You may not use any electronic device during class unless I give you explicit permission.
If you ignore this rule, I will: 1) lower your course grade; 2) never write a letter of recommendation for you.
PS 243 US Foreign Policy
Fall 2015
MWF 10:00-10:55 G302
Professor Emil Nagengast
GH316 Office Hours: MWF 11-12, M 2:15-3:00 And by appointment
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course is guided by the following questions: 1) Has United States foreign policy reflected "liberal internationalism" or "pragmatic realism" (or neither)? 2) What should be US foreign policy priorities in the post-Cold War era? 3) Has President Bush's "War on Terror" reflected the Wilsonian sense of US exceptionalism or the realist pursuit of self-interest defined in terms of power and security?
The underlying theme of this course is the debate over whether US foreign policy has been the product of certain principles (morals) or of power interests. Ultimately, we must be able to take an intelligent stance concerning "America’s Mission" in the world. We begin with US policies in the late 19th century and examine 100 years of US foreign policy, in particular, Wilsonianism, World War Two, the Cold War, Carter’s human rights agenda and Bush's national security strategy.
EXPECTATIONS
I expect intelligent participation from all students this semester. I do not give a grade explicitly for "class participation," but consistent positive contributions in the classroom occasionally provides justification for raising a student’s final course grade. I do not penalize students directly for missing class, because the exams provide sufficient punishment. It will be almost impossible to do well on the exams if you have missed several classes. I urge you not to take this warning lightly - in the past I have always managed to assure a strong correlation between exam scores and class attendance. Unless I receive direct authorization from the Dean of Students (because of a death in the family, for example) all students must take the exams at the scheduled times.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Improper use of information found on the internet (or elsewhere) for your research papers will result in AT LEAST an F on your paper, and most likely an F in the course. If you are not sure about what constitutes plagiarism it is your responsibility to find out (i.e. ask me). Plagiarism entails either: using someone else's words or ideas without providing a citation; OR providing a citation, but "cutting and pasting" from a source without using quotation marks to indicate that you are using someone else's exact words. To avoid plagiarism you must paraphrase the cited information (i.e. put it into your own words).
GRADING (tentative distribution)
Quizzes 20%
Midterm Exam30%
Final Exam30%
Writing Assignments20%
In addition, I reserve the right to adjust your course grade by up to one full letter for strong or weak participation. Participation includes attendance, the quality and quantity of analytical comments in class, and evidence of having read and understood (or at least, having attempted to understand) the assigned materials.
Assigned Texts (additional readings will be added throughout the semester)
John B. Judis The Folly of Empire
Ian Bremmer Superpower: Three Choices for America’s Role in the World
COURSE SCHEDULE WITH REQUIRED READINGS
Aug 28 Introduction: Power versus Principle in US Foreign Policy
Aug 31, Sept 2, 4, 7, 9 America’s Mission
READINGS:Judis: Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, 3
“Washington’s Farewell Address"
"The Monroe Doctrine"
"Manifest Destiny"
“The War With Spain and After”
“The White Man’s Burden”
“William Jennings Bryan”
“McKinley’s Second Inaugural Address”
Reference:
McKinley's "War Message"Find it online
Documents from pre-1898 USFPFind it online
The Treaty with Spain 1898Find it online
The US-Cuba Guantanamo LeaseFind it online
The National Liberty Congress of Anti-ImperialistsFind it online Henry Cabot Lodge "For Intervention in Cuba"Find it online
Sept 11, 14, 16, 18 Wilson
READINGS: Judis: Chapters 4, 5
“The Fourteen Points”
“The Lodge Reservations”
Thomas A. Bailey “The Retreat to Isolationism”
Herbert Hoover “Rugged Individualism”
Reference:
The Chronology of Wilson's Fight for the League of NationsFind it online
David Kennedy “What W owes to WW” Atlantic Monthly (March 2005)
Tony Smith “Wilson and a World Safe for Democracy”
Sept 21, 23, 25 FDR and WW2
READINGS: Judis: Chapter 6
“The Four Freedoms”
“The Atlantic Charter”
Frank Capra film “Why We Fight”
Sept 28, 30, Oct 2, 5The Cold War
READINGS:Judis: Chapter 7
Kennan “The Sources of Soviet Conduct”
The Truman Doctrine
NSC 68
The Korean War
McCarthyism HERE
Review of the Korean War HERE
Oct 7, 9, 12, 14 Vietnam
READING: Kinzer, Chapter “Not the Preferred Way to Commit Suicide”
Class handouts
Reference: Comprehensive Chronology of the US in VietnamFind it online
The War Powers Act Find it online
October 19 MIDTERM EXAM
Oct 21, 23, 26, 28, 30, Nov 2 The Cold War, Carter and Reagan
READING: Carter's inaugural addressFind it online
Smith “Carter’s Human Rights Campaign”
Smith “Reagan’s Democratic Revolution”
Kinzer, “A Graveyard Smell”
Schwarz “Dirty Hands”
Reference: CNN Cold War SiteFind it online
The "Crusade for Freedom" SpeechFind it online
Cold War TimelineFind it online
The "Evil Empire" SpeechFind it online
Reagan's Star Wars SpeechFind it online
Gorbachev comments on ReaganFind it online
Outline notes for the Reagan Presidency Find it online
Nov 4, 6 Bush and Clinton
READING: Judis: Chapt 8
Bush's "New World Order" Speech
Walt “Two Cheers for Clinton’s Foreign Policy”
Reference:Find it online
Clinton's InauguralAddresses Find ithere
Mark BowdenBlackhawk Down
GWU Saddam SourcebookFind it online
US Public Opinion on US Foreign PolicyFind it online
Bush's National Security StrategyFind it online
Nicholas Lemann "The Next World Order"Find it online
Robert Kagan "Power and Weakness"Find it online
Nov 9 Cuba: Liberation or Colonization?
READINGS: 1898 Teller Amendment
1901 Platt Amendment
1903 US-Cuba Treaty
Reference: Timeline of Relations
Nov 11Cuba: The Embargo
READING: Proclamation of Embargo 1962
Cuban Democracy Act of 1992
Nov 13Cuba: Obama
READING Obama’s New Course
Nov 16, 18, 20 G. W. Bush
READING: Judis: Chapters 9, 10, Conclusion
Nov 23, 31 Dec 2, 4, 7, 9, 11 Three Choices for America’s Role in the World
READING: Superpower by Ian Bremmer
Final Exam