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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 470"
COURSE NAME: "International Affairs Senior Seminar"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Lars Rensmann
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: Senior Standing or permission of the instructor
OFFICE HOURS: W 2-3:30pm and by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course exposes students to major examples of current, ground-breaking and policy-relevant political research in the field of international affairs and world politics. The course is designed to help students to synthesize the skills and substantive knowledge of their major and apply it to current issues of the practice of world politics or to significant research problems. Students will learn to organize and produce work that could be presented to governments, international governmental and non-governmental organizations, research institutes, media outlets or global firms. Students will be required to make oral presentations, employing methods of international affairs, and display familiarity with the use of qualitative and quantitative data. Students will also engage in a research project of their own, write policy briefs, and present their work.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This capstone seminar (i) exposes students to major examples of current, ground-breaking and policy-relevant political research, methods, and models, with a special focus on the subfield of international affairs and world politics. Moreover, the seminar (ii) is designed to help students employ and present such research in a professional way, synthesizing and applying the skills and substantive knowledge of their major to current issues of world politics, international public policy-making, or significant research problems. The seminar explores cutting-edge research in various areas of international affairs. It also offers a forum for students to develop, present, and discuss professional and scholarly projects. The first part examines research, methods, and professional techniques; the second part focuses on examples and current issues of cutting-edge research and policy analyses in world politics. In the third section of the class students present their own research papers or policy papers (“white papers”) in class based on previously circulated manuscripts, in addition to explorations of methods and examples of global political research producing and using quantitative and qualitative data. 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will learn to organize and produce research that could be presented in academic contexts, and to governments, international organizations, research institutes, media outlets or global firms. Students will hereby be required to engage with cutting-edge research output; make professional oral presentations of their work; employ methods of international affairs; and display familiarity with the use of qualitative and quantitative data. Students will engage in a research project of their own, write policy briefs, and provide  research reflections. They exercise to present the work of scholars and students’ own work, which will be discussed in class in substantive aspects and in terms of presentation. Seminar participants will train and display their scholarly and professional skills.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Political Research: Methods and Practical SkillsSandra Halperin & Oliver HeathOxford University Press9780199558414     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Two policy briefs or reading/research/methods reflectionsQuality of processing academic cutting-edge work20%
First draft of final research or policy paperQuality of research design, topic, methods10%
Final research or policy paper, 8-10 pagesQuality of original research or policy paper contributing to academic knowledge or public olicy30%
Two in-class presentations Quality of presentations skills20%
Participation and final colloquiumParticipation, communicative skills, level of (self-)reflexivity and academic/professional conduct20%

-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 course
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
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 DECEMBER 11, 2015. 
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

September 1: Introduction to the Seminar: Working in and on International Politics

Readings: None

 

PART I: CONCEPTS, METHODS, MODELS REVISITED

 

September 3: Key Approaches to IR and World Politics Revisited

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Political Research,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp.1-22 [Chapter 1]

 

September 8: Issues, Methodologies, Theories, and Values in Global Political Research: Explaining World Politics, Governance, and Policy-Making in Research & Policy Papers

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Research Design,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp.44-48; 53-69 [parts of Chapter 2 & 3]



September 10: Asking Research Questions: Finding & Formulating Questions & Puzzles

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Asking Questions: How to Find and Formulate Research Questions,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp.101-128 [Chapter 5]

 

September 15: Answering Research Questions: Components, Constructions, Hypotheses

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Answering Research Questions: Requirements, Components, and Construction,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), 129-163 [Chapter 6]

 

September 17: From (Finding) Innovative Research Subjects to Effective Research Designs

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Research Design,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012) [Chapter 7]

 

PART II: EXAMINING AND DISCUSSING IR RESEARCH & GLOBAL PUBLIC POLICY

 

September 22: Trends/Problems of IR & Global Political Theory: Explanatory Models

Readings: Adam R. C. Humphreys, “What Should We Expect from Liberal Explanatory Theory?,” Journal of International Political Theory, 8, 1-2 (2012): 25-47.

 

September 24: Trends/Problems of IR & Global Political Theory: Normative and Legal

Readings: Hauke Brunkhorst, “Constitutional Evolution in the Crisis of the Early Twenty-First Century,” Social Research 81, 3 (2014): 519-539. Link; Lars Rensmann, “Back to Kant? The Democratic Deficits of Habermas’ Global Constitutionalism,” in Tom Bailey, ed., Deprovincializing Habermas: Global Perspectives (New York & New Dehli: Routledge, 2013), pp.27-49.

 

September 25: Religious & Ethnic Conflict and the Problem of International Terrorism

Readings: James B. Steinberg & Miriam R. Estrin. “Harmonizing Policy and Principle: A Hybrid Model for Counterterrorism,” Journal of National Security Law & Policy 7,1 (2014): 161-207. Link (MAKE-UP FOR NOVEMBER 26)



September 29: Religious & Ethnic Conflict and the Problem of International Terrorism

Readings: Michael Lister & Miguel Otero-iglesias. “New Problems, Old Solutions? Explaining Variations in British and Spanish Anti-Terrorism Policy,” Comparative European Politics 10.5 (2012): 564-584. Link FIRST SHORT REFLECTION PAPER DUE

 

October 1: Global Governance & Environmental Policy: The Case of Climate Change

Readings: Emilian Kavalski, “From the Cold War to Global Warming: Observing Complexity in IR,” Political Studies Review 9, 1 (2011): 1-12. Link

 

October 6: Global Governance & Environmental Policy: The Case of Climate Change

Readings: Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen and Jeffrey McGee, “Legitimacy in an Era of Fragmentation: The Case of Global Climate Governance,” Global Environmental Politics 13, 3 (2013): 56-78. Link

 

October 8:  Rethinking and Reexamining International Security Studies: IR & Cyberspace  

Readings: Ronald J. Deibert & Masashi Crete-Nishihata, “Global Governance and the Spread of Cyberspace Controls,” Global Governance 18, 3 (2012): 339-361. Link

 

October 13: Rethinking and Reexamining International Security Studies: Human Security

Readings: S. Neil MacFarlane, “The United Nations and Human Security,” Asian Journal of Peacebuilding 2,2 (2014): 151-68. Link

 

October 15: Human Rights Conflicts and Humanitarian Intervention

Readings: Donette Murray, “Military action but not as we know it: Libya, Syria and the Making of an Obama Doctrine,” Contemporary Politics 19, 2 (2013): 146-166. Link SECOND SHORT REFLECTION PAPER/POLICY BRIEF DUE.

 

October 20: Human Rights Conflicts and Humanitarian Intervention 

Readings: Forsythe, David P. “On Contested Concepts: Humanitarianism, Human Rights, and the Notion of Neutrality,” Journal of Human Rights 12,1 (2013): 59-68. Link DRAFT OF TERM RESEARCH/POLICY PAPER DUE; TO BE CIRCULATED AMONG PARTICIPANTS

PART III: DOING’ AND PRESENTING IR RESEARCH AND POLICY OPTIONS

 

October 22: Student Presentation

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Comparative Research,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp.202-229 [Chapter 9]

 

October 27: Student Presentation

 

October 29: Student Presentation

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Surveys,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp.230-252 [Chapter 10]

 

November 3: Student Presentation

 

November 5: Student Presentation

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Interviewing and Focus Groups,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp.253-286 [Chapter 11]

 

November 10: Student Presentation

 

November 12: Student Presentation

Readings: Sandra Halperin & Oliver Heath, “Textual Analysis,” Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp.309-337 [Chapter 13]

 

November 17: Student Presentation 

 

November 19: Student Presentation. 

FINAL TERM RESEARCH/POLICY PAPER DUE.



November 24: Student Presentation

Readings: Bidisha Biswas & Agnieszka Paczynska (2015), “Teaching theory, writing policy: Integrating lessons from foggy bottom into the classroom,” PS: Political Science & Politics, 48 (1): 157-161. Link



November 26: THANKSGIVING BREAK

 

December 3: Final Discussion: The Future of International Affairs, Global Politics, and Policy-Making 

 

DECEMBER 5-11: Final Colloquium (Look for Announcements)