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Current Issues in IR Course Title: Current Issues in International Relations Tutor: Dr Steven P. McGiffen “For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple – and wrong.” H.L. Mencken Classes will run Mondays from 3.45 p.m. to 6.15 p.m., beginning September 14, 2009. Course Reader John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens (eds) The globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations (Fourth Edition, Oxford University Press, 2008) Other required reading Joseph Stiglitz Making Globalization Work (Penguin, 2006) Ha-Joon Chang Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism (Bloomsbury Press, 2008) Recommended Reading Joseph Stiglitz Globalization and Its Discontents , (W.W. Norton & Company, 2002) James Petras and Henry Veltmeyer Globalization Unmasked : Imperialism in the 21 st Century (Zed Books, 2001) Stephen Gill Power and Resistance in the New World Order (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003) David Keen Endless War: Hidden Functions of the 'War on Terror' (Pluto Press, 2006) Almost all sessions will include a chapter of Baylis, Smith & Owens (BS&O) as required reading. This course focuses primarily on issues in contemporary global politics rather than on theories of international relations, but it is important to understand the theoretical approach underpinning the tutor’s analysis. That’s why you should read Gill (above), especially Chapters 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11. Students who feel the need to refresh their general theoretical background knowledge should look at Part Two of BS&O, which gives an account of each major theory or group of theories current in the discipline. In addition, a good grasp of at least post-World War Two history is essential to an understanding of contemporary internal relations, so students who do not feel that they have such should read Part One. Finally, a number of chapters also contain material which cuts across the content of the weekly sessions. For this reason, though they do not figure on any of the lists for these sessions, the following chapters are also required reading, and should best be read as early in the course as possible: 15, 16 and 29. As this course focuses on events which may be unfolding while we study them, I would also encourage students to read widely in the contemporary press. Looking at serious newspapers and news sources from as many countries as possible is a start: if you can read French or other foreign languages, take advantage of this. If not, read non-US papers as well as those from the United States, in particular The Financial Times and The Guardian , respectively the voices of intelligent British conservatism and liberalism. Le Monde Diplomatique is also now available in English translation and provides an excellent and stimulating critique of global affairs. Other recommendations: The Economist, Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy in Focus, New Internationalist , and the websites and listservs of the TransNational Institute< http://www.tni.org/ >, Global Policy Forum<http://www.globalpolicy.org/ >, the Council on Hemispheric Affairs <http://www.coha.org/ > and international trade, financial and political organisations such as the WTO, IMF, World Bank and UN. It must also be said that Wikipedia is becoming an ever-more useful source of basic information and a good starting point for research in an increasing number of areas, but use it with caution. Course structure and requirements: In addition to attending class and participating in discussion and other activities during class, which together will count for 20% of the grade, each student will be required to produce three pieces of work: a short essay (max. 2000 words, relatively early in the course); a research paper (max 5000 words, to be completed by the last day of the course) and a class presentation, i.e. a presentation in class on a paper or papers selected from the reading list, or agreed between student and tutor. There will be no formal examination. The mid-term exam is replaced by the essay, and the final exam by the presentation and the research paper. Non-attendance at class is looked on much less unfavorably if the tutor is informed beforehand and given an explanation, although such absences should obviously be kept to an absolute minimum. For the short essay, which will also count for 20% of the grade, questions will be distributed week 2 and the deadline will be week 9. For the research paper, which will be your most important piece of assessed work, accounting for 40% of the final grade, questions will be distributed Week 10. In each case the choice of questions will be broad, and in the case of the research paper the questions will be sufficiently flexible to allow students to focus on issues which are of special interest to them. The presentation should last a maximum of 20 minutes, may include supporting visual material (though this is not required) and should stimulate discussion among the other students. Presentations will begin Week 4 at the latest, earlier if anyone wants to go earlier. This will count for 20% of the grade. For each of these assessments, students will be rewarded for original work, for presenting intelligent arguments backed up by sound research, and for coherent analysis - not for agreeing with the tutor! Similarly, you will be penalized for poorly-developed arguments which rely on unproven assumptions, a lack of coherence, internal contradiction and shoddy work of all kinds – and not for disagreeing with the tutor. You are expected to be objective and approach the subject with an open mind. This does not, however, mean that you are required to refrain from expressing judgments and opinions, provided these are relevant to the issues under discussion, and backed up by sound observation. If arguing a particular position, you should show an awareness of counter-arguments and be able to explain why you have decided that they are wrong, or insufficient to persuade you to change your position. Finally, plagiarism is intolerable at any level of study. In graduate students, where the emphasis should be on original thought based on sound research, it is inexcusable. Clear cases of plagiarism will result in fail grades. Where any doubt exists, discussions will be held with the student before any decision is taken. Recap: Attendance = 20% Presentation in class = 20% Essay = 20% Research paper = 40% Feb 9 Classes begin Feb 16 Mid-term essay questions distributed Session 9 Mid-term essays due Session 10 Research Paper question list distributed Final session Research Papers due Week-by-week International Relations courses need to be able to respond to immediate events. For this reason, the following list is indicative rather than rigid. You may be asked to look at particular aspects of an issue not mentioned on this list. To take an example, if the class had been running during August, 2008, we would have all had to find out quite quickly where South Ossetia was, and why the Russians and Georgians felt it was worth fighting a war over. PLEASE NOTE: GIVEN THAT THIS IS A “CURRENT ISSUES” CLASS, READING LISTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGES WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT LEAST A WEEK IN ADVANCE. The URLs for all on-line readings were last checked on September 11, 2009. Session 1: Introduction A general overview of the current state of international relations, picking out some of the central themes on which the course will focus. Session 2: Globalization? The political and economic basis of the global system of international relations. The postwar settlement and its continuing influence; the legacy of colonialism; the international division of labor; religious, cultural and ideological divisions and their implications for international relations; global imbalances of wealth and power and their implications for international relations. Some definitions of globalization. Readings: Anthony McGrew, “Globalization and global politics” (BS&O, Ch.1) Michael Cox, "From the cold war to the war on terror", (BS&O, Ch.4) Ngaire Woods, "International political economy in an age of globalization" (BS&O, Ch.14) Joseph Stiglitz Globalization and Its Discontents , (W.W. Norton & Company, June 2002.) James Petras and Henry Veltmeyer Globalization Unmasked : Imperialism in the 21 st Century (Zed Books, 2001) Session 3 Trade The World Trade Organization: Free Trade and its malcontents. What is the WTO, what is its history and how does it function? What are its implications for the governance of states and for relations between them? How do its procedures and decisions reflect the wider realities of trade and commerce in an unequal world? What benefits has freer trade brought? What have been its negative results? Are there any realistic alternatives to the current system? By looking at the theoretical underpinnings, institutional expression and practical realities of current trade between nations, we will attempt to arrive at some answers to these questions. Readings: Jan Aart Scholte, “Global trade and finance”, (BS&O, Ch.26) World Trade Organization material on recent and current negotiations, through portal: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dda_e/negotiations_summary_e.htm and ‘We must keep our foot on the gas for trade” (recent speech by Director General) http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/aid_07jul09_e.htm World Development Movement material on the WTO, through portal: http://www.wdm.org.uk/trade-campaign Session 4 Financial background to international relations Money makes the world go round: Debt, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. How did the huge
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