Instructor: Dr. Roland Stephen (W) 513-1768
Office: Caldwell 223
(H) 832-7638
http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/stephen/231hmp.htm
stephen@social.chass.ncsu.edu
Office hours: Tuesday 9:30- 10:30 p.m., and by appointment.
INTRODUCTION
The goal of this course is to understand why conflict--sometimes peaceful, often violent--is so common in the world community. For the most part (but not exclusively) it will focus on the problem of conflict between nations or countries. However other actors, such as ethnic groups and firms, are also important. Why has war been so common in the past? Is it now obsolete, at least for the great powers? How do civil wars influence international politics? Could international economic competition lead to wider conflict? Will countries ever be able to cooperate over environmental problems? By combining theory with knowledge of history and current events, students will look for answers to these and other questions.
REQUIREMENTS
Students are required to write a paper on a subject they will choose from a list of topics I supply. There is a separate handout giving more details on the paper. It will be worth 25% of the final grade.
There will be two mid-term exams and one final exam (the final will be cumulative, that is, it will draw on material from the whole of the class). They will address the material covered in the readings and the lectures. They will be made up of a mixture of identifications and longer answers. Each mid-term will be worth 15% of the final grade, the final 25%. The mid-terms and final must be submitted online before the date indicated on the syllabus. Contrary to statments made in the video there will be no map quiz in the first mid-term.
Different topics will be covered on a (roughly) weekly basis. Homeworks must be submitted online before the beginning of the last class in each topic. We will discuss the homework during that class. Late submissions will be accepted, but will be penalized. The homework will consist of open-book answers to a set of questions posted on the class web page. Participation in the discussion forum will be worth 10% and performance in the homework will be worth 10% of the final grade.
The final letter grade will follow a plus/minus grading system. Grading will not be done on a curve.
READINGS
Most of the readings will be drawn from two textbooks, which students are required to purchase from the student store.
Nye, Joseph S. Jr., 1999, 3rd. ed., Understanding International Conflicts: An Introduction to Theory and History (New York: Harper Collins).
Barry B. Hughes, 1999, 4th. ed., Continuity and Change in World Politics: Competing Perspectives (Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall).
There will be other readings, which are listed below with asterisks (**). These have been placed in the library, and are available to be photocopied. They are also available on electronic reserve--each of these readings has an html link in the syllabus. In order to make the most of this class students are also urged to read a good newspaper, for example the New York Times or Wall Street Journal (it is very easy to view the web version of the New York Times . I also recommend weekly, monthly or quarterly journals such as the Economist, or Foreign Affairs (a wide-ranging list of U.S. and foreign newspapers may be accessed through the International Links Page .
PART I
ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK
Topic A: Introduction to the class. 8/20-8/22
The new world disorder and the problem of conflict and cooperation under anarchy. Actors, level of analysis, power. Economic, technological and political change.
Nye, Chapter 1, pp 1-29
Hughes, Part I, Chapter 1, pp 1-26
Topic B: Realism and the uses of history. 8/27-9/5
The Peloponnesian War in Greece. The rise of Europe and the Treaty of Westphalia. Realism in international politics.
Nye, Chapter 2 (part), pp 30-39, 47-53
Hughes, Part II, Chapter 3 (part), pp 41-45,
and Chapter 4 (part), pp 61-69
**Thuycdides, "The Melian dialogue."
Facts and Concepts
Homework
Map of Europe: 1648,
The Treaty of Westphalia.
Topic C: Liberalism, international law and ethics. 9/10-9/12
The political revolution in Eastern Europe, the economic revolution in Asia, and international standards of human rights.
Nye, Chapter 2 (part), pp 39-46
Hughes, Part 2, Chapter 3 (part), pp 46-51
**Immanuel Kant, "Perpetual peace."
**Russett, "A community of peace."
Class Discussion of Paper Assignment 9/17
Paper assignment, mid-term review.
Contrary to what you hear in the video, there will be no map questions on the mid-term
9/19 Midterm Exam I
PART II
WAR
Topic D: The nineteenth century and World War One. 9/24-9/26
The balance of power, alliances and change in the distribution of power.
Nye, Chapter 3, pp 54-80
Hughes, Part II, Chapter 4 (part), pp 70-93,
Chapter 5 (part) pp 94-117
Facts and Concepts
Homework
Map of Europe: 1876,
After German unification.
Topic E: World War Two. 10/1-10/3
Nationalism, ideology, dictatorship and economic failure. Collective security and appeasement.
Nye, Chapter 4, pp 81-107
Hughes, Part II, Chapter 10 (part), pp 227-249
Facts and Concepts
Homework
Map of Europe: 1919,
The Treaty of Versailles
10/1 Paper topics due
Topic F: The Cold War, Cuba and the arms race, Vietnam. 10/8-10/15
The security dilemma and deterrence. Bureaucratic decision making and misperception.
Nye, Chapter 5, pp 108-146
Hughes, Part II, Chapter 7 (part), pp 158-182
Facts and Concepts
Homework
Map of Europe: 1972,
The Iron Curtain
Topic G: International law, the Gulf War, Bosnia and
the United Nations.
10/17-10/22
Order and justice in the international community, norms and humanitarian crimes. Ethnic and religious conflict. Cooperation and intervention by the international community.
Nye, Chapter 6 (part), pp 147-176
Hughes, Part II, Chapter 6 (part), pp 124-138,
Chapter 8, pp 183-206, Chapter 9 (part), pp 207-215
Facts and Concepts
Homework
Map of Europe: Europe
today.
10/22 Paper outlines and bibliography due
10/24 Midterm Exam II
PART III
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY
Topic H: Mercantilism and Liberalism. 10/29-11/7
Power and interdependence. The processes of the international economy in historical perspective.
Nye, Chapter 7, pp 177-206
Hughes, Part III, Chapter 11 (part), pp 256-266
**Coughlin et. al., "Protectionist trade policies: A survey of theory."
Topic I: Free trade and international cooperation. 11/12-11/14
The political sources of tariff and non-tariff barriers, the search for economic openness and the role of international institutions in trade.
Hughes, Part III, Chapter 12 (part), pp 274-285,
Part II, Chapter 9 (part), pp 216-224
**Krasner, "State power and the structure of international trade"
**Milner, "Resisting the protectionist temptation"
11/14 Paper drafts due
Topic J: International Finance and Foreign Investment. 11/19-11/22
Financial interdependence and the role of international institutions in finance. Bargaining among states and firms.
Hughes, Part III, Chapter 12 (part),
pp 287-295
**Lairson & Skidmore, "Globalization and the World Economy"
**Susan Strange, "States, firms and diplomacy"
12/3 Paper final drafts due
Topic K: Economic underdevelopment. 12/3-12/5
Domestic and international obstacles to development.
Hughes, Part III, Chapters 13, pp 296-326
**Lairson and Skidmore, "Multinational corporations in the Third World"