The course is divided into four major sections.

In a first section, students will be introduced to major issues, concepts, and problems of world politics and to the major theories of international relations and the ways they frame and organize IR scholarship.

The second section explores actors, great powers, institutions, and their relations in world politics. This includes the discussion of international organizations and other nonstate actors, such as the United Nations and the European Union.

The third section focuses on the central problem of armed conflict, collective security, the quest of international law to tame military conflict.

A fourth and final section deals with a variety of contemporary issues and arenas of world politics, from international trade and finance to the impact of globalization on world politics, environmental politics, and human rights and humanitarian interventionism.

The class offers a general introduction to the study of World Politics, or International Affairs/International Relations (IR), in a“partially globalized world”(Robert Keohane).
The study of International Relations explores the relationships between various actors in the international and global arena of politics. Students will acquire and distinguish different concepts and theories to examine continuity and change in international relations. A central concern are problems of international conflict, power, peace and security in the interplay of sovereign states and international institutions. A primary goal of the course is to recognize and grasp the major actors, structures and dynamics of international relations as well as relevant approaches to understand the global political order.

In particular, the course will provide a basic scholarly understanding of the factors and causes of international conflict. The class also aims at understanding controversies about, and engendering conceptual insights into, the nature of power and the (global) economy in international relations; the relationship between nationstates and non-state actors; and the changing role of international institutions, international law, and human rights norms.

At the end of the class, students will be able to recognize and employ different approaches to understanding international affairs and the key challenges they face in the global age.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be introduced, first and foremost, to major schools of thought of IR theory & scholarship seeking to understand and explain international and global politics. Students will be able to differentiate between these schools, evaluate them and also apply them (and related models) to various issues, events, and challenges of global politics. Second, students will become familiar with major principles, actors, and institutions of international relations and the global order, and understand as well as critically explore the causal mechanisms driving them. Third, students will get introduced to the study of key contemporary global issues and conflicts of international politics. Finally, in and through their coursework students will acquire critical research skills in international affairs. In so doing, they will learn to grasp, discuss, evaluate and apply conceptual tools, models and theories in order to better “read” and interpret historical and current world affairs.

Course Requirements:

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Readings must be completed in advance. In this class, the primary requirement consists of two exams, one major paper, and participation. There will be four small reading reflections on required readings for the course. These will account for altogether 20% of the grade. There will also be a mid-term exam and final exam which account for 30% and 40% of the final grade. In addition, every student is expected to actively participate in the class, which is not a “lecture only” course. Participation is mandatory; it accounts for the final 10% of your grade.

Students will be allowed 2 unexcused absences. Each unexcused absence thereafter will result in the lowering of the attendance grade. More than 12 unexcused absences will result in failure to pass the course. Students must fulfill all requirements to receive a grade in this course.

Explanation of Course Requirements:

Writing. You will get help exercising your academic writing skills, and you should make use ofoffice hours and other communicative resources. It is the professor’s job to help you work onyour academic writing. Not using this resource is a waste of tuition money and puts you at adisadvantage. In this class, you will be expected to write a 3-4 page position paper at the end ofthe term. This will account for 30 percent of your final grade.

Exams. The in-class exam will comprise 30 percent of the final grade, and the cumulative final exam also accounts for 30 percent of the final grade. In each case, you will receive eight questions relating to the reading materials and discussions. The mid-term will be a one-hour exam, the final exam will be a cumulative exam. In each case, however, you will have to pick and answer (no more than) five questions.

Participation. Attendance is mandatory. Since the class discussions comprise an absolutely essential component of this course, course attendance is compulsory; the grade for your active participation will comprise 10 percent of the final grade. In order to make participation a meaningful experience for everyone, and most importantly for you, you will have to read assigned materials before class sessions and are expected to participate in class discussions.



Rules & Reasons

• Academic misconduct will result in your failing the course. It is fully your responsibility to avoid any sort of (or even the appearance of) misconduct, such as plagiarism, stealing someone’s intellectual property, or any other form of cheating. Hence, make sure that you always cite your sources! 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.

• If you find the lectures, readings or discussions too difficult, demanding or confusing, there is no need to complain (only) after the course. Instead, you should raise any question or problem that you have either during or, if you prefer, after each class session, or send me an e-mail, or drop by my office any time and discuss the question or problem. Don’t miss the chance of making this a good learning experience! If you have a problem, others might have it as well, so don’t hesitate to address it.

• Much will depend on your participation. That’s why it is not enough to come to class on time (you should!), but you should also be prepared and ready to actively participate, which is strongly encouraged as part of the learning process, and just to make this seminar a great experience. In class, you must treat your peers (and even your professor) in a civil and professional manner; while a lively discussion with disagreements is most welcome, you need to tolerate different point of views.

• Attendance is mandatory. Please inform us about any absences. Please refer to the above notes and the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.

Readings and Weekly Topics: 

PART I: CONCEPTS AND THEORIES

September 1: International Relations and Global Politics: Introduction to the Course; Organization Readings: None

September 3: International Relations and Global Politics: Key Concepts, Methods and Problems Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 1.

September 8: Theories of World Politics: Realism and Neo-Realism Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 2.

September 10: Theories of World Politics: Liberalism and Neo-Liberalism Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 2; Doyle,“Kant, Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs,” in Art & Jervis, International Politics; Keohane,“International Institutions: Can Interdependence Work?” in Art & Jervis, International Politics.

September 15: Theories of World Politics: Social Constructivism Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 2 & additional articles.

September 17: Theories of World Politics: Critical Schools (Feminism & Marxism) Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 2 & additional articles.

September 22: Theories of International Decision-Making Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 3.

September 24: Theories of Bureaucratic Politics of Foreign Policy Decision-Making Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 3.

September 29: Domestic Determinants of Foreign Policy Decision-Making Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 3.

PART II: GLOBAL ACTORS AND THEIR RELATIONS

October 1: Global Politics in Historical Perspective: WWI and WWII Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 4.

October 6: The Cold War and the Post-Cold War Era Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 4.

October 8: The Global South and International Dependency Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 5.

October 13: Non-State Actors: International Organizations Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 6.

October 15: The United Nations and the European Union; MIDTERM REVIEW Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 6; The United Nations Charter;

http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/

October 20: In­Class Examination.

PART III: ARMED CONFLICT, POWER, INTERNATIONAL LAW

October 22: Causes of Interstate Armed Conflict Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 7. FINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT TO BE HANDED OUT.

October 27: Domestic/Intrastate Armed Conflict and Civil War Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 7.

October 29: Global Terrorism Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 7.

November 3: State Power, Balance of Power, Alliances and Power Transitions I Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 8.

November 5: State Power, Balance of Power, Alliances and Power Transitions I Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 8.

November 10: Collective Security through International Law Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 9.

PART IV: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND ARENAS OF WORLD POLITICS

November 12: International Political Economy and Finance Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 10.

November 17: International Political Economy and Global Trade Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 11.

November 19: The Demographic and Cultural Impact of Globalization Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 12.

November 24: Human Rights, Human Security & Humanitarian Interventionism Readings: Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 13. Additional: Howard and Donnelly,“Human Rights in World Politics,”in Art & Jervis, International Politics.

November 26: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)

December 1: Global Environmental Politics Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 14.

December 3: FINAL REVIEW & Final Discussion on the Future of World Politics Readings: Readings: Kegley & Blanton, World Politics, Chapter 15; Posen,“Emerging Multipolarity: Why Should we Care?”in Art & Jervis, International Politics. TERM/POSITION PAPER DUE.

December 5-11: Final Exam (Look for Announcements)