Do businesses have responsibilities toward society? And if so, do those responsibilities end where the law ends?
In today’s interconnected world, corporations are not merely economic actors—they are powerful social and political forces. From labor conditions and equality to environmental sustainability and digital privacy, corporate decisions shape the lives of millions across the globe.

This course introduces students to the evolving field of business ethics through the lens of human rights. Moving beyond legal compliance, students explore what it means for companies to act responsibly in a globalized economy. Drawing on international frameworks such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, students examine accountability, transparency, corporate governance and sustainability in practice.

Through case studies of multinational corporations, ethical dilemma simulations, structured debates, and collaborative projects, students will investigate key questions:
• Can a corporation ever be truly “neutral”?
• What happens when profit conflicts with human dignity?
• What is the ethical and social responsibility of corporations in addressing climate change and social inequalities?
• Who holds companies accountable when regulation is weak?

The course cultivates analytical reasoning, ethical reflection, and persuasive communication. Students will not only learn existing frameworks—they will evaluate them, challenge them, and propose innovative solutions.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will:
• Understand core principles of human rights and business ethics.
• Distinguish between legal compliance and ethical responsibility.
• Analyze real-world corporate cases using structured ethical frameworks.
• Develop advanced oral and written argumentation skills through debates and simulations.
• Produce individual and group projects (such as policy briefs, corporate codes of ethics, advocacy campaigns and podcasts).

It’s the late 1800s and you are the leader of a European country: the Austrian Empire or the Kingdom of Prussia (Germany) or smaller but influential countries such as the Kingdom of Two Sicilies or Switzerland. What decisions will you make? This is your reality for the next three weeks, as you undertake the European Leadership Project, a simulation that focuses on Europe and its political, military, economic, and cultural developments from the end of the Napoleonic wars (1815) until the start of World War I (1914).

As presidents, tsars, popes or dukes, you present your decisions, answer questions posed by your opponents, try to solicit support for your quest and tackle international crises, aiming to win the final vote. Through rigorous research and analysis of your own and your opponents’ decisions, you gain a broad understanding of the study of the origins of modern international politics, emphasizing on significant themes such as foreign policy and the role of great powers, superpowers, ethnic and religious movements and terrorist groups in the arena of international affairs. Among others, you focus on the relationship between constructivism and realism in International Relations, evaluate the importance of good relations between countries with respect to the economy and evaluate why the 1929 Geneva Conference was necessary.

Learning Objectives

• Develop cognitive skills such as primary source analysis, logical inferences, and map construction and interpretation.
• Evaluate, synthesize and analyze key facts and ideas productively, to deepen your understanding of modern reality and the world issues which concern policymakers and citizens today.
• Discuss and interpret key ideas in International Relations, such as the Security Dilemma, the contribution of nationalism to the rise of imperialism and totalitarian regimes.