Special Topics in Religious Geopolitics and Global Security
| Title | Ειδικά Θέματα Θρησκευτικής, Γεωπολιτικής και Διεθνούς Ασφάλειας / Special Topics in Religious Geopolitics and Global Security |
| Code | Γ1 |
| Faculty | Theology |
| School | Theology |
| Cycle / Level | 2nd / Postgraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter |
| Coordinator | Nikos Maghioros |
| Common | No |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600026604 |
Programme of Study: PMS THrīskeía, Geōpolitikī kai Diethnīs Asfáleia
Registered students: 63
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Compulsory Course | 3 | 2 | 7.5 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors | |
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600277193
|
EPIChallenges
- European Values
Type Of Offer
- Disciplinary Course
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
- Distance learning
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600277193
- At the Website of the School:
- eLearning: https://elearning.auth.gr/course/view.php?id=20406
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
- English (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
By attending this course, students:
- will have gained a thorough understanding of the ways in which religion intertwines with geopolitics and international relations
- will have understood the two-way relationship between religious identity and the geopolitical perceptions of political agency
- will be able to assess the influence of religion at the national and regional levels
- will be able to use the analytical tools of geopolitics to approach power contests in which religious actors play an increasing role.
- will be able to evaluate the presence of Orthodoxy in major historical events and its relationship with other religions.
General Competences
- Apply knowledge in practice
- Adapt to new situations
- Work autonomously
- Work in an interdisciplinary team
- Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
Course Content (Syllabus)
1. Religion, Geopolitics, and International Relations: Introductory and Theoretical Remarks
2. The Place of Religion in the Postwar West: Ideology and Politics
3. Religious radicalism, violence, and terrorism
4. The migration crisis and religion
5. Religious trends in the formation of American foreign policy
6. Nationalism and religious identity in the Balkans
7. The "Russian World" and Russian foreign policy
8. Ukraine: religious identity and national emancipation
9. Critical approaches to the Zionist movement
10. Arab states and the crisis in Palestine
11. Critical approach to the Zionist movement
12. Iran and its allies in the Middle East and Yemen
13. Geopolitics and religious "soft power"
Keywords
geopolitics, foreign policy, leadership, religious identity, ideology, nationalism
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
- Multimedia
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
- Use of ICT in Student Assessment
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 39 | ✓ | |||
| Reading Assigment | 95 | ✓ | |||
| Field trips and participation in conferences / seminars / activities | 20 | ✓ | |||
| Written assigments | 26 | ✓ | |||
| Exams | 8 | ✓ | |||
| Total | 188 |
Student Assessment
Description
Students are assessed through:
Classroom presentations on topics analyzed during the semester
Oral or written exams (e.g., open-ended or closed-ended questions or quizzes) at the end of the semester
Assignments at the end of the semester
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Multiple Choice Questions (Formative)
- Written Assignment (Formative, Summative)
- Oral Exams (Summative)
- Performance / Staging (Formative)
Bibliography
Additional bibliography for study
Κουκούλης Θεόδωρος - Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο 1991-2003
Κιτρομηλίδης Πασχάλης - Θρησκεία και πολιτική στον Ορθόδοξο κόσμο
Last Update
21-09-2025
