POLS 503: International Relations Theory Wednesday, 05:00-07:25 pm, BEC C104 Professor Ezzedine Choukri FISHERE ecfishere@aucegypt.edu Office Hours Sunday and Wednesday @ HUSS 2015 10:00-11:30am (or by appointment) Teaching Assistant: Abigail Appleton aappleto@aucegypt.edu This course offers a critical review of major theories and concepts in international relations, and the relevance of theory to contemporary world politics. Textbooks - Dunne, Tim, Milja Kurki, and Steve Smith. International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, (2010). - Viotti, Paul R. and Mark V. Kauppi, International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism, Globalism and Beyond. 5th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2012. Other readings Art, Robert, J. and Jervis, Robert. International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 9th ed. (New York: Pearson/Longman, 2009). **Baldwin, David. Neorealism and Neoliberalism: The Contemporary Debate. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1993). Brown, Chris. "'Turtles All the Way Down': Anti-Foundationalism, Critical Theory and International Relations." Millenium: Journal of International Studies, (1994): 213-236. **Bull, Hedley. The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (London: Macmillan, 1977). Der Derian, James, and Michael Shapiro. International/Intertextual Relations: Postmodern Readings of World Politics. (Toronto: D.C. Heath and Company, 1998). Hasenclever, Andreas, Mayer, Peter, and Rittberger, Volker. Theories of International Regimes, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997). Hoffman, Mark. "Restructuring, Reconstruction, Reinspection, Rearticulation: Four Voices in Critical International Theory." Millenium Journal of International Studies, (1991): 169-185. Hollis, Martin, and Steve Smith. "Beware of Gurus: Structure and Action in International Relations." Review of International Studies, (1991): 393-410. Holsti, K.J. "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Which are the Fairest Theories of All?" International Studies Quarterly, (189): 255-261.
Holsti, K.J. The Dividing Discipline: Hegemony and Diversity in International Theory. (Boston: Allen & Unwin, 1983). Keohane, Robert O. Beyond Dichotomy: Conversations Between International Relations and Feminist Theory, International Studies Quarterly 42, no. 1 (March 1, 1998): 193-197. Keohane, Robert O., ed. Neorealism and Its Critics. (New York, New York: Columbia University Press, 1986). Lacher, Hannes. Beyond Globalization: Capitalism, Territoriality and Theinternational Relations of Modernity, (London: Routledge, 2006). **Lenin, Vladimir Ilʹich. Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism: A Popular Outline. (New York: International Publishers, 1984). Mills, Albert J. and Long, Brad S. Globalization, Postcolonial Theory, and Organizational Analysis, Critical Perspectives on International Business 4, no. 4 (October 1, 2008): 389-409. Mingst, Karen A., and Snyder, Jack. Essential Readings in World Politics. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001). **Morgenthau, Hans. Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. (New York: Knopf, 1954, 1960, 1967) Porter, Tony. "Postmodern Political Realism and International Relations Theory's Third Debate." In Positivism: Critical Reflections on International Relations, 105-127. (Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Reinner Publishers Inc., 1994). Siddharth, M. Postcolonialism, International Law and the Nuclear Question, International Studies 37, no. 2 (April 1, 2000): 129-142. Skopol, Theda. Wallerstein's World Capitalist System: A Theoretical and Historical Critique ("The Modern World-System: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World-Economy in the Sixteenth Century" by Immanuel Wallerstein), American Journal of Sociology 82, no. 1 (January 1, 1976): 1075-1091. Strange, Susan. "Cave! hic dragones: a critique of regime analysis." International Organization, (1982): 479-496. Viotti, Paul R. and Mark V. Kauppi, International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism, Globalism and Beyond. 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. Waller, Nicole. Not for the Overthrow of Government? Postcolonialism and Nationhood in an American Studies Perspective, Neohelicon 35, no. 2 (December 1, 2008): 147-160. **Wallerstein, Immanuel, Maurice. World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction (Durham NC: Duke University Press, 2004). **Waltz, Kenneth. Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis. (New York: Columbia UP, 1959). **Waltz, Kenneth. Theory of International Politics. (New York: McGraw Hill, 1979). Wendt, Alexander Anarchy is What States Make of It - The Social Construction of Power-Politics, International Organization 46, no. 2 (March 1, 1992): 391-425. Evaluation 1. Attendance 15% Each session of full attendance accounts for 1%. Partial attendance (late arrival or early departure) accounts for 0.5%.
If a student misses three sessions, an F grade will automatically apply to his/her overall class grade. There is no system of permitted (excused) absences. No make-up assignments are accepted. 2. Participation 15% Participation is measured every single class. Each session, students submit a one-pager summary of the readings marked with an asterisk. The summary should identify the author s argument, the theoretical underpinnings of this argument, and the contribution this argument makes to our understanding of international relations. Each Commentary accounts for 1% of the final grade. 3. Book review 8% Students will review a book in one of the classic three traditions in IR theory (Realism, Pluralism and Marxism books are marked with a double asterisk). Book Reviews are due 27 March 4. Review sheets 8% each (total 32%) Each student will submit a review sheet at the end of every major school of thought in IRT (Realism, Pluralism, Marxism, and Critical Theories). The Sheet, around 1250 words, should sum up the basic argument of this school of thought, its theoretical and epistemological underpinning, as well as assessing its contribution to IRT. Each sheet counts for 8% of the final grade. 5. Final paper 30% The paper will compare two schools of thought in IRT through the analysis of two major works representing these two theories. The paper should also assess the relevance of these two schools of thought and their usefulness in analyzing world politics. The paper should be around 5000 words. It is due on 25 May The following is the grading scheme in this class A starting 90% A- starting 88% B+ starting 85% B starting 80% B- starting 78% Submission of work All submissions should be typed, in Times New Roman font, size 12, spaced in 1.5, 1- inch margin each side, on regular A4 sheets. Students should write their name as it appears in the Registrar, the name of the course and instructor and the date on a cover page. Students should submit their response via Blackboard. The name of the file attached should include your family name, POLS503 and the nature of submission (ex. Smith.POLS503.Commentary6). All files should be in WORD 2003.
Late submissions are not accepted at all. Late submission of the final paper, though, is accepted, at a cost: each day will reduce the grade by one level (for example: a B+ paper becomes B). Any paper submitted after three days will receive an F. Submission is the student s responsibility: No make-up assignments are possible. Expectations The AUC has adopted a zero-tolerance policy regarding academic integrity. Students should expect these rules to apply. Students are expected to observe general rules of civility (turn off your mobile phone before you come, listen to your colleagues and avoid interrupting them, don t monopolize the discussion, be considerate of others, etc.). Negotiation is a skill that students do not need in this course in any shape or form. Communication The instructor is available to answer the students questions about the academic content of this course. This could happen during the class time and office hours (see above). Students who have difficulties meeting the instructor during these times should make arrangements so that they can. Emails to the instructor should not be perceived as a notification (of absence, delays, or any other change in schedule or course requirements). In this course, emails do not substitute direct communication. All questions regarding course readings should be directed to the teaching assistant. Schedule (30 January) Introduction Kurki and Wight. International Relations and Social Sciences, in Dunne, pp. 1-34. Week 1 (6 February) The State of IR Theory Smith. Introduction: Diversity and Disciplinarity in International Relations Theory, in Dunne, pp. 1-13. Holsti, K.J. (1983) The Dividing Discipline: Hegemony and Diversity in International Theory Chapter 1, pp. 1-13. Viotti and Kauppi. Thinking about IR Theory, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 1-18. Rosenau. Thinking Theory Thoroughly, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 19-26. * Smith, Steve. Positivism and Beyond, in Smith, Booth, and Zalewski, International Theory: Positivism and Beyond, pp. 11-46. Week 2 (13 February) Classic Realism Lebow. Classical Realism, in Dunne pp. 58-76 Thucydides. The Melian Dialogue, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 83-87.
Machiavelli. On Princes and the Security of Their State, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 88-90. Hobbes. Of the Natural Condition of Mankind, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 90-93. Clausewitz. War as an Instrument of Policy, in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 236-240. * Morgenthau, Hans J. Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1948), Chapters 1 and 3, 8, 10 and 11 (on reserve). * Waltz. Explaining War, in Viotti and Kauppi pp. 96-109. Week 3 (20 February) Structural Realism Mearsheimer. Structural Realism, in Dunne pp. 75-92. Keohane. Theory of World Politics: Structural Realism and Beyond, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999) pp. 153-183. * Ashley. The Poverty of Neorealism, in Keohane. Neorealism and Its Critics, pp. 253-300. Week 4 (27 February) Pluralism I: Liberalism Reminder: Submit the Realism review sheet today Viotti and Kauppi. Normative Considerations in International Relations Theory, in Viotti and Kauppi pp. 391-414. Grotius. War, Peace, and the Law of Nations, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 410-414. Kant. Morality, Politics, and Perpetual Peace, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 415-420. Carr. The Nature of Politics, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 421-424. * Doyle. Liberalism and World Politics, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 233-245. * Moravcsik. Taking Preferences Seriously: A Liberal Theory of International Politics, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 246-256. Dunne. The English School, in Dunne pp. 136-156. * Bull, Hedley. The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (London: Macmillan, 1977), pp. 3-52. Week 5 (6 March) Pluralism II: Foreign Policy Making and Interdependence Viotti and Kauppi. Liberalism: Interdependence and Global Governance, in Viotti and Kauppi pp. 129-166. Jervis. Perception and Misperception in International Politics, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999) pp. 257-268. * Holsti. Crisis Decision-Making, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 269-279. Allison. Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 280-297. * Keohane and Nye. Realism and Complex Interdependence, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), 307-319. Keck and Sikkink. Transnational Activist Networks, in Art and Jervis, International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 9th ed, pp.477-483.
Week 6 (13 March) Pluralism III: International Regimes Hasenclever, Andreas, Mayer, Peter, and Rittberger, Volker. Theories of International Regimes, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997), pp. 1-8. Haas. Multilateralism, Knowledge, and Power, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 319-329. Ruggie. Multilateralism: The Anatomy of an Institution, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 331-339. * Keohane. Institutional Theory and the Realist Challenge After the Cold War, in Baldwin, David. Neorealism and Neoliberalism: The Contemporary Debate. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1993) pp. 269-300. * Grieco. Understanding the Problem of International Cooperation: The Limits of Neoliberal Institutionalism and the Future of Realist Theory, in Baldwin, David. Neorealism and Neoliberalism: The Contemporary Debate. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1993), pp. 301-338. Strange, Cave! Hic dragones: a critique of regime analysis, International Organizations. 36, 2, Spring 1982, pp. 479-498. Week 7 (20 March) Marxism, Imperialism and Dependency Reminder: Submit the Pluralism review sheet today Rupert. Marxism and Critical Theory, in Dunne pp 157-176. Viotti and Kauppi. Economic Structuralism: Global Capitalism and Postcolonialsim, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 189-218. * Lenin, Vladimir Ilʹich. Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism: A Popular Outline. (New York: International Publishers, 1984), pp. 15-87. (On Reserve). Hobson. The Economic Taproot of Imperialism, in Viotti and Kauppi, pp. 219-222. * Frank. The Development of Underdevelopment, in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 52-60. * Wallerstein, Immanuel Maurice. World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction (Durham NC: Duke University Press, 2004). Skopol, Theda. Wallerstein's World Capitalist System: A Theoretical and Historical Critique, American Journal of Sociology 82, no. 1 (January 1, 1976), pp. 1075-1091. Wednesday 27 March: The Book review submit before midnight via BlackBoard (no class) Week 8 (3 April) Critical Political Economists * Cox, Social Forces, States, and World Orders, in Keohane, Robert O., ed. Neorealism and Its Critics, pp. 204-253. Murphy. International Organization and Industrial Change, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 383-395. * Gills and Palan, The Neostructuralist Agenda in International Relations, in Viotti and Kauppi (1999), pp. 377-382.
* Lacher, Hannes. Beyond Globalization: Capitalism, Territoriality and Theinternational Relations of Modernity, (London: Routledge, 2006), Chapter 3 (pp. 45-60) and Chapter 8 (pp. 147-167). Week 10 (10 April) Feminism Reminder: Submit the Marxism review sheet today Tickner and Sjoberg. Feminism, in Dunne, pp. 195-211. * Tickner. Man, the State, and War: Gendered Perspectives on National Security and You Just Don t Understand: Troubled Engagements between Feminists and IR Theorists in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 60-67 and 120-137. * Jaquette. Women in Power: From Tokenism to Critical Mass, in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 217-223. Keohane, Robert O. Beyond Dichotomy: Conversations Between International Relations and Feminist Theory, International Studies Quarterly 42, no. 1 (March 1, 1998), pp. 193-197. (available online) Week 11 (17 April) Post-colonialism Grovogui, Postcolonialism, in Dunne, pp. 238-256. * Siddharth, M. Postcolonialism, International Law and the Nuclear Question, International Studies 37, no. 2 (April 1, 2000), pp. 129-142. (available online) Mills, Albert J. and Long, Brad S. Globalization, Postcolonial Theory, and Organizational Analysis, Critical Perspectives on International Business 4, no. 4 (October 1, 2008), pp. 389-409. (available online) Waller, Nicole. Not for the Overthrow of Government? Postcolonialism and Nationhood in an American Studies Perspective, Neohelicon 35, no. 2 (December 1, 2008), pp. 147-160. (available online) Week 12 (24 April) Constructivism Last Day to Withdraw from Courses Fierke, Constructivism, in Dunne, pp. 177-194. * Wendt, Alexander Anarchy is What States Make of It - The Social Construction of Power-Politics, International Organization 46, no. 2 (March 1, 1992), pp. 391-425. (available online) * Finnemore, Martha and Kathryn Sikkink (1998) International Norm Dynamics and Political Change, International Organization 52 (4): 887-917. (available online) Hollis, Martin, and Steve Smith. "Beware of Gurus: Structure and Action in International Relations." Review of International Studies, (1991), pp. 393-410. Week 13 (Tuesday 7 May or Wednesday 8 May) Post-Structuralism Campbell. Poststructuralism, in Dunne, pp. 213-237. Brown, Chris. "'Turtles All the Way Down': Anti-Foundationalism, Critical Theory and International Relations." Millenium: Journal of International Studies, (1994): 213-236.
Porter, Tony. "Postmodern Political Realism and International Relations Theory's Third Debate." In Positivism: Critical Reflections on International Relations, pp. 105-127. * Der Derian. The Boundaries of Knowledge and Power in International Relations in Der Derian, James, and Michael Shapiro. International/Intertextual Relations: Postmodern Readings of World Politics, pp. 3-10. Week 14 (Wednesday 8 May or Saturday 11 May) Discuss Final Paper Outlines Reminder: Submit the Critical theories review sheet today Final Paper due (uploaded on BlackBoard) 25 May 11:59pm