation and the respective public policies are effective and/or efficient.
ObjectiveThe objectives of this course are to (1) gain an overview of relevant questions in the area of international environmental politics from a social sciences viewpoint; (2) learn how to identify interesting/innovative questions concerning this policy area and how to answer them in a methodologically sophisticated way; (3) gain an overview of important global and regional environmental problems.
ContentThis course deals with how and why international cooperation in environmental politics emerges, and under what circumstances such cooperation is effective and efficient. Based on theories of international political economy and theories of government regulation various examples of international environmental politics are discussed: the management of international water resources, the problem of unsafe nuclear power plants in eastern Europe, political responses to global warming, the protection of the stratospheric ozone layer, the reduction of long-range transboundary air pollution in Europe, the prevention of pollution of the oceans, etc.

The course is open to all ETH students. Participation does not require previous coursework in the social sciences.

After passing an end-of-semester test (requirement: grade 4.0 or higher) students will receive 3 ECTS credit points. The workload is around 90 hours (meetings, reading assignments, preparation of test).

Visiting students (e.g., from the University of Zurich) are subject to the same conditions. Registration of visiting students in the web-based system of ETH is compulsory.
Lecture notesAssigned reading materials and slides will be available at Link (select link 'Registered students, please click here for course materials' at top of that page). Log in with your nethz name and password. Questions concerning access to course materials can be addressed to Mike Hudecheck (Mike Hudecheck <Link>). All assigned papers must be read ahead of the respective meeting. Following the course on the basis of on-line slides and papers alone is not sufficient. Physical presence in the classroom is essential. Many books and journals covering international environmental policy issues can be found at the D-GESS library at the IFW building, Haldeneggsteig 4, B-floor, or in the library of D-USYS.
LiteratureAssigned reading materials and slides will be available at Link (select link 'Registered students, please click here for course materials' at top of that page). Log in with your nethz name and password. Questions concerning access to course materials can be addressed to Mike Hudecheck (Mike Hudecheck <Link>).
Prerequisites / NoticeNone
851-0589-00LTechnology and Innovation for DevelopmentW Dr3 credits2VP. Aerni
AbstractTechnological change plays a crucial role in efforts to create a more sustainable future. In this context, policy decision makers must design rules that minimize its risks and maximize its benefits for society at large. The course discusses this challenge from an interdisciplinary perspective taking into account legal, economic, historical, development and environmental aspects..
Objective- to recognize the challenges and opportunities of technological change in terms of sustainable development
- to become familiar with policy instruments to promote innovation
- to improve understanding of political decision-making processes in the regulation of science & technology
- improved understanding of the role of science and technology in the context of human and societal development
ContentScience and Technology Policy is normally associated with the improvement of national competitiveness; yet, it is also an integral part of effective environmental and development policies.
The course will discuss the challenges and opportunities of technological change in terms of sustainable development and show how public policy on the national and the international level is responding to this change.

In this context, students are to become familiar with the basic principles of political economy and New Growth Theory and how such theories help explain political decisions as well as political outcomes in the area of Science, Technology and Innovation. State interventions are either designed to regulate (e.g. environmental regulations, anti-trust law) or facilitate (e.g. intellectual property rights protection, public investment in R&D and technical education, technology transfer) technological change. This will be illustrated by looking at different industries and different national systems of innovation. Subsequently the positive and negative consequences for society and the natural environment will be discussed from a short-term and a long-term perspective.
Lecture notesReader with issue-specific articles. E-version is partly available under
Link
LiteratureAerni, P. 2015a. Entrepreneurial Rights as Human Rights: Why Economic Rights Must Include the Human Right to Science and the Freedom to Grow Through Innovation. Banson, Cambridge, UK

Aerni, P. 2015b. The Sustainable Provision of Environmental Services: From Regulation to Innovation. Springer, Heidelberg.

Aerni, P., Gagalac, F., Scholderer, J. 2016. The role of biotechnology in combating climate change: A question of politics. Science and Public Policy, 43 (1): 13-28.

Aerni, P., Nichterlein, K., Rudgard, S, Sonnino, A. 2015. Making Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) Work for Development in Tropical Countries. Sustainability 7 (1): 831-850.

Aerni, P. 2013b. Do Private Standards encourage or hinder trade and innovation? NCCR Trade Working Paper 18/2013.

Aerni, P. 2009a. What is Sustainable Agriculture? Empirical Evidence of Diverging Views in Switzerland and New Zealand. Ecological Economics 68(6): 1872-1882.

Aerni, P. 2007. Exploring the Linkages between Commerce, Higher Education and Human Development: A Historical Review. ATDF Journal 4(2): 35-47.

Aerni, P. 2004. Risk, Regulation and Innovation: The Case of Aquaculture and Transgenic Fish. Aquatic Sciences 66: 327-341.

Arthur, B. 2009. The Nature of Technology. New York: Free Press.

Baylis, K./Rausser, G. C. and Leo S. 2005. Including Non-Trade Concerns: The Environment in EU and US Agricultural Policy. International Journal of Agricultural Resources Governance and Ecology, 4 (3/4): 262-276.

Brown, T. (2013) The Precautionary Principle is a blunt instrument. The Guardian. July 9, 2013.

Burk, D. L. & Lemley, M. A. 2009. The Patent Crisis and How to Solve it. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Burk, D., L. 2013. Patent Reform in the United States: Lessons Learned. Regulation: 1-25.

Carr, N. 2008. The Big Switch. Rewiring the World from Edison to Google. W. W. Norton & Company, New York.

Christensen, C. 2011. Innovatior's Dilemma. Harper Business, New York.

Christensen, Jon. 2013. The Biggest Wager. Nature 500: 273-4.

Diamond, Jared. 2013. The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies. Viking, New York.

Diamond, Jared. 1999. Guns, Germs and Steel. New York: Norton.

Farber, Daniel. 2000. Eco-pragmatism: Making Sensible Environmental Decisions in an Uncertain World. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.

Farinelli, F., Bottini, M., Akkoyunlu, S., Aerni, P. 2011. Green entrepreneurship: the missing link towards a greener economy. ATDF Journal 8(3/4): 42-48.

Freidberg, S. (2007). Supermarkets and imperial knowledge. Cultural Geographies, 14(3): 321-342.

Goldstone, Jeffrey. 2010. Engineering Culture, Innovation, and Modern Wealth Creation. In: C. Karlsson, R.R. Stough, B. Johansson (eds) Entrepreneurship and Innovations in Functional Regions. Northampton: Edgar Elgar.

Hamblin, J. D. 2013. Arming Mother Nature: The Birth of Catastrophic Environmentalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Jefferson, D. J., Graff, G. D, Chi-Ham, C. L. & Bennett, A. B. (2015) The emergence of agbiogenerics. Nature Biotechnology 33 (8): 819-823

Juma, Calestous. 2016. Innovation and its Enemies. Oxford University Press.

Kaul, Inge, Grunberg, Isabelle, and Marc A. Stern (eds). 1999. 'Global Public Goods. International Cooperation in the 21th century.' Published for the United Nations Development Program. New York: Oxford University Press.

Rosenberg, Nathan. 2000.'Schumpeter and the Endogeneity of Technology'. London: Routledge.

Warsh, David. 2006. Knowledge and the Wealth of Nations. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe 2-hour course (5-7 p.m.) will be held as a series of lectures. The course materials will be available in form of an electronic Reader at the beginning of the semester.
The class will be taught in English.
Students will be asked to give a (a) presentation (15 Minutes) or write a review paper based on a article selected from the electronic script, and (b) they will have to pass a written test at the end of the course in order to obtain 3 credit points in the ECTS System. In the final mark (a) will have a weight of 40% and (b) 60%.
853-0038-00LSwiss Foreign PolicyW3 credits2VD. Möckli Weder
AbstractThis course analyzes the foundations and challenges of Swiss foreign policy. After reviewing the history of foreign policy conceptions since the early 20th century, we will discuss the determining factors of Swiss foreign policy and examine, together with guest speakers from the foreign ministry, current issues such as the Syria crisis, the migration challenge, terrorism, and Swiss-EU relations.
ObjectiveStudents should acquire a sound understanding of Swiss foreign policy and the relevant academic and political debates associated with it.
ContentNach einer Einführung in die Aussenpolitikanalyse behandelt die Lehrveranstaltung zunächst die historischen Grundlagen und die konzeptionelle Entwicklung der schweizerischen Aussenpolitik. Dabei stehen die unterschiedlichen Reaktionen der Schweiz auf die internationalen Neuordnungen nach 1918, 1945 und 1989 und die seitherige Ausgestaltung der Schweizer Aussenpolitik im Zentrum. Es wird auch darum gehen, zentrale Determinanten der Schweizer Aussenpolitik zu identifizieren, wobei der Neutralität, der direkten Demokratie und dem Sonderfallparadigma besondere Beachtung geschenkt wird.
Auf dieser Basis werden wir die derzeitigen weltpolitischen Entwicklungslinien und deren Bedeutung für die Schweiz analysieren. Zu den aussenpolitischen Herausforderungen und Themen, die wir diskutieren, gehören die Syrienkrise und andere Konflikte im Nahen und Mittleren Osten, die Ukrainekrise und das Engagement in der OSZE, die Friedensförderungspolitik der Schweiz generell, die Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, die aussenpolitischen Beiträge zur Bewältigung der Migrationskrise, das Engagement der Schweiz gegen den Terrorismus, die Europapolitik und die Politik in der UNO.
Die erste Stunde wird in der Regel als Vorlesung des Dozenten bestritten. In der zweiten Stunde vertiefen wir Themen teilweise durch den Einbezug von Gastreferaten von Mitarbeitenden des Eidgenössischen Departements für auswärtige Angelegenheiten (EDA).
Lecture notesStudents will receive a handout of slides accompanying the lectures.
LiteratureA reading list will be handed out at the beginning of the semester.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe course will be supported by an e-learning environment.
853-0047-01LWorld Politics Since 1945: The History of International Relations (Without Exercises)W3 credits2VA. Wenger
AbstractThis lecture series provides students with an overview of the development of international relations since the end of World War II. The first part of the series deals with the development of and changes in Cold War security policy structures. The second part deals with the period after the transformation of 1989/91; the focus here is on current issues in international security policy.
ObjectiveBy the end of the semester, participants should have a solid knowledge of the history and theoretical foundations of International Relations since the end of the Second World War.
Contentcf. "Diploma Supplement"
LiteratureReading:

Wenger, Andreas und Doron Zimmermann. International Relations: From the Cold War to the Globalized World. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2003.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe lecure is being supported by a website on Moodle. If you have any questions, please contact Lukas Meyer, Link.
853-0060-00LCurrent Issues in Security PolicyW3 credits2VA. Wenger, O. Thränert
AbstractThis course provides an overview of the security implications of so-called "dual-use" technologies, i.e. technologies that can be used for both peaceful and military aims. The course will also cover various policies - in particular arms control - that are discussed and applied by the international community in dealing with such dual-use technologies.
ObjectiveParticipants should gain a solid understanding of security challenges stemming from the use and control of dual-use technologies. In addition, the students should become aware of how researchers can deal with sensitive knowledge regarding research transparency and control.
ContentThe aim of the course is to provide participants with an overview of international security politics with a special focus on dual-use technologies. Students will analyze the character of dual-use security risks and of risk-based security strategies and instruments. Thematic areas include the nuclear non-proliferation regime, biological and chemical weapons conventions, missile proliferation, the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, cyber and space technologies, as well as robotics and nanotechnology.
Lecture notesParticipants are expected to study the compulsory texts provided at the beginning of the semester via the online platform Moodle.
LiteratureA reading list will be distributed at the beginning of the semester.
Prerequisites / NoticeAn online learning platform serves as a supplement to the course.
853-0033-00LLeadership IW3 credits2VF. Kernic
AbstractThe lectures "Leadership I" (WS) and "Leadership II" (SS) have been designed as a two-semester lecture series, but may also be followed independently of one another or in reverse order. "Leadership I" covers the following fields: leadership basics, leadership theories and leadership styles, the concept of leadership responsibility and the role of communication in practical leadership.
ObjectiveThe aim of this lecture is to give students an introductory overview of relevant topics regarding leadership research and practice, thus enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the leadership phenomenon. Students should understand different concepts of leadership in the complex interaction between individuals, groups, organisation, context and situation. They should be informed about the evolution of the understanding of mankind in relation to working processes and its impact on organizations and the understanding of leadership theory in the past 100 years. They should grasp the concept of leadership responsibility (leadership ethics) and be able to derive consequences for leadership in practical situations. They should recognize the fundamental importance of communication in leadership situations and receive input which enables them to communicate adequately in specific situations.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe 1-hour written exam will take place during the last lecture in the semester.
853-0015-01LConflict Research I: Causes of War in Historical Context (without exercises) Restricted registration - show details W3 credits2VS. Rüegger, G. Schvitz
AbstractThis course offers an introduction to research on causes of wars. War as a social phenomenon is covered from the pre-state world to today's state system after the end of the Cold War. Topics include state formation and collapse, nationalism, decolonization, democracy, and ethnic conflict.
ObjectiveDeveloping an understanding for causes of war and their development over the last 500 years. Knowledge of fundamental concepts in research on causes of war.
853-0302-01LEuropean Integration (Seminar without Tutorial)W2 credits2SF. Schimmelfennig
AbstractThe lecture course covers the theory, development, and core policy fields of European integration as well as structures and processes of the EU as a decision- and policy-making system.
ObjectiveThe seminar is designed to help students understand the European Union as a particular kind of political system that differs both from the nation-state and from other international organizations. It imparts basic knowledge on the development, institutions, procedures, and policies of the EU and provides an introduction to major approaches to integration theory and political science research on the EU.
Content1. Introduction
2. Theories of European integration
3. The development of European integration
4. Internal market and monetary union
5. Internal and external security policies
6. Constitutionalization
7. Widening and differentiation
8. Switzerland, the EEA, and EU neighbourhood policies
9. Identity, trust, and solidarity
10. Public spheres, parties, and elections
11. Decision-making and policy development in the EU
12. Statehood and democracy in the EU
13. European integration in crisis
Lecture notesThe seminar covers the theory, development, and core policy fields of European integration as well as structures and processes of the EU as a decision- and policy-making system.
LiteratureBasislektüre
Schmidt, Siegmar und Wolf J. Schünemann: Europäische Union. Eine Einführung. Baden-Baden: Nomos 2013
Prerequisites / NoticeThe grade is based on a written exam.
860-0001-00LPublic Institutions and Policy-Making Processes Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 25.
Priority for Science, Technology, and Policy MSc students.
W3 credits3GT. Bernauer, S. Bechtold, F. Schimmelfennig
AbstractStudents acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard.
ObjectivePublic policies result from decision-making processes that take place within formal institutions of the state (parliament, government, public administration, courts). That is, policies are shaped by the characteristics of decision-making processes and the characteristics of public institutions and related actors (e.g. interest groups). In this course, students acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard. The course is organized in three modules. The first module (Stefan Bechtold) examines basic concepts and the role of law, law-making, and law enforcement in modern societies. The second module (Thomas Bernauer) deals with the functioning of legislatures, governments, and interest groups. The third module (Frank Schimmelfennig) focuses on the European Union and international organisations.
ContentSchedule (for up-to-date information, see the syllabus that will be distributed to participants electronically):
W1: Bechtold, Bernauer: Introduction
How are laws created and interpreted? How are they enforced?
W2: Bechtold: Why do we need laws and why do people and firms usually obey the law? What are possible goals of legal systems? What is the relationship between laws, social norms, and moral values?
W3: Bechtold: What role does scientific evidence play in the creation and enforcement of the law? How does the law deal with non-quantifiable factors or incommensurable values?
W4: no class
W5: Bernauer: How are parliaments (legislatures) elected, how do they work, and how do their characteristics and processes affect policy-making?
W6: Bernauer: Why do forms of government differ and how does this affect policy-making? Why and in what respect are public administrations efficient/effective, and why sometimes not?
W7: Bernauer: How do interest groups and social movements affect policy-making.
W8: Study week
W9: Schimmelfennig: Governance beyond the state: why and how states create international institutions.
W10: Schimmelfennig: International organizations and regimes: case studies of global governance.
W11: Schimmelfennig: Institutions and policy-making in the European Union.
W12: Schimmelfennig: International organizations and policy diffusion.
W13: End-of-semester exam

An add-on module to this course (3 ECTS) involves an essay. This part of the course is accessible only to ISTP MSc students and requires enrollement in the main course (3 ECTS). ISTP MSc students must enrol in both parts. Other students can only enrol in the main course.
3rd week of January: deadline for review essay
Lecture notesReading materials will be distributed electronically to the students when the semester starts.
LiteratureBaylis, John, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (2014): The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Caramani, Daniele (ed.) (2014): Comparative Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

European Court of Justice (2013): ITV Broadcasting Ltd. and Others v. TV Catch Up Ltd., Case C-607/11, March 7, 2013, EU:C:2013:147.

Federal Communications Commission (2015): Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet, 80 Federal Register 19738-19847.

Gilardi, Fabrizio (2012): Transnational Diffusion: Norms, Ideas, and Policies, in Carlsnaes, Walter, Thomas Risse and Beth Simmons, Handbook of International Relations, 2nd Edition, London: Sage, pp. 453-477.

Hage, Jaap and Bram Akkermans (eds.) (2014): Introduction to Law, Heidelberg: Springer, available as an ebook at ETH library.

Jolls, Christine (2013): Product Warnings, Debiasing, and Free Speech: The Case of Tobacco Regulation, Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics 169: 53-78.

Lelieveldt, Herman and Sebastiaan Princen (2011): The Politics of European Union. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lessig, Lawrence (2006): Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, Version 2.0, New York: Basic Books. Available at Link.

Schimmelfennig, Frank and Ulrich Sedelmeier (2004): Governance by Conditionality: EU Rule Transfer to the Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in: Journal of European Public Policy 11(4): 669-687.

Shipan, Charles V. and Craig Volden (2012): Policy Diffusion: Seven Lessons for Scholars and Practitioners. Public Administration Review 72(6): 788-796.

Sunstein, Cass R. (2014): The Limits of Quantification, California Law Review 102: 1369-1422.

Thaler, Richard H. and Cass R. Sunstein (2003): Libertarian Paternalism. American Economic Review: Papers & Proceedings 93: 175-179.

U.S. Supreme Court (2014): American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. v. Aereo, Inc., 134 S.Ct. 2498.
Prerequisites / NoticeThis is a Master level course. The course is capped at 25 students, with ISTP Master students having priority.
851-0595-01LInternational OrganizationsW3 credits2SZ. Bakaki
AbstractThis course offers a comprehensive examination of the role of international organizations (IOs) in world politics. Besides teaching the basic theories and methods that are necessary for studying IOs, this course considers the application of those theories and methods to a range of special institutions.
ObjectiveThe first part of this course offers an introduction and will seek to explain how, if at all, IOs obtain some measure of authority in international affairs, i.e., why states delegate certain tasks to IOs instead of dealing unilaterally or multilaterally outside of an institutional context. The second part of the course focuses on the impact and effectiveness of international institutions. We assess whether and how IOs influence state compliance with agreements, and whether IOs socialize states to behave in certain ways. The third and final part of the course examines a special set of IOs: international alliances and international regimes, i.e., explicit principles, norms, rules, and decision-making procedures that define expected behavior in a specific problem field.
ContentThe requirements for the course include participation in class discussions (10%), one class presentation (30%), and a final exam (60%).

a) Participation: The quality of students' experience in this course depends on the participation of students. Regular attendance and active class participation constitute a significant portion of the course grade. Students will be expected to read the required readings, think critically about them, and discuss them in class.

b) Class Presentation: First, you will submit one short (maximum 2 pages) paper summarizing the readings for a particular week. This short paper should be distributed to the class ahead of the meeting time (email, at least 24 hours in advance). Each student writing such a paper must also prepare a short class presentation. The goal of this exercise is not simply to summarize the assigned readings, as others in the class will already be familiar with the assignment. Rather, a good summary discusses the broader issues, themes, and questions underlying the readings or identifies problems with research design or potential flaws in the particular articles. The paper(s) and presentation(s) serve as a starting point for a more focused in-class discussion.

c) Final exam: The final examination will take place at the last week of the course. It lasts 1.5 hours, during which you will be required to answer 3 questions out of 9 questions.
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