Current courses

• PLS 220: Introduction to International Relations

  • Basic analysis of politics among nations. Role of law, force, and diplomacy in world politics; problems of war, peace, and disarmament. Satisfies University Studies II: Approaches and Perspectives/Living in a Global Society.

• PLS 425: International Politics

  • Prerequisite: PLS 220 or consent of instructor. Students are provided with an overview of the current International system and introduced to the theories actors, their interactions, and the norms of the international system. The impact of the law and norms of international relations or international conflict are analyzed and debated. Partially satisfies University Studies IV: Building Competencies/Writing Intensive.

• PLS 426: International Law

  • Prerequisite: PLS 220 or consent of instructor. Nature, development and basic concepts of international law. Examination of the scope, sources and sanctions of international law; its relation to municipal law; the rights and duties of states and individuals; methods of settling international disputes. Characteristic cases used as illustrations.

• PLS 440: Great Decisions Leadership Series I

  • Practicum for a lecture series focused on international affairs. Students will familiarize themselves with international issues through readings and class seminars; then recruit named scholars in the appropriate field; organize logistics for their travel and accommodations in Wilmington, NC; advertise for the lecture series; and create and maintain website. Students take PLS 441 in the following semester.

• PLS 441: Great Decisions Leadership Series II

  • Prerequisite: PLS 440. Practicum course in leading student tutorials and break-out sessions in selected topics in international affairs. Students will research the various topics, give class seminars, and recruit named scholars and speakers in each of the topics under discussion.

• CMR 525: Conflict in International Politics

  • Students are provided with an overview of the current international system and introduced to the actors, their interactions and the norms of the international system. The impact of the law and norms of international relations on international conflict are analyzed and debated.

• CMR 530: International Law and Dispute Resolution

  • This module deals with the basic rules governing the international community. A substantial portion of this course focuses on the role of international and national tribunals in the law-making process of the international community, with emphasis on modern developments in jurisdiction, international agreements, war crime tribunals, anti-terrorist conventions and international economic law. Special consideration is also given to the impact of the United Nations with respect to resolution-creation as well as truce agreements.

• CMR 535: Violence Studies

  • The module in Violence Studies will introduce students to the various social, political, and economic conditions that have given rise to radical response. We will closely examine small rebel bands, (commonly referred to as “guerrilla” movements), and “terrorist” organizations in both ‘Third World’ countries and Industrialized nations. We are often interchanging the term ‘revolutionaries” with ‘terrorist” given the strategies utilized to counter the possible international threat. To this end, we will also examine ways in which revolutions upset and effect alliances in the international system. That is – examining the link between revolutions and international relations.