SP 234
International Relations
School of Political Science and Sociology
2BA 2017-18
Lecturer: Dr. Eilís Ward, Room 317, Arus Moyola.
Email:
Lectures:
Tuesday 2.00 - 3.00 Darcy Thompson Theatre
Friday 12.00 – 1.00 AM 150
Introduction
This course is an introduction to the study of international relations (IR) – or the politics of relations between and across states, including institutions, processes, norms and practices. Its enquiry is located in the context of globalisation where societies and polities are more deeply and extensively interconnected than previously.
The course will begin by setting out the context and key concepts of IR as a discipline before examining its main theoretical positions. We will understand theory as a ‘simplfying device’ (Baylis, Smith & Owens 2014) which helps us decide which ‘facts’ matter and which do not. Hence we will interrogate all assumptions and world views most particularly those which appear to be ‘common sense’ or ‘reality’.
The course will move into an exploration of the UN and issues of conflict, humanitarian intervention, human rights, gender and war.
The course is lecture based and students are obliged to attend all lectures and keep up with weekly reading. Additional reading is encouraged – see reading list.
Course aims and Objectives
By the end of this course students will have
§ a comprehensive grasp of the main theoretical positions in IR
§ an understanding of the relationships between theory and ‘facts’
§ critical skills to evaluate the above
§ insight into several key issues in IR today
§ knowledge of key institutions, processes and practices within IR
§ acquired specific language and concepts to make sense of the practice of IR
Key Texts:
*Baylis, John, Smith, Steve, Owens, Patricia (eds), 2014. The Globalization of
World Politics, Oxford University Press: Oxford. sixth edition)
*Brown, Chris & Ainley, Kirsten, 2005. Understanding International Relations,
Palgrave Macmillan: Houndsmills and New York. (Or later editions)
Two main supporting Texts are:
*Jackson, R. & Sorenson, G., 2007. Introduction to International Relations, OUP: Oxford.
*Reus, Smit, Christian (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, OUP, Oxford.
Copies of all texts marked with an asterix are on short loan in library.
Outline of Course
Week 1. Introduction to IR, Theory and Practice
Readings
Smith S., Baylis J., Owens, P. 2014, “Introduction” in Baylis, Smith & Owens (BSO)
(eds): 1-14.
McGrew, A., 2014, “Globalization and Global Politics” in BSO (eds): 15 – 34.
Brown, C. & Ainley, K., 2005, “Introduction: Defining International Relations”,Chpt 1.
Week 2: The evolution and context of IR
Readings
Armstrong, D 2014, “The evolution of international society” in BSO: 35-49
Scott, L., 2014, “International History 1900-1999” in BSO: 50-64.
Cox, M., 2014, “From the end of the Cold War to a new Global Era?” in BSO: 65-79.
Hurrell, A., 2014. “Rising powers and the emerging global order” in BSO: 80-94.
Week 3: Theory: Realism and Liberalism
Readings
Dunne, T. & Schmidt B., 2014, “Realism” in BSO: 99-112.
Dunne, T., 2014, “Liberalism” in BSO: 113-125.
Brown C and Ainley K, 2005, “The Development of International Relations
Theory in the Twentieth Century”, Chapter Two.
Lamy, S, 2014. “Contemporary Mainstream Approaches” in BSO, 126-140.
Week 4/5: Theory: Marxism and Social Constructivism
Readings
Hobden, S. and Wyn Jones, R., 2014, “Marxist Theories of International
Relations” in BSO: 141-154.
Barnett, M., 2005, “Social Constructivism” in BSO: 155-168.
Brown, C. & Ainley, K., 2005, “International Relations Theory Today”, Chpt 3.
Week 5/6: The UN, Global Security, War
Readings
Taylor, P & Curtis, D., 2014, “The United Nations” in BSO: 304-319
Baylis, J.’ 2014 “International and Global Security” in BSO:229-242
Week 6/7: Modernity and the idea of ‘New Wars’
Readings
Sheehan, Michael, 2014. “The Changing Character of War” in BSO: 215-229.
Kaldor, Mary, 2013. “In Defence of New Wars” in Stability 2(1): 1–16. Available at stabilityjournal.org/article/view/sta.at
Week 7/8 Interrogating Security: a Gender Perspective.
Readings
Tickner, J. Ann, 2014. ‘Gender in World Politics” in BSO: 258-273.
Tickner, J, Ann, 1992. Gender in International Relations, New York, Columbia University
Press, Esp chptrs 1,2 & 5.
Additional:
*Whitworth, Sandra, 2004. Men Militarism and UN Peacekeeping: A Gendered Analysis, Lynne Rienner: Boulder. Preface and Chaptrs 1/2/6 and 7.
Moon, K. 1997. Sex among allies : military prostitution in U.S.-Korea relations, New York: Columbia University Press.
Week 8/9: Humanitarian Intervention
Readings
Bellamy A. & Wheeler, N. 2014, “Humanitarian intervention in world politics” in BSO:
479-496.
*Wheeler, N., 2000. “Global bystanders to Genocide – International Society and the Rwandan Genocide of 1994” in Wheeler, N, Saving Strangers: humanitarian intervention in international society, OUP: Oxford.: 208-241.
Additional:
Hehir, Aidan, 2010. “The Responsibility to Protect: Sound and fury, signifying nothing?”
in International Relations 24 (2): 218-239. Available at
http://ire.sagepub.com/content/24/2/218
Alston, P 2010. “Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston”, Human Rights Council of the UN: General Assembly
14th Session (May 28th 2010).
Week 9/10: Human Rights and the Asian Values Debate
Readings
Donnelly, J, 2014 “Human Rights” in BSO: 463-476.
Brown, C. and Ainley, K.’ 2005, “International Relations and the Individual:
Human Rights, Humanitarian Law and Humanitarian War”, Chptr 11.
Additional|:
*Hurrell, Andrew, 1999. “Power, principles and prudence: protecting human rights in a deeply divided world” in Wheeler and Dunne (eds.); 277-302.
*Donnelly, Jack, 1999, “Human Rights and Asian Values: A defense of Western universalism” in Bauer J. & Bell, D. (eds.), The East Asian
Challenge for Human Rights, CUP, Cambridge: 60-87.
Week 11 Conclusion: Order? Disorder? Whose Order?
Reading
Clark I 2014. “Globalization and the post-cold war order” in BSO 513- 526.
Additional bibliography
Below is a list of suggested additional readings from the library’s bountiful stacks......
Andersen, R., 2000. “How multilateral development assistance triggered the conflict in Rwanda”
in Third World Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 3:441-456.
Bell, D.A., 2000. East Meets West: Human Rights and Democracy in East Asia, Princeton
University Press, Princeton.
Berdal, M. & Economides, S., 2007. United Nations Interventionism 1991-2004, Cambridge
UP: Cambridge.
Booth, Ken, (ed.), 1998. Statecraft and Security: the Cold War and Beyond, Cambridge
University Press: Cambridge.
Booth, Ken & Dunne, Tim, (eds.) 2002. Worlds in Collision: Terror and the Future of Global
Order, Palgrave Macmillan.
Cable, Vincent, 1999. Globalization and Global Governance, Pinter: New York and London.
Donnelly, Jack, 1993. International Human Rights, Westview Press: Boulder.
Held, David and McGrew, Anthony (eds.) The Global Transformations Reader: an
introduction to the globalization debate, Polity Press: Malden Mass.
Hehir, Aidan 2010. Humanitarian Intervention: an Introduction, Palgrave Macmillan.
Hehir, Aidan, 2010. The Responsibility to Protect: rhetoric, reality and the future of humanitarian
intervention, Palgrave macmillan.
Huntington, Samuel, 1996. The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order, Simon
and Schuster: New York.
Holton, Robert, 1998. Globalisation and the Nation State, Palgrave Mcmillan.
Karns, M.P. & Mingst. K. 2004. International Organisations, the Politics and Process of Global
Governance, Lynne, Reiner.
Krieger, Joel, 1993. The Oxford Companion to World Politics, OUP: Oxford.
Keck Margaret and Sikkink, Kathryn, 1998. Activists beyond borders: advocacy networks in
international politics, Cornell University Press: Ithica.
Klinghoffer, A. J., 1998. The International Dimensions of Genocide in Rwanda, NYUP: New
York.
Kuperman, Alan J. 2001. The Limits of Humanitarian Intervention, Brookings Inst. Press:
Washington.
Kuperman, A 2008. “The Moral Hazard of Humanitarian Intervention: Lessons from the Balkans” in International Studies quarterly 52: 49-80.
Linklater, Andrew, 1998. The Transformation of Political Community Polity Press.
Malone, David (eds.), 2004. The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21st
Century, Lynne Reinner: Boulder.
Meirsheimer, John, 2001. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, W. Norton: New York.
Petersen V. & Runyan Anne S., 2010. Global Gender Issues in the New Millennium, Westview
Press: Boulder.
Prunier, Gerard, 1995. The Rwandan Crisis: History of a Genocide, Columbia U Press: New
York.
Ramsbotham, O. and Woodhouse, 1996. Humanitarian Intervention in Contemporary Conflict,
Blackwell, Cambridge MA.
Waltz, Kenneth, 1979. Theory of International Politics, Addison Wesley.
Weber, Cynthia, 2005. International Relations Theory: A Critical introduction, Routledge.
Weiss, Thomas G. 2009. What’s Wrong With The UN and How to Fix It, Polity: Cambridge
*Wheeler, N. and Dunne, T. (eds.), 1999. Human rights in global politics, CUP: Cambridge.
Young, J. & Kent, J, 2003. International Relations since 1945: A global history, OUP:
Oxford.
PLEASE ENJOY WEB-TALKS BY LEADING IR EXPERTS:
//Soc%20and%20Pol%20courses/SP%20234/Theory%20Talks:%20Theory%20Talk%20%2337:%20Robert%20Cox.webarchive
Journals: Millennium, World Politics, Third World Quarterly, European Journal of International Relations, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Irish Studies in International Affairs.
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