plsc 102 / pax 102 / ints 257 / bws 110 international relations
Spring 2010
Time: Two 1’20” sessions per week (Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:20-3:35 p.m.)
Classroom: Room 124
Professor: Claudio Lodici (c.lodici@usa.net)
Office hours: T. & Th. 3:45-5:00 p.m. (by appointment, room 103)
Required Text: W. Raymond Duncan, Barbara Jancar-Webster and Bob Switky, World Politics in the 21st Century. Student choice edition ( Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin, 2009).
Course description: Broadly stated, politics is the struggle to define the rules and mechanisms by which the individual’s life is organized within a larger social group. Within the global context, confrontation inevitably arises around the goals and values of different societies. This power struggle is further compounded when social problems are global in nature, yet are beyond the scope of any particular domestic, institutional response. Through the world lens, therefore, the paramount question is how global society will establish, maintain, and/or change the dominant paradigm of rules that will dictate the individual’s life?
This class, International Relations 102, both examines issues confronting the members of global society and requires a perspective recognizing the historical and cultural aspects of the shifting terrain of global power. More importantly, this course provides a sturdy foundation – the necessary background information and conceptual tools – upon which students may build an understanding of contemporary international relations.
There are two sections to this course. In the first section, we will survey the major philosophical contributions traditionally used in the study of international relations as well the history of the modern international system of politics and power. This includes a large spectrum of issues and methodological concepts in contemporary world politics, including international security, gendered forms of violence, international political economy and globalization, international organizations and law, the international development and global inequality, and environmental issues. We will study these issues by examining how they impact the relationship between the United States and particular areas in the world that have contemporary relevance, such as the Middle East, China, and Africa.
Class is complemented with discussions on current issues in world politics. Each Thursday will be a student-led discussion.
Please note: This syllabus is subject to change with advance notice.
Course procedure: Students are expected to have completed their reading before the end of the semester. Each student will write a review of approximately 600 words for a world politics book of their own choosing. They are also expected to actively participate in all sessions, and their participation will be taken into consideration. Some sessions are in seminar format.
Credits: Three credit hours
Evaluation: Class participation and daily readings. There are 40 points awarded at the discretion of the instructor for attendance, participation (it is not necessary to speak, but it is necessary to be "present"), and questions. Students will be expected to bring to class each Tuesday one question related to the chapter from the Duncan text for that week. As you read the chapter[s], there should be something that either is of interest to you or that is not clear to you. The success of this class depends upon the quality of the dialogue in class. It is expected that students will attend every class and that they will be fully prepared to discuss the material assigned for that day. Class participation grades will reflect their attendance record, the frequency of their contributions to class discussions, and the quality of their questions, observations, and conclusions.
There will be daily readings worth 30 points. Each of the students will report once on reading assignment on class days. Students are to read one chapter summarizing the most significant or revealing points in the day's readings. Each student should select and make an oral presentation, which will take place on Thursdays. When you present, you are also required to hand in a one-page written response. “Write-ups” should be one page maximum, typed, and carefully edited. Most of all, it should demonstrate your “engagement” with the reading. They must provide evidence that you have done the weekly reading and give some critical thought to your grasp of the facts, concepts and debates in the reading. Quantity is not required; rather, two, three or one-paragraph questions or commentaries are fine. Quality is what is important. Don’t worry about being incorrect, provided you have engaged the reading.
The objective is to help students critically engage the ideas, theories and facts presented in readings and lectures. Learning how to pose the right analytic question is just as important as answering a question. I will reward those who are committed to the goals of the course and those who critically engage the readings.
The task is to present a short, informal presentation on an assigned reading. The main part of presentation should be no longer than 5 minutes.
There will be a term project worth 100 points Each student will also write a paper of approximately 3000 words (or about 12 double-spaced typewritten pages) analyzing one aspect of world politics. Students should choose their topic in consultation with the instructor. The completed paper will be due by April 15.
The following schedule will be strictly observed:
1. Consultation with the instructor on your research idea (by February 4).
2. A typed project proposal, including the central questions, a plan for research, and a preliminary bibliography (due February 25).
3. A rough draft of the paper (due April 1).
4. A final draft (due April 15).
PLAGIARISM. Students of this university are called upon to know, to respect, and to practice a high standard of personal honesty. Plagiarism is a serious for of violation of this standard. Plagiarism is the appropriation for gain of ideas, language, or work of another without sufficient public acknowledgement that the material is not one’s own. Plagiarism on the part of a student in academic work or dishonest examination behavior will result in failure and will be reported to the Office of the Director.
There will be two examinations (Midterm: essay, with some choice--1 of 3, e.g.; Final: 10 short answer essays). The Midterm exam will be worth 100 points, the final will be worth 200 points.
The first exam will cover the first half of the class; the final exam will be cumulative.
Each student will write a book review of approximately 600 words. This will be submitted no later than April 8. Each review should include a brief synopsis, followed by the reader’s reaction. What was the author’s point. What did the editor provide. What do you think of the book. What did you learn. What did you like about the book. What didn’t you like about the book. How did the book relate to your understanding of world politics. Why was the assignment worthwhile.
Why wasn’t the assignment worthwhile. THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST BE WORD PROCESSED, SPELL CHECKED AND PROOF READ. Failure to follow these directions will result in either a lowered grade or having the assignment returned ungraded to be resubmitted. Late assignments (including those returned for resubmission) may have points deducted for each day late.
Reviews are worth a possible 40 points.
Added together, the total number of points is 510.
Please note that there is often, although not always, a positive correlation between class attendance and "participation" and the student's ability to earn a better than average grade.
The grading scale is as follows:A 4.00 Excellent 481 or more points
A- 3.67 459-480 points
B+ 3.33 444-472 points
B 3.00 Good 423-443 points
B- 2.67 408-422 points
C+ 2.33 393-407 points
C 2.00 Satisfactory 375-392 points
C- 1.67 357-374 points
D+ 1.33 327-357 points
D 1.00 Poor 306-326
F 0.00 Failure 305or fewer points
P 0.00 Pass with credit.
The minimum passing grade for a course taken under the Pass/Fail option will be C minus (C-)
I Incomplete
W Withdrawal
WF Withdrawal Failure
C- will be the minimum acceptable grade for university undergraduate requirements, such as the University Core Curriculum and the Values Across the Curriculum requirements.
Grade Tabulation: Class participation 7.84 per cent
Reading assignments 5.88 per cent
Book review 7.84 per cent
Mid term exam 19.53 per cent
Tem project 19.53 per cent
Final exam 39.21 per cent
Please note that there is often, although not always, a positive correlation between class attendance and participation and the student's ability to earn a better than average grade.
Grading philosophy: A Excellent. Indicates the highest level of achievement in the subject and an outstanding level of intellectual initiative.
B Good. Indicates a good level of achievement, intelligent understanding and application of subject matter.
C Satisfactory. Indicates academic work of an acceptable quality and an understanding of the subject matter.
D Poor. Minimum credit. Indicates the lowest passing grade, unsatisfactory work and only the minimum understanding and application.
F Failure. Indicates the lack of even the minimum understanding and application.
Honors Credit: Students interested in obtaining honors credit for a course must read the following statement from the Director of the Honors Program:
“The honors project should be course-related, one of greater complexity than is ordinarily required in the work of the course. If possible we would prefer that the honors project not entail simply more work but rather work that would reflect a more knowledgeable and sophisticated awareness of the discipline than would be gained from meeting the conventional requirements of the course. Honors credit should not be assigned on the basis simply of a qualitative performance in conventional course requirements. And finally, the honors project should be regarded as distinct from the ordinary requirements of the course and it should be evaluated separately. The student’s grade for the course is determined as usual, by his performance in the course: the award of honors credit, however, is based on the fulfillment of the credit contract. Nevertheless, a grade of “B” or higher is required in the course itself as a condition for the award of honors credit.”
Behavior: Civility and toleration are essential for an academic atmosphere conducive to learning. Incivility in the classroom will not be tolerated. Students should make sure to turn off cellular phones and other electronic devices before class. Students are not allowed to eat, drink, or smoke in the classrooms.
Honor Code: Lying, cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code that, when identified, are investigated. Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception involved.
Incidents where the instructor determines the student’s actions are clearly related more to a misunderstanding will handled by the instructor. A written intervention designed to help prevent the student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form and signed by both the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Office of the Director and placed in the student’s file.
Cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor and/or others having knowledge of the incident to the Office of the Director. A student found responsible by the board for academic dishonesty will receive a WF in the course, indicating failure of the course due to academic dishonesty.
Students should be aware that unauthorized collaboration–working together without permission – is a form of cheating. Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an assignment, quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the assignment is permitted. Other forms of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized study aid (which could include accessing information stored on a cell phone), copying from others’ exams, fabricating data, and giving unauthorized assistance.
Research conducted and/or papers written for other classes cannot be used in whole or in part for any assignment in this class without obtaining prior permission from the instructor.
Course outline and reading assignments:
January 21-26-28: The Foundation of World Politics.
Duncan et al.: Chapters 1,2 (pages 2-61)
February 2-4: Analyzing World Politics.
Duncan et al.: Chapter 3 (pages 62-95)
February 9-11: Power in World Politics.
Duncan et al.: Chapter 4 (pages 96-129)
February 16-18-19: Foreign Policy Formation and Execution
Duncan et al.: Chapter 5 (pages 130-159)
February 23-25: Intergovernmental Actors
Duncan et al.: Chapter 6 (pages 160-199)
March 2: Non-State Actors
Duncan et al.: Chapter 7 (pages 200-229)
March 4: Midterm examination
March 5-14: Fall semester break
March 16-18: Political Geography
Duncan et al.:Chapter 8 (pages 230-261)
March 23-25: Nationalism's Power in World Politics
Duncan et al.: Chapter 9 (pages 262-289)
March 30-April 1: Global Violence: Wars, Weapons, Terrorism
Duncan et al.: Chapter 10 (pages 290-327)
April 2-5: Easter Recess
April 6-8: Global Rights, Women, and Global Justice
Duncan et al.: Chapter 11 (pages 328-367)
April 13-15 International Political Economy and Developed Countries
Duncan et al.: Chapter 12 (pages 368-399)
April 20-22: The Politics of Development; The Global Environment
Duncan et. al.: Chapter 13, 14 (pages 400-473)
April 27: (11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M., Room 124): Final Examination
