Introduction to International Politics

 

POSC 060, sec. 1001, Fall 2003, MWF 10:00, TW 003

Prof. Barrington, Phone: 288-5983, E-mail: Lowell.Barrington@marquette.edu

Office: 452 WWP, Office Hrs: MW 11:00-12:00; MW 1:00-3:00

 

            The study of international politics has been greatly affected by broad developments in the post-Cold War period and by specific events such as those of 9/11/01. Since the end of the Cold War, for example, European integration¡ªmost visibly in the form of the European Union¡ªhas become both ¡°wider¡± and ¡°deeper.¡± The role of other international organizations such as the UN, NATO, and OSCE has also increased. While traditional military power has remained important and military conflicts between and within states have continued, the security threats posed by ¡°non-state actors¡± (e.g., terrorists) and the importance of topics such as economics, energy, and the environment have made us rethink our ideas of power and security in the international arena.

            This course covers the basic problems and principles and the major themes, theories, and concepts of political science in the subfield of international politics. We will study relations among states (what in common language we call ¡°countries¡± or ¡°nations¡±) and between states and non-state actors, as well as look at contemporary international problems and consider the link between domestic politics and international politics. The course will also provide you with the means to analyze and understand these relations and problems. The issues addressed in the course include the reasons for conflicts between states; the trends toward globalization and regionalization; the role of international organizations in world politics; and cooperation (or the lack of it) on terrorism, weapons proliferation, human rights, population growth, and the environment. These issues will be discussed theoretically (using general explanations developed in political science) and analyzed by looking at examples from specific cases. Various ¡°levels of analysis¡± will be examined to understand better the particular decisions related to these issues.

Requirements and Assessment of Performance: During the semester, you will: (1) complete a short writing assignment (due date and specifics on the assignment are on the last page of the syllabus); (2) take nine quizzes on the readings; (3) take an in-class (essay-based) midterm and final exam; and (4) show up to class (and participate in discussions whenever possible). The short assignment will comprise 10% of your final semester grade, the quizzes 25%, the midterm 25%, and the final exam 40%.

Consistent with Marquette¡¯s emphasis on the assessment of specific learning objectives, these various assignments and activities will be used to assess: (1) your knowledge of the central concepts, theories, and methodologies in the study of international politics; (2) your ability to apply these concepts, theories, and methodologies to recurring and new situations or phenomena; (3) your ability to write effectively about topics covered in the course; (4) your creative thinking skills, ability to evaluate alternative explanations of individual and social behavior, and understanding of individual and social decision-making; and (5) the development of your views about how to improve society.

Class attendance is mandatory. But, consistent with Marquette¡¯s generous attendance policy, you will be able to miss six sessions of this class (a total of two weeks) during the semester. After six absences, I will lower your final semester grade by one letter grade (B to BC, for example) with each additional absence. In addition, anyone ending the semester in the ¡°gray area¡± between two letter grades will be bumped up or down based on their attendance and participation. Finally, I take academic dishonesty very seriously. It violates the principles of Marquette, and it is unfair to your fellow classmates. If you are caught copying during tests, plagiarizing on writing assignments, or helping someone do either of these, I will make every effort to ensure you receive an F in the class as well as any other punishments that are warranted.

Readings: You are required to buy a course textbook (Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, 9th edition, 2003) and a reader (Global Issues: Selections from the CQ Researcher, 2nd edition, 2003). Other selected readings will be on reserve (2nd floor, Memorial Library, or electronically through the Memorial Library Website). In addition to the required readings, you should also follow current events in international politics during the course of the semester. You can do this by reading daily papers such as The New York Times, weekly news publications such as The Economist, or reputable news outlets on the Internet such as msnbc.com (which tends to have good international coverage). We will discuss current events from time to time, thinking about them in the context of theories and concepts we¡¯ve discussed.

You should do the corresponding readings before each lecture. The amount of reading will vary considerably from week to week. You are welcome, and even encouraged, to take advantage of light reading weeks and read ahead. You are strongly discouraged from falling behind. It will be difficult to catch up, you will be responsible for knowing the readings for quizzes and exams, and we may discuss some of the readings during class. Also, lecture will not simply restate or summarize the information in the readings. It will complement the readings, and both are required for doing well in the course.

 

LECTURE AND READING SCHEDULE

* = Reading from the books to be purchased. All other readings are on reserve.

 

SECTION 1: The Study of International Politics in Political Science.

Week 1 (Aug. 25-29): Introduction: Political Science and International Politics.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ¡°To the Student¡± (pp. viii-ix), ch. 1 (pp. 1-15 and

23-25 only), and ch. 2 (all).

Johnson and Joslyn, Political Science Research Methods, ch. 2 (¡°Studying Politics Scientifically¡±).

 

August 29: NO CLASS. Prof. Barrington at the American Political Science Association convention.

 

Week 2 (Sep. 1-5): Realism vs. Idealism in International Politics.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 1 (pp. 16-22 only), chs. 10-11 (all).

H. Morganthau, ¡°Six Principles of Political Realism,¡± Classic Readings of International Relations,

pp. 34-38.

 

September 1: NO CLASS. Labor Day.

 

Week 3 (Sep. 8-12): The International Level of Analysis: A System of States or Global Community?

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 3 (all), and ch. 9 (pp. 224-234; 259-260 only).

 

Week 4 (Sep. 15-19): The State Level of Analysis.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, chs. 4 (all) and 8 (all, except pp. 219-222).

G. Kennan, ¡°The Sources of Soviet Conduct,¡± Classic Readings of International Relations, pp. 390-394.

 

Week 5 (Sep. 22-26): The Individual Level of Analysis: Nature of Humans, Humans in Organizations, Humans as Individuals.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 5 (all).

G. Allison, ¡°Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis,¡± Classic Readings of International

Relations, pp. 131-154.

Week 6 (Sep. 29-Oct. 3): Why do Countries Go to War?: Using Levels of Analysis.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 12 (pp. 329-344; 356-358 only).

Stoessinger, Why Nations Go to War, 8th edition (2001), ch. 8 ¡°From Sarajevo to Kosovo: The

War over the Remains of Yugoslavia¡± and ch. 9 ¡°Why Nations Go to War.¡±

 

SECTION 2: Global Divisions and Global Connections.

Week 7 (Oct. 6-10): Cultural Divisions and Connections: Nationalism, Transnational Identity, and the ¡°Clash of Civilizations.¡±

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, chs. 6-7 (all).

*Global Issues, ¡°Prospects for Mideast Peace,¡± pp. 39-57.

S. Huntington, ¡°The Clash of Civilizations?¡± Foreign Affairs, Summer 1993, pp. 22-49.

 

Week 8 (Oct. 13-17): Security Concerns and US Foreign Policy: Integration or Isolation?

Readings:

*Global Issues, ¡°Bush¡¯s Defense Strategy,¡± pp. 1-18.

The White House, ¡°The National Security Strategy of the United States of America¡± (September 2002).

            Also available online at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss.pdf.

 

October 15 (Wednesday): MIDTERM EXAM, in class.

October 17 (Friday): NO CLASS (Mid-semester Break).

 

Week 9 (Oct. 20-24): Political/Security Integration: the UN, EU, and NATO.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 9 (pp. 234-260 only).

*Global Issues, ¡°Transatlantic Tensions,¡± pp. 123-141.

L. Barrington, ¡°Kosovo, NATO, and the Future of European Security,¡± Analysis of Current Events,

vol. 11, nos. 3-4 (March/April 1999).

 

Week 10 (Oct. 27-31): International Political Economy (IPE), Part I: The North vs. the South.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, chs. 14-15 (all).

*Global Issues, ¡°Foreign Aid after September 11,¡± pp. 269-292.

 

Week 11 (Nov. 3-7): IPE, Part II. The Globalization and Regionalization of Trade and Currency.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 16 (all).

*Global Issues, ¡°Globalization Backlash,¡± pp. 143-161.

*Global Issues, ¡°Transatlantic Tensions,¡± pp. 123-141. Review this reading from Week 9, focusing on

            the economic/trade sections.

¡°Spoiling World Trade,¡± The Economist, December 7, 1998, pp. 15-16.

 

SECTION 3: Dealing with Global Problems.

Week 12 (Nov. 10-14): Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, chs. 12 (pp. 344-356, 358-368 only), ch. 13 (all).

*Global Issues, ¡°Weapons of Mass Destruction¡± (pp. 19-37), ¡°War on Terrorism¡±(pp. 77-101), ¡°Hating

            America¡± (pp. 103-121), and ¡°Policing the Borders¡± (pp. 311-327).     

The White House, ¡°National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction¡± (December 2002). Also

            available online at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/12/WMDStrategy.pdf.

A. Lieven, ¡°Fighting Terrorism: Lessons from the Cold War,¡± Carnegie Endowment Policy Brief, No. 7

(October 2001).

 

Week 13 (Nov. 17-21): Human Rights, Ethnic Conflict, Refugees, and Humanitarian Intervention.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 17 (all), and review ch. 11 (all).

*Global Issues, ¡°Rebuilding Afghanistan¡± (pp. 205-224), ¡°Children in Crisis¡± (pp. 225-242),

¡°Assisting Refugees¡± (pp. 255-272), and ¡°Global Refugee Crisis¡± (pp. 273-291).

 

Week 14 (Nov. 24-28): Population Growth and the Environment.

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 18 (all).

*Global Issues, ¡°Global Warming Treaty¡± (pp. 163-181) and ¡°Energy and the Environment¡±

(pp. 183-201).

J. Tuchman Matthews, ¡°Redefining Security,¡± Foreign Affairs (Spring 1989), pp. 162-177.

 

November 24 (Monday): Short writing assignment due, in class.

 

Write a letter to your US Congressional Representative or either of your home-state US senators about a particular international problem (and/or specific aspect of American foreign policy) that you think our government needs to address differently. In the letter, briefly lay out the problem, what you think the United States should be doing differently, and why. The letter must be single-spaced and no more than two pages. We will discuss the format in more detail in class.

 

November 26, 28 (Wednesday and Friday): NO CLASS (Thanksgiving holiday).

 

SECTION 4: The Intersection of International and Domestic Politics.

Week 15 (Dec. 1-5): Linking Domestic and International Politics (and the Study of Both).

Readings:

*Rourke, International Politics on the World Stage, ch. 8 (pp. 219-222 only) and epilogue

(pp 569-570).

*Global Issues, ¡°The Future of US-Russia Relations¡± (pp. 59-76) and ¡°Democracy in Latin America¡±

            (pp. 223-241).

¡°The Myth of the Powerless State,¡± The Economist, October 7, 1995, pp. 15-16.

 

December 5 (Friday): FINAL EXAM REVIEW, in class.

December 11 (Thursday): FINAL EXAM, 8:00-10:00 a.m.