INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
Political Science 107 Fall Quarter - 2005
Professor: John Dugas Office: Dewing 212D
Purpose of the Course The horrendous terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the resulting U.S.-declared War on Terrorism have renewed interest in international relations to an extent not witnessed since the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Nonetheless, international politics has grown increasingly complex, especially since the end of the Cold War. Some analysts have spoken hopefully of a "New World Order," while others have despaired at the prospect of the “Coming Anarchy." Such disparate events such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the violence in Bosnia and Kosovo; the genocides in Rwanda and Sudan; the nuclear armament of Pakistan, India, North Korea, and possibly Iran; the impacts of an increasingly globalized economy; the growing militarization of the war on drug trafficking in Latin America; and, of course, the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States all underscore this complexity and indicate the need for a firm understanding of international relations. This course is meant to provide an introduction to the study of international relations (I.R.). Although we will discuss many issues, our primary focus will be on the core issue of international war and peace. What explains the outbreak of war? What is the best way to prevent war? Can war ever be justified? If so, under what conditions? These are important questions, and well worth studying. However, we will also use the issue of international war and peace as a means to explore how political scientists analyze international relations. Thus, we will examine the ongoing debate between proponents of realist, liberal, radical, and feminist schools of thought. We will also examine different approaches to analyzing international relations (the system, state, and individual levels of analysis). By the end of the course, you will have learned a great deal of factual information about international relations as well as how to think more critically and systematically about international politics. Course Reading The readings for this course include three texts, available for purchase in the campus bookstore: 1) Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, third edition. W.W. Norton. 2) Mingst, Karen, and Jack Snyder. 2004. Essential Readings in World Politics, second edition. W.W. Norton. 3) Stoessinger, John G. 2005. Why Nations Go to War, ninth edition. New York: Bedford/ St. Martin’s Press. In addition, students are required to read the New York Times throughout the quarter in order to follow the course of international events. This will help to make the material presented in class more meaningful, as well as to facilitate participation in class discussions. Course Requirements 1) Students must read the assigned materials and think actively about the issues under discussion. Reading assignments should be completed prior to the day for which they are assigned. 2) Class attendance and participation should also be considered as fundamental requirements for the course. Since class lectures do not always correspond directly to the readings, attendance is essential. The final determination of a borderline grade will be decided in accordance with a student's attendance and overall class participation. 3) Students are required to write a paper in which they compare, contrast, and critique two international relations paradigms (Realism, Liberalism, Radicalism, Feminism). The Paradigm Critique paper is due on Monday, October 17, and will count for 20% of the final course grade. It is described in greater detail in the Projects Handout. 4) Students are to follow the development of
one current international event over the course of the quarter. This
International Event Project is to culminate in an assignment that is due
on Wednesday, November 23, and will count for 20% of the final course
grade. The requirements are detailed in the Projects Handout. In summary, the final course grade will be determined as
follows: Week One: (September 19-23) A. Historical Overview · Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapters 1 and 2 (all). B. State and Non-State Actors · Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 5, pp. 101-103; 128-133. · Krasner, Stephen D. 2001. “Sovereignty” in Essential Readings, pp. 143-149. · Slaughter, Anne-Marie. 1997. "The Real New World Order" in Essential Readings, pp. 149-156. · Rotberg, Robert I. 2002. “Failed States in a World of Terror” in Essential Readings, pp. 157-163.
· Walt, Stephen. 1998. "International Relations: One World, Many Theories" in Essential Readings, pp. 4-11. · Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 3, pp. 62-65; chapter 8, pp. 197-198; 218-224. · Wilson, Woodrow. 1918. "The Fourteen Points" in Essential Readings, pp 26-28. · Doyle, Michael. 1986. "Liberalism and World Politics" in Essential Readings, pp. 73-86.
· Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 3, pp. 65-71; chapter 5, pp. 121-124; chapter 8, pp. 224-228. · Thucydides. 1951. "Melian Dialogue" in Essential Readings, pp. 18-20. · Morgenthau, Hans. 1948. "A Realist Theory of International Politics" and "Political Power" in Essential Readings, pp. 49-53. · Mearsheimer, John. 2001. “Anarchy and the Struggle for Power” in Essential Readings, pp.54-72. · Kennan, George F. 1947. "The Sources of Soviet Conduct" in Essential Readings, pp. 28-33.
A. Radical Approaches · Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 3, pp 71-74. · Frank, Andre Gunder. 1966. “The Development of Underdevelopment” in Essential Readings, pp. 86-93. · Chomsky, Noam. 1997. “Market Democracy in a Neoliberal Order” in Profit over People: Neoliberalism and Global Order (On reserve). B. Feminist Critiques · Tickner, J. Ann. 1992. “Man, the State, and War: Gendered Perspectives
on National Security” in Essential Readings, pp. 94-101.
· Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 3, pp. 55-61; chapter 4 (all); chapter 8, pp. 202-208. · Bull, Hedley. 1977. “Does Order Exist in World Politics?” in Essential Readings, pp. 120-124. · Morgenthau, Hans. 1967. “The Balance of Power,” “Different Methods of the Balance of Power,” and “Evaluation of the Balance of Power,” in Essential Readings, pp. 124-129. · Jervis, Robert. 2003. “The Compulsive Empire” in Essential Readings, pp. 138-141. · Ikenberry, G. John. 2003. “Is American Multilateralism in Decline?” in Essential Readings, pp. 262- 282 · Wallerstein, Immaneuel. 1974. “The Rise and Future Demise of the World Capitalist System” in Essential Readings, pp. 130-138.
· Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 6 (all); chapter 8, pp. 198-200. · Jervis, Robert. 1968. "Hypotheses on Misperception" in Essential Readings, pp. 189-202. · Stoessinger, John G. 2005. Why Nations Go to War. (all)
· Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 5, pp. 103-112; 133-134. · Kant, Immanuel. "To Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch" in Essential Readings, pp. 20-24. · Layne, Christopher. 1994. "Kant or Cant: The Myth of the Democratic Peace" in International Security, pp.5-49 (On Reserve). · Allison, Graham T. and Morton H. Halperin. 1972. "Bureaucratic Politics: A Paradigm and Some Policy Implications" in John A. Vasquez, Classics of International Relations, pp. 172-178 (On reserve). · Allison, Graham and Philip Zelikow. 1999. “The Cuban Missile Crisis: A Third Cut” in Essence of Decicion: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis, pp. 325-347 (On reserve).
· Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 5, pp. 124-126; chapter 8, pp. 200-202. · Mueller, John. 1997. "Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: The People's 'Common Sense'" in Wittkopf and McCormick, The Domestic Sources of American Foreign Policy, pp. 51-60 (On reserve). · Stiles, Kendall W. 2002. “Vietnam Homefront” in Case Histories in International Politics [On Reserve]. · Huntington, Samuel. “The Clash of Civilizations?” in Essential Readings, pp. 163-169. · Said, Edward. “The Clash of Ignorance” in Essential Readings, pp. 170-173.
· Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 7 (all). · Glennon, Michael J. 2003. “Why the Security Council Failed” in Essential Readings, pp. 208-218. · Luck, Edward C., Anne-Marie Slaughter, and Ian Hurd. 2003. “Responses” in Essential Readings, pp. 219-222. · Mearsheimer, John J. 1994/1995. “The False Promise of International Institutions” in Essential Readings, pp. 283-294. · Kissinger, Henry. 2002. “The Pitfalls of Universal Jurisdiction” in Essential Readings, pp. 253- 258. · Roth, Kenneth. 2001. “The Case for Universal Jurisdiction” in Essential Readings, pp. 258-261.
· Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations, chapter 5, pp. 112-121. · Hermann, Margaret G, and Joe D. Hagan. 1998. "International Decision Making: Leadership Matters" in Essential Readings, 182-188.
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