Course Structure & Faculty

This year’s Olympia Summer Academy will run in three parallel course-cycles:

1. 1. Global Discord and Cooperation
   2. Terrorism and Counterterrorism
   3. The Rise of China: Domestic and Global Perspectives

Dates: July 11 – 14, 2023

Venue: Hellenic American Union; Massalias 22; Athens, 10680; Greece.

A: Global Discord and Cooperation

The world appears mired in discord. Disagreements seem to be proliferating among major and smaller powers alike, within alliances and across the Global North and Global South. Backlash against globalization has many observers worried that processes of de-globalization and fragmentation will undermine foundational elements of global governance. And that the world will be prevented from successfully meeting the big challenges of the 21st century. But not everyone shares this outlook. Other observers point to heightened levels and sophistication of international cooperation. They add that international cooperation has always been hard, that populists often are displaced, and that global structures have overcome existential threats in the past. This interdisciplinary course examines rival perspectives that inform debates about the state of global governance. With examples from the earliest periods of global governance to the present age, the course features studies of discord and cooperation in the global political, economic, and security areas.

Faculty

• Kristin Fabbe,  Jakurski Family Associate Professor, Harvard Business School.

• Orfeo Fioretos, Professor of Political Science, Temple University, Philadelphia.

• Dimitris Keridis, Professor of International Politics, Panteion University; Director, Olympia Summer Academy.

• Wolfango Piccoli, Co-president and Director of Research, Teneo Intelligence.

B: Terrorism and Counterterrorism

Terrorism, and our response to it, is among the most compelling of global political issues: it dominates news headlines, public anxiety, and political strategies alike. Yet few attempt to analyze systematically this pressing phenomenon. Surely, no amount of analytical precision will rid us of the existence of terrorism, but if we want to respond effectively to the policy challenge that it poses, we need first to respond effectively to its analytical challenge. To this end, the course offers concentrated, in-depth exposure to the evolution and major characteristics of modern terrorism, its actors, strategies and modus operandi, as well as an understanding of the challenges this phenomenon presents to decision-makers and security establishments. An integral part of the course is a workshop where students can present their ongoing research and receive feedback from faculty and peers. The course will be a unique platform to engage in challenging debates and to consolidate a global research network in the fast-growing field of Terrorism Studies.

Faculty

• Richard English, Professor of Politics and Director of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University Belfast.

• Sofia Galani, Assistant Professor of International Law, Panteion University.

• Andreas Gofas, Professor of International Relations, Panteion University; Director, European Cultural Center of Delphi; Co-director, Olympia Summer Academy.

C: The Rise of China: Domestic and Global Perspectives

The emergence of China as a power with global interests in the 21st century has been interpreted in different ways. Where some see peaceful intentions driven by developmental priorities, others argue that China represents a political and military threat, with each side projecting their own aspirations and insecurities about the future. The course will prompt participants to carefully examine the domestic and global dynamics that shape the rise of China and think for themselves about the challenges it entails. We will first explore the key stages of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) transformation from a revolutionary-military organization in the 1940s to a technocratic developmental regime in the 1980s and a confident autocracy with global aspirations in the 2010s. The domestic perspectives will cover the system of governance that the CCP has developed, the main characteristics of its version of capitalism, and key themes in state-society relations. Moving to the global dimension, participants will examine China’s security interests and international behaviour, as well as unpack the Belt and Road Initiative as a platform for the promotion of Chinese economic and other priorities.

Faculty

• Igor Rogelja, Assistant Professor of Global Politics, University College London

• Konstantinos Tsimonis, Assistant Professor of Chinese Politics, King’s College London and Panteion University, Chinese Politics programme coordinator, Institute of International Relations.

Application Process & Fees

Decisions for candidates that submitted their application before the 3rd of April, will be mailed out by April 28, 2023.