Department of International Relations

Department of International Relations was established in 1994 to develop a specialisation in International Relations, both in teaching and research. It provides instruction in programmes at all levels of study, including Bachelor, Master and PhD levels. Nowadays, its flagship programme is the Master in International Relations, in Czech and English variants. The programme aims to provide a complex education in the discipline of IR studies and offer options for a more profound study of different areas according to student preferences, including global governance and international institutions, European integration and security studies.

Moreover, the Department participates in instruction in Bachelor programmes: Czech programmes of Political Science and International Relations (PMV), Political Science and Public Policy (PVP) and an English programme of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE). In cooperation with the Department of Security Studies, it also offers a doctoral programme in International Relations.

The Department of International Relations research specialises in key areas of global governance and the international order, European politics, and European integration. Despite its small size, the Department conducts excellent research focusing on diverse issues of high disciplinary and political relevance.

In global governance, this has included research projects investigating the inner workings of international institutions, such as the WTO or global flows of political information. The most recent research reflects the developments in European defence in light of the war in Ukraine, examining how the European Union can foster multilateralism, strong global governance and democratic resilience.

Another area of the Department's research is the European Integration, with particular focus on the decision-making in the Council, inter-institutional relations, and the role of national parliaments, broadening our understanding of the complexities of EU governance and its implications for member states and EU institutions alike.

The research on European politics then focuses primarily on Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and regionalism, examining political developments, the role of identities, and the evolving geopolitical landscape in the region.

In the area of security studies, the Department focuses mainly on terrorism, disarmament, and peace studies, with approaches ranging from traditional security studies to critical perspectives.

Overall, the Department's research is characterised by its interdisciplinary approach, drawing on varied theoretical and methodological backgrounds, including cutting-edge methods such as automated data collection or quantum probability theory. It aims to address complex international relations issues to provide insights that inform academic scholarship, teaching and policy debates.

The Head of the Department is Assoc. Prof. Jan Karlas, his Deputy is Assoc. Prof. Michal Parízek. The Deputy for student affairs is Dr Viera Martinková.