January 27—Leaders, the sociopolitical structures, or the international system? Which "level" of analysis best predicts what countries do?

• An excerpt from K. A. Mingst, focusing on levels of analysis and the main theories of international relations

January 30, February 1: How can the theories of "realism" and "liberalism" help us to predict state actions?

• G & P, Chp. 2, "Realism"

• Robert D. Kaplan, "Why Mearsheimer is Right (about Some Things) (Atlantic Monthly, 2012, 18pp).

February 3—Examination 1

February 6, 8—Is international politics what we choose to make it? "Constructivist" theories of state behavior

• A second excerpt from KA Mingst. 

• If you feel like you need additional explanations of non-realist theories of international relations, please review G & P, Chp. 3, "Liberal and Social Theories"

February 10, 13—Does international capital drive international politics? "Marxist" and theories of state behavior

• Film: Gwynne Dyer's "The Bomb Beneath the World" (1994). The documentary looks at globalization's impact on Indian society and culture. We will watch the film in class and turn our attention to the readings on Wednesday, when we will also be looking how globalization is impacting collective action among nations with respect to international organizations.   

• Review the previously assigned theory readings relevant to Marxism/radicalism.

February 15—If you choose to write it (remember, you must submit at least one of the two unit-end essay assignments), Paper #1 is due by hard copy and e-mail by the start of class.  Please carefully read through the assignment (it is in your PPT - Assignments folder on the course website). You also should review my handouts on citation requirements and the grading criteria before you start to write.

February 15, 17, 20—Is globalization going to change the way the international system works? 

• A short excerpt from the Lexis and the Olive Tree (1999, 4pp).

• Pankaj Ghemawat Why the World Isn't Flat (Foreign Policy, 2005, 6pp.) 

• Niall Ferguson, "Sinking Globalization (Foreign Affairs, 2007, 14pp. Focus on the main ideas that are applicable to today) 

• Rawi Abdelal and Adam Segal, "Has Globalization Passed Its Peak?" (Foreign Affairs, 2007, 11pp)

• Optional: Tomas Friedman interviews with PBS's Charlie Cook on the main causes of and consequences of globalization: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZipLMAav50.

February 22, 24—Who needs international organizations?

• G & P, Chp. 1: "The Globalization of International Relations." Please re-read just the section "Core Principles" and its subsections on ways to overcome collective dilemmas. 

• G & P, Chp. 7: "International Organization, Law, and Human Rights." Please read just the opening section "Roles of International Organizations."  

• G & P, Chp. 10: "International Integration." Please read just read the two opening sections on integration theory and globalization. 

February 27, 29; March 2—The international political economy

• The Economist, "Global Titans" (2006, 18pp)

• G & P, Chp. 8 (Please read the first unit of the chapter on theories of trade through the explanation of protectionism; in the second unit, read the section on how the WTO works; in the last unit on economic globalization, read just the section on "resistance to trade")

• G & P, Chp. 9 (Please read the first half of the chapter, through the section on "the position of the United States")

• If you are writing the paper for this course unit, you may find it useful to supplement your textbook by reviewing these primers on the activities of the World Bank Group, the IMF, and the WTO:
  http://go.worldbank.org/1M3PFQQMD0
  http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/glance.htm
  http://www.imf.org/external/about/ourwork.htm
  http://www.imf.org/external/about/history.htm
  http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e.htm

• Optional readings for the ambitious among you: Randall W. Stone, How to Reform the IMF (Current History, 2010, 7pp); Jeffrey Shott, "Does the WTO need to change?" (Current History, 2010, 3pp)

March 12 and 14—Are there international solutions to problems of development and underdevelopment?

• We will be watching part of a documentary: The End of Poverty? (For background on the film, see: http://www.theendofpoverty.com/).
  
  It can be streamed at no cost if you have a Netflix account or it is digitally rentable for a 3 dollars at Amazon:
  http://www.amazon.com/The-End-of-Poverty/dp/B003SLR28G/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1330919085&sr=8-4
  
  Also, you can watch it on YouTube for free, but with a few ads: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pktOXJr1vOQ&feature=watch-now-button&wide=1
   

• Niall Ferguson's review of Paul Collier's book "The Bottom Billion." (International Herald Tribune, 2007, 3pp)

• G & P, Chps. 12 and 13.

Friday, March 16—Examination 2

March  19, 21—Why is humanity still at war?

• G & P, Chp. 5

• Gregg Easterbrook, "The End of War?" (The New Republic 2005, 4pp).

March  23, 26, 28—How can international organizations better protect international security and human dignity?

• G & P, Chp. 7. This is an important chapter that is worth a close and careful reading. You should focus on the UN's structure, methods, and limitations with respect to conflict prevention, responses to aggression, and peacekeeping; however, please also review the sections on international law and human rights to better understand how norms and institutions in these key areas are changing over time.  

Monday, March 26—The second unit essay is due electronically and in hard copy by the start of our class. If you did not write the paper after the first unit, you must write this one. I have posted the topic and instructions for the essay in the file that contains PPT slides and handouts.

March  30—How can we address WMDs?

• G & P, Chp. 6 (focus just on the third of the chapter that deals with WMDs and approaches to dealing with the use and proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons). 

April 2, 4: Is American hegemony in decline?

• Michael Beckley, "China's Century?; Why America's Edge Will Endure" (International Security, Winter 2011/2012, 24pp)

• G. John Ikenberry, America and the Dilemmas of Liberal World Order (Perspectives on Politics 2009, 17pp)

• Fareed Zakaria. "The Future of American Power: How America Can Survive the Rise of the Rest" ( Foreign Affairs, 2008, 14pp)

• Fareed Zakaria, "Are America's Best Days Behind US?" (Time, 2010, 5pp). This very short article is optional if you want to carefully read the last PPT slide I have on the course materials addressing the arguments for and against American decline.

April 6, 9--No Class, Easter Break

April 11, 13--The Rise of the Nonwest and the Changing Face of Global Power

• Dr. Setzler will be at a conference on Friday, April 13. We will be watching a film in class: The Rising Powers (which is a DVD with three 20-minute documentaries on Brazil, China, and India). If you enjoy the documentaries, take a look at the much larger collection of video, audio (including 60 minute radio versions of the films watched in class), and other sources at: http://risingpowers.stanleyfoundation.org/

• Michael Schiffer, The U.S. and Rising Powers (Stanley Foundation, 2009, 12pp).

• G. John Ikenberry, "The Rise of China, and the Future of the West" (Foreign Affairs, 2006, 6pp)

• Piers Brendon, "China Also Rises" (The National Interest, 2010, 8pp)

• Wang Feng, "China's Population Destiny: The Looming Crisis" (Current History, 2010, 12pp)

• Optional (just for fun!): Elizabeth C. Economy, "The Game Changer: Coping With China's Foreign Policy Revolution" (Foreign Affairs 2010, 12pp) and Charles Glaser, "Will China's Rise Lead to War? Why Realism Does Not Mean Pessimism" (Foreign Affairs 2010, 12pp)

April 16 (M)— Clashes of civilizations? Culture, nationalism, and international relations: 

• Film: The Power of Nightmares, Pt. 1, "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Adam Curtis's three-part documentary argues that the present clash between some Islamic groups and the West is the result of political extremists in both Arab countries and the United States. You may watch it again here.

• Optional: Transcript: "Baby, It's Cold Outside, part 1" 

April 18 (W)—The construction of culture, civilizations, and conflict

• Cultural clashes and Islam: A primer (16pp)

• Samuel Huntington, short selection from "Clash of Civilizations" (Foreign Policy) 

• Jerry Z. Muller, "Us and Them" (Foreign Affairs 2008)

April 20 (F)—Is Islamic nationalism a global threat?

• The Power of Nightmares, watch part 3 (57 minutes) or read the transcript (faster, but nowhere near as interesting).

• Mohammed Ayoob, "Political Islam: Image and Reality" (World Policy Journal, 2004, 14pp)

• The Economist, "If you want my opinion" (2007, 2pp)

• Optional: Eric Neumayer and Thomas Plümper, "International Terrorism and the Clash of Civilizations (British Journal of Political Science, 2009, 24pp). Just read for the big ideas to see how social scientists "test" arguments like those of Huntington. In this case, the authors look for evidence of a 

April 23 (M)—Course wrap-up: What did you learn in this class?

• During this week, please make sure to complete the University's on-line course evaluation for this class. The evaluations system is open the last week of classes but ends before exams start.
  

• Final examination. Your third exam will be taken during the university-scheduled exam period for this class, which is: Friday, April 27: 1:30 – 4:30 pm. When making plans to leave for summer