Introduction to International Relations
POLS 285-1/ Fall 2007/
Class Information
Class
Time: Monday, Wednesday,
Friday
Location:
DU 461
Instructor: Andrea Mathie (I am listed departmentally as
Andrea Messing-Mathie)
: 630-915-8740 (Please use email whenever
possible)
Office:
Zulauf 402
Office
Hours: Monday, Wednesday and
Friday,
e-mail: amessing@niu.edu (expect an
e-mail response usually within 24-48 hours, except on weekends)
Why are you
here?
Welcome! International relations are ever-changing, ever-evolving, and
dramatic events change the landscape of the political world within which the
First, the overarching
objective is to get you excited about your connection to the world around you
and why studying political science and specifically international relations is
so important to understanding the kind of global community that we all live in.
Second, as an
introductory course, I will strive to provide everyone with a basic
understanding of the theories and models that are used to analyze and explain
international relations. Because the field of international relations remains
divided, students will be exposed to a range of competing theories. Remember,
these are theories that have been created by leading political science scholars
in order to explain events, especially those of WWII and beyond that defied any
kind of general explanation. Theories are not reality-real life happens with or
without theories-but it is our job as political scientists to attempt to explain real events in such a way that an
explanation over what has happened in one part of the world has some
applicability elsewhere. We will be looking at models for analyzing international
relations, and will be learning the basic terms and concepts that are used in
international relations.
Third, I want you to be
able to use these theories, models, terms and concepts that are learned in the
course in order to analyze some of the most pressing international problems
that are now facing our global system. With each of the topics students will be
asked to read a short case that presents a specific international decision that
was made to deal with the issue. You will be asked to remake these decisions in
class as part of a small group case discussion or case simulation. We will also
be discussing world events in our in class and online discussions based on our
reading of the Christian Science Monitor.
Finally, I want you to be
able to develop your analytical skills and develop your abilities to think and
argue logically both orally and in writing. In addition to the immense
significance of the issues that we will discuss in class, the greatest benefit
that the course will hopefully give will be to provide individual students
opportunities to logically consider international issues and to present their
opinions intelligently. Toward this end this course will use a variety of
highly participatory teaching methods including: discussion of Christian
Science Monitor articles, issues from lectures, and case studies.
What am I expecting of you?
1) In order to provide you with the most comprehensive reading list
possible, rather than assigning you a textbook, I have chosen to put together
an electronic course packet for you to use. Not only will this ultimately save
you the cost of purchasing a textbook, it will allow us to fine tune our
readings to our lessons. All of our course readings will be on our course URL
site and you will be responsible for printing out and reading the assigned material
before the beginning of the class date assigned. You will find the
reading list in our course calendar.
2) Case study learning is an effective and
interactive way to learn about specific political situations and circumstances,
which will allow for direct application of the information that we are learning
in class. We will be conducting our case
studies on Friday, which will allow for sufficient time throughout the week to
thoroughly read the case study in question. The case studies are available at
the bookstore for sale or at the reserve desk at the library, where you can
make copies. I am unable to post the case studies electronically, due to
copyright restrictions. You must read the case studies by the assigned date, as
it is essential to in class participation (and you may be quizzed).
3) Current Events
Assignments:
1) Journal groups:
You will be assigned to a journal group for the first half of the semester and
then a new group for the second half. Your journal group will be the group that
you do case studies with and discuss current events with in your online
discussion groups. You are required to make at least one posting per
week in order to receive at least a B in this portion of the course. Your
participation in these groups will be worth 5% of your grade.
2) Journals: You are required to submit 2 journals, one on September 28th, and the other on Nov. 21st. I will be
providing a detailed description as well as examples of what I am looking for
within the first week. Journal 1 must have 7 entries and Journal 2 must have 8 entries.
Each journal will be worth 10% of
your grade.
3) Quizzes: I will be quizzing throughout the semester on case studies
and/or reading assignments. You can expect anywhere from 12-15 quizzes,
depending on the level of class participation and comprehension. Of these
quizzes, the lowest 2 will be dropped at the end of the semester; therefore,
makeup quizzes will not be allowed. The quizzes will be worth 10% of your grade.
4) Class participation: Because this is an interactive learning
environment, you are required to participate in class and in case study group
sessions. Class participation in conjunction with attendance will be worth 5% of your grade.
5) Paper: You will be required to write your own case study at the end
of the semester. You will begin to get an idea of what I am looking for after
we have done a few case studies in class, and I will be providing you with
detailed instructions on how to complete this assignment. You will also have
some extra credit opportunities for your paper. The paper is due Friday Nov. 30th and is
worth 15% of your grade.
Exams:
Exam 1: (Midterm)
Exam 2 (Final):
(Alternate date to be announced)
Course Grading Breakdown:
Exam 1: 20%
Exam
Journal 1: 10%
Journal
Quizzes: 10%
Paper: 15%
Online journal group participation: 5%
Participation (and attendance): 5%
Some Final Thoughts:
Attendance: As you are all adults, it is expected that you will come to class
whenever possible. Your grade will be negatively affected if you miss too much
class, simply by virtue of having missed an important lesson and information. I
will be taking attendance for my purposes only, as it will be counted only as
part of your participation grade. (Clearly, if you are not in class, you cannot
participate!) It is up to you to decide when it is appropriate for you to miss
class.
Extra Credit: Extra Credit opportunities will be announced
during the semester. Absolutely no extra credit will be awarded on an
individual basis, but there will be opportunities for extra credit points to be
earned.
Classroom Etiquette: It is vital that you arrive at
class on time. You should remain in the classroom for the entire session unless
you are excused by me beforehand. You should use your best judgment on this. It
is not acceptable for students to walk in and out of class to answer cell
phones, take casual bathroom and smoking breaks, or attend to other personal
matters. It is also not acceptable to read the newspaper during class or to
listen to any listening device. Cell
phones, pagers, or any electronic devices that make noise must be turned off
during class unless the instructor has been notified beforehand of a special
circumstance (e.g., sick family member, pregnant wife, special childcare
situation, etc.). No one should talk while someone else is talking; this
includes comments meant for a classmate rather than the entire group. Overall,
classroom dialogue and behavior should always be courteous, respectful of
others, and consistent with the expectations set forth by the university.
Plagiarism: According to the NIU Undergraduate Catalog,
“Students are guilty of plagiarism, intentional or not, if they copy material
from books, magazines, or other sources without identifying and acknowledging
them. Students guilty of, or assisting others in,
either cheating or plagiarism on as assignment, quiz, or examination may
receive a grade of F for the course involved and may be suspended or dismissed
from the University.” In short, BE CAREFUL! If you think that you might be
plagiarizing, you probably are, and feel free to come to me at any time for
advice or assistance. All ideas that are not your own must be cited (via
footnotes). We will cover this in more detail during a class session.
Students with Disabilities: NIU abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding provision of reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Moreover, your academic success is of importance to me. If you have a disability that may have a negative impact on your performance in this course and you may require some type of instructional and/or examination accommodation, please contact me early in the semester so that I can provide or facilitate in providing accommodations you may need. If you have not already done so, you will need to register with the Center for Access-Ability Resources (CAAR), the designated office on campus to provide services and administer exams with accommodations for students with disabilities. CAAR is located on the 4th floor of the University Health Services building (753-1303). I look forward to talking with you to learn how I may be helpful in enhancing your academic success in this course.
Undergraduate Writing Awards: The department of Political Science will recognize, on an annual basis, outstanding undergraduate papers written in conjunction with 300-400 level political science courses or directed studies. Authors do not have to be political science majors or have a particular class standing. Winners are expected to attend the Department's Spring graduation ceremony where they will receive a certificate and $50. Papers, which can be submitted by students or faculty, must be supplied in triplicate to a department secretary by February 28. All copies should have two cover pages-one with the student's name and one without the student's name. Only papers written in the previous calendar year can be considered for the award. However, papers completed in the current spring semester are eligible for the following year's competition even if the student has graduated.
Website: Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science website on a regular basis. This up to date, central source of information will assist students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and syllabi, exploring graduate study, researching career options, tracking department events, and accessing important details related to undergraduate programs and activities. To reach the site, go to http://www.polisci.niu.edu/index.html
Course Calendar
and Tentative Course Schedule:
Week 1:
8/27: Introduction
to course
8/29: Introduction
to theories of IR
8/31: Case Study: Melian Dialogue
Week 2:
9/3: No class-Labor
Day
9/5: Begin
Liberalism and Realism
9/7: cont.
Liberalism and Realism
Read:
Doyle, Michael W. "Kant,
Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs". pgs. 83-91. (on course
electronic reserve)
Week 3:
9/10: cont.
Liberalism and Realism
Read:
Morgenthau, Hans J. "Power and Principle in Statecraft".pgs.
7-14. (on course electronic reserve)
9/12: news
discussion/ continue realism and liberalism
9/14: Case Study: One Rock, Two Principles: The Gribraltar Problem (Case 281)
Week 4:
9/17:
Constructivism, Behavioralism, Post-Behaviorlism
Read:
Wendt, Alexander. "Anarchy is What States Make of It". pgs.
61-68. (on course electronic reserve)
9/19: news
discussion/ continue
9/21: Feminist
critique of IR Theory
Read:
J. Ann Tickner. "You Just Don't Understand: Troubled Engagements Between Feminists and IR Theorists". pgs. 623-632 only. AND
Tickner, J. Ann. "A Critique of
Morgenthau's Principles of Political Realism." pgs. 15-25. (on course electronic reserve)
Week 5:
9/24: Levels of
Analysis
Read:
tba
9/26: news
discussion/ cont.
9/28: Case Study: Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs (KSG c14-80-279)
1st Journal Due in class
Week 6:
10/1: Levels of
Analysis and Models
Read: tba
10/3: Levels of
Analysis and Models (cont.)
10/5: Video on
Week 7:
10/8: Case Study: Values vs. Interests: The US response to
10/10: news
discussion/levels and models
10/12: Midterm wrap
up
Week 8:
10/15: Midterm Exam
10/17: Problems of
IR: The UN and International Organizations
10/19: Continue
Read: Hoffmann, Stanley. "The Uses and
Limits of International Law". pgs. 114- 118.
Keohane, Robert O.
"International Institutions: Can Interdependence Work?" pgs. 119-126.
Roberts, Adam. "The United
Nations and International Security." pgs. 127-135.
Week
9:
10/22:
Problems of IR: Globalization and Interdependence
Read:
tba
10/24:
news discussion/ continue
10/26:
Case Study: American Diplomatic Response to the 1973-1974 Energy Crisis (Pew
148-94-R)
Week
10:
10/29:
Problems of IR: Ethnicity and Nationalism
Read:
tba
10/31:
news discussion/ continue
11/2:
Case Study: Watershed in
Week
11:
11/5:
Problems of IR: Democratization and the
Read:
tba
11/7:
news discussion/ continue
11/9:
Case Study: Democracy and Islam in Arab Politics (Pew 611-95-N)
Week
12:
11/12:
Problems of IR: Terrorism
Read:
tba
11/14:
news discussion/ cont.
11/16:
Case Study: One American Military Retaliation for
Terrorism (Case 238 )
Week 13:
11/19: Terrorism cont.
11/21: video on Terrorism/ news discussion
2nd Journal due in class
11/23: No class, Thanksgiving
Week 14:
11/26: Problems of IR: Political Economy
Read:
tba
11/28: news discussion/continue
11/30: Case Study: tba
Paper due in class
Week 15:
12/3: Other Problems of IR
Read:
tba
12/5: wrap up lecture/ How does it all fit together
12/7: small group study session
12/10: Midterm
Exam