Spring 2015Professor M. Leann Brown
INR2001/072GOffice hours: MWF 10:30-11:30, 333 AND
MWF 9:35-10:25email:
AND 34phone: 352.273.2398
"So our state will be ruled by minds which are awake, and not as now by men in a dream fighting with one another over shadows and for the power and office which in their eyes are the great good."
Plato, THE REPUBLIC
INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Images broadcast daily by global news sources and events such as terrorist attacks, wars, and faminesaround the world confirm that the global arena presents a bewildering array of challenges to national and international leaders and ordinary citizens. Is there is some rhyme or reason behind such disparate factors as global terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, human trafficking, the activities of the Red Cross and transnational corporations, student exchange programs, and the internet? This course presents theories, frameworks, and concepts as well as empirical information to facilitate your understanding of the major actors, structures and processes of past and contemporary international relations. The topics to be discussed include:
* Theorizing about international relations
* Major structural configurations---the global political and economic systems
* The powerful/rich/few states and the weak/poor many
* Challenges to security (armed conflict)
* Potential avenues to security (international law, human rights, and democratization)
TEXTBOOK
Kegley, Charles W., Jr. and Shannon L. Blanton. 2013-14 Update Edition. WORLD POLITICS. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
You are encouraged to regularly access a credible source of international news such as the NEW YORK TIMES, THE LONDON TIMES, THE ECONOMIST, etc. If you are proficient in or studying a non-English language, you will want to read the most reputable source of news in that language. The assigned textbook readings will expand your understanding of the lectures and enable you to derive full benefit from the classroom discussion. You will also find a good atlas an invaluable aid to identifying countries and regions mentioned in the readings and lectures.
COURSE EVALUATION
Your grade in INR2001 will derive from three examinations (25% each) in multiple choice format and your participation in a “Controversy” debate(25%). The exams will potentially draw upon material from class lectures, assigned readings, “Controversy” debates, and also contain map-related and current event questions. Exams 1 and 2 will be administered February 13 and March 27, respectively. Exam 3 will be administered Thursday, 4/30, 5:30-7:30 pm in our regular classroom. Exams must be taken as scheduled unless documentation is provided of exceptional circumstances like medical problems, legal obligations, UF-related educational or sports events, or religious observances. The Grading Scale is as follows: 90-92 = A-, 93-100 = A; 80-82 = B-, 83-86 = B, 87-89 = B+…. If you require special in-class or testing accommodations, please consult with the Disability Resource Center for information concerning your rights and responsibilities, and submit the relevant paperwork to me as soon as possible.
“CONTROVERSY” ASSIGNMENT
I have become increasingly concerned that students (and people in general) lack the skills and willingness to listen, undertake high-quality research, and understand complex arguments and others’ points of view. You will be divided into teams to do research on controversial questions raised in the Kegley textbook, identify credible evidence and arguments on all sides of the controversy, and participate in a fairly structured exercise to demonstrate your skills and understanding. A list of at least 5 peer-reviewed journal articles you consulted to prepare for this assignment is due in class (in hardcopy) one week before your scheduled participation (for 10% of this assignment’s credit). This assignment will be explained in more detail after the drop-add period.
SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNED READINGS
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DATES DISCUSSION TOPICS ______READING ASSIGNMENTS
1/7Course introduction
1/9-16 Theorizing about international relationsKegley, chs 1-2
Monday 1/19 NO CLASS – Martin Luther King Day observed in the United States
1/21-28The global political systemKegley, ch 3
Friday 1/30CONTROVERSY I
“Do leaders make a difference?” (see Kegley p. 71)
2/2-11The global economic systemKegley, chs 10-12
Friday 2/13EXAM 1
2/16-25The rich/powerful/fewKegley, ch 4
Friday 2/20NO CLASS – PROFESSOR PRESENTING RESEARCH PAPER
Friday 2/27CONTROVERSY II
“Is globalization helpful or harmful?” (see Kegley, p. 416)
3/2-6NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK
3/9-13The weak/poor manyKegley, ch 5
3/16-25Security challenges – Armed conflictKegley, chs 7-8
Friday 2/27EXAM 2
3/30-4/10Avenues to security – international law and human rightsKegley, chs 9, 13
4/3CONTROVERSY III
“Can the war against global terrorism be ‘won’?” (see Kegley, p. 230)
4/13-20Avenues to security - democratizationKegley, chs 6, 14-15
4/17CONTROVERSY IV
“Are religious movements causes of war or sources of transnational harmony?” (see Kegley p. 178)
4/22Last class meeting - Discussion of Exam 3
EXAM 3, Thursday, 4/30, 5:30-7:30 pm, in our regular classroom
The following information is recommended by UF’s Syllabi Policy:
Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing online evaluations at Evaluations are typically open during the last two or three weeks of the semester, but students will be given specific times when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to students at:
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