Discussion Sections Meeting Times and Rooms

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1 Professor Michael Colaresi Ketchum Hall Department of Political Science University of Colorado-Boulder IAFS 1000 (FS 2008) Math 100; T R 11-12:15 Final: Dec. 16(7:30am) TA Office Hours: tba My Office Hours: T R 12:30-1:30pm Introduction to International Affairs: Conflict and Other Global Challenges This course will serve as a general introduction to international affairs. We will talk about how international relations differ from other types of political and social interactions. The goal of the class is to familiarize you with several popular frameworks for understanding the complexity of foreign affairs as well as expose you to a few contemporary international problems. Because international affairs is such a broad topic covering history, geography, economics, politics and sociology (quite literally, international affairs encompasses everything from Columbus s trip to the New World to the shirt on your back it was probably made in another country.), we will focus on international conflict (along with a few other choice examples) to explore the complexities and patterns in these relations. The topics we will cover range from military conflict and peace treaties to globalization and the environment to terrorism. As an introductory class, I have tried to keep the reading load light. However, I expect the reading to be completed before coming to the lectures and discussion sections. You never know who might be called on. Discussion Sections Meeting Times and Rooms 101 DENCKLA, CHRISTIAN M 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM RAMY - N1B MCLAUGHIN, WESLEY M 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM ECCR DENCKLA, CHRISTIAN T 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM MKNA BUCCIFERRO, JUSTIN T 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM RAMY - N1B BUCCIFERRO, JUSTIN W 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM RAMY - N1B LAY, CHRISTOPHER W 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM ECCR DUTTON, YVONNE R 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM RAMY - N1B BELL, CURTIS R 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM STAD KIM, TAE-EUN F 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM CLRE LAY, CHRISTOPHER F 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM EKLC - E1B MCLAUGHIN, WESLEY M 3:00 PM - 3:50 PM DUAN - G2B DUTTON, YVONNE T 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM CLUB BELL, CURTIS M 2:00 PM - 2:50 PM RAMY - N1B KIM, TAE-EUN R 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM CLUB

2 Required Books All the class readings will come from either the one required book or are available online through the library. The book is available at the bookstore. Cheap new and used copies can be found online (try ). Richard K. Betts (ed) Conflict After the Cold War: Arguments on Causes of War and Peace. 3 rd Edition. Pearson-Longman. (Older editions are similar but not identical. I would buy the newer edition) Assignments Your grade for the class will be calculated based on three unequally weighted tests, an essay and participation in the your discussion section. The exams will draw heavily from both the lecture and the readings. These will only imperfectly overlap. 1. The first test will be held on Thursday, September 25, and will cover the material up to that point. 2. The second test will be held Thursday, October 23 and will cover only the material presented after the first test (thus this one is non-cumulative). 3. The third and final test will be held on the week of final exams (December 16, Tuesday, 7:30am-10am) and will be cumulative. The test will take place in the same room the class lectures meet. 4. A max 5-page essay (discussed below) will be due on Thursday, November 13, either by or in class. 5. Participation includes not only talking in discussion section, but showing that you have absorbed the readings, thought about them, and integrated your own ideas into the class discussion. Essay Assignment You will need to write a max 5-page essay on one of three topics below. The essay should take the form of a memo you are writing as Secretary of State to the President of the United States. You need to take a position on one topic and use the class readings, current and historical events as well as your own arguments to support your position. The topics are (choose one-make sure you write down which one you chose to answer): 1. Should the United States extend itself into alliances and international institutions around the world, including but not limited to the UN, NATO, GATT, WTO, etc. Why or why not? What are the costs and the benefits. Which are greater, the costs or the benefits? 2. Should the United States only because involved in Just Wars, as argued by Michael Walzer and others? What are the costs and benefits of this type of foreign policy? What are the likely consequences, and are they positive in your view or negative? 3. Should the United States continue to pursue a missile defense shield? If so, how far should it extend (just the 50 states, 50 states plus Europe, or as many allies as possible)? What are the likely security repercussions of a successful missile defense shield? 2

3 Composition of Final Grade, Grading Scale and Missed Exam Policy The first two tests are worth 20% of your final grade each (2 20 = 40% total), the essay is also worth 20%, and your participation in the discussion section is also worth 15%. The final exam is worth the remaining 25%. Grades are calculated based on percentages and only rounded to the letter scale at the end of the semester. You will receive an estimate of your participation grade around the midpoint of the semester from your TA. Grading Scale: = A = A = B = B = B = C = C = C = D = D = D < 59 = F If you are going to miss an exam, you must schedule MORE THAN ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THE EXAM, with the TA, when to take the test. If you miss an exam, and no arrangements were made before the test was given, you will receive a zero for that test. If a makeup test has been scheduled in advance of the regular test date, failure to show up for that make-up test results in a zero. Other Policies Class Behavior and Academic Integrity My own, as well as the University s expectations for students behavior in class and academic integrity are given on line at and All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; ). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). 3

4 Special Accommodations I will be happy, when possible, to accommodate students needs. Please note, however, that requests for special accommodations need to be presented in a timely manner: at least one week prior scheduled exams / assignments. Learning Disabilities If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: , Willard 322, and Religious Observance Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. The above remark on timely signaling of special accommodation needs applies also to religious observance needs. See full details at relig.html Discrimination and Harassment The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment ( the University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at or the Office of Judicial Affairs at Information about the ODH and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at Weekly Schedule Readings are to be completed on the class under which they are listed. Week 1: Get Organized August 26 and 28 Get Organized and Handout Syllabus Thursday: Movie (Will not be tested on this one) 4

5 Week 2: IA as a Puzzle September 2 and 4 Thucydides, The Melian Dialogue in Betts, pg Machiavelli, Doing Evil in Order to Do Good in Betts, pg Hobbes, The State of Nature and the State of War in Betts, pg Kant, Perpetual Peace in Betts, pg Jack Levy. The Causes of War and the Conditions of Peace. Annual Review of Political Science, 1 (June 1998): (available on line through the library webpage, search for the journal) John Mearsheimer, Hans Morgenthau and the Iraq War Realism versus Neo-conservatatism. at jsp Week 3: Actors and the System September 9 and 11 Geller, Nations and Nationalism in Betts, pg Kenneth Waltz, The Origins of Neorealist Theory in Betts, pg Keohane and Nye, Power and Interdependence in Betts, pg Bull, Society and Anarchy in International Relations in Betts, pg Hendrik Spruyt The Origins, Development, and Possible Decline of the Modern State Annual Review of Political Science pp Week 4: Dyadic Relations and Domestic Politics September 16 and 18 Reread Kant, Perpetual Peace in Betts, pg Doyle, Liberalism and World Politics in Betts, pg Blainey, Power, Culprits and Arms from Betts, pg Joseph S. Nye, Jr. Soft Power. Foreign Affairs available at: POWER.PDF Joseph S. Nye, Jr. The Decline of America s Soft Power. Foreign Affairs, May/June

6 Week 5: Individuals and Perceptions + TEST September 23 and 25 Freud, Why War? in Betts, pg Milgram, How Good People Do Bad Things in Betts, pg Kahneman and Renshon, Why Hawks Win in Betts, pg Behavioural economics in the Economist, Aug 28th Irving Janis Groupthink Among Policy Makers. available at: Roth/GroupthinkamongPolicyMakers.htm TESTSeptember 25, in class Week 6: The Cuban Missile Crisis September 30 and October 2 Movie in-class, both days 13 Days Huntington, Arms Races: Prerequisites and Results in Betts, pg Jervis, Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma in Betts, pg Levy, The Offensive/Defensive Balance of Military Technology in Betts, pg Week 7: The Security Dilemma, Nuclear Proliferation and Missile Defense October 7 and 9 Waltz, The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Be Better in Betts, pg Michael O Hanlon. Star Wars Strikes Back Foreign Affairs, November/December 1999 Week 8 International Law and Causes of Peace October 14 and 16 Cobden, Peace Through Arbitration in Betts, pg Wilson, Community of Power vs. Balance of Power in Betts, pg Reread, Doyle, Liberalism and World Politics in Betts, pg Ikenberry and Slaughter, A World of Liberty Under Law in Betts, pg Fixdal, Mona and Dan Smith. Humanitarian Intervention and Just War. Mershon International Studies Review Vol. 42 No. 2 (1998):

7 Week 9 Peace continued + TEST October 21 and 23 Mearsheimer, John. The False Promise of International Institutions. 1994/5. International Security vol.19(3):pp TESTOctober 23, in class Week 10: Secrecy and Democracy October 28 and 30 Loch Johnson, The CIA and the Question of Accountability, Intelligence and National Security (Jan. 1997), pp David N. Gibbs. Secrecy and International Relations. Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 32, No. 2, (1995) Week 11: The Political Economy of Conflict, Interdependence and Globalization November 4 and 6 Reread Keohane and Nye, Power and Interdependece from Betts, pg Angell, The Great Illusion from Betts, pg Schumpeter, Imperialism and Capitalism from Betts, pg Waltz, Structural Causes and Economic Effects from Betts, pg Rosecrance, Trade and Power from Betts, pg Jeffrey Sachs. International Economics: Unlocking the Mysteries of Globalization. Foreign Policy 110 Spring Week 12: Terrorism + Essay Due November 11 and 13 Sageman, Jihadi Networks of Terror in Betts, pg Betts, The Soft Underbelly of Primacy in Betts, pg Pape, Robert The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism. American Political Science Review 97: Essay Due on Thursday, November 13 by or in class 7

8 Week 13: Stability and the Environment November 18 and 20 Weiner, Security, Stability, and Migration in Betts, pg Cooley, The War Over Water in Betts, pg Homer Dixon, Environmental Changes as Causes of Acute Conflict in Betts, pg Garrett Hardin, The Tragedy of the Commons, Science, 162(1968): Available at: Week 14: Fall Break and Thanksgiving Week 15: The Future December 2 and 4 Betts and Christensen, China: Can the Next Superpower Rise Without War in Betts, pg Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations in Betts, pg Huntington, Peace Among Civilizations in Betts, pg Fukuyama, The End of History? in Betts, pg Mueller, The Obsolescence of Major War in Betts, pg Mearsheimer, Why We Will Soon Miss the Cold War in Betts, pg Week 16: Lessons from an Insider December 9 and 11 Movie The Fog of War, both days. Questions to keep in mind (for final exam) while you are watching will be distributed in class. Final Exam December 16, Tuesday, 7:30am-10am 8