Syllabus, GSIS
GISE 002: Introduction to
International Relations
Ⅰ. InstructorProfessor / : / Prof. Jaechun Kim
Phone
Email Classroom / :
:
: / 02-705-8684
J517 / / Office : / J710
Class Hours Office Hours / :
: / Tuesdays14:00-16:45Mon (10:00 – 12:00), Tues (13:00 – 14:00; 17:00 –18:00), Weds (14:00 –16:00) / / Website: home.sogang.ac.kr/sites/jaechun
(3 Credits, Spring 2016)
Ⅱ. Course Description and Objective
The objective of the course is to equip students with analytic tools that will help students make sense of a variety of issues of international relations. It is neither a review of contemporary international history nor a discussion of current events. Rather, we will survey some of the most influentialperspectives, frameworks, theories, and hypotheses, which will help better understand both world history and contemporary world affairs. Topics to be covered include levels of analysis, evolution of state sovereignty and nation-state, major theoretical perspectives of international relations, culture and clash of civilization, international security, international political economy, globalization, regional integration, humanitarian intervention, Sino-US relations, etc. However, more topics will be covered, if needs arise.
For the first half of each class the instructor will lecture on weekly topic. The second half of the class will be run in more of seminar format in which many students are expected to participate. Students are required to complete the assigned readings by class time and actively participate in class discussion with ideas, comments,and questions about the topics and readings.
For each class one or two students may be asked to write brief comment papers (5-7 double-spaced pages) on weekly topics and readings. I will assign two or three questions that the comment papers should strive to tackle. Based on these comment papers, they are expected to make a short (about 10 minutes) presentation to lead off the discussion. Comment papers should be handed in before class presentation (i.e., before the class time). Every student should submit one comment papers of his/her choice. Those who volunteer to present his/her papers during the class may earn extra credits. Given the size of the class, not all the students would have privilege to present papers.
In addition to comment papers, all students are required to submit one page (single spaced) summary of required readings for each week. They should be placed on the podium before the class time. For each session, the instructor will randomly select several students and ask him/her to answer key concepts in the assigned readings for each session. Comment papers will be graded and returned, but summaries won’t.
Class Participation, Presentation, Comment Papers, and Summaries will count for about 25 percent of the final grade.
Every student should take bothmidterm and final exams. The midterm and final exams will count for 35 and 40 percent of your final grade, respectively.
Ⅲ. Prerequisites and Background
This is an introductory level course of international relations. There aren’t any prerequisites for this class.
Ⅳ. Textbook, References and Reading Assignment
John Baylis and Steve Smith, eds., The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 5th edition). However, earlier or the more recent editions are also acceptable. I have 6th edition.
*In addition to this main text book, the instructor will post additional required readings on instructor’s official web-site. . Please visit the website on regular basis for up-to-date information on the course.
Students are also encouraged to read, on a regular basis, New York Times, Economist, Washington Post, International Herald Tribune or some other newspapers and journals. I find CNN’s GPS very useful to keep abreast of current world affairs.
*SCHEDULES, TOPICS, and QUESTIONS MIGHT BE MODIFIED, IF THE NEEDS WOULD ARISE DURING THE SEMESTER!!
Ⅴ. Grading Policy and Evaluation
Grading Weights
Mid Term Exam 35 %
Final Term Exam 40 %
Comment Papers, Summaries & Class Participation 25 %
100%
Ⅵ. Course Schedule
Week / Contents / Method / etc.1 / INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE AND ORGANIZATION OF THE CLASS
2 / ANALYZING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/ LEVELS OF ANALYSIS
(Required Readings)
“Levels of Analysis (concept)”
“Levels of Analysis (snapshot)”
J. David Singer, “The Level-of-Analysis Problem in International Relations” World Politics 14, 1 (1961).
(Essay Questions)
*How useful is the concept of ‘Levels of Analysis’ in analyzing a host of issues in international relations? In your opinion, which ‘Level’ is the most important factor that we should take into consideration when we analyze international affairs? Please use at least one real world examples to support your arguments.
*Pick one event in international relations that interests you the most and analyze the underlying causes of that event with the concept of ‘Levels of Analysis.’ Which ‘Level’ was the most important cause of that event? Why?
3 / International Relations as Social Science/
What is science? What is causality?
(Required Readings)
“Positivist Approaches (I.E., Scientific Methods) to Studying International Relations”
Gary King; Robert Keohane; Sidney Verba, Designing Social Inquiry(Chapter 1- The Science in Social Science)
A Sample Research Proposal
(Suggested Readings)
Gary King, Robert O. Keohane, and Sidney Verba, “The Importance of Research Design in Political Science Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research” American Political Science Review,Vol. 89, Vo. 2 (June 1995)
(Essay Questions)
*What is the research question (in the field of International Relations) that you are interested in at this moment? For your comment paper, you are encouraged to write a research proposal to answer that research question of yours.
4 / MAJOR ACTORS OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/
THE EVOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM AND SOCIETY
(Required Readings)
David Armstrong, "The Evolution of International Society"
Len Scott, “International History 1900-1990”
Michael Cox, “From the Cold War to The World Economic Crisis”
+the readings are from the main textbook
(Essay Questions)
*Discuss the significance of Peace of Westphalia as a new stage in the evolution of International Society. What are the key differences between the post-Westphalian era and the pre-Westphalianone?
*How has globalization eroded sovereign statehood? That is, discuss the ways in which globalization has affected the Westphalian international system – the one based on states’ sovereignty. Why does the state persist in the contemporary era of globalization?
5 / ANALYZING INTERNAITONAL RELATIONS/ REALISM AND LIBERALISM
(Required Readings)
Tim Dunne and Brian C. Schmidt, “Realism”
Tim Dunne, “Liberalism”
Steven Lamy, “Contemporary Mainstream Approaches: Neo-Realism and Neo-Liberalism”
+the readings are from the main textbook
(Suggested Readings)
Robert O. Keohane and Lisa L. Martin, “The Promise of Institutionalist Theory”
John J. Mearsheimer, “A Realist Reply”
John J. Mearsheimer, “The False Promise of International Institutions”
(Essay Questions)
*John believes that Realism is the most useful theoretical paradigm by which we can understand the logic of International Relations. He thinks that Realism is the most “realistic” theory of International Relations and the practices of world politics is basically “realist” in nature. However, Jane thinks that Realism is an outdated theoretical construct and that current world affairs can be best understood by utilizing insights of liberalists or liberalism. Whose position do you find more convincing? Analyze the differences between Realism and Liberalism very briefly (that is, analyze major differences) and then explain the reasons for your support of John or Jane with convincing evidence and examples.
*What are the major points of debate between neo-realism and neo-liberalism? Which camp do you think have won the debate? Why?
6 / ANALYZING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/ CONSTRUCTIVISM AND OTHER PERSPECTIVES
(Required Readings)
Michael Barnett, “Social Constructivism”
Lene Hansen, "Poststructuralism
Christine Sylvester, "Post-colonialism
RichaedShapcott, "International Ethics"
+the readings are from the main textbook
(Suggested Readings)
Alexander Wendt, “Constructing International Politics”
Alexander Wendt, “Anarchy is what States Make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics”
(Essay Questions)
*What are the key tenets of social constructivism enunciated by Alexander Wendt? How do these differ from tenets of both realism and liberalism?
*Do you think social constructivism provides a better theoretical framework to understand International Relations than do realism and liberalism?
7 / INTERNATIONAL REGIMES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
(Required Readings)
Richard Little, “International Regimes”
Peter Willetts, “Transnational Actors and International Organizations in Global Politics”
+the readings are from the main textbook
John Gerard Ruggie, “International Regimes, Transactions, and Change: Embedded Liberalism in the Postwar Economic Order” International Organization 36, 2 (1982).
(Essay Questions)
*What are the defining elements of international regime? How do they differ from international organization? Does neoliberal institutionalists' approach provide an adequate explanation for the role of international regimes? If so, why? If not, do you think constructivist theory of regime can be an alternative?
*Is international regime the same as an international organization? Do you think international regime has an ‘independent’ impact on world affairs? Please answer with a couple of real world examples.
8 / INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
(Required Readings)
Ngaire Woods, “International Political Economy in an Age of Globalization”
Mattew Watson, “Global Trade and Finance”
+the readings are from the main textbook
“Bretton Woods System”(prepared for the Routledge Encyclopedia of International Political Economy)
(Essay Questions)
*Please trace the evolution of international monetary regime from the era of Classical Gold Standard to the period of Bretton Woods System. What are the major characteristics of international monetary order during the era of Classical Gold Standards and how do they differ from those during the era of Bretton Woods international monetary order?
*How did the features of “embedded liberalism” affect the nature of Bretton Woods international monetary order? (Please read John Ruggie’s article first.)
9 / MIDTERM EXAMINATION
10 / INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
(Required Readings)
John Baylis, “International and Global Security”
Darryl Howlett, “Nuclear Proliferation”
+the readings are from the main textbook
Kenneth Waltz, “The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Better,” Adelphi Papers, Number 171 (London: International Institute for Strategic Studies, 1981)
Sakiko Fukuda-Parr and Carol Messineo, “Human Security: A critical Review of the Literature” (2012)
(Essay Questions)
*What are the implications of invention of nuclear weapons for international security? Do nuclear weapons have pacifying effects, as Waltz argues?
*What is ‘human security’? How is it different from traditional concept of national security? How important is human security to contemporary international security issues?
11 / NATIONALISM AND CULTURAL CONFLICT
(Required Readings)
John Breuilly, “Nationalism”
Simon Murden, “Culture in World Affairs”
+the readings are from the main textbook
Samuel Huntington, “Clash of Civilizations?” Foreign Affairs (1993)
(Suggested Readings)
FareedZakaria, “The Politics Of Rage: Why Do They Hate Us?” Newsweek (2001)
(Essay Questions)
*Samuel P. Huntington predicted in his famous book, Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, that civilizationaldifference would become the new fault line of international relations in the post-Cold War era. Briefly summarize his main arguments and evaluate them.
*To what extent do you think that Huntington’s perspective is valid in explaining current world affairs? In your comment paper, please use at least two real world examples to support your claim.
12 / HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION
(Required Readings)
Alex Bellamy and Nicholas Wheeler, “Humanitarian Intervention and World Politics”
Jack Donnelly, “Human Rights”
+the readings are from the main textbook
(Essay Questions)
*Do you think there can be universally accepted notion of “human rights” that can be applied across time and space? To what extent do you believe international community has come to an agreement that there is a set of universally applicable “human rights”?
*When and where do you think (forcible) humanitarian intervention can be justified? Please use at least two real world examples to support your argument.
13 / GLOBALIZATION AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION
(Required readings)
Anthony Mcgrew, "Globalization and Global Politics
Edward Best and Thomas Christiansen, “Regionalism in International Affairs”
Andrew Linklater, “Globalization and the Transformation of Political Community"
+the readings are from the main textbook
KatinkaBarysch, “A New Reality for the European Union” CFR Working Paper (2010)
Andrew Moravcsik, “Europe After the Crisis: How to Sustain a Common Currency” Foreign Affairs (2012)
(Essay Questions)
*What are the main differences and similarities between the European Union and regional cooperation in Asia? Do you think regional integration of European kind can be replicated in Asian region?
*What is the implication of Eurozone crisis to European regional integration? That is, in what manner do you think Eurozone crisis would affect European integration? How do you foresee the future of EU?
14 / GLOBALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT
(Required Readings)
Ian Clark, “Globalization and the Post-Cold War Order”
Caroline Thomas and Tony Evans, “Poverty, Development, and Hunger”
+the readings are from the main textbook
(Essay Questions)
*In what manner do you think (Economic) Globalization affects income inequality across the states? That is, do you think Globalization has exacerbated income gap between poor states and rich ones? How should international community tackle “North-South” relations? Please support your claim with empirical evidence.
*How has (Economic) Globalization affect income inequality within the states? Do you think the rich got richer and the poor get poorer within states because of Globalization? How should governments deal with income inequality within states? Please support your claim with empirical evidence.
*What are the rationale behind the dialects of anti-Globalization movement and anti-Globalization scholar like Joseph Stiglitz? How do you evaluate such movement and scholarly claims?
-Please conduct some research of your own to write essays on these questions.
15 / Sino-US Relations and its Impact on World Affairs
(Required Readings)
Christopher Layne, “China’S Role in American Grand Strategy: Partner, Regional Power, or Great Power Rival?” From
Christensen, Thomas J., “Fostering Stability or Creating a Monster? The Rise of China and U.S. Policy toward East Asia” International Security 31, 1 (2006)
WooseonChoi, “Structure and Perceptions: Explaining American Policy Toward China (1949-50)” Security Studies 16, 4 (2007)
Aaron L. Friedberg, “The Future of U.S.-China Relations: Is Conflict Inevitable?” International Security 30, 2 (2005)
(Essay Questions)
*It is argued that the US-China relations will determine the nature of world affairs in the 21 century. How do you foresee the relationship between the two countries in coming years? How is it going to affect world affairs?
*What are the implications of China’s rise to international security? Do you think China’s rise will bring about instability in world politics?
16 / FINAL EXAM
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