Introduction to International Relations
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
Political Science Y109
Spring 2010
Professor James Toole Class Times: MWF 9-9:50
Office: CM 215 Class Location: CM 112
Telephone: (260) 481-6885 Office Hours: MW 12:30-2:00
Email: toolej@ipfw.edu Webpage: http://users.ipfw.edu/toolej/
Course Description:
In today’s complex and interconnected world, a knowledge of international relations may be more important than ever before. This course introduces students to enduring debates in the study of international relations and to the historical background that makes them understandable. Among the questions asked are whether conflict or cooperation most characterizes international relations, whether international organizations can be influential actors in the international system, and whether morality can play an important role in global affairs. The fundamental debates and questions of international relations are examined in the first third of the course through study of twentieth-century international history and in the second two-thirds of the course through study of the contemporary world. This course is approved for General Education credit in Area III (The Individual, Culture, and Society). It also counts toward completion of IPFW’s International Studies Certificate.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, students who work hard will: (1) be conversant in fundamental theoretical and policy debates concerning the international political system, (2) have a basic understanding of the historical foundations of contemporary international politics, (3) appreciate the moral complexity of key issues in international affairs, (4) recognize the diversity of countries and cultures that exist in the contemporary world, and (5) be better able to make coherent and reasoned written or oral arguments.
Course
Requirements:
Students are required to take three examinations (two mid-term examinations and one final partly comprehensive examination) and to write one five-page paper. Dates of in-class examinations and the due date of the paper are noted in the class schedule. Grades will be determined as follows:
|
First mid-term exam |
25% |
|
Second mid-term exam |
25% |
|
Paper |
20% |
|
Final exam |
30% |
The instructor’s evaluation of class attendance, participation, and performance may influence the final grade in very close cases. All assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing grade in the course.
Classes will feature both lectures and class discussions. Students should make every effort to participate in class discussions and to ask questions about things they do not understand. Students should not expect to do well in the class unless they attend all scheduled classes. They are also expected to complete all listed readings before the start of each class, since failure to do so will greatly impair their ability to understand class lectures and to participate intelligently in class discussions. Students are also expected to keep up with international current events; how they do so is up to them. The best sources of international news include the Financial Times, The Economist magazine, the BBC, and The New York Times.
Examinations will be written blue-book exams. Examinations must be taken on the scheduled dates; make-ups will be permitted only at the discretion of the instructor and will be granted only in unusual circumstances. Late papers will be subject to significant penalties, to be described in written paper instructions to be handed out in class. Plagiarism will be considered a very serious offense and will be punished as severely as IPFW regulations allow. Students are encouraged to take advantage of free individual paper-writing consulations offered by the IPFW Writing Center. The center is located in Kettler G19.
The readings in the course come from two sources: books and library reserve. Most readings and assignments are from two books. Both are required for purchase and are available at the university bookstore:
Karen Mingst, Essentials of International Relations (4th ed.), Norton, 2008.
Karen Mingst and Jack Snyder, eds., Essential Readings in World Politics (3rd ed.),
Norton, 2008.
Readings from library reserve are available electronically through the Helmke Library’s Reserves Express system. To access Reserves Express, visit the Library’s webpage (http://www.lib.ipfw.edu). Students will be held responsible for all assigned readings, whether they come from purchased books or from Reserves Express. All readings on the syllabus are required.
If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Walb, room 113, telephone number 481-6658), as soon as possible to work out the details. Once the Director has provided you with a letter attesting to your needs for modification, bring the letter to me. For more information, please visit the web site for SSD at http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd/.
|
Date |
Topic |
Readings |
|
1/11 |
Course Overview |
None |
|
1/13 |
Four Theories |
Mingst, pp. 55-80 |
|
1/15 |
Realism |
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 56-60 (Morgenthau) |
|
1/20 |
Liberalism |
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 80-93 (Doyle) |
|
1/22 |
Radicalism |
John Isbister, “Dependency Theory” (RESERVE), pp. 43-52 only |
|
1/25 |
Constructivism |
Ted Hopf, “The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations Theory” (RESERVE), pp. 171 to 181 only |
|
1/27 |
The Theories Compared |
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 4-11 (Snyder) |
|
1/29 |
The New Century |
Mingst, pp. 23-37 |
|
2/1 |
Origins of World War I |
Fred Greene, “The Age of German Predominance” (RESERVE), pp. 605-622 only |
|
2/3 |
||
|
2/5 |
Origins of World War II |
Fred Greene, “The Age of German Predominance” (RESERVE), pp. 622-637 only |
|
2/8 |
||
|
2/10 |
FIRST MID-TERM EXAM
|
None |
|
2/12 |
Origins of the Cold War |
Mingst, pp. 37-41; Mingst and Snyder, pp. 28-33 (Kennan) |
|
2/15 |
The End of the Cold War
|
Mingst, pp. 41-53; Mingst and Snyder, pp. 33-47 (Fukuyama) |
|
2/17 |
No class |
None |
|
2/19 |
||
|
2/22 |
The United Nations
|
Mingst, pp. 163-181 and 193-205; Morton Abromovitz and Thomas Pickering, “Making Intervention Work” (RESERVE) |
|
2/24 |
||
|
2/26 |
||
|
3/1 |
The European Union |
Mingst, pp. 181-187; European Union, “Europe in 12 Lessons” (RESERVE), Lessons 1-4, 6-7, 9, and 12 only |
|
3/3 |
||
|
3/5 |
||
|
3/15 |
NATO |
Ivo Daalder and James Goldgeier, “Global NATO” (RESERVE) |
|
3/17 |
International Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) |
Mingst, pp. 187-193. Also, visit and read the website of an international NGO of your choosing. Select an NGO by using the UN’s Directory of International NGOs (RESERVE). |
|
3/19 |
International Human Rights |
Mingst, pp. 309-320; Universal Declaration of Human Rights (RESERVE) |
|
3/22 |
International Political Economy |
Mingst, pp. 247-272 |
|
3/24 |
SECOND MID-TERM EXAM
|
None |
|
3/26 |
Globalization |
Thomas Friedman, “It’s a Flat World After All” (RESERVE) |
|
3/29 |
Inequity |
Jeffrey Sachs, “A Global Family Portrait” (RESERVE) |
|
3/31 |
Development |
Joseph Stiglitz, “The Promise of Development” (RESERVE) |
|
4/2 |
Wealth and Power |
Naomi Klein, “Blank is Beautiful: Three Decades of Erasing and Remaking the World” (RESERVE) |
|
4/5 |
International Security |
Mingst, pp. 218-246 |
|
4/7 |
Causes of Contemporary War |
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 203-209 (Huntington) |
|
4/9 |
Terrorism |
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 398-418 (Pape) |
|
4/12 |
Nuclear Proliferation |
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 360-368 (Sagan) |
|
4/14 |
The War in Iraq |
Stephen Biddle et al, “How to Leave a Stable Iraq” (RESERVE); Marc Lynch, “Politics First” (RESERVE) |
|
4/16 |
The War in Afghanistan |
Steven Simon, “Can the Right War Be Won?” (RESERVE) |
|
4/19 |
The Rise of China |
John L. Thornton, “Long Time Coming” (RESERVE) |
|
4/21 |
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|
Friday April 23: Paper due in class
|
||
|
4/23 |
The Future of the West |
G. John Ikenberry, “The Rise of China and the Future of the West” (RESERVE) |
|
4/26 |
The Future of IR |
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 195-203 (Slaughter) |
|
4/28 |
International Relations Reconsidered |
None |
|
4/30 |
No class (Reading
Period) |
|
|
Monday May 3 (8:00-10:00 AM): FINAL EXAM
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