Course purpose

The aim of the course is to enable students to understand the complex international (geo)economic (geo)political, legal, security, and cultural (religious) environment in which contemporary businesses are operating. Students will be familiar with challenges, dangers and opportunities for today’s enterprise which aims to internationalize its activities (enter foreign markets). As Slovenian economy is considerably export-oriented its businessmen (enterprises) are required to profoundly understand international environment in order to operate successfully. In addition, the Republic of Slovenia should diversify its export markets in order not to rely too heavily on export to the European Union.

Content (Syllabus outline)

• The normative structure of the international order – the Westphalian paradigm of sovereignty (division of humanity into sovereign states); impact of the phenomenon of globalization on the Westphalian paradigm of sovereignty.
• The United Nations Organization (UN) as the universal international organization; the basics of international law.
• Geopolitics and geoeconomics – role of the United States of America, the Russian federation, the People’s Republic of China, India and Africa. Unipolar and multipolar international order.
• Role of religion in international environment; cultural and political characteristics of Islam and Christianity (Protestantism and Roman Catholicism); the main points of tensions between the West and the Muslim world; division of Islam into Sunni and Shia branches.
• Global trade and global finance.
• Neoliberalism as the dominant socio-economic paradigm in today’s World; Keynesian socio-economic paradigm.