international politics
PLSC 300: Ethics in International Relations
Ms. Sherri Replogle
W 4:15pm / LSC
What role do ethics and morality play (or not play) in world politics? What role should they play? In this course we will analyze whether and how moral concerns affect how the world actually turns out: how do international moral issues arise and what is their impact on world politics? Specific topics may include the ethics of force, civilian rights, human rights, ethics of accountability, terrorism, and moral dimensions of foreign policy.
PLSC 300: Globalization
TBA
MWF 12:35pm / LSC
PLSC 325: American Foreign Policy
Mr. John O’Leary
TTh 1:00pm / LSC
American foreign policy is made by the President and executed by the State Department--or so says grammar school civics. In reality, policy is occasionally articulated by the President, but usually not. Numerous agencies have their own foreign and domestic agendas and Congressional mandates and compete to determine America’s outlook and actions. Members of Congress also want a hand in foreign policy, often in response to their constituents’ concerns. Special interest groups, NGOs, “public opinion”, the press, the availability of resources, foreign governments, and international entities also influence its formation and execution. In this course, we will attempt to sort out who does what to whom against the backdrop of this year’s presidential elections. Students will determine the foreign policy priorities and orientations of the two major presidential candidates and assess how those policies may fare as competing interests struggle to shape them to achieve their own goals. Current events will also be used to illustrate the policy-making process. The goal is to enable students to understand American foreign policy and its components; comprehend constraints on policy formation; and evaluate effectiveness of the policy itself, both at home and abroad.
PLSC 340: International Relations of Africa
Professor Peter Schraeder
TTh 10:00am / LSC
This course introduces you to the international relations of the African continent. Since an understanding of the past is crucial to our understanding of the present, we will first explore the international relations of the African continent during the precolonial independence era (prior to 1884), followed by an assessment of the impact that colonial rule (roughly 1884-1951) exerted on these relationships. The primary focus of the course, however, is the nature and evolution of African international relations during the post-cold war era (1989-present), with a special emphasis on the post-9/11 era (2001-present). Themes to be discussed include war and conflict resolution, democracy promotion, the challenges of regional integration and development, and the global HIV/AIDs crisis. The course will focus on Africa's evolving ties with a wide array of international actors, including regional organizations (such as the European Union and the Organization of African Unity), international organizations (such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund), and the great powers of the international system (such as China, Germany, and the United States).
PLSC 350: Politics of International Economic Relations
TBA
MWF 1:40pm / LSC
PLSC 353: International Law
Professor Brian Endless
MWF 9:20am / LSC
This course will introduce students to the study of international law. Emphasis will be placed on both international legal concepts and theoretical issues, as well as the application of international law in the analysis of several case studies. Topics will focus on the development and use of international law in the conduct of international relations, with special emphasis placed on such current topics as laws of war, law of the sea, diplomatic immunity and human rights.
PLSC 364: UN and International Organizations
Professor Alexandru Grigorescu
MWF 10:25am / LSC
This course focuses on the major concepts and theories in the study of international organizations (IOs). In order to illustrate various theoretical approaches, we will discuss more than a dozen organizations (such as the U.N., the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the World Health Organization). Although the course does not involve large-scale simulations (as PLSC 367: Model United Nations) it offers a small scale interactive activity that is intended to illustrate bargaining and negotiations among states in various IOs.
PLSC 300: Ethics in International Relations
Ms. Sherri Replogle
W 4:15pm / LSC
What role do ethics and morality play (or not play) in world politics? What role should they play? In this course we will analyze whether and how moral concerns affect how the world actually turns out: how do international moral issues arise and what is their impact on world politics? Specific topics may include the ethics of force, civilian rights, human rights, ethics of accountability, terrorism, and moral dimensions of foreign policy.
PLSC 300: Globalization
TBA
MWF 12:35pm / LSC
PLSC 325: American Foreign Policy
Mr. John O’Leary
TTh 1:00pm / LSC
American foreign policy is made by the President and executed by the State Department--or so says grammar school civics. In reality, policy is occasionally articulated by the President, but usually not. Numerous agencies have their own foreign and domestic agendas and Congressional mandates and compete to determine America’s outlook and actions. Members of Congress also want a hand in foreign policy, often in response to their constituents’ concerns. Special interest groups, NGOs, “public opinion”, the press, the availability of resources, foreign governments, and international entities also influence its formation and execution. In this course, we will attempt to sort out who does what to whom against the backdrop of this year’s presidential elections. Students will determine the foreign policy priorities and orientations of the two major presidential candidates and assess how those policies may fare as competing interests struggle to shape them to achieve their own goals. Current events will also be used to illustrate the policy-making process. The goal is to enable students to understand American foreign policy and its components; comprehend constraints on policy formation; and evaluate effectiveness of the policy itself, both at home and abroad.
PLSC 340: International Relations of Africa
Professor Peter Schraeder
TTh 10:00am / LSC
This course introduces you to the international relations of the African continent. Since an understanding of the past is crucial to our understanding of the present, we will first explore the international relations of the African continent during the precolonial independence era (prior to 1884), followed by an assessment of the impact that colonial rule (roughly 1884-1951) exerted on these relationships. The primary focus of the course, however, is the nature and evolution of African international relations during the post-cold war era (1989-present), with a special emphasis on the post-9/11 era (2001-present). Themes to be discussed include war and conflict resolution, democracy promotion, the challenges of regional integration and development, and the global HIV/AIDs crisis. The course will focus on Africa's evolving ties with a wide array of international actors, including regional organizations (such as the European Union and the Organization of African Unity), international organizations (such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund), and the great powers of the international system (such as China, Germany, and the United States).
PLSC 350: Politics of International Economic Relations
TBA
MWF 1:40pm / LSC
PLSC 353: International Law
Professor Brian Endless
MWF 9:20am / LSC
This course will introduce students to the study of international law. Emphasis will be placed on both international legal concepts and theoretical issues, as well as the application of international law in the analysis of several case studies. Topics will focus on the development and use of international law in the conduct of international relations, with special emphasis placed on such current topics as laws of war, law of the sea, diplomatic immunity and human rights.
PLSC 364: UN and International Organizations
Professor Alexandru Grigorescu
MWF 10:25am / LSC
This course focuses on the major concepts and theories in the study of international organizations (IOs). In order to illustrate various theoretical approaches, we will discuss more than a dozen organizations (such as the U.N., the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the World Health Organization). Although the course does not involve large-scale simulations (as PLSC 367: Model United Nations) it offers a small scale interactive activity that is intended to illustrate bargaining and negotiations among states in various IOs.