The course aims to introduce the topics of strategy, defense policy and development of military power focusing in particular on the Italian case. The aim of the course is therefore to lead students to familiarize with the concept of “strategy” and with the actors and dynamics of defense policy within states, to inform them about the main issues related to the development of the Armed Forces, and to outline a theoretical framework of reference for the analysis of national defense policies.
teacher profile teaching materials
Instructor: Niccolò Petrelli
C.F.U. 8
Studi Strategici
Docente: Niccolò Petrelli
A.A. 2021/22
C.F.U. 6
What is Strategy? What are its constituent elements? How does it work in practice? How do international actors coordinate national interests and available resources? How is power developed in the international system? The course aims at introducing students to the topics of strategy, power in its various forms, and competiton and conflict in the international system. By familiarizing students with the theory of strategy, the course provides them theoretical tools appropriate for analyzing international relations in a competitive perspective.
AT the end of the course the students will be in possess of:
1. Analytical instruments appropriate for analyzing and assessing the dynamics of conflict and competition in international relations.
2. Knowledge of a certain number of empirical cases of national strategy in various areas of the world in the last 30 years.
Program
Week 1 – The Theory of Stratey: Fundamental Concepts
1. Introduction: The academic discipline of Strategic Studies, Objectives and structure of the course, assessment, teaching approach, materials.
2. The Strategic Approach to international Relations: Strategy as a Science and its fundamental assumptions.
Bernard Brodie, ‘Strategy as a Science’ World Politics, Vol. 1, No. 4 (July 1949), pp. 467-488.
Michael Howard, ‘The Strategic Approach to International Relations’, British Journal of International Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1 (April 1976), pp. 67-75.
MLR Smith – Strategic Theory Assumptions.
3. The concept of Strategy: General overview and analytical framework
Bob De Wit, Strategy: An International Perspective, 6th Edition (Andover: Cengage, 2017).
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina (Lugano: StartInsight/Europa Atlantica, 2021), 27-29.
Edward Luttwak, Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 2002), levels
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 53-55.
Week 2 – The "environment" and content of Grand Strategy
4. Grand Strategy and the “environment”
Edward Luttwak, Strategy, scope.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 30.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Anarchy in International Relations.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Interdependence in International Organization and Global Governance.
5. The elements of Grand Strategy: Diagnosis, Objectives.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 31-40.
6. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Means
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 40-47.
Week 3 – The Content of Grand Strategy (II)
7. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Time
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Andrew Carr, ‘It’s about time: Strategy and temporal phenomena’, Journal of Strategic Studies (2018).
8. The Elements of Grand Strategy: The competitive logic
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Michael Porter, ‘What is Strategy?’, Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996).
9. The Execution of Grand Strategy
Colin Gray, The Strategy Bridge: Theory for Practice (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2012), 59-74.*
Niccolò Petrelli – The Stages of Grand Strategy (dispensa)
Week 4 – The Process of Grand Strategy
10. Strategy and Contingency
Hew Strachan, ‘Strategy and contingency’, International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 6 (November 2011), pp. 1281-1296.
11. The strategy process: features and analytical criteria.
Lawrence Freedman, Strategy, A History (Oxford: Oxford UP: 2013).
John Lewis Gaddis, ‘Containment and the Logic of Strategy’, The National Interest, No. 10 (WINTER 1987/8), pp. 27-38.
Richard K. Betts, ‘The Trouble with Strategy: Bridging Policy and Operations’, Joint Force Quarterly (Autumn/Winter 2001–02), 23-30.
12. The Grand Strategy of Brasil
Carlos R. S. Milani and Tiago Nery, ‘Brazil’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Matias Spektor, ‘Brazil: Shadows of the Past and Contested Ambitions’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
Week 5 – Grand Strategy in Practice: Case Studies
13. The Grand Strategy of the EU
Daniel Fiott and Luis Simón, ‘The European Union’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Sven Biscop, ‘No peace from corona: defining EU strategy for the 2020s’, Journal of European Integration, 42/8 (2020), 1009-1023.
14. The Grand Strategy of Russia
Celine Marangé, ‘Russia’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Fyodor Lukyanov, ‘Russia: Geopolitics and Identity’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016),
VIa Settimana – Grand Strategy in practice: Case Studies (II)
15. The Grand Strategy of Israel
Eitan Shamir, ‘Israel’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Ariel Levite, ‘Israel: Strategic Vision Adrift’ in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
16. The Grand Strategy of Iran
Thierry Balzacq and Wendy Ramadan-Alban, ‘Iran’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Kevjn Lim, ‘Iran’s Grand Strategic Logic’, Survival, 62/5 (2020), 157-172
17. The Grand Strategy of China
Andrew S. Erickson, ‘China’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Oriana Skylar Mastro, ‘Chinese Grand Strategy’, In John Baylis, James J. Wirtz, Jeannie L. Johnson (eds), Strategy in the Contemporary World, 7th edition, (Oxford UP, forthcoming Dec 2021).
Week 7 – Conclusions
18. The Grand Strategy of the US
Hal Brands, Grand Strategy in the Age of Trump (Washington DC: Brookings, 2018), cap. 3.
19. Conclusions and Final Revision
FOr info about teaching material email the instructor.
In addition to the readings listed above students that attend the course (at least 2/3 of classe) will have to submit a paper (maximum 4000 words) before December 6 Dicembre on one of the following:
Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters (New York: Crown, 2011).
Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Bites Back (London: Prentice Hall, 2008).
Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (New York: The Free Press, 1990), 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Students attending for 8CFU will have phave to submit two papers (maximum 4000 words) before December 12 on two of the following:
Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters (New York: Crown, 2011).
Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Bites Back (London: Prentice Hall, 2008).
Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (New York: The Free Press, 1990), 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11
Strategic Studies
Instructor: Niccolò Petrelli
A.A. 2021/22
C.F.U. 9
What is Strategy? What are its constituent elements? How does it work in practice? How do international actors coordinate national interests and available resources? How is power developed in the international system? The course aims at introducing students to the topics of strategy, power in its various forms, and competiton and conflict in the international system. By familiarizing students with the theory of strategy, the course provides them theoretical tools appropriate for analyzing international relations in a competitive perspective.
AT the end of the course the students will be in possess of:
1. Analytical instruments appropriate for analyzing and assessing the dynamics of conflict and competition in international relations.
2. Knowledge of a certain number of empirical cases of national strategy in various areas of the world in the last 30 years.
Program
Week 1 – The Theory of Stratey: Fundamental Concepts
1. Introduction: The academic discipline of Strategic Studies, Objectives and structure of the course, assessment, teaching approach, materials.
2. The Strategic Approach to international Relations: Strategy as a Science and its fundamental assumptions.
Bernard Brodie, ‘Strategy as a Science’ World Politics, Vol. 1, No. 4 (July 1949), pp. 467-488.
Michael Howard, ‘The Strategic Approach to International Relations’, British Journal of International Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1 (April 1976), pp. 67-75.
MLR Smith – Strategic Theory Assumptions.
3. The concept of Strategy: General overview and analytical framework
Bob De Wit, Strategy: An International Perspective, 6th Edition (Andover: Cengage, 2017).
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina (Lugano: StartInsight/Europa Atlantica, 2021), 27-29.
Edward Luttwak, Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 2002), levels
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 53-55.
Week 2 – The "environment" and content of Grand Strategy
4. Grand Strategy and the “environment”
Edward Luttwak, Strategy, scope.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 30.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Anarchy in International Relations.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Interdependence in International Organization and Global Governance.
5. The elements of Grand Strategy: Diagnosis, Objectives.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 31-40.
6. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Means
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 40-47.
Week 3 – The Content of Grand Strategy (II)
7. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Time
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Andrew Carr, ‘It’s about time: Strategy and temporal phenomena’, Journal of Strategic Studies (2018).
8. The Elements of Grand Strategy: The competitive logic
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Michael Porter, ‘What is Strategy?’, Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996).
9. The Execution of Grand Strategy
Colin Gray, The Strategy Bridge: Theory for Practice (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2012), 59-74.*
Lawrence Freedman, Strategy, A History (Oxford: Oxford UP: 2013).
Richard K. Betts, ‘The Trouble with Strategy: Bridging Policy and Operations’, Joint Force Quarterly (Autumn/Winter 2001–02), 23-30.
Week 4 – The Process of Grand Strategy
10. Strategy and Contingency
Hew Strachan, ‘Strategy and contingency’, International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 6 (November 2011), pp. 1281-1296.
11. Change in Grand Strategy
Rebecca Lissner, ‘Rethinking Grand-Strategic Change: Overhauls Versus Adjustments in Grand Strategy’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
12. Analys and Evaluation of Grand Strategy
William C. Wohlforth, ‘The Challenge of Evaluating Grand Strategy’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
John Lewis Gaddis, ‘Containment and the Logic of Strategy’, The National Interest, No. 10 (WINTER 1987/8), pp. 27-38.
Week 5 – Analysis and Evaluation of Grand Strategy
13. Success in Grand Strategy
Hal Brands and Peter Feaver, ‘Getting Grand Strategy Right’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
14. Grand Strategy in Small States
Anders Wivel, ‘The Grand Strategies of Small States’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
Week 6 – Grand Strategy in Practice: Case Studies
15. the Grand Strategy of Brazil
Carlos R. S. Milani and Tiago Nery, ‘Brazil’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Matias Spektor, ‘Brazil: Shadows of the Past and Contested Ambitions’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
16. the Grand Strategy of the EU
Daniel Fiott and Luis Simón, ‘The European Union’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Sven Biscop, ‘No peace from corona: defining EU strategy for the 2020s’, Journal of European Integration, 42/8 (2020), 1009-1023.
17. Russia's Grand Strategy
Celine Marangé, ‘Russia’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Fyodor Lukyanov, ‘Russia: Geopolitics and Identity’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016),
Week 7 Grand Straegy in Practice: Case Studies (II)
18. Israel's Grand Strategy
Eitan Shamir, ‘Israel’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Ariel Levite, ‘Israel: Strategic Vision Adrift’ in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
19. Iran's Grand Strategy
Thierry Balzacq and Wendy Ramadan-Alban, ‘Iran’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Kevjn Lim, ‘Iran’s Grand Strategic Logic’, Survival, 62/5 (2020), 157-172
20. China's Grand Strategy
Andrew S. Erickson, ‘China’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Oriana Skylar Mastro, ‘Chinese Grand Strategy’, In John Baylis, James J. Wirtz, Jeannie L. Johnson (eds), Strategy in the Contemporary World, 7th edition, (Oxford UP, forthcoming Dec 2021).
Week 8 – Presentations
21. US Grand Strategy
Hal Brands, Grand Strategy in the Age of Trump (Washington DC: Brookings, 2018), cap. 3.
22. Students' Presentations
23. Students' Presentations
Week 9 – Presentations
24. Students' Presentations
25. Students' Presentations
26. Students' Presentations
Week 10 – Conclusions
27. Conclusions and Exam Review
In addition to the readings listed above students that attend the course (at least 2/3 of classes) will have to submit a paper (maximum 4000 words) before December 12 and present on two of the following:
Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters (New York: Crown, 2011).
Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Bites Back (London: Prentice Hall, 2008).
Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (New York: The Free Press, 1990), 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Fruizione: 21810383 STUDI STRATEGICI in Politiche per la Sicurezza Globale: Ambiente, Energia e Conflitti LM-52 A - Z PETRELLI NICCOLÒ
Programme
Strategic StudiesInstructor: Niccolò Petrelli
C.F.U. 8
Studi Strategici
Docente: Niccolò Petrelli
A.A. 2021/22
C.F.U. 6
What is Strategy? What are its constituent elements? How does it work in practice? How do international actors coordinate national interests and available resources? How is power developed in the international system? The course aims at introducing students to the topics of strategy, power in its various forms, and competiton and conflict in the international system. By familiarizing students with the theory of strategy, the course provides them theoretical tools appropriate for analyzing international relations in a competitive perspective.
AT the end of the course the students will be in possess of:
1. Analytical instruments appropriate for analyzing and assessing the dynamics of conflict and competition in international relations.
2. Knowledge of a certain number of empirical cases of national strategy in various areas of the world in the last 30 years.
Program
Week 1 – The Theory of Stratey: Fundamental Concepts
1. Introduction: The academic discipline of Strategic Studies, Objectives and structure of the course, assessment, teaching approach, materials.
2. The Strategic Approach to international Relations: Strategy as a Science and its fundamental assumptions.
Bernard Brodie, ‘Strategy as a Science’ World Politics, Vol. 1, No. 4 (July 1949), pp. 467-488.
Michael Howard, ‘The Strategic Approach to International Relations’, British Journal of International Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1 (April 1976), pp. 67-75.
MLR Smith – Strategic Theory Assumptions.
3. The concept of Strategy: General overview and analytical framework
Bob De Wit, Strategy: An International Perspective, 6th Edition (Andover: Cengage, 2017).
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina (Lugano: StartInsight/Europa Atlantica, 2021), 27-29.
Edward Luttwak, Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 2002), levels
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 53-55.
Week 2 – The "environment" and content of Grand Strategy
4. Grand Strategy and the “environment”
Edward Luttwak, Strategy, scope.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 30.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Anarchy in International Relations.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Interdependence in International Organization and Global Governance.
5. The elements of Grand Strategy: Diagnosis, Objectives.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 31-40.
6. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Means
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 40-47.
Week 3 – The Content of Grand Strategy (II)
7. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Time
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Andrew Carr, ‘It’s about time: Strategy and temporal phenomena’, Journal of Strategic Studies (2018).
8. The Elements of Grand Strategy: The competitive logic
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Michael Porter, ‘What is Strategy?’, Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996).
9. The Execution of Grand Strategy
Colin Gray, The Strategy Bridge: Theory for Practice (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2012), 59-74.*
Niccolò Petrelli – The Stages of Grand Strategy (dispensa)
Week 4 – The Process of Grand Strategy
10. Strategy and Contingency
Hew Strachan, ‘Strategy and contingency’, International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 6 (November 2011), pp. 1281-1296.
11. The strategy process: features and analytical criteria.
Lawrence Freedman, Strategy, A History (Oxford: Oxford UP: 2013).
John Lewis Gaddis, ‘Containment and the Logic of Strategy’, The National Interest, No. 10 (WINTER 1987/8), pp. 27-38.
Richard K. Betts, ‘The Trouble with Strategy: Bridging Policy and Operations’, Joint Force Quarterly (Autumn/Winter 2001–02), 23-30.
12. The Grand Strategy of Brasil
Carlos R. S. Milani and Tiago Nery, ‘Brazil’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Matias Spektor, ‘Brazil: Shadows of the Past and Contested Ambitions’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
Week 5 – Grand Strategy in Practice: Case Studies
13. The Grand Strategy of the EU
Daniel Fiott and Luis Simón, ‘The European Union’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Sven Biscop, ‘No peace from corona: defining EU strategy for the 2020s’, Journal of European Integration, 42/8 (2020), 1009-1023.
14. The Grand Strategy of Russia
Celine Marangé, ‘Russia’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Fyodor Lukyanov, ‘Russia: Geopolitics and Identity’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016),
VIa Settimana – Grand Strategy in practice: Case Studies (II)
15. The Grand Strategy of Israel
Eitan Shamir, ‘Israel’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Ariel Levite, ‘Israel: Strategic Vision Adrift’ in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
16. The Grand Strategy of Iran
Thierry Balzacq and Wendy Ramadan-Alban, ‘Iran’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Kevjn Lim, ‘Iran’s Grand Strategic Logic’, Survival, 62/5 (2020), 157-172
17. The Grand Strategy of China
Andrew S. Erickson, ‘China’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Oriana Skylar Mastro, ‘Chinese Grand Strategy’, In John Baylis, James J. Wirtz, Jeannie L. Johnson (eds), Strategy in the Contemporary World, 7th edition, (Oxford UP, forthcoming Dec 2021).
Week 7 – Conclusions
18. The Grand Strategy of the US
Hal Brands, Grand Strategy in the Age of Trump (Washington DC: Brookings, 2018), cap. 3.
19. Conclusions and Final Revision
FOr info about teaching material email the instructor.
In addition to the readings listed above students that attend the course (at least 2/3 of classe) will have to submit a paper (maximum 4000 words) before December 6 Dicembre on one of the following:
Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters (New York: Crown, 2011).
Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Bites Back (London: Prentice Hall, 2008).
Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (New York: The Free Press, 1990), 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Students attending for 8CFU will have phave to submit two papers (maximum 4000 words) before December 12 on two of the following:
Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters (New York: Crown, 2011).
Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Bites Back (London: Prentice Hall, 2008).
Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (New York: The Free Press, 1990), 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11
Strategic Studies
Instructor: Niccolò Petrelli
A.A. 2021/22
C.F.U. 9
What is Strategy? What are its constituent elements? How does it work in practice? How do international actors coordinate national interests and available resources? How is power developed in the international system? The course aims at introducing students to the topics of strategy, power in its various forms, and competiton and conflict in the international system. By familiarizing students with the theory of strategy, the course provides them theoretical tools appropriate for analyzing international relations in a competitive perspective.
AT the end of the course the students will be in possess of:
1. Analytical instruments appropriate for analyzing and assessing the dynamics of conflict and competition in international relations.
2. Knowledge of a certain number of empirical cases of national strategy in various areas of the world in the last 30 years.
Program
Week 1 – The Theory of Stratey: Fundamental Concepts
1. Introduction: The academic discipline of Strategic Studies, Objectives and structure of the course, assessment, teaching approach, materials.
2. The Strategic Approach to international Relations: Strategy as a Science and its fundamental assumptions.
Bernard Brodie, ‘Strategy as a Science’ World Politics, Vol. 1, No. 4 (July 1949), pp. 467-488.
Michael Howard, ‘The Strategic Approach to International Relations’, British Journal of International Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1 (April 1976), pp. 67-75.
MLR Smith – Strategic Theory Assumptions.
3. The concept of Strategy: General overview and analytical framework
Bob De Wit, Strategy: An International Perspective, 6th Edition (Andover: Cengage, 2017).
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina (Lugano: StartInsight/Europa Atlantica, 2021), 27-29.
Edward Luttwak, Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 2002), levels
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 53-55.
Week 2 – The "environment" and content of Grand Strategy
4. Grand Strategy and the “environment”
Edward Luttwak, Strategy, scope.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 30.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Anarchy in International Relations.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies - Interdependence in International Organization and Global Governance.
5. The elements of Grand Strategy: Diagnosis, Objectives.
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 31-40.
6. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Means
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 40-47.
Week 3 – The Content of Grand Strategy (II)
7. The Elements of Grand Strategy: Time
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Andrew Carr, ‘It’s about time: Strategy and temporal phenomena’, Journal of Strategic Studies (2018).
8. The Elements of Grand Strategy: The competitive logic
Niccolò Petrelli, La Grande Strategia e il Futuro della Competizione USA-Cina, 47-51.
Michael Porter, ‘What is Strategy?’, Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996).
9. The Execution of Grand Strategy
Colin Gray, The Strategy Bridge: Theory for Practice (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2012), 59-74.*
Lawrence Freedman, Strategy, A History (Oxford: Oxford UP: 2013).
Richard K. Betts, ‘The Trouble with Strategy: Bridging Policy and Operations’, Joint Force Quarterly (Autumn/Winter 2001–02), 23-30.
Week 4 – The Process of Grand Strategy
10. Strategy and Contingency
Hew Strachan, ‘Strategy and contingency’, International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 6 (November 2011), pp. 1281-1296.
11. Change in Grand Strategy
Rebecca Lissner, ‘Rethinking Grand-Strategic Change: Overhauls Versus Adjustments in Grand Strategy’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
12. Analys and Evaluation of Grand Strategy
William C. Wohlforth, ‘The Challenge of Evaluating Grand Strategy’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
John Lewis Gaddis, ‘Containment and the Logic of Strategy’, The National Interest, No. 10 (WINTER 1987/8), pp. 27-38.
Week 5 – Analysis and Evaluation of Grand Strategy
13. Success in Grand Strategy
Hal Brands and Peter Feaver, ‘Getting Grand Strategy Right’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
14. Grand Strategy in Small States
Anders Wivel, ‘The Grand Strategies of Small States’, in Thierry Balzacq and Ronald R. Krebs (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2021).
Week 6 – Grand Strategy in Practice: Case Studies
15. the Grand Strategy of Brazil
Carlos R. S. Milani and Tiago Nery, ‘Brazil’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Matias Spektor, ‘Brazil: Shadows of the Past and Contested Ambitions’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
16. the Grand Strategy of the EU
Daniel Fiott and Luis Simón, ‘The European Union’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Sven Biscop, ‘No peace from corona: defining EU strategy for the 2020s’, Journal of European Integration, 42/8 (2020), 1009-1023.
17. Russia's Grand Strategy
Celine Marangé, ‘Russia’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Fyodor Lukyanov, ‘Russia: Geopolitics and Identity’, in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016),
Week 7 Grand Straegy in Practice: Case Studies (II)
18. Israel's Grand Strategy
Eitan Shamir, ‘Israel’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Ariel Levite, ‘Israel: Strategic Vision Adrift’ in William I. Hitchcock, Melvyn P. Leffler, Jeffrey W. Legro (eds.), Shaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2016).
19. Iran's Grand Strategy
Thierry Balzacq and Wendy Ramadan-Alban, ‘Iran’ in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Kevjn Lim, ‘Iran’s Grand Strategic Logic’, Survival, 62/5 (2020), 157-172
20. China's Grand Strategy
Andrew S. Erickson, ‘China’, in Thierry Balzacq, Simon Reich, Peter Dombrowski (eds.), Comparative Grand Strategy A Framework and Cases (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2019).
Oriana Skylar Mastro, ‘Chinese Grand Strategy’, In John Baylis, James J. Wirtz, Jeannie L. Johnson (eds), Strategy in the Contemporary World, 7th edition, (Oxford UP, forthcoming Dec 2021).
Week 8 – Presentations
21. US Grand Strategy
Hal Brands, Grand Strategy in the Age of Trump (Washington DC: Brookings, 2018), cap. 3.
22. Students' Presentations
23. Students' Presentations
Week 9 – Presentations
24. Students' Presentations
25. Students' Presentations
26. Students' Presentations
Week 10 – Conclusions
27. Conclusions and Exam Review
In addition to the readings listed above students that attend the course (at least 2/3 of classes) will have to submit a paper (maximum 4000 words) before December 12 and present on two of the following:
Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters (New York: Crown, 2011).
Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Bites Back (London: Prentice Hall, 2008).
Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (New York: The Free Press, 1990), 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Core Documentation
See syllabusType of delivery of the course
The course includes "seminar-style" classes, meaning that it involves continuous interaction between the teacher and students. Before each class, students are required to carry out the readings assigned by the instructor in order to conduct an informed discussion on the topics covered in the classroom. In particular, in the second part of the course, from lesson 12 onwards, the expectation is that, using the analytical tools learned in the first part of the course, students undertake to use them in order to describe and evaluate the practice of strategy in the international system.Type of evaluation
15% class attendance 25% group presentation 30% mid-term 30% final