PS 12: International Relations                                                                                                 Instructor: David A. Lake

Spring 2010                                                                                                                                           Office: SSB 372

MW 10-10:50 AM                                                                                                                              Office Hours: Tues. 1-3 PM

Price Center Theatre                                                                                                                        Phone: 534-0347

                                                                                                                                                                  Email: dlake@ucsd.edu

 

Syllabus

 

This courses introduces students to the study of international politics. No prior background in international relations is assumed. Students will acquire the basic analytic tools necessary to understand and explain a variety of international phenomena including war, terrorism, globalization, environmental cooperation, and human rights practices.

 

Readings

 

The textbook for this course is Jeffry A. Frieden, David A. Lake, Kenneth A. Schultz, World Politics: Interests, Interactions, and Institutions (New York: W. W. Norton, 2010).  It is available for purchase at the UCSD Bookstore ($93.50) and at various on-line dealers (Amazon $63-70.). An Ebook version of the text is available for purchase at: https://www.wwnorton.com/gateway/buychoice.asp?site=world_politics_ebook. The online and download versions are identical, except that the former expires in one year and the latter is cemented to the computer onto which it is downloaded. Either Ebook version is available for $35 (non-refundable).

 

The Student Studyspace through W. W. Norton is available at: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/polisci/world-politics/ch/01/studyplan.aspx. Here you will find study plans, chapter outlines, practice quizzes, and other pedagogical tools. A link to the electronic version of the book is also available from this page.

 

All other readings are available through electronic reserves at the UCSD library: http://reserves.ucsd.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=15776&page=docs

 

Grades

 

Grades for this course will be based on 1) Section (30 percent), 2) Midterm (30 percent), and 3) Final (40 percent). Section requirements may differ by TA.

 

Exams

 

Both the midterm and final exam will be a mix of multiple choice (in-class) and essay (take home) questions. All students must take the midterm and final exams at the scheduled time. Missed exams may be made up only after a DoctorÕs note is submitted explaining why you were too ill to take the exam. No exceptions.

 

Essay questions will be distributed in advance and must be submitted at the time of the in-class, multiple choice portion of the exam. All essays must be submitted through Turnitin.com.

 

Maintaining Academic Integrity: Students agree that by taking this course all required take home essay exams will be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted essays will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such exams. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the terms of use agreement posted on the Turnitin.com site.

 

Course Webpage

 

This syllabus and appropriate links are available on the course webpage at http://dss.ucsd.edu/~dlake/courses/ps12/ps12.htm. The slides from lecture will be available before class on this page as well. It is recommended that you download the slides before each lecture to facilitate note taking. The slides are not a substitute for lecture.

 

Schedule of Topics and Readings

 

I. Introduction

 

March 29 & 31: Conflict and Cooperation

                 

Frieden, Lake, and Schultz (FLS) Introduction and Chapter 1

 

April 5 & 7: Interests, Interactions, and Institutions

                 

FLS Chapter 2

 

Michael Gordon and General Bernard Trainor, Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq (New York: Pantheon, 2006), pp.55-137 (Chapters 4-7).

 

II. War and Peace

 

April 12 & 14: Bargaining and War

                 

FLS Chapter 3

 

Dan Reiter, Exploring the Bargaining Model of War, Perspectives on Politics 1, 1 (2003), pp.27-47.

 

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, An Unnecessary War, Foreign Policy, January/February 2003, pp.50-59.

 

Alasdair Roberts, The War We Deserve, Foreign Policy, November/December 2007, pp.45-50.

 

April 19: Domestic Politics and War

                 

FLS Chapter 4

 

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, The Israeli Lobby, available at the London Review of Books at http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/mear01_.html.

Or

Arthur Macewan, Is it Oil? Dollars & Sense Issue 247 (May-June 2003). Available at: http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2003/0503macewan.html.

 

April 21: International Institutions and War

                 

FLS Chapter 5

 

Michael Glennon, Why the Security Council Failed, Foreign Affairs Vol. 82, No. 3 (May/June 2003), pp.16-35.

 

III. Globalization

 

April 26 & 28: International Trade

                 

FLS Chapter 6

 

Ronald Rogowski, Political Cleavages and Changing Exposure to Trade, American Political Science Review 81, 4 (December 1987), pp.1121-1137.

 

Jeffrey G. Williamson, Globalization and Inequality, Past and Present, The World Bank Research Observer 12, 2 (1997), pp.117-135.

 

May 5: Mid-term

 

May 3 & 10: International Monetary and Financial Relations

                 

FLS Chapter 7 and Chapter 8

 

Simon Johnson, ÒThe Quiet Coup,Ó The Atlantic Online, May 2009 (available at: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/05/the-quiet-coup/7364/).

 

Barry Eichengreen, The Dollar Dilemma, Foreign Affairs 88 (5) (Sept./Oct. 2009), pp.53-68.

 

C. Fred Bergsten, The Dollar and the Deficits, Foreign Affairs 88, 6 (Nov./Dec. 2009), pp.20-38.

 

IV. Global Civil Society

 

May 12: Transnational Advocacy Groups

                 

FLS Chapter 10, part I

 

Margaret E. Keck and Kathryn Sikkink, Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1998), pp.165-198 (Chapter 5).

 

May 17 & 19: Terrorism

                 

FLS Chapter 10, part II

 

Robert Pape, The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism, American Political Science Review 93, 3 (2003), pp.343-361.

 

May 24: International Human Rights

                 

FLS Chapter 11

 

Emilie Hafner-Burton, Trading Human Rights: How Preferential Trade Agreements Influence Government Repression, International Organization 59, 3 (2005), pp.593-629.

 

May 26: The Global Environment

 

FLS Chapter 12

 

M.J. Peterson, Whalers, Cetologists, Environmentalists, and the International Management of Whaling,Ó International Organization 46, 1 (1992), pp. 147-186.

 

May 31: (Memorial Day, no class)

 

V. Conclusion

 

June 2: The Future of International Politics

                 

FLS Chapter 13

 

Stephen G. Brooks and William C. Wohlforth, Reshaping the World Order, Foreign Affairs 88, 2 (Mar./Apr. 2009), pp.49-63.

 

Niall Ferguson, Complexity and Collapse, Foreign Affairs 89, 2 (Mar./Apr. 2010), pp.18-32.

 

Final Exam, Monday, June 7, 8 – 11 AM.