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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 212"
COURSE NAME: "International Organizations"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Pejman Abdolmohammadi
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 4:30 PM 5:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: PL 209
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course examines attempts at international cooperation in various institutional forms. The course analyzes efforts of twentieth-century internationalism, from the League of Nations up to the United Nations (UN). Main regional organizations are also examined, such as NATO, the African Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, World Trade Organization and Organization of American States.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

What is Global Governance?

General theories of International Relations and Global Governance

The key components of Global Governance: International Governmental Organizations, NGOs, States, Multinational Corporations

Important global IGOs such as the United Nations, the WTO, the ILO, the IMF and the WB, the ICC.

Key regional IGOs: the African Union; ASEAN; the European Union, NATO, OCSE

The growing role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Other non-state actors in global governance: epistemic communities and multi-stakeholder actors

How powerful states and less powerful ones relate to global governance.

Peace and security: the complicated world of multinational peace-keeping and state-building

Civil and political rights: the role of NGOs as advocates and monitors; ECOSOC and other organs of the UN; the impact of international treaties.

Problems confronting global governance: refugees and IDPs, weapon proliferation, international terrorism, transnational crime, environmental protection.

Intrenational Terrorism and the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Our main objective in this class is to develop an understanding of (and a renewed interest in) the following :

 a) The leading theories of international organization;

b) The structure and inner workings of leading international institutions (both NGOs and IGOs);

c) How international arrangements - among states as well as among states and non-state actors - develop and take root; and

d) How Global Governance instruments are used to address some of the problems facing the international community.

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
International Organizations: Politics, Law, PracticeIan HurdCambridge University Press978-0-521-14737-8     
Beyond Sovereignty (FOURTH Edition 2011)Maryann Cusimano Love Wadsworth Cengage Learning13:978-0-495-90894-4     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Midterm exam 25%
paper 25%
presentation of paper 10%
Attendance and class discussion 10%
Reading Reflections 30%

-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 ____________
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

Unit 1 - 31 August
INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
“International Organizations: Politics, Law, Practice” (Cambridge University Press 2011), by Ian Hurd (“IOPLP”), chapter 1.

2 Sep. NTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE (2)

Unit 2 - 7 Sep
THE DIFFERENT ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF IGOs
IOPLP chapter 2

Unit 3 - 9 Sep
THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
IOPLP chapter 3

Unit 4 - 14 Sep
THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND THE WORLD BANK
IOPLP chapter 4

Unit 5 - 16 Sep
THE UNITED NATIONS (I): LAW AND ADMINISTRATION
IOPLP chapter 5

Unit 6 -  21 Sep. 
THE UNITED NATIONS (II): INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY
IOPLP chapter 6

Unit 7 - 23 Sep
THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION
IOPLP chapter 7

Unit 8 - 28 Sep
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
IOPLP chapter 8

Unit 9 - 30 Sep
THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
IOPLP chapter 9

Unit 10 - 5 Ott
REGIONAL IGOs: THE ROOTS AND DYNAMICS OF REGIONALISM
- IO pages 145-153
REGIONAL IGOs: NATO and OSCE
- IO pages 153-160

Unit 11 - 7 Ott
THE EUROPEAN UNION: THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
“European Union Politics” (2011 Palgrave McMillan), by John McCormick (“EUP”), chapter 10

Unit 12 - 12 Ott.
THE EUROPEAN UNION: THE COUNCILS AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
EUP chapter 11 and pages 214-219


Unit 13 - 14 Ott
MIDTERM EXAM (Paper presentation)


Unit 14 - 19 Ott

MIDTERM EXAM (Paper presentation)

Unit 15 - 21 Ott. 
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs)
IO chapter 6

Unit 16 - 26 Ott
THE STATES AS KEY ACTORS IN GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
IO chapter 7

Unit 17 - 28 Ott
THE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS
“Beyond Sovereignty: Issues for a Global Agenda” (4th edition, Wadsworth Cangage), by Maryann Cusimano Love (“MCL”), chapter 4

Unit 18 - 2 Nov
REFUGEES, MIGRANTS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE (IDP)
MCL chapter 8

Unit 19 - 4 Nov
NON-PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
MCL chapter 11 

Unit 20 - 9 Nov
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM (I)
MCL chapter 5

Unit 21 - 11 Nov
TERRORISM AND GLOGAL JIHADISM


Unit 22 - 16 Nov
ECOLOGICAL INTERDEPENDENCE AND THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE
MCL chapter 10

Unit 23 - 18 Nov
THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
MCL chapter 12

Unit 24 - 23 Nov
THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
Selected readings

Unit 25 - 25 Nov
THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
Selected readings

Unit 26 - 30 Nov.
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS
MCL chapter 6

Unit 27 - 2 Dic
HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS