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Pol. Sci. 170 |
Mr. Grow |
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Winter, 1998 |
Carleton College |
The Political Science Department's course in Introduction to International Relations introduces methods for analyzing the relationships between nations. Political Science 170 is divided into two parts. Part I looks at the variety of ways that nations see the world, the factors that push them to take action, and the condition that bring them into conflict with one another. Part II focuses on theories of conflict and the tendency of the system to resort to war. Part III examines the different ways that nations interact with one another, concentrating on topics such as military and economic power, world trade, nuclear deterrence, and war.
The goal of the course is to introduce the student to a set of themes and definitions that can be used to analyze and evaluate international political activity. Students are expected to master a series of arguments, learn how to apply these arguments to situations in world politics and, hopefully, develop a set of values and preferences that will guide thinking about the role of our community in international affairs.
Readings:
The following books will be used as texts:
Walter S. Jones, The Logic of International Relations, (Little, Brown, 8th edition)
John A. Vasquez, Classics of International Relations, (Prentice-Hall, 3rd Edition)
John Rourke, Taking Sides, (Dushkin, 8th Edition)
Several handouts will also be distributed during the course of the term.
Grading:
Grades for the course will be based on a combination of two bluebook examinations, four short written essays, a number of one-page ungraded "daily exercises," and class attendance and participation. The weight of each is as follows:
1st bluebook
25%
2nd bluebook
25%
Essays #1,2,3 (2-3 pages each)
15%
Essay #4 (8 pages)
15%
Ungraded daily exercises, participation, attendance
20%
Attendance is required in all classes; reading assignments should be completed before coming to class.
Jan 5 INTRODUCTION
PART I: NATIONS AND NATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Jan 7 WORLD WAR II AND THE ORIGINS OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM
Regular Session: (Assigned Classroom)
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #1 Has the World Become a More Dangerous Place Since the Cold War?
Mearsheimer, Why We Will Soon Miss the Cold War (Handout)
Evening Session: (6:30-8:00 p.m. Bouliou 104)
FILM: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Jan 9 LESSONS OF WAR: Just and Unjust Wars
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, pp. 1-8
Essay #1 Due
Jan 12 THE MORALIST VIEW
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations, pp. 1-7
Thomas Aquinas, Of War, (#6)
Woodrow Wilson, The World Must Be Made Safe for Democracy and The Fourteen
Points, (#7)
Jan 14 THE REALIST POSITION
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations, pp. 1-7 (review)
Thucydides. The Melian Dialogue (#1)
Machiavelli, The Prince (#2)
Niebuhr, The War and American Churches (#3)
Hans Morgenthau, A Realist Theory..., (#4)
George Kennan, Diplomacy in the Modern World, (#5)
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #3 Should the United States Abandon Its Superpower Role?
Jan 16 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY PERSPECTIVES
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 3
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #12 Should Foreign Policymakers Abandon Human Rights Concerns?
Jan 19 THE RADICAL CRITIQUE
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations,
Leo Tolstoy, Address, (#8)
Gandhi, Means and Ends and Passive Resistance (#9)
Howard Zinn, Vietnam: The Moral Equation, (#10)
Jan 21 COMPETING VIEWS OF FOREIGN POLICY
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations (pp. 141-42)
Noam Chomsky, Responsibility of Intellectuals, (Handout)
Hans Morgenthau, Another Great Debate, (#20)
Arnold Wolfers, "National Security" as Ambiguous Symbol (#21)
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #13 Does the Spread of Democracy Promote World Peace?
Essay #2 Due
Jan 23 SOVIET/RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY PERSPECTIVES
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 2
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
V. I. Lenin, Imperialism in History, (#34)
Jan 26 THREAT AND THE ROLE OF PERCEPTION
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, pp. 8-20
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Robert Jervis, How Decision-Makers learn From History, (#23)
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #2 Is It Wise to Expand NATO Membership?
Jan 28 CHINA AND THE THIRD WORLD
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 5, 6
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #6 Should China Be Admitted to the WTO?
Jan 30 INFLUENCING COMPETITORS
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #14 Should China Be Condemned as a Violator of Human Rights?
Feb 2 1st BLUEBOOK EXAMINATION
PART II: POWER, WAR, AND THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM
Feb 4 POWER
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 7
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
von Clausewitz, On the Nature of War, (#40)
Hans Morgenthau, A Realist Theory..., (#4) (review)
Feb 6 THE EXERCISE OF POWER
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 9
Kagan, On the Origins of War…. (handout)
Feb 9 (Mid-Term Break)
Feb 11 WAR AND THE BREAKDOWN OF THE SYSTEM (1)
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 10
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Hobbes, On the Natural Condition..., (#29)
Freud, Thoughts on War and Death, (Handout)
Mead, War Is Only An Invention..., (#30)
Evening Session: (6:30-8:15 p.m. Bouliou 104)
FILM: Lord of the Flies
Feb 13 WAR AND THE BREAKDOWN OF THE SYSTEM (2)
Regular Session: (Assigned Classroom)
Hartsock, Masculinity, Heroism, and Making of War, (handout)
Feb 16 WAR AND THE BREAKDOWN OF THE SYSTEM (3)
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
John Burton, International Relations or World Society (#16)
Essay #3 Due
Feb 18 WAR AND THE BREAKDOWN OF THE SYSTEM (4)
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Robert Cox, Social Forces, States, and World Order (#18)
Dean Pruitt, Conflict Resolution: Problem Solving (#19)
Feb 20 2nd BLUEBOOK EXAMINATION
PART III STABILIZING THE SYSTEM
Feb 23 THE BALANCE OF POWER
Reread Mearsheimer
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 8
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Hume, Of the Balance of Power (Handout)
Kaplan, Some Problems.... (#37)
Feb 25 ECONOMIC POWER AND PREPONDERANCE OF POWER THEORY
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 11, 12, 13,
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Burton, International Relations or World Society? (#16)
Cox, Social Forces, States, or World Orders (#18)
Wallerstein, The Rise and Future Demise of Capitalist System (#47)
Keohane, After Hegemony (#46)
Feb 27 POWER TRANSITION: ECONOMIC CHANGE, POWER, AND WAR
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Organski, The Power Transition, (#38)
Waltz, Theory of International Politics"(#39)
Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, (handout)
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #8 Is the Current Trend Toward Global Economic Integration Desireable?
Mar 2 BALANCE OF TERROR: BASIC CONCEPTS
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 10
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Kahn, Three Types of Deterrence, (#41)
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #10 Does the World Have to Have Nuclear Weapons At All?
Mar 4 BALANCE OF TERROR: EVOLUTION OF THE THEORY
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
George, The Gap Between Deterrence Theory and Deterrence Policy, (#42)
Cohn, Sex and Death in the Rational World of Defense Intellectuals (#43)
Mar 6 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN A CHANGING WORLD
Jones, The Logic of International Relations, Ch. 17
Vasquez, Classics of International Relations
Rosecrance, A New Concert of Powers (#44)
Kant, Perpetual Peace (#48)
Deutsch, Political Community (#49)
Claude, World Government (#54)
Rourke, Taking Sides,
Issue #5 Is Geopolitics Still Relevant in the Era of Cyberspace?
Mar 9 Essay #4 Due
Mar 10 TBA