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King's College London

Sanctions and Statecraft

King's College London via edX

Overview

Sanctions are among the most frequently used tools in diplomacy and foreign policy. For many states, they represent a key strategy of statecraft — shaping international behaviour without the use of force.

In this self-paced course from King’s College London, you will explore how sanctions function in the international system. Led by Professor Matthew Moran, a specialist in international security, the course blends theory with real-world case studies, examining:

  • The purpose and varieties of sanctions used to exert coercive influence

  • How sanctions operate within broader strategies of deterrence and compellence

  • The shift from comprehensive to targeted sanctions and its significance

  • The role of multilateral and unilateral actors in sanctions regimes

  • How states and non-state actors resist, evade, or adapt to sanctions

Through applied learning and critical analysis, you’ll gain a clear understanding of how sanctions are designed, implemented, and contested in today’s global security environment.

This is a short course that can be completed in 5 hours — designed to be flexible and fit into your schedule.

Syllabus

Unit 1: Introduction to Sanctions and Statecraft

Explore definitions, types, and purposes of sanctions through real-world case studies.

Unit 2: Sanctions as Tools of Statecraft

Understand coercive strategies and how sanctions function in broader foreign policy approaches.

Unit 3: The Origins of Sanctions

Trace the evolution of sanctions and the move towards targeted measures in modern diplomacy.

Unit 4: Multilateral and Unilateral Sanctions

Evaluate how different international actors pursue and coordinate sanctions policy.

Unit 5: How States Respond to Sanctions

Examine how targeted actors adapt to or evade sanctions, and the implications for global power dynamics.

Taught by

Matthew Moran

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