POLS 4610 International Relations: Theory And
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ POLS 4610 International Relations: Theory and Practice- MO1- Fall 2021 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Class time: Wednesday 18:30-21:15 (with a break at 19:45) Credits: 3 Room: PRH 16 Modality: This class is taught face-to-face on the Madrid campus. For exceptional circumstances and some of the guest speaker events, a class Zoom link is provided. Class Zoom link: https://slu.zoom.us/j/93753477612?pwd=cUdUTzBJUVJ6ZWFiRldBUFdTb0VQZz09 Prerequisites: For Political Science/IR Majors: POLS 1000 or 1600, POLS 1500, POLS 2000 and Senior Standing Instructor and Email: Simona Rentea, Ph.D., [email protected] Office: San Ignacio Hall 310 Office hours: Monday 17:00-19:00 (via Zoom) and Wednesday 14:00-15:00 (in office SIH 310). To arrange an alternative time, email the instructor. Office Hour Zoom link: https://slu.zoom.us/j/94941006188?pwd=cmZFSFd5UUxNV2hxSUEzNVBKTmhIQT09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Description: The principal purpose of this course is to explore the key theoretical traditions in the discipline of International Relations. There is little agreement as to what International Relations theory is and should be about. Questions of gender inequality and human emancipation are as much a part of International Relations theory today as questions of sovereignty, balance of power and the conduct of war. The aim of the course is threefold. Firstly, it introduces students to fundamental texts and thinkers in political realism, liberalism, constructivism, Marxism, feminism, and postcolonialism in International Relations. Particular attention will be paid to the assumptions, claims, and modes of reasoning that distinguish these theories from one another. Second, it compares and contrasts their different interpretations of the “international” in relation to key methodological and epistemological areas of disagreement. Third, it uses them as basis for staging debates on key historical and contemporary events, such as the Peace of Westphalia, the emergence of capitalism and colonialism, the war in Vietnam, the decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003, the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the transformation of the role of NATO POLS 4610 International Relations: Theory and Practice Fall 2021 after the end of the Cold War, the role of women in the military, etc. and discusses key aspects of contemporary international practice, such as human rights, the changing practice of war and struggles for equality and emancipation. Overall, then, the module provides students an opportunity to engage in these debates and to explore the controversies to which they give rise. Taken together, this focus on the theory and practice of International Relations should provide students with a critical awareness of the importance of theoretically informed practice in the international arena and the manner in which this impacts on our daily lives in a globalized world. Course aims: At the end of this course, students will be familiar with: 1. The history and development of International Relations as an academic discipline; 2. The assumptions and intellectual origins of the major theoretical traditions in International Relations; 3. The differences and similarities between the key approaches and the outlines of key debates in International Relations; 4. The main contemporary developments in international relations practice, such as radical change within the system, the changing practices of war, human rights, globalisation, and human emancipation. Student Learning outcomes: At the end of this course, students will be able to: 1. Provide a broad overview of the development of International Relations as an academic discipline; 2. Compare and contrast major theoretical approaches and traditions; 3. Display a critical awareness of the key theoretical debates in International Relations; 4. Investigate the practice of international relations through an examination of the principal actors and political phenomena in a theoretically informed manner. Technology Requirements: You will need regular access to a computer with an internet connection. High speed broadband access (LAN, Cable or DSL) is highly recommended for the optimal learning experience. Connection, Engagement & Attendance Expectations: • Campus and course announcements will often be handled by e-mail. You should check your “@slu.edu” e-mail regularly. • In order to achieve the goals of the course, and to complete the required credit hours, each week you are expected to dedicate a total of 5 to 8 hours a week during the semester to complete the module for this class. • You are expected to log into Canvas’s course page from Monday to Wednesday to go over the lecture materials, readings and complete all the assigned work for each of the modules. The course is structured by modules that include a series of objectives, a task list and a deadline for completion. • Some modules have a discussion board which you are required to check regularly, post and respond to colleagues’ contributions. There is a minimum expectation of one post and two replies to posts per student per week. 2 POLS 4610 International Relations: Theory and Practice Fall 2021 • All required assignments are to be submitted on the due date. Essays or assignments that are handed in late will be marked down by 5% a day for every day that they are late. • All assignments and exams will be returned with feedback within a maximum of seven working days. • You are required to attend class sessions regularly (not being able to miss more than one double session a semester) and come prepared to participate and think critically. Preparation involves reading the required material for each module in advance of the class. Covering the further material will give you extra points. • Students are expected to research, prepare and actively take part in the class debates and present their ideas for a research paper in the final workshop sessions. Video/Zoom conferences: o Dress appropriately for the classroom. o Do not eat, drink or smoke. o Make sure that you are in a quiet place where you should not get interrupted. o Try not to move around too much or do anything that could distract others. o Disconnect or silence other devices, such as telephones, to avoid distractions. o Turn off the microphone when not using it. o Do not engage in other non-related activities at the same time (e.g. check emails). o Follow the instructor's guidelines related to questions and other interactions. Discussion Boards netiquette: o Make sure that you have read carefully all the instructions. o Be as concise and clear as possible. o Write posts that are on topic and within the scope of the course material. o Review and edit your posts before submitting them. o Always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source, whether it be a peer or an authority. o Be sure to read all messages in a thread before replying. o Don’t repeat someone else’s post without adding something of your own to it: this may be considered plagiarism. o Avoid short, generic replies such as, “I agree.” o Respect diversity and the opinions of others. Communicate tactfully and base disagreements on scholarly ideas or research evidence. Email netiquette: o Use a clear and descriptive subject line. o Be brief. o Put the most important part at the very beginning. o Use attachments that you are sure your recipients can open (check class guidelines). o Think before you send the e-mail to more than one person. Does everyone really need to see your message? COVID-19 contingencies: If your course instructor has to quarantine but is well enough to teach, students will be notified by the instructor via email, and class will meet remotely on Zoom at the regularly scheduled time. If your course instructor becomes ill and is unable to continue teaching, an alternative instructor will teach the course for as long as necessary. 3 POLS 4610 International Relations: Theory and Practice Fall 2021 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Course Requirements and Grading Rationale/System: Grade Points: Grade Components: Course Credits: 3 A 4.0 93%-100% 25% Midterm exam A- 3.7 90%-92% 15% Class participation and debates B+ 3.3 87%-89% 10% Paper proposal B 3.0 83%-86% 10% Presentation B- 2.7 80%-82% 40% Final paper C+ 2.3 73%-79% C 2.0 67%-72% C- 1.7 60%-66% D 1.0 50%-59% F 0.0 0-49% Arts & Sciences Grading Scale can be accessed at: http://www.slu.edu/x6352.xml 1. Your class debates and participation mark (15%) will reflect: • The frequency of attendance and commitment to the course. • Your ability to contribute in class and taking an active role in the class discussions. • Your consistency in covering the required and further reading material and ability to extract the most relevant information for classroom discussions. • Your consistency in preparing and your contributions to the scheduled class debates. • Contributions to Discussion Boards. • If a student must miss class, they should notify the instructor by email at least one hour before class. • Students who are unable to physically attend class but are well enough to participate remotely are expected to do so. 2. Midterm exam (25%) held on Wednesday 13 October: • The midterm examinations will be written on the respective date. • A review sheet with the topics and questions covered, bibliography and the format for the exam will be provided prior to the examinations. • A revision session is scheduled for Wednesday 6 October. 3. Paper proposal (10%) due Wednesday 10 November: 1,500 words long, to include a research question, its relevance, a hypothesis, literature review, a tentative research design, accompanied by a bibliography. The literature review entails an in-depth evaluation and analysis of the relevant scholarly works on your chosen topic. • A document outlining the requirements and expectations for the paper proposal is uploaded on Canvas. It contains information on how it will be marked and assessed, so please read.