World Politics World Politics UNLV Instructor: Dr. Penny Pardoe Course No. PSC 231-001 Office: WRI A210 Semester: Spring 2007 E-mail: [email protected]: WRI C301 Tel: (702) 895-3354 Day and Time: M W 8:30am-9:45am Office Hours: Monday 10:15am-12:15pm and Wednesday 10:15am- 11:15am COURSE PURPOSE AND DISCRIPTION: The purpose of this course is to outline basic theories of International Relations and to familiarize the student with the important actors and organizations that heavily influence the global political atmosphere. This will be done by introducing the student to prominent world system theories, such as Realism, Liberalism, as well as theories of international security and political economy. Upon completion of this course students are expected to have: - develop the skills necessary for analyzing the roles of different state and non state actors in relation to world politics - develop a general understanding of IR theory and the major contemporary debates which surround them INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: The required text for this course is: Goldstein & Pevehouse, International Relations, 2006-07 Edition, Pearson-Longman (ISBN: 0321434307) **Further readings will be required but these materials will be available to you through library services. INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES: This class will be conducted via a series of lectures and class discussions. A schedule of lecture and discussion topics, as well as reading assignments, is provided below. However, be aware that additional reading may be added to the schedule, and that the schedule itself may change due to time constraints. Any changes will be announced at least a week in advance. ASSIGNMENTS AND OTHER COURSE REQUIREMENTS: You will be required to complete the following: - 3 tests - 2 Quizes - and one final exam All tests will include a combination of multiple choice, identification, true and false, and short answer questions. STUDENT EVALUATION: Your final grade will be calculated in the following manner: Attendance: 10% Participation: 10% First Test: 15% 2nd Test: 15% Third Test: 15% Quiz 1: 5% Quiz 2: 5% Final Exam: 25% GRADING: All final numerical grades will be transcribed into letter grades as follows: 100-93= A 75- 73= C 92- 89 = A- 72- 69= C-88- 86= B+ 68- 66= D+ 85- 83= B 65- 63= D 82- 79= B- 62- 59= D- 78-76= C+ 58- 0 = F CLASS POLICIES: 1. Attendance: Attendance is taken and counts toward part of your final grade. Anyone coming to class more than 15 minutes late or leaving more than 15 minutes early will be counted as absent. 2. Class participation: Class participation also counts toward your final grade. Discussion periods are specifically designed to evaluate your performance. Keeping up with your reading and preparing in advance for discussion will help you achieve a high grade in this area. 3. Exam and Missed Test Policy: If a student has an extraordinary, legitimate, and proven reason for missing a test (such as religious holidays or extracurricular activities), and the instructor is notified at least 2 weeks prior to the test date, arrangements for a make-up can be made during the semester. Otherwise, all students can make-up any missed tests on the last day of class. Note: that the format of the make-up tests will not necessarily be the same as that of the regularly scheduled test. The final exam must be taken at the scheduled date during finals week. No make ups or early final exams will be given. 5. Late Papers. For the purposes of fairness, students who do not turn in their written assignments on time will be penalized at the rate of 5 points per day (including weekends and holidays). 7. Academic Misconduct (Plagiarism, Cheating): Such instances may (and will most likely) result in a FAILURE for the entire course. See the “Student Academic Misconduct Policy.” LECTURE, DISCUSSION, AND READING SCHEDULE: Week 1 January 17th Lecture: Introduction and Studying IR Assigned Reading- Goldstein- Chapter 1 (pages 3-24) Week 2 January 22nd-24th Lecture: History of World Politics Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 1 (pages 24-53 be sure to read the Lets Debate) and Poster, Mark, “National Identities and Communications Technologies” Information Society, Oct-Dec99, Vol. 15 Issue 4, p235-240. Discussion Questions: Have states lost their sovereignty? If so, is this a good or bad thing? Week 3 January 29th-31st Lecture: Power and Bargaining Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 2 Week 4 February 5th-7th Lecture: Debating the nature of the International system: IR theories Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 3 (pages 99-121) and Tickner, J. Ann, “Why Women Can’t Run the World,” International Studies Review, Fall99, Vol. 1 Issue 3, p3-12. Discussion Question: Does realism display a distinctively male approach to studying IR? Are women more peaceful than men? Are there any dangers in making these assumptions? Week 5 February 12th-14th Lecture: IR theories continued Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 3 (131-137) ***Test on Wednesday Week 6 February 19th-21st Lecture: The Foreign Policy Process Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 4Week 7 February 26th-28th Lecture: International Conflict Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 5 (be sure to read the Lets Debate), “Al Qaeda’s New Strategies,” American Foreign Policy Interests, Apr2005, Vol. 27 Issue 2, p149-151, and Crockatt, Richard, “No Common Ground,” European Journal of American Culture, 2004, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p125-142. Discussion Topics: What is meant by the term “clash of civilizations?” Is there an inevitable clash between the West and the Islamic world? Week 8 March 5th-7th Lecture: Military Force Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 6 and “By the Dawn the Islamists Were Gone,” Economist, January 6th 2007, p41- 42. Discussion Questions: What are the prospects for peace in Somalia? Quiz on Monday ****March 12th-16th is Spring Break (Have a nice break!!!) Week 9 March 19th-21st Lecture: International Law and Organization Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 7 (pages 251-273) ****Test on Wednesday Week 10 March 26th-28th Lecture: International Law continued Assigned Reading: Goldstein- Chapter 7 (273-294), “Briefing: the United Nations,” Economist, January 6th 2007, p 20- 24.