POL 671, Proseminar in International Relations Fall 2008, Thursday 9-11:50 am, Harrison 110 COURSE DESCRIPTION

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1 POL 671, Proseminar in International Relations Fall 2008, Thursday 9-11:50 am, Harrison 110 Dr. Laura Neack Harrison 314, , Office hours: Tuesday, Thursday 2-3, or by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION This is a graduate survey of principal areas and approaches to the field of International Relations as a research discipline; development and scope of the field, major and contending theories, and modes of analysis; logic and methods of various forms of inquiry and research in the several major and contending areas of the field. REQUIRED BOOKS Geeta Chowdhury and Sheila Nair, eds., Power, Postcolonialism and International Relations: Reading Race, Gender and Class, New York: Taylor & Francis, Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki and Steve Smith, eds., International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity, New York: Oxford University Press, Colin Elman and Miriam Fendius Elman, eds., Progress in International Relations Theory: Appraising the Field, Cambridge: MIT Press, Cynthia Enloe, Bananas, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics, Berkely: University of California Press, Frank P. Harvey and Michael Brecher, Evaluating Methodology in International Studies, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, Torbjorn L. Knutsen, A History of International Relations Theory, 2 nd ed., Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press/Palgrave, Laura Neack, Elusive Security: States First, People Last, Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, Thomas C. Schelling, Arms and Influence, New Haven: Yale University Press, Kenneth N. Waltz, Realism and International Politics, New York: Taylor & Francis, Other readings can be found using JSTOR through the King Library website. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES 33% Participation in Seminar Discussions. This is not a lecture course. The instructor's role in a seminar is to guide, facilitate and contribute to the seminar discussion. A seminar is totally dependent on the full and informed participation of its members. All students must come to seminar meetings prepared to discuss the readings and participate in the discussion. Here are the threshold elements of a good seminar discussion: Evidence of careful preparation of assigned readings. 1

2 Logical consistency in comments, appropriateness of comments to discussion, originality, and use of relevant evidence in the arguments made. Comments that are clear, concise and respectful of others. The extent to which comments contribute to the process of the discussion, such as building on the ideas of others, providing constructive criticism, asking constructive questions, or indicating a careful listening to others. The reading load in this proseminar does not, in and of itself, constitute a reading list for a Ph.D. qualifying examination in International Relations. No single seminar or set of seminars will provide students with all the readings in a subject that should be mastered for qualifying exams. 33% Reading Summaries and Questions. Each seminar participant must write summaries and questions for every week s assigned readings with the exception of the first seminar meeting on August 28. Summaries. The summary is a one paragraph, concise yet detailed synopsis of each chapter or article assigned. The summary should contain page citations. The summary should be in 12 point font, singlespaced, and no more than 25 lines in length. Questions. The questions should focus on the entire set of readings for each week. Each participant must write three questions that attempt to synthesize, compare, contrast and otherwise attempt to pull materials together. The questions SHOULD NOT be factual (such as what is the largest port in China?). The questions SHOULD NOT be quiz-like (such as how does Schelling define diplomacy?). The questions should not be answered in the readings, but answerable through an informed understanding of the readings. Finally, the questions should be suitable for seminar discussion. The three questions together cannot exceed one single-spaced page (using 12 inch font). The summaries and questions are due via attachment to every seminar member (including the prof) by 6 pm on the Wednesday before each class meeting. 34% Final Exam. The final exam for this course will be held on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 12:30-2:30 pm, in Harrison 110. Attendance. The university requires that students attend all regularly scheduled class sessions, with the exception of University recognized excused absences for religious observances. Miami policy states that, Students must give written notification to their instructor within the first two weeks of class of the religious event which prohibits class attendance, and the date that will be missed, if officially known. Instructors will, without prejudice, provide such students with reasonable accommodations for completing missed work. However, the students are ultimately responsible for material covered in class, regardless of whether the student is absent or present. Beyond this, failure to attend one full seminar meeting will result in a 10% reduction of the final seminar grade, unless the absence is excused. The second unexcused absence will result in the dropping of the student from the class roll with a grade of F. Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late for a seminar meeting will be marked as absent without excuse for that entire meeting unless the tardiness is excused. 2

3 Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late will not be permitted to turn in any assignments due on that day. The instructor reserves the sole right to determine the type of documentation necessary for an excused absence. DISABILITY RESOURCES Students with disabilities for which accommodation should be made must register with the Office of Disability Resources (ODR) in the Campus Avenue Building. If you do not know how to begin the process of registering with ODR, please see the instructor. August 28 Introduction to course COURSE OUTLINE AND READINGS Chapters in Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader: Steve Smith, Introduction: Diversity and Disciplinarity in International Relations Theory Milja Kurki and Colin Wight, International Relations and Social Science Chris Brown, International Relations as Political Theory September 4 History Torbjørn L. Knutsen, A History of International Relations Theory, Chs. 1-8 September 11 Major Theories: Realism Chapters in Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader: Richard Ned Lebow, Classical Realism John J. Mearsheimer, Structural Realism Waltz, Realism and International Politics, Part I: Theory (all), Part 2: International Politics (all) September 18 Major Theories: Realism Thomas C. Schelling, Arms and Influence (entire) September 25 Major Theories: Realism Laura Neack, Elusive Security: States First, People Last (entire) 3

4 October 2 Major Theories: Liberalism Diana Panke and Thomas Risse, Liberalism, in Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader Michael W. Doyle, Liberalism and World Politics, American Political Science Review 80, no. 4 (1986): Robert O. Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Transgovernmental Relations and International Organizations, World Politics 27, no. 1 (1974): Joseph S. Nye, Soft Power, Foreign Policy 80 (Autumn 1990): Richard Falk, False Universalism and the Geopolitics of Exclusion: The Case of Islam, Third World Quarterly 18, no. 1 (1997): Andrew Moravcsik, Taking Preferences Seriously: A Liberal Theory of International Politics, International Organization 51, no. 4 (1997): October 9 Major Theories: Liberalism Lisa L. Martin, Neoliberalism, in Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader Colin Hay, International Relations Theory and Globalization, in Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader Peter J. Katzenstein, Robert O. Keohane, and Stephen D. Krasner, International Organization and the Study of World Politics, International Organization 52, no. 4 (1998): Stephen D. Krasner, Abiding Sovereignty, International Political Science Review 22, no. 3 (2001): Kurt Weyland, Neoliberalism and Democracy in Latin America: A Mixed Record, Latin American Politics and Society 46, no. 1 (2004): Nita Rudra, Globalization and the Strengthening of Democracy in the Developing World, American Journal of Political Science 49, no. 4 (2005): October 16 No class, sleep in October 23 Major Methodologies Chapters in Harvey and Brecher reader: Michael Brecher and Frank P. Harvey, The Essence of Millennial Reflections on International Studies: Methodology Michael Nicholson, Formal Methods in International Relations Harvey Starr, Cumulation, Synthesis and Research Design for the Post-Fourth Wave Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Accomplishments and Limitations of a Game-Theoretic Approach to International Relations Steve J. Brams, Game Theory in Practice: Problems and Prospects in Applying it to International Relations 4

5 October 30 Major Methodologies Chapters in Harvey and Brecher reader: Dina A. Zinnes, Reflections on Quantitative International Politics James Lee Ray, Reflections on Millenniums, Old and New Russell Leng, Quantitative International Politics and Its Critics: Then and Now Jack S. Levy, Qualitative Methods in International Relations Zeev Maoz, Case Study Methodology in International Studies November 6 Alternative Perspectives and Theories: Feminism J. Ann Tickner and Laura Sjoberg, Feminism, in Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader Cynthia Enloe, Bananas, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics (entire) November 13 Alternative Perspectives and Theories: Postcolonialism Siba N. Grovogui, Postcolonialism, in Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader Chapters from Chowdhry and Nair reader: Geeta Chowdhry and Sheila Nair, Introduction: Power in a Postcolonial World J. Marshall Beier, Beyond Hegemonic State(ment)s of Nature: Indigenous Knowledge and Non-State Possibilities in International Relations Anna M. Agathangelou, Sexing Globalization in International Relations: Migrant Sex and Domestic Workers in Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey Shampa Biswas, The New Cold War : Secularism, Orientalism, and Postcoloniality Dibyesh Anand, A Story to be Told: IR, Postcolonialism, and the Discourse of Tibetan (Trans)National Identity Geeta Chowdhry, Postcolonial Interrogations of Child Labor: Human Rights, Carpet Trade, and Rugmark in India November 20 Alternative Perspectives and Theories Chapters from Dunne, Kurki and Smith reader: Tim Dunne, The English School Mark Rupert, Marxism and Critical Theory K. M. Fierke, Constructivism David Campbell, Poststructuralism Robyn Eckersley, Green Theory Ole Wæver, Still a Discipline After All These Debates? November 27 NO CLASS, THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY 5

6 December 4 Mainstream Assessment Chapters from Elman and Elman reader: Kenneth Waltz, Thoughts about Assaying Theories Colin Elman and Miriam Fendius Elman, Introduction: Appraising Progress in International Relations Theory Colin Elman and Miriam Fendius Elman, Lessons from Lakatos Robert O. Keohane and Lisa L. Martin, Institutional Theory as a Research Program Jonathan M. DiCicco and Jack S. Levy, The Power Transition Research Program: A Lakatosian Analysis Andrew Moravcsik, Liberal International Relations Theory: A Scientific Assessment James Lee Ray, A Lakatosian View of the Democratic Peace Research Program December 11 Mainstream Assessment Chapters from Elman and Elman reader: Robert Jervis, Realism, Neoliberalism, and Cooperation: Understanding the Debate Randall L. Schweller, The Progressiveness of Neoclassical Realism Jack Snyder, Is and Ought : Evaluating Empirical Aspects of Normative Research John A. Vasquez, Kuhn vs. Lakatos? The Case for Multiple Frames in Appraising IR Theory Andrew Bennett, A Lakatosian Reading of Lakatos: What Can We Salvage from the Hard Core? WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 12:30-2:30 pm, FINAL EXAM 6