Syllabus--Summer 2009
University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW)
Man in Rajasthan, India (2004)
PLS 111: Politics and Government in Global Perspective
Course Days and Times:
M-R, 12:30-2:35pm
Location: Leutze Hall 110
Course Homepage: http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/PLS111Summer.html
Professor: Paige Johnson Tan, Ph.D.
Phone: (o) 910-962-3221
E-mail: tanp@uncw.edu
Professor's Homepage: http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/
Office Hours: M-R: 12:00 to 12:30pm
Office Location: Leutze Hall 257
Course Introduction:
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the threat of Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons, and the terrorist attacks in New York, London, Madrid, Bali, and Mumbai have brought home to many Americans how the United States, despite its continental breadth and superpower status, cannot remain insulated from the rest of the world.
This course seeks to introduce students to the twin fields of Comparative Politics and International Relations, both part of the wider field of Political Science but with special emphasis on international affairs. The course can serve as a “one-off” experience for students interested in some liberal arts exposure to international politics. I like to refer to the course as the foundation of “what it takes to be an educated person in 200X.” The course will introduce students to major country governmental systems and important issues in international relations. If students are interested in further developing their understanding of international politics, the course can also be used as a stepping stone to a Political Science major or International Affairs minor (see the Department of Public and International Affairs at http://www.uncwil.edu/pls/ for more information on majors and minors).
The course is divided roughly into two parts. The first half of the course explores Comparative Politics. In this section, we will look inside selected foreign governments to explore several key political issues. Countries to be studied in this part of the course include Great Britain, France, Russia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia. The second half of the course will focus on International Relations, that is, the relations between states. This part of the course will be primarily issue based, touching on some of the most compelling contemporary international political issues, such as terrorism, globalization, state sovereignty, and the rise of China.
Course Goals:
In this course, students will be exposed to major international issues such as democratization, economic development, terrorism and globalization. Through the course, students will begin to develop a vocabulary and conceptual toolkit to understand both politics within and among states. Course content is designed to develop students’ international awareness and good citizenship. Course assignments aim to develop students’ confidence in public speaking and their abilities to analyze world affairs, to formulate arguments, to read critically, and to write well.
Election poster, Alleppey, Kerala, India (2009)
Course Readings:
Patrick H. O’Neil, Karl Fields, and Don Share, Cases in Comparative Politics, New York: Norton, 2006 (second edition). Referred to as O’Neil et al in the course schedule.
Donald M. Snow, Cases in International Relations: Portraits of the Future, New York: Longman: 2007 (third edition). Referred to as Snow in the course schedule.
Important additional readings, available via the internet or through the library’s e-Reserves, are listed in the course schedule. If students have any difficulties locating any of these readings, they should contact the instructor as soon as possible. Instructions for accessing e-Reserves are as follows: go to the library homepage (http://library.uncwil.edu/), choose Reserves in the left column, choose the green Reserves button, choose Electronic Reserves and Reserves Pages, choose "Instructor" and type in "Tan," choose "PLS 111." Click on Accept. Look for the title of the reading and access. Sometimes you need to show a little creativity with the titles. I never know what title the library will give to the piece!
In addition to the required course books, students are encouraged to read one quality international news source, such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the Economist on a regular basis. In addition to this news source, students are further encouraged to examine media from a variety of countries. European media outlets such as the Guardian (United Kingdom), Deutsche Welle (Germany), Le Monde (France, in French), and El Pais (Spain, in Spanish) will widen students’ perspectives, as will non-Western media sources such as Pakistan’s Dawn, Saudi Arabia’s ArabNews, India’s The Hindu, Kenya’s Daily Nation, China’s People’s Daily, Singapore’s Straits Times, and Israel’s Jerusalem Post. World Press Review carries a selection of articles in English from publications around the world.
Course Requirements:
Students will be evaluated on the basis of class participation, a quiz, a series of papers, a midterm, and a final examination. The distribution of the final course grade from the various assignments is:
This course operates on the principle of “continuous assessment.” This means that students are not placed in the difficult position of having their entire course grades riding on the grade of any one particular assignment (like a “make-or-break” final exam). Instead, students’ grades are determined on a broader basis in terms of the students’ overall work throughout the semester. A description of the various assignments on which students will be assessed follows.
Class participation. In the old days, students were seen to be an empty vessel into which the professor poured his or her knowledge (more than likely, it was “his”—since it was the old days!). However, this old-model of education has come under severe challenge in recent years. Rote memorization is now seen to offer little to students. How often have you “crammed” for a test and then forgotten everything you learned within a few weeks?
The philosophy behind this course is that students learn better when that learning is active. Students are expected to attend class (with a maximum of two absences for the semester). They are also expected to participate in class discussions, considering, manipulating, testing, and questioning the topics presented in class in order to develop their knowledge of the field of Global Politics and their familiarity with the tools and concepts of Political Science more broadly. Active class participation by all students has the advantage of helping to foster tolerance for divergent viewpoints and developing students’ abilities to formulate arguments in a well-reasoned manner. Students are expected to keep up with the course reading on each class day as assigned. Class participation counts for 15% of the final course grade.
Map quiz. Americans in the 18-to-24 age group came next to last in a nine-nation survey of geographic literacy conducted by the National Geographic Society in 2002. In the 2006 survey, six in ten could not find Iraq on a map (a sad state of affairs given the US service members dying there at the time). This course aims to tackle this geographical illiteracy by encouraging students’ awareness of and familiarity with major world countries. The map quiz is worth 5% of the final course grade.
Tutorial papers: Homework questions will be used to help students prepare to discuss political developments. At three points during the term, students will be asked to bring in a 3-4 page write-up answering a question (found on the syllabus). Taken together, these assignments total 15% of the final course grade.
Negotiation. As part of the negotiation exercise, students will submit a paper (a group paper if you have are working with someone else as a country representative) laying out their assigned country’s preparation for the negotiation simulation. The paper, written as a memo to you from your country’s Foreign Ministry (State Department), will discuss your nation’s top four or five priorities for the negotiation and explain why, in relation to the country’s foreign policy or other factors, those priorities are the most important. Background information about the country should only be included insofar as it contributes to elucidating your priorities and the reasons for them. The paper may additionally discuss the group’s planned strategy or tactics for the negotiation itself. How do you plan to get what you want? Which countries will be your natural allies? Papers will be evaluated on the quality of the political analysis, role playing, and the richness of examples; organization and writing style; as well as the types and nature of sources used (citations are required). Wow me with the depth of your research. That means fifteen to twenty sources, minimum. Draw from your country’s foreign ministry, prime minister/president’s speeches, news reports, and scholarly analyses of your country’s foreign policy. See pictures of past negotiations here.
The paper should be 7-8 double-spaced pages in length. The paper is worth 15% of the final course grade. This assignment is more demanding than students tend to believe, so I encourage you to get started early.
Midterm Exam: The midterm exam will cover the Comparative Politics section of the course. It will have both short (identification) and long (essay) questions to answer. Students will have a choice of questions on both parts of the exam. The midterm is worth 25% of the final course grade.
Final Exam. The final exam will have both short-answer (identification) and long (essay) questions. The short-answer questions will draw from the second half of the course, focusing on International Relations. The essays may be cumulative, however. The final exam is worth 25% of the final course grade.
Getting Help
Students are encouraged to talk to me if they feel they need assistance with the course material. I can be reached by e-mail at tanp@uncw.edu or by phone at 910-962-3221. I am in my office most days at least 9-3 (with the exception of the times I am teaching). Dedicated office hours are before this class.
The University Learning Center (ULC) also provides assistance to students in writing, math, and general academic skills. The office if particularly geared to helping with Basic Studies courses such as this one. The ULC is located on the first floor of Westside Hall (WE 1056); phone 962-7857; web www.uncw.edu/ulc; hours: Mon–Thur 8am–9pm; Fri 8am–5pm; Sun 3pm–9pm.
The Gandhi Dynasty (Sonia, Rajiv, Indira), Kerala, India (2008)
Course Policies
Academic Honesty
This instructor believes academic honesty is the foundation of the entire enterprise of a university. Only in an environment of honesty can genuine learning occur and good citizenship be fostered. For further information, students should consult the online UNCW Code of Student Life at http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/doso/documents/Code.Of.Student.Life.pdf. Students should also feel free to ask the instructor any questions they may have about academic honesty.
Because academic honesty is treated as a serious matter, the course policy is one of zero tolerance for academic DIShonesty. A violation of the Academic Honor Code will be pursued by the instructor and will result in a failing grade for the course.
The core principle of the Academic Honor Code is that student work represents the original work of the student. For this reason, plagiarism, using the work of another without proper citation, and cheating, the unauthorized use of information during an examination, are prohibited.
The Academic Honor Code works for both students and teachers. Students can expect that the instructor will treat them in a fair, honest, and impartial manner. The instructor also expects students to deal with her and with one another honestly. Plagiarism and cheating are violations of academic honesty because they steal from the original creator of the work. In addition, they violate the relationship of honesty between student and teacher as the student attempts to pass off work as his or her own which was produced by another. Further, plagiarism and cheating violate the bond of honesty among students themselves. Students who produce their assignments through long, hard work are being violated by those taking a shortcut through the misappropriation of another’s work or knowledge. Most sadly, students who violate academic honesty cheat themselves of the chance to learn.
Contacting the Instructor
Students are encouraged to call or e-mail with questions, or stop by office hours (listed above). I endeavor to be available to assist you with your course work. It’s my job. As a hint, e-mails are likely to guarantee a quicker response than phone messages. I am most happy to set up an appointment for a meeting in addition to those times listed as office hours. However, because I have a young toddler at home, students must understand that there are limits on my time.
A note on courtesy: When students receive assistance through any one of these extra-class channels, they should be sure to thank the instructor for her time, thought, and effort. This little trick will serve you well in the future. It is an expected part of social etiquette.
Late Papers
PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS POLICY!
Students are encouraged to plan in advance to make time to complete assignments. Things come up during the semester; relatives require our attention, cars break down, and students get sick. Students should begin their assignments early enough to allow for these foreseeable and unforeseeable eventualities. The instructor does not wish to receive any late assignments during the semester.
Papers are due at the start of class on the date listed on the syllabus. Each twenty-four hours that a paper is late may result in a penalty of one letter grade. Late papers must be submitted by e-mail (pasted into your message and attached in Word format) and must receive confirmation of receipt from the instructor to be considered "turned in." For your protection, submit your paper from an e-mail account which will keep a record of your outgoing e-mail. With this, you could demonstrate a true attempt to submit the paper that somehow disappears into the electronic ether. Do not submit papers to the instructor’s faculty snail mailbox, the department secretary, or under the instructor’s office door. After submitting papers electronically, students should bring a print-out of the late assignment to the next class meeting. Late assignments will not be graded on the same schedule as assignments submitted on time. Under no circumstances should students miss class to complete an assignment.
Tardiness
Students are strongly encouraged to show respect for fellow students and the instructor by arriving for class on time. Late arrivals disturb fellow students and disrupt the learning process. It is better to come in late than not to come at all, but try to be respectful of classmates by making arrangements to be in class and in your seat at the start of class.
Excused Absences
An excused absence is one that is discussed with the professor IN ADVANCE and for which documentation can be provided. Only for excused absences will the professor allow work to be made up. All make-up work will be done at the instructor’s convenience.
Disabilities
The instructor understands that some students may have need of accommodation (for example, extended testing time or a quiet testing locale) due to a disability. If you feel that you are in need of an accommodation, please contact Disability Services in Westside Hall to make the appropriate arrangements. The phone number is 910-962-7555.
Electronic Devices
Students are permitted to use laptop computers during class to access online notes, or to type their own course notes. Laptops are not to be used for surfing the internet or checking e-mail. Obviously, when tests and quizzes are being administered, laptops are not permitted. Use of cellphones, including texting, is never permitted. If students are found to be using electronic devices in a manner inconsistent with the professor’s assessment of the best environment for group learning, they may be penalized with a one-letter grade reduction in their final course grade. Be mindful of this stern policy.
World Wide Web Resources
The web has a bounty of information for research in international affairs (not all of it credible—be a careful consumer!!!). Below, students will find a selection of websites. Students should consult the instructor if they require any assistance in finding additional web resources on particular topics or countries. Additional resources are located in the course schedule, as appropriate to the day’s topic. Many of the sites below will be of help to the research for the negotiation project.
Atlantic Online http://www.theatlantic.com/
Brookings Institution http://www.brook.edu/
CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Council on Foreign Relations http://www.cfr.org/index.php
Economist magazine http://www.economist.com
EU Observer (News about the European Union) http://www.euobserver.com/
ElectionGuide http://www.ifes.org/eguide/elecguide.htm
EuroGuide (Guide to the European Union, United Kingdom) http://www.euroguide.org/
Embassy, the Electronic Embassy http://www.embassy.org/ (find links to embassies in Washington, DC)
European Governments Online (from the EU) http://europa.eu.int/abc/governments/index_en.html
European Union Online (Official) http://europa.eu.int/index_en.htm
Foreign Affairs http://www.foreignaffairs.org/
Foreign Policy http://www.foreignpolicy.com/
Freedom House (NGO) http://www.freedomhouse.org/
Inter-Parliamentary Union—IPU http://www.ipu.org/
Missions to the UN (with links to missions’ websites) http://www.un.int/index-en/webs.html
New York Times http://www.nytimes.com (site requires registration, but it’s free)
Political Resources on the Net http://www.politicalresources.net/
United Nations (Official) http://www.un.org/
US Department of State (Official) http://www.state.gov
World Bank (Official) http://www.worldbank.org
World Wide Web Virtual Library (WWWVL) International Affairs Resources http://www.etown.edu/vl/
See also, my Good Sources website at http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/GoodSources.html.
Traffic, Tamil Nadu, India (2008)
Periodicals, Scholarly Journals, and US Government Publications
As wonderful as the web is for finding information, periodicals and scholarly journals still form the backbone of our academic work. Some periodicals and journals helpful for the study of international affairs are listed below:
Comparative Political Studies
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Policy
International Organization
International Security
Journal of Conflict Resolution
Journal of Democracy
Political Science Quarterly
Survival
Third World Quarterly
Washington Quarterly
World Politics
You can access many of these journals through the library's online journal databases. From the UNCW homepage, choose "Library;" then choose "Databases and Articles." Start your search in the following databases: EbscoHost, Ebscohost Electronic Journals Service, Lexis-Nexis, ABI Global Inform, and J-STOR.
The Great Wall, China (1987)
Course Schedule
JUN 23 Introduction to Global and Comparative Politics
Introduce course requirements and schedule. Review syllabus.
Activity: The Most.
Handout: "Who Will Tell the People?"
Discuss: Reading critically.
BREAK
Lecture: Introduction to Comparative Politics.
Reading: O’Neil et al, Chapter 1, “What is Comparative Politics?”
Looking ahead: Introduce requirements for the map quiz.
JUN 24 The Politics of Great Britain
Lecture: The British Constitution and the Institutions of Government.
Reading: O’Neil et al, Chapter 2, “United Kingdom.”
Recommended: For more information on Britain’s parliamentary system, see the British parliament website at http://www.parliament.uk/. Find the British Prime Minister at No. 10 Downing Street. See http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page1.asp . To follow British news, try the Guardian at http://www.guardian.co.uk/. For a guide to websites on British politics, see http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk.htm.
BREAK
Lecture: Political Parties and Elections in Britain.
Discuss: Effects of different electoral systems.
Reading: Finish O’Neil et al, Chapter 2.
Recommended: To learn more about Britain’s political parties, take a look at the websites of the ruling Labour Party or opposition Conservatives. To keep up with elections around the world, check out Election Guide from the International Foundation for Election Systems at http://www.electionguide.org/
You must read the articles from the Economist magazine on France for next class. The after-break part of next class will be conducted entirely as discussion.
JUN 25 The Politics of France
Lecture: France's Parties and Hybrid System.
Discuss: Describe the French institutions of government. Compare/contrast with British/US institutions. Learn about issues in most recent French presidential elections.
Reading: O’Neil et al, Chapter 4, “France.”
Recommended: For more information on France’s politics, see the website of the French President at http://www.elysee.fr/ang/index.shtm. Also, there is the French Studies Web at http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wess/fren/polygov.html. The Worldwide Web Virtual Library of France at http://www.library.pitt.edu/subject_guides/westeuropean/wwwes/france.nhp.html. And, you can get a French perspective on world events from Le Monde Diplomatique at http://mondediplo.com/.
BREAK
Discuss: The French Economic Model v. the Anglo-Saxon Model.
Reading: "Insiders and Outsiders," "Reforming the Unreformable," "What France Needs," “The Art of the Impossible,” and “Where There’s a Will,” Economist, October 28, 2006 (on e-Reserve).
Recommended: See the prime minister's website at http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/en/ to learn how the government is currently addressing various policy challenges.
Looking ahead: Map quiz coming up.
JUN 29 Russia and Post-Communism
Lecture: Russia Then and Now.
Discuss: The Old USSR and the Transition away from Communism.
Reading: O’Neil et al, Chapter 6, “Russia.”
Recommended: For more information on Russia’s contemporary politics, see Pravda at http://english.pravda.ru/. For detailed information on elections in Russia, see Russia Votes at http://www.russiavotes.org/ For a wide collection of links on Russia and Eastern Europe, see Reesweb at http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/reesweb/.
BREAK
Video: Goodbye, Lenin, part I (total 121 minutes)
Looking ahead: Any requests for partners/countries for the European Union negotiation? Brief introduction to the project.
Comment/question cards. How is class going so far? Is there anything you need more help to understand?
MAP QUIZ.
JUN 30 Post-Communism and India
Video: Goodbye, Lenin, part II
Discuss
BREAK
Lecture: Indian Politics and the Historical Legacy.
Discuss: 1) The Indian Independence Movement and Non-Violent Resistance and 2) Communal Conflict (the latter topic, if time permits).
Reading: O’Neil et al, Chapter 8, “India.”
Recommended: For a skeptical look at India's 2009 elections, see Naresh Fernandes, "Selling Democracy (and Tea) in India," New York Times, May 5, 2009. Learn more about India’s politics, by learning about two leading political parties: the Congress Party at http://www.indiannationalcongress.com/ and the Bharatiya Janata Party at http://www.bjp.org/. More information about India can be accessed via the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC. Find the embassy at http://www.indianembassy.org/. Read one of India’s most prominent national magazines at http://www.frontlineonnet.com/. Major newspapers include The Hindu at http://www.hinduonline.com/ and The Times of India at http://www.timesofindia.com.
If you're interested in learning more about India, sign up for PLS 494 in Spring 2010, travel to India for two weeks as part of the course! More information at http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/StudyAbroadIndia.html.
Looking ahead: Requests for the negotiation project (partners/countries) due today.
JUL 1 Contemporary India
Video: Slumdog Millionaire (120 minutes)
Discuss Indian reactions to the film and portrayal of Indian society.
JUL 2 The Politics of China
Lecture: Communism and Post-Communism?
Discuss: Maoist China and the Post-Mao Reforms.
Reading: O’Neil et al, Chapter 7, “China.”
Recommended: For a meta-collection of Chinese resources, start at the WWW Virtual Library for China at http://sun.sino.uni-heidelberg.de/igcs/. Two popular English-language media websites from China are China Daily at http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/news/index.html and People’s Daily at http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/.
BREAK
Video: China Rises: Party Games (60 minutes).
Note: Artist Ai Weiwei, featured in the video, is now working to compile a list of students killed in the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. This butts up against the government's policy of silence on this issue.
Looking ahead: Assign negotiation groups/countries. Read the Manifesto of the Communist Party for next time. We will discuss this important historical document.
Virtual Handout: The Importance of Writing Well
DUE DATE: TUTORIAL PAPER #1: What are some of the conflicts experienced by Indians today that are highlighted by the film Slumdog Millionaire? Did the characters in the film resolve them successfully? Were these resolutions credible/desirable? Hint: Focus on broad themes/ideas rather than following the movie chronologically. Also, give examples from the movie and explain them so that someone who hasn't seen the movie can follow your argument.
JUL 6 The Politics of Saudi Arabia/Ideologies
Lecture: Saudi Arabia: Case Study of Islam, Democracy, and Authoritarianism in the Middle East.
Discuss: Saudi absolute monarchy, pressures for reform and status quo. Consider women in the Middle East.
Reading: Peruse the country study of Saudi Arabia at the Economist. http://www.economist.com/countries/SaudiArabia/. Also, “Our Women Must be Protected,” Economist, April 24, 2008 and “Double Indemnity,” Economist, November 22, 2007 (both on e-Reserve).
Recommended: Try the UK-based Middle East Times at http://www.metimes.com. Additional scholarly information and news about Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries can be accessed from the Middle East and Jewish Studies WWW Virtual Library at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/mideast/cuvlm/.
BREAK
Lecture: Isms and Politics.
Discuss: Is American politics ideological? What were the main issues in the race for the presidency in 2008? Is ideology good or bad? Where do your beliefs fall in terms of the ideologies discussed in class?
Reading: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “Manifesto of the Communist Party,” 1848 [ONLINE] http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch01.htm (Ch. 1) [accessed November 29, 2006] (free on the internet).
Housing and Development Board Apartment-homes, Singapore, October 2008
JUL 7 Issues: Democratization
Lecture: The Arenas of Democratization.
Discuss: The Democratization of Russia?
Reading: Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan, Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, 3-38. The reading is in two parts on the library’s e-Reserves. One section is called "Democracy and its Arenas." The other is called “Stateness, Nationalism, and Democratization.”
Recommended: For more information on democratization, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (http://www.accessdemocracy.org/) and the International Republican Institute (http://www.iri.org) both work around the world fostering democracy. Find reports, polls, focus groups, and more information about democratization programs on those organizations’ websites. Learn more about what scholars have to say about democratization at the Stanford University Comparative Democratization Project at http://democracy.stanford.edu/.
BREAK
Discuss:
Democratization.
Reading: Snow, Chapter 1, “Popular Terror and the Democratic Peace: Theory versus Practice.” Recall, O’Neil et al chapter on Russia.
Looking ahead: Midterm coming up. Practice essay questions.
JUL 8 MIDTERM
Looking ahead: Intro Lecture on European Union. Discuss European Union negotiation project. Get started on your projects immediately after the midterm. You've only got about two weeks before they are due.
Next class: Be prepared to discuss the Roy reading. The bulk of class will come from your responses to the reading.
JUL 9 Issues: Development and Introduction to International Relations
Discuss: Dam Development.
Reading: Arundhati Roy, “The Greater Common Good,” 1999 [ONLINE] Available from http://www.narmada.org/gcg/gcg.html [accessed November 28, 2006] (free on the internet). For a viewpoint opposing Roy, see http://www.sardarsarovardam.org/.
Recommended: For more information on development issues, visit the website of the World Bank at http://www.worldbank.org or the United Nations Development Program at http://www.undp.org. For progressive/anti-liberal views, visit Naomi Klein’s website at http://www.nologo.org or the Whirled Bank at http://www.whirledbank.org/index.html. A contemporary story which discussed the government and displacement of the poor is Somini Sengupta, "India Grapples with How to Convert Its Farmland into Factories," New York Times, September 17, 2008 [ONLINE] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/17/world/asia/17india.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss [accessed September 17, 2008].
Looking ahead: Discuss negotiation project and sources of information.
DUE DATE: TUTORIAL PAPER #2. In one to two pages, discuss whether you were persuaded by Roy’s case against dam building in India. If so, why were you persuaded? If not, how would you argue against Roy’s case? What does the issue of dam building in India have to teach us about the broader issue of development? (Hint as you begin writing: Roy is a woman, so “she argues this or that.” Also, be mindful of your audience. You need to be able to explain Roy to someone who has not ready the article. Use examples and quotations.)
BREAK
Lecture: Introduction to International Relations Theory.
Reading: Karen A. Mingst, “Contending Perspectives: How to Think about International Relations Theoretically,” Essentials of International Relations, New York: Norton 2008 (fourth edition), 55-80 (on e-Reserve).
Activity: Discuss President Obama's foreign policy. Is he a realist or a liberal? Can we tell yet?
Discuss: Where does foreign policy come from?
Looking ahead: Course will proceed based on issues and discussion from here on out. Be prepared to discuss!!! Talk about note taking during discussion classes.
JUL 13 An Emerging Great Power/War Crimes
Discuss: China Threat.
Reading: Snow, Chapter 3, “China Rising: Looming Threat or Global Partner?”
Recommended: For more information, see the Chinese Military Power page at http://www.comw.org/cmp.
BREAK
Discuss: War Crimes Case.
Reading: Snow, Chapter 4, “War Crimes: The Past in the Present in the Future.”
Recommended: See primary documents on the laws of war at Avalon at http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/lawofwar/lawwar.htm. Global Policy also has a section on International Tribunals. See http://www.globalpolicy.org/intljustice/tribindx.htm. Visit the website of the International Criminal Court at http://www.icc-cpi.int/php/show.php?id=home&l=EN.
JUL 14 Globalization and the Left Reaction in Latin America
Discuss: Globalization.
Reading: Snow, Chapter 8, “Debating Globalization: India and Venezuela.”
Recommended: For more information on globalization, check out Yale University’s Center for the Study of Globalization. The International Monetary Fund can be found at http://www.imf.org. Thomas Friedman is a frequent writer on globalization and a New York Times columnist. Two of his books that touch on globalization include The Lexus and the Olive Tree and The World is Flat.
BREAK
Video: PBS Frontline on Chavez
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hugochavez/view/ (90 minutes)
Looking ahead: Negotiation papers due soon.
JUL 15 Terrorism and the Middle East Conflict
Discuss: Terrorism.
Reading: Snow, Chapter 16, "Understanding and Organizing a Post-September 11, 2001 World: The Continuing Campaign against Evolving Terrorism.“ Also, Osama bin Laden, “Letter to America,” published in the Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/24/theobserver, November 24, 2002.
Highly Recommended: For more information about terrorism, see Terrorism.com or Terrorism Answers.
Looking ahead and activity: Get started researching for your European Union negotiation papers. Do some sample research in class.
BREAK
Discuss: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
Reading: Snow, Chapter 6, “Resolving the Unresolvable: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Check the news to see what is going on in the conflict currently. We’ll discuss current developments in class.
Recommended: For more information on the Middle East conflict, try the following website, which has both documents and analysis (http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/meres.htm). For news coverage of the region, try Arab World News at http://www.arabworldnews.com/ or the Jerusalem Post at http://www.jpost.com.
Negtotiation paper due date coming up.
DUE DATE: TUTORIAL PAPER #3. Should the United States support democratization in other countries? Why or why not? If yes, then how? (Try to bring together our classes on democratization with what we've learned about International Relations theory and various areas of concern around the world.)
JUL 16 Global Warming
Discussion: Global Warming
Video: PBS Frontline "Hot Politics" http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hotpolitics/ (60 minutes)
Pre-negotiation. With your negotiation partner, talk with other groups about their aspirations and red-lines for the negotiation exercise.
JUL 20 Negotiation Simulation (see pictures of a past simulation here).
DUE DATE: NEGOTIATION PAPERS.
JUL 21 Negotiation Simulation, continued
With debrief. Take time to write three lessons you learned during the negotiation about the European Union, the process of diplomacy, international relations theory, or yourself and your skills.
JUL 22 Rwandan Genocide and International Humanitarian Intervention (or the Lack Thereof)
Video: Ghosts of Rwanda.
Discuss: Rwanda Genocide.
Reading: None for today.
Recommended: See Frontline's companion website at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/. For more information, read the Human Rights Watch report on the Rwandan genocide at: http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/rwanda/. There are US government documents on the US’ activities during the slaughter at the respected National Security Archive website at http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB53/index.html. Yale University has a Genocide Studies Program which would allow you to look at Rwanda and other cases of genocide. This can be found at http://www.yale.edu/gsp/rwanda/. The Hollywood movie Hotel Rwanda (based on a true story) does a good job of telling the story of the Rwandan genocide from the perspective of one man, a hotelier, who helps to save more than 1,000 people during the genocide by protecting them inside his hotel. I have also had the library purchase Shake Hands with the Devil, a documentary based on the story of UN/Rwanda commander Romeo Dallaire, who tried desperately to save lives during the genocide but did so with few troops and little support from the world community.
JUL 23 Course Conclusions
Student-led review of course material.
Course evaluations.
JUL 24 2-3:15 FINAL EXAM
Dr. Tan with an Indian friend, Cochin, Kerala, India (2009)
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Updated: June 9, 2009.
Author: Paige Tan tanp@uncw.edu
Return to Dr. Tan's homepage: http://people.uncw.edu/tanp/