Political Science 051: Introduction to International Relations

Political Science 051: Introduction to International Relations
University of Vermont
Fall Term 2011
Fleming Museum 101
MWF 12:50-1:40
Lecturer: Alexandru Balas, PhD
Email: [email protected]
Office: 516 Old Mill
Office Phone: 6-8634
Office Hours: MW 1:50-2:50; T 10-12; or by appointment
Course Description
Countries around the world interact across a variety of different dimensions. This course is
designed to introduce students to the many relationships that constitute global politics. Students
will start by learning the major theoretical approaches in the international relations field from
Thucydides to post-Cold War theories. After discussing the various actors in international
politics, we then explore the key topics and debates in contemporary international relations:
international conflict, international cooperation, international law, and international political
economy. What leads to war between two countries? How do international 3rd parties solve
conflicts? Why do international actors cooperate with each other? How do international
organizations help provide aid to countries after major crises? Why do countries sign
international trade agreements? Students will also have the opportunity to study the politics of
international environmental regulations, inter-cultural dialogue, and human rights. This is not a
current events course, but students should leave the class with new tools for thinking about how
to explain recent international actions and contemporary international behavioral trends.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the course, the participants will:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Be able to differentiate between, and apply, the major theories of international relations
to understanding current events
Be able to evaluate how well international relations theories explain the international
system
Have a good understanding of the causes of war
Have a general familiarity with the causes of other types of violent conflict (terrorism,
organized crime, and internationalized criminal gangs)
Be able to explain the motives for international cooperation
Have a general familiarity with the principles of international conflict management
Have an understanding of the basic concepts in international law, international political
economy, and international development
1
•
•
•
Be able to identify human rights violations
Have specialized knowledge and expertise on one international conflict
Be able to offer policy-relevant analysis on how best to deal with similar international
conflicts
Required Readings and Additional Materials
Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon C. Pevehouse. International Relations, 10th Edition,
Longman, 2011 (9th edition is fine, too, but you are responsible for finding the appropriate
page numbers for the readings; the page numbers in the syllabus are for the 10th edition)
Karen A. Mingst, Jack L. Snyder, Essential Readings in World Politics, Fourth Edition,
2010
In addition to readings assigned from the books above, there are a number of additional required
readings drawn from various scholarly journals, international news magazines, and reports.
These readings may be accessed electronically through the library website or will be available on
the course website. There may be some minor modifications regarding readings during the
semester. If such modifications occur, they will be announced well in advance.
Course Website and Additional Concerns
The website for this course can be found at https://bb.uvm.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp . On the
website I will post my contact information, links to online readings, a copy of the syllabus, and other
important documents. I also will post announcements on the course website. Please contact me if
you have any problems accessing materials on the course website.
Requirements
I expect all students to attend class regularly. As part of your participation you are asked to
search for at least one news item every class. We will spend 5-10 minutes at the beginning of
every class discussing current events related to international relations. Furthermore, please finish
the assigned readings by the date they appear in the syllabus. Read critically and be prepared to
comment on the readings in class. I encourage you to ask questions and make germane
comments at any time during class.
Geography Quiz (15%)
There will be a geography quiz on October 3rd. Part of international relations is knowing the
actors and knowing information about the actors. Thus we will have a geography quiz on which
you will be tested on issues of geography, political leadership, current international political
events, and international organizations membership. I will give you more information on the
specifics of the geography quiz as the time approaches. The questions on the geography quiz will
be drawn from current events related to international relations that occurred in the previous 3
2
weeks to the geography quiz, and were featured in the New York Times and on the
Economist.com. You should also study the maps on pg.564-572 of Goldstein and Pevehouse.
Quizzes (15% total – 3 quizzes)
There will be three short pop-quizzes addressing the required readings and the lectures from
previous weeks. These quizzes are designed to help you review the material and prepare for the
mid-term and final exams. There will not be any make-up quizzes, unless there are special
circumstances (health, sports etc.). The quizzes will not be announced in advance.
Mid-Term Exam (30%)
There will be a mid-term exam on October 17th in class. The exam will consist of multiple
choice, short identifications, and essays. More information about the mid-term exam will be
provided a couple of weeks in advance.
Final Exam (40%)
There will be a cumulative final exam on December 9th, 01:30-04:15pm, Fleming Museum 101.
The exam will consist of multiple choice, short identifications, and essays. More information
about the final exam will be provided a couple of weeks in advance. If you have an exam
schedule conflict, please announce me as soon as possible and definitely before the Thanksgiving
break. The University administration needs to know in advance, in order to book rooms for
make-up exams.
Extra Points
Extra points (1% for each assignment; a maximum of 3 extra-points assignments is accepted)
will be awarded for any of the following two types of activities – 1) watching a short online
documentary on Al Jazeera English (on youtube) and writing a 1 pg. blog commentary on a topic
covered in one edition of one of these shows: Riz Khan, Witness, Frost Over the World, People
and Power, Inside Story, or 101 East; or 2) listening to BBC World Service podcasts and writing
a 1pg. commentary on a topic covered in one edition in one of these shows: Global News or
From Our Own Correspondents. Please see the tip sheet for extra points for more information.
The deadline for submitting the extra points assignments by email is November 18th. You can
submit all of the extra points assignments at the same time if you want to.
Grading:
Your final course grade will not be curved and will be calculated according to a standard scale in
which 97 and above is an A+, 93-97 is an A, 90-93 is an A-, 87-90 is a B+, 83-87 is a B, 80-83 is
a B-, 77-80 is a C+, 73-77 is a C, 70-73 is a C-, 67-70 is a D+, 63-67 is a D, 60-63 is a D- and
below 60 is a F.
3
If you have a question about a grade that you have received, you should contact the instructor
during office hours no earlier than 48 hours, but no later than 2 weeks after the graded
assignment is returned to you. Please come to your meeting prepared with specific questions
regarding your grade. For example, “why did I receive a C- on this exam” is not explicit enough
for a grade challenge, but “I believe my answer for question 17 should receive more credit
because I address concepts x, y, and z correctly” will lead to a more constructive discussion of
your grade. In the rare event that you believe the grade you received was unwarranted, you
should then submit to me a written statement that details your complaint, along with the original
copy of the graded work. The grade you receive from the re-grade will be final, regardless of
whether the revised grade is higher or lower than the original grade.
Rules on Course Requirements:
The following rules govern the requirements for this course:
1) Assignments are due on the dates and times noted on the syllabus and other places online.
Failure to turn in any assignment by the designated date and time indicated results in a failing
grade for that assignment.
2) Failure to turn in any assignment (even if the due date is past) results in a failing grade for the
course.
3) Any exceptions to the above rules are given at the instructors’ discretion, only with prior
approval, and only under instances of extreme emergency or serious illness. Appropriate
documentation must be supplied by the student in any event.
4) Students are required to keep all notes, records of citations, and drafts associated with their
assignments until two weeks after the due date of that assignment. Students should also keep
electronic copies of their assignments.
5) Students may not receive assistance from anyone (except the instructors, staff members at the
Writing Center-http://www.uvm.edu/wid/writingcenter/ -, or a librarian) in completing the
assignments for this course.
6) The instructor will employ the latest software and other techniques to detect instances of
academic dishonesty. Students determined to be in violation of the University regulations
regarding academic honesty will usually receive a failing grade in this course and a letter will be
placed in their student files indicating the circumstances surrounding that failing grade. In
addition, they may be subject to additional University penalties.
The instructor will follow procedures, and students retain all rights under the Student Code that
can be found at http://www.uvm.edu/policies/student/studentcode.pdf.
7) Students needing additional time or other accommodations concerning note taking, the course
website, or the paper assignments should discuss such matters with the instructors at the outset of
the course. Appropriate documentation concerning disabilities may be required. For further
information, consult the guide to disabilities that can be found at http://www.uvm.edu/access/.
8) The scanned readings on the course website are for educational purposes only. If you want to
print them, please print only one copy for your personal use in this classroom. These readings are
not to be shared with students not enrolled in this course.
9) You are not allowed to post any power point slides, notes you took for this class, assignments,
or any other documents related to this class on websites like www.notehall.com or for any
4
financial profit. Sharing documents related to this class for profit constitutes a breach of
intellectual property rights.
Classroom Protocol -- The Department of Political Science requires that this classroom
protocol, defining minimum standards of conduct, be included in all syllabi of political science
classes.
1. Students are expected to attend and be prepared for ALL regularly scheduled classes.
2. Students are expected to arrive on time and stay in class until the class period ends. If a
student knows in advance that s/he will need to leave early, s/he should notify the instructor
before the class period begins.
3. Students are expected to treat faculty and fellow students with respect. For example, students
must not disrupt class by leaving and reentering during class, must not distract class by making
noise, and must be attentive to comments being made by the instructors and by peers.
Rules on In-Class Behavior:
1) Students are expected to arrive in class at the start of the class period.
No accommodations will be made for students who arrive late and miss an in-class assignment.
2) Students are allowed to use laptop computers/IPads only to take class notes or as designated
by the instructor. Students violating this rule will be asked to leave the class for that day.
3) All cell phones, Blackberrys, I-Phones, and related devices must be turned off at all times and
stowed away.
Extensions and Late Work:
1) All work is due on the assigned due date at the beginning of the class period.
2) Any assignment turned in late will be docked one full letter grade (ten percentage points) for
the first day it is late, as well as an additional half-letter grade (five percentage points) for each
additional day it is late.
3) Extensions for any requirements will not be granted except in cases of documented
emergencies or serious illnesses. If you find yourself in such a situation, please contact me as
soon as possible. I will be much more accommodating of your situation if you have notified me
beforehand or in a timely manner.
4) If you miss a class period, you are responsible for any information that you might have missed
that day, including any announcements made or assignments handed out.
5
Academic Dishonesty:
Cheating and plagiarism are absolutely unacceptable. I will employ various methods and
techniques to detect cases of academic dishonesty. To be perfectly honest, in most cases it is
typically quite easy for professors to spot cheating and plagiarism. If you are unsure as to what
constitutes plagiarism, please ask me. When in doubt, always cite the source you have
consulted!
If you turn in a piece of plagiarized work, the appropriate university procedures will be pursued.
You should be familiar with university codes on academic integrity, which can be found at:
http://www.uvm.edu/policies/student/acadintegrity.pdf
Other Rules:
1) Generally, I reply pretty fast to emails, but do not expect a reply overnight, over the
week-end, or over the breaks. I am from an older generation and thus I am not connected
to the Internet 24/7 ☺
2) When you communicate via email with me or other faculty members, I would strongly
suggest you use formal language and appropriate email etiquette. Start with “Dear X…” ,
reference the course you are registered in, and always sign your emails. Using text
abbreviations is probably not a good idea.
3) There will be no study guides for the exams. The best study guide is to do the readings
and attend class regularly.
4) Questions that have their answer in the syllabus will not be answered. You probably do
not want to show me that you have not read the syllabus before asking a question either.
NOTE: The Course Schedule is available through the Course Materials on Blackboard.
Please make sure to check weekly for the readings assigned and for the materials of that
week. The materials for each week will be available about 3-4 weeks in advance.
6