Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 209-3"
COURSE NAME: "World Politics"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2022

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Eszter Salgo
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
An introduction to the theory and practice of international affairs, this course discusses the main schools of world politics as well as actors, structures and institutions of international relations. Through this framework the course explores key conflicts and issues in the post-World War II era, including problems of war, armed conflict, and peace, and the impact of recent trends in globalization on world politics.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course offers an overview of world politics by illustrating the main theoretical approaches, the key actors, the main structures and some of the most pressing challenges. It also explores how the realm of global politics is visually constructed and how visual sources shape public perceptions and responses to them. Considering the visual as a site of power and affect, students investigate how visual political communication is used as a means to persuade viewers (with symbolic messages) and how it may alter the balance of political forces (fostering change). Overall, the course develops students’ analytical skills related to critical assessment of verbal and visual information and encourages them to challenge their thoughts about factors driving world politics.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the historical roots of global politics; link abstract theories to substantive issues; analyze the changing role of states in global politics; explore the growing role and evaluate critically the successes and the failures of international organizations and non-state actors; assess arguments in favor and against globalization; analyze the "human dimension" of global politics (the role of identity, ethnicity, nationality and human development); appreciate the importance of the aesthetic sources of politics; demonstrate research and analytical skills in using case studies (relying both on primary and secondary, verbal and visual sources) to better understand the need for global governance; demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills within the context of global politics and use critical thinking, analytical skills and imagination to propose individual interpretations.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
The globalization of world politics : an introduction to international relations	Baylis	Oxford University Press	9780198825548

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight

Class attendance	Class attendance will be considered in combination with assessment of students’ active participation in general and specifically during the class debates. Students will not be penalized for one, two or three absences.	15%
Research project	Each student will conduct a research on a topic relating to world politics and submit his/her ten-minute-long video-recorded presentation on Moodle by March 28.	25%
Final exam	The final exam consists of test questions, short answers and essay questions. It test students on concepts and topics covered throughout the semester. Students are graded on accuracy, depth of analysis, logical content, creative thinking, on their ability to formulate a sophisticated argument, provide evidence for their statements, discuss and show understanding of alternative explanations.	40%
Midterm exam	The midterm exam consists of short questions. It tests students on concepts and topics covered in the firs half of the semester. Students are graded on accuracy, depth of analysis, logical content, creative thinking, on their ability to formulate a sophisticated argument, provide evidence for their statements, discuss and show understanding of alternative explanations.	20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cou
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
Class Attendance will be considered in combination with assessment of students’ active participation in general and specifically during the class debates. Students will not be penalized for two absences. If further absences are recorded, grade penalties will be applied. From one to four more absences will reduce the participation score by 5% for each absence. More than six total absences will result in the overall F.
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week 1 Monday: Introduction Wednesday: Visual and verbal sources. Individual research Week 2 Monday: Global politics and globalization Reading: Baylis (2020) Introduction and chapter 1 Wednesday: Realism Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 8 Week 3 Monday: Liberalism Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 6 Wednesday: Marxism Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 7 Week 4 Monday: Constructivism Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 12 Wednesday: Postcolonialism Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 10 Friday: Poststructuralism Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 11 Week 5 Monday: Aesthetic turn in the discipline Reading: Bleiker (2018) Introduction Wednesday: The emergence of the modern international system Reading: Baylis (2020) Chapter 2, Mansbach (2012) Chapter 2 Friday: The historical context: the twentieth-century Reading: Baylis (2020) Chapter 3 Week 6 Monday: Review Wednesday: Margaret Burke-White photo exhibition, Visit to the Museum of Trastevere Week 7 Monday: Midterm Wednesday: The post-Cold War order Reading: Baylis (2020) Chapter 4 Week 8 Monday: Global actors: rising powers Reading: Baylis (2020) Chapter 5 Wednesday: intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations Reading: Baylis (2020) Chapters 20 and 22 Week 9 Monday: United Nations Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 21 Wednesday: Regionalism Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 22 Week 10 BREAK Week 11 Monday: Oral presentations Wednesday: Oral presentations Week 12 Monday: Gender and race in world politics Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 17 and 18 Wednesday: Human rights Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 31 Week 13 Monday: Security Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 15 and 32 Wednesday: Poverty hunger and development Reading: Baylis (2020) chapter 26 Week 14 Monday: HOLIDAY Wednesday: The future of IR theory Reading: B. Badie (2020) Rethinking International Relations, Introduction and A. Acharya and B. Buzan, Barry (2017) Why is there no non-Western International Relations theory? Ten years on Week 15 Monday: HOLIDAY Wednesday: REVIEW