World Politics Fall 2010
American University – School of International Service (SIS) SIS 105.28 Mondays & Thursdays, 3:35 pm – 4:50 pm (Kreeger G100)
Prof. Matthias Matthijs E-mail: [email protected]
Office: SIS 225 Phone: (202) 885-1625 Office Hours: Mondays and Thursdays, 11h15 – 12h30 or by appointment.
Introduction and Course Content
World Politics is an introduction to the study of International Relations (IR) in the contemporary world – a subfield of political science. The subject is a broad, complex one that is constantly shifting and evolving even as scholars try to develop theories to explain it and policy makers try to manage foreign policy from day-to-day. This course will provide students with a solid background and understanding of the major trends and issues of current world politics as well as in the main theories and explanations used by scholars of IR.
World Politics is an interdisciplinary course that draws on the disciplines of political science, economics, and history to provide an overview of the complexities of international relations. It seeks to present a conceptual framework and analytical tools for a better understanding of international relations. Although it is not a course on current events, it will make use of current events and issues to illustrate concepts and demonstrate that world politics is best viewed as a dramatic moving picture, rather than an album of snapshots.
The student will be introduced to critical concepts, theoretical approaches, policy issues and case studies on the subject, including foreign policy process and the main sources of international tensions such as ethnic, territorial and economic conflicts. In the current period, this means examining issues such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, terrorism, European Union expansion, global climate change, international trade and monetary relations, international development, the rise of China, India and Brazil, and many other concerns.
1 The main objectives of the course are: 1. to impart an understanding of International Relations focusing primarily on theoretical approaches to the subject; 2. to provide an appropriate historical and contemporary context for understanding International Relations and its key subfields; 3. to critically review recent changes in the practice of International Relations, both regionally and globally.
World Politics is one of the “foundation courses” in the university’s General Education Program in Curricular Area 3 – Global and Multicultural Perspectives; it is the first of a two-course sequence. In order to complete the sequence, students should take one of the following second-level courses in Cluster One – Global Perspective:
COMM-280G Contemporary Media in a Global Society EDU-285G Education for International Development GOVT-235G Dynamics of Political Change HIST-225G Russia: Past and Present IBUS-200G The Global Marketplace LFS-200G Russia and the United States SIS-215G Competition in an Interdependent World SIS-220G Confronting Our Differences/Discovering Our Similarities: Conflict Resolution SIS-255G China, Japan and the United States SOCY-225G Contemporary Arab World
Each of these courses explores in more depth a topic introduced in World Politics.
Required Book
(Available for purchase)
Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon C. Pevehouse (2010), International Relations (Pearson Longman, 9th edition, 2010-2011 update)
Recommended Texts
Additional readings or articles will be available on e-reserves through Blackboard: http://blackboard.american.edu (look under “course documents”)
Note: Each week’s core reading is the corresponding chapter in the Goldstein/Pevehouse book. Material from the textbook may be on the exam even if we do not discuss it in class. Some reading assignments may change over the course of the semester to address changing world events. Journal articles are offered to help expand your understanding of the week’s topic and to provide additional perspectives on the main issues of discussion.
You should also try to keep up to date with world news by reading any of the following quality newspapers: the Financial Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal or the Economist.
2 Course Requirements
This class endeavors to promote each student’s writing skills and, to a lesser extent, each student’s speaking and presentational skills. Writing assignments and class discussions are aimed at helping each student sort through new ideas. In order to facilitate this learning, students in this course are required to attend and participate in lectures, do the assigned readings, take the mid-term and final examination on the specified dates, and turn in written papers of their own, original work on the specified dates.
In order to successfully complete this course, each class participant is required to:
Do the readings, attend all classes and participate actively in class (10% of the final grade); Write a Critique of an Article on International Affairs (15% of the final grade) (Due September 30); Complete the in-class Mid-Term Examination (25% of the final grade) (October 18); Write a Policy Memo to the Obama Administration’s National Security Adviser (15% of the final grade) (Due November 29); Complete the in-class Final Examination (35% of the final grade) (December 6).
Both written assignments are REQUIRED for this course. In both cases, full instructions and guidelines will be emailed to you beforehand detailing expectations for the assignment. Late papers will be marked down one letter grade. However, extensions may be granted under very special circumstances.
Grading Summary and Standards of Performance Evaluation
All assignments must be completed to pass the course. Evaluation of your performance in this course, which will determine your final grade, will be guided by the following criteria:
A or A-: Demonstration of superior work (written and oral) in fulfillment of course requirements; improvement during the semester will be weighed in evaluation, class participation; demonstration of reading assignments; good attendance.
B+, B or B-: Excellent work (written and oral) in fulfillment of course requirements; improvement during the semester will be weighed in evaluation; good attendance.
C+, C or C-: Satisfactory work (written and oral) in fulfillment of course requirements.
D: Assigned work is not satisfactory or not completed and/or student fails to meet minimum attendance requirements.
F: Failure to meet minimum course goals – written assignments, class participation, and other course requirements.
3 Academic Integrity Code Statement Overview
All students are governed by American University’s Academic Integrity Code. The Academic Integrity Code details specific violations of ethical conduct that relate to academic integrity. By registering, you have acknowledged your awareness of the Academic Integrity Code, and you are obliged to become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as defined by the Code.
All of your work (whether oral or written) in any and all classes is governed by the provisions of the Academic Integrity Code. Academic violations include but are not limited to: plagiarism, inappropriate collaboration, dishonesty in examinations whether in-class or take-home, dishonesty in papers, work done for one course and submitted to another, deliberate falsification of data, interference with other students’ work, and copyright violations.
The adjudication process and possible penalties are listed in American University’s Academic Integrity Code booklet, and is also available on the American University website (http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/code.htm). Being a member of this academic community entitles each of us to a wide degree of freedom and the pursuit of scholarly interests. With that freedom, however, comes a responsibility to uphold the highest ethical standards of scholarly conduct.
Class Schedule
Class One – August 23/30 Introduction – Overview of the Course – History, Actors and Levels of Analysis
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 1 -Francis Fukuyama, “The End of History?” The National Interest, Summer 1989 -Robert Kagan, “The End of the End of History,” The New Republic, 23 April 2008
Class Two – September 2/9 Power Politics, Realism, and Hegemony
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 2 -Azar Gat, “The Return of Authoritarian Great Powers,” Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007 -Robert Kaplan, “The Geography of Chinese Power,” Foreign Affairs, May/June 2010 -Michael Lind, “Beyond American Hegemony,” The National Interest, May/June 2007
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*** Note: No Class on Monday September 6 – LABOR DAY ***
Class Three – September 13/16 Liberal Theories, Domestic Influences, and Foreign Policy Making
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 3 -Daniel Deudney and G. John Ikenberry, “The Myth of the Autocratic Revival,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2009 -Anatol Lieven, “Liberal Hawk Down,” The Nation, October 25 2004 -Marina Ottaway and Thomas Carothers, “Think Again: Middle East Democracy,” Foreign Policy, Nov/Dec 2004 -J. Anthony Holmes, “Where Are the Civilians?” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2009
Class Four – September 20/23 Social Theories, Constructivism, Marxism, Peace Studies and Gender
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 4 -Alexander Wendt, “Anarchy Is What States Make of It: The Social Construction of Power Politics,” International Organization 46 (Spring 1992), pp. 391-425 -Zbigniew Brzezinski, “From Hope to Audacity,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2010 -Sheri Berman, “From the Sun King to Karzai,” Foreign Affairs, March/April 2010
Class Five – September 27/30 International Conflict
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 5 -Robert M. Gates, “A Balanced Strategy,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2009 -James Lindsay & Ray Takeyh, “After Iran Gets the Bomb,” Foreign Affairs, Mar/Apr 2010 -Christopher S. Bond and Lewis M. Simons, “The Forgotten Front Subtitle: Winning Hearts and Minds in Southeast Asia,” Foreign Affairs, Nov/Dec 2009 -Bernard Lewis, “Free at Last? The Arab World in the Twenty-First Century,” Foreign Affairs, March/April 2009
* Critique of Article on International Affairs Due * * September 30 *
5 Class Six – October 4/7 Military Force, Terrorism, the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 6 -Larry Diamond, “What Went Wrong in Iraq,” Foreign Affairs, Sep/Oct 2004 -Seth G. Jones, “It Takes the Villages: Bringing Change from Below in Afghanistan,” Foreign Affairs, May/June 2010 -Jessica Stern, “Mind Over Martyr: How to Deradicalize Islamist Extremists,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2010 -Bruce Hoffman, “The Myth of Grass-Roots Terrorism: Why Osama bin Laden Still Matters,” Foreign Affairs, May/June 2010
Class Seven – October 11/14 International Law, the United Nations, and Human Rights
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 7 -Michael Chertoff, “The Responsibility to Contain: Protecting Sovereignty under International Law,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2009 -Stephen G. Brooks and William C. Wohlforth, “Reshaping the World Order: How Washington Should Reform International Institutions,” Foreign Affairs, Mar/Apr 2009 -Christopher Hitchens, “Just Causes: The Case for Humanitarian Intervention,” Foreign Affairs, Sep/Oct 2008
Monday October 18 Midterm Examination (in class)
6 Class Eight – October 21/25 International Trade
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 8 -David Dollar and Aart Kraay, “Spreading the Wealth,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2002 -John Gray, “The World Is Round,” New York Review of Books, August 2005 -Aaditya Mattoo and Arvind Subramanian, “From Doha to the Next Bretton Woods,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2009
Class Nine – October 28/November 1 International Business & Global Finance
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 9 -Jagdish Bhagwati, “The Capital Myth: The Difference between Trade in Widgets and Dollars,” Foreign Affairs, May/Jun 1998 -Robert Skidelsky, “Keynes: The Return of the Master,” chapter 1 -Barry Eichengreen, “The Dollar Dilemma: The World’s Top Currency Faces Competition,” Foreign Affairs, Sept/Oct 2009
Class Ten – November 4/8 International Economic Integration
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 10 -Robert Pozen, “Mind the Gap,” Foreign Affairs, Mar/Apr 2005 -Tony Judt, “In Defense of Decadent Europe,” Brookings Institution, November 2005 -Anne-Marie Slaughter, “America’s Edge,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2009 -Marc Levinson, “Faulty Basel: Why More Diplomacy Won’t Keep the Financial System Safe,” Foreign Affairs, May/June 2010
Class Eleven – November 11/15 Global Environment, Population and Health Issues
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 11 -Laurie Garrett, “The Lessons of HIV/AIDS,” Foreign Affairs, Jul/Aug 2005 -Jack A. Goldstone, “The New Population Bomb,” Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2010 -Michael A. Levi, “Copenhagen’s Inconvenient Truth,” Foreign Affairs, Sep/Oct 2009 -Tony Judt, “The Wrecking Ball of Innovation,” New York Review of Books, Dec 2007 -John Gray, “The Global Delusion,” New York Review of Books, April 2006
7 Class Twelve – November 18/22 The North-South Gap
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 12 -Geoffrey Garrett, “Globalization’s Missing Middle,” Foreign Affairs, Nov/Dec 2004 -John Rapley, “The New Middle Ages,” Foreign Affairs, May/Jun 2006 -Robert Skidelsky, “Gloomy About Globalization,” New York Review of Books, April 2008
*** Note: No Class on Thursday November 25 – THANKSGIVING DAY ***
Class Thirteen – November 29/December 2 The Economics and Politics of International Development
Required: -Goldstein & Pevehouse, Chapter 13 -Robert Skidelsky, “The Mystery of Growth,” New York Review of Books, March 2003 -Joseph Siegle, Michael Weinstein, and Morton Halperin, “Why Democracies Excel,” Foreign Affairs, Sep/Oct 2004 -David Lindauer and Lant Pritchett (2002), “What’s the Big Idea? The Third Generation of Policies for Economic Growth,” Economica 3 (1), pp. 1-39.
* Policy Memo to the National Security Adviser Due * * November 29 *
Monday December 6 Final Examination (in class)
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