This upper-level undergraduate course introduces students to the world of IOs—and international regimes, more generally—by providing them with a broad—but grounded—understanding of both topics in theory and in practice. It also explores many of the different ways in which IOs and international regimes provide order in an anarchic international system, including through the distribution of power, authority, and status; the creation and maintenance of international law; and the facilitation and promotion of norms and compliance. This course places an emphasis on students’ ability to think critically about international organizations and international regimes.

As the primary course assignment, students will (re)develop articles on Wikipedia related to the topic of IOs: individual intergovernmental organizations, individual non-governmental organizations, or theoretical and empirical concepts related to IOs.