An Overview of the Course

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An Overview of the Course
1. course description 2. textbook 3.
requirements
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1. course descriptiona. introduce principles of
international politics
i. class assumes no previous background in the
field, but at least some awareness of current
events and interest in them ii. course can be
an introduction into higher-level ones in IR or
in other disciplines linked to international
studies
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iii. lectures and discussion sections balance
among formats for learning iv. curriculum
includes an introduction to major theoretical
perspectives in the field, linked to both
historical evidence and current events as
relevant v. LOTR used to facilitate learning a
very complete world with its own international
relations
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b. begin with foundations
i. talk first about states, which are the major
players in international politics ii. nature
of foreign policy basic actions of states iii.
the realist approach the standard within the
field for over a century is introduced iv.
the major contemporary variant of realism,
structural realism, is singled out for further
attention
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v. continue with perspectives on, and a
description of, foreign policy, in terms of both
process and action vi. will cover both national
security and political economy vii. emphasis on
US, given greater familiarity, but not
exclusively viii. find this happens naturally
because of US central role in 20th century
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c. power politics is next
i. we will cover the exercise of power among
states ii. interstate bargaining will receive
in-depth treatment iii. e.g., we explore the
connection of domestic and international politics
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d. turn next to strategic interaction
i. assess how preferences of states affect
what happens between and among them ii. this
includes subjects ranging from deterrence to
ethnic conflict
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iii. success in international politics is not
always about power, but instead often about
tactics, as in the case of US and North Korea
regarding nuclear weapons and economic
assistance iv. the roles played by preferences
and perceptions among actors will take us
beyond the foundations of the field, which focus
exclusively on states as actors
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e. international organizations
i. explore limits to state power as well
through a focus on international organizations,
a topic of increasing interest in the field ii.
global (UN) and regional (EU) in focus
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f. finish with specific attention to interstate
war
i. look at the causes of war from a range of
perspectives ii. focus on democracy and peace
as the major area of research right now on the
causes of war
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2. textbook, etc.
a. one book for purchase b. useful items (e.g.,
syllabus, review sheets) can be downloaded from
Blackboard
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c. lectures/book are not substitutes for each
other
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3. requirements
a. mid-term exam will be in essay format, --
30 b. final exam, also in essay format, is --
50 c. attendance, class participation and
exercises -- 20 -- note -- cellphones, misuse of
computers, lateness etc., will cause a reduction
in your final grade