Miriam Anderson, PhD (Assistant Professor, Dept. of Political Science)

Transcription

1 Political Science 2200 Introduction to International Section 001 mun.ca/posc/people/anderson Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:00am 10:50am Classroom: ED 3034B CRN: Instructor Miriam Anderson, PhD (Assistant Professor, Dept. of Political Science) Office: SN 2046 Office Hours: Monday 11:00am-1:00pm; Wednesday 2:00pm-4:00pm Telephone: Through D2L (online.mun.ca) Course Description This course offers an introduction to the study of international relations (IR). It covers the major theories used to explain world politics; examines key structures and processes such as war, gender, international law, international organizations; and considers various international issues such as: terrorism, poverty, human security, humanitarian intervention and human rights. The course also includes a strong focus on current events related to the course s content. As an introductory course, time will also be devoted to improving research and writing skills. Objectives and Outcomes Objectives: The course s primary aims are to gain an overview of the discipline of international relations and to improve research and writing skills. This will be accomplished through lectures, readings, discussions and writing a research essay. Desired learning outcomes: By the end of the course students should: Be familiar with the major theories used in the study of international relations Be familiar with some of the major structures and processes governing IR Be familiar with some of the major contemporary issues in IR Be able to critically analyze written arguments Be able to plan, research, write and revise a research paper Have improved the clarity and effectiveness of their writing Have learned how to access various types of literature on contemporary world politics

2 Required Texts John Baylis, Steve Smith & Patricia Owens (2011), The Globalization of World : An Introduction to International Relations. Oxford University Press. ($89.95 new or $68.14 used at the university bookstore and on reserve at the Queen Elizabeth II Library.) For conducting your research, you may wish to access the International Studies Encyclopedia (authored by the International Studies Association) available both online and in hard copy at the QEII. Ask at the reference desk if you are unable to find it. This contains up-to-date overviews of major topics in the discipline of International Studies. This is an excellent place to get ideas for your term essay, to find sources for your literature review, and to learn more about topics that interest you. Students are required to stay up-to-date on world politics throughout the course. BBC news, CBC news, the Economist, and news.google.com are possible news sources. Evaluation Midterm 20% (October 12) Research Paper 40% (November 30) If you d like to make sure that you know the mark of your research paper before you write the final exam, you may submit it by November 15. Final Exam 30% (As scheduled by the registrar) Participation 10% (+ possible 4% bonus) Midterm (20%): The midterm will test material covered in lectures and in the assigned readings prior to October 13. Questions will include any or all of the following types: multiple choice, short answer and essay. Research Paper (40%): The paper must be between words. Thesis statements and supporting arguments must be clearly written. (Please see below the necessary 6-part structure. Essays failing to use the structure will receive a failing grade, and, if warranted, a 0). In addition, it is imperative that you: 1) Choose a research question that is interesting, important, puzzling, and short and direct, and, of course, relevant to international politics. (It is often helpful to begin your question with why or to what degree. ) This should be found in your introduction prior to your thesis statement (which is your paper s answer to the research question). There are 10 suggested research questions below from which to choose. If you would prefer to write on another topic, make sure that you receive instructor approval first; 2) Provide a literature review. This section should detail several possible answers to your research question in the existing literature on your topic. It should give a name to each school of thought and identify the main scholars associated with it. Essentially, the literature review answers the question, What are the various answers to my research question found in the existing scholarly literature? 3) Include a bibliography (in Harvard formatting style) with at least 10 scholarly sources, five of which must be academic journal articles. Note that up to 0.25% will be deducted from your mark for every grammatical/spelling error found to a maximum of 10 percentage points. To avoid losing marks needlessly, you are urged to have someone carefully proofread your work before submitting it. Papers are due at 2

3 11:59pm on November 30 and must be submitted through the D2L dropbox online. Late penalty: 5 percentage points per day beginning one minute past the deadline. Research Paper Topics 1) Why did the US invade Iraq in 2003? 2) What is the most compelling explanation for the end of the Cold War? 3) To what degree has globalization contributed to increased or decreased security in the international system? 4) What implications does the increasing role of private military/security companies have for governing global politics? 5) How can China s role in Africa be characterized? Does it offer an effective model for poverty reduction and development? 6) To what degree do wealthier countries have a moral obligation to assist poorer countries? 7) When is humanitarian intervention acceptable? To what degree was the 2011 UN- authorized intervention in Libya just? 8) Compare and contrast three theories/approaches of international relations. Choose an historical/contemporary event and discuss how each theory/approach would explain/view it. Which do you think is most useful and why? 9) Why does rape (perpetrated against women, men, and/or children) often feature prominently in war? 10) To what degree can war, as a form of social upheaval, offer opportunities for positive social change for women and other marginalized groups? 6-Part Structure For Writing Essays 1) 'Hook' Start with a couple sentences to get the reader interested in what you are going to say. One way to do this is to start with a provocative quote or to make a few very general statements about broad issues to which your topic might relate. Your essay should then state why your chosen topic is interesting to both generalist and specialist audiences. 2) Thesis In one-two sentences sum up what your essay will argue. Draw attention to your thesis statement by beginning it with This essay argues or In this essay, I will argue 3) Roadmap Tell the reader how you're going to make your argument. E.g. This essay is divided into three sections. First, it will describe the key tenets of realism, discussing its focus on elites, views of human nature, and the difficulties of perpetual peace. It will then discuss some remedies the theory offers for constraining states, such as the balance of power. Finally, it will highlight some weaknesses in the theory such as its neglect of civil society and failure to consider the role of international norms in influencing states' behaviour.' 4) Body make your argument in the way that you outlined in the Roadmap. 3

4 5) Summary Clearly sum up the body of your argument. This will be very similar to the roadmap. E.g. 'I have discussed X, Y and Z.' 6) Broader implications Conclude with some thoughts on the relevance of your argument to the wider world. What does it tell or fail to tell us about world politics generally? What are some larger questions that it raises? If you receive a mark of at least 80% on your essay, please consider submitting it to the department s journal: Mapping ( to be considered for publication. Publishing at the undergraduate level is quite rare; doing so will be seen favorably by future employers and graduate programs. Participation (10% +possible 4% bonus): Students will be evaluated for their participation during every class indicated below as Discussion. These will occur on most Fridays of the semester. Each discussion class will have a theme concerning a subject of interest in the news. The topic for discussion will be announced at Monday s class and posted on D2L. Students are welcome to suggest topics for discussion on the D2L discussion board. Students are expected to prepare for the discussion by perusing news sites to learn more about the chosen topic prior to the Friday class. Student participation will be assessed through in-class activities such as: large- and small-group discussions, debates, reflective writing and mini-presentations. Participation in library sessions will also be included in the participation mark. You will be assessed on your participation during 10 classes, with a possible 1% (of your overall mark) for each. The sessions for which bonus marks are possible are: October 15 (library session), October 17 (library session), November 16 and November 23. (If the bonus marks raise your overall mark above 89%, it may be lowered to 89%). Final Exam (30%): The final exam will test material covered in lectures, discussion classes and in the assigned readings throughout the entire course. Question-types will include all of the following: multiple choice, short answer and essay. D2L Students must become familiar with D2L and will be expected to visit the course website on a regular basis. This site will be the main form of communication used for circulating course information and announcements. Students should use D2L to contact the instructor rather than the MUN . Any class cancellations will be announced on D2L. Re: Powerpoint Slides: Slides will be made available on D2L after each lecture and will remain online for the remainder of the semester. As slides are just an outline of the lecture, you are strongly encouraged to take additional notes. Attendance: Anecdotal evidence suggests that attendance declines when slides are online. It also suggests that students who attend class regularly, do the readings, and participate in in-class discussions get higher marks than those who do not. 4

5 Course Schedule Monday Wednesday Friday 1 Sept. 3, 5, 7 2 Sept. 10,12, 14 3 Sept. 17, 19, 21 NO CLASS Chapter 1: Globalization of World Chapter 3: International History Introduction to POSC 2200 Chapter 2: The Evolution of International Society Chapter 4: From the Cold War to the World Economic Crisis 4 Sept. 24, Chapter 5: Realism Chapter 6: Liberalism 26, 28 5 Oct. 1, 3, Chapter 9: Social 5 Chapter 8: Marxism Constructivism 6 Oct. 8, Chapter 12: International MIDTERM 10, 12 NO CLASS Ethics 7 Oct. 15, 17, 19 8 Oct. 22, 24, 26 9 Oct. 29, 31, Nov LIBRARY SESSION (L2028, QEII) How to Write a Research Paper Chapter 17: International Law Nov. 5, 7, 9 Chapter 20: Transnational Actors and International Organizations in Global Nov. 12, 14, 16 NO CLASS Nov. 19, 21, 23 Chapter 29: Human Security Nov. 26, 28, 30 Chapter 31: Humanitarian Intervention in World LIBRARY SESSION (L2028, QEII) Chapter 16: Gender in World Chapter 19: The United Nations Chapter 22: Terrorism and Globalization Chapter 28: Poverty, Development, and Hunger Chapter 30: Human Rights Exam Review (research papers due by 11:59pm through the D2L Dropbox) 5

6 Course Policies and Student Support Supplementary instructions that constitute part of this syllabus are available online at This includes information about campus support services, a statement about equity and instructions regarding accommodations for students with disabilities. Students are expected to review this online information and to be familiar with this course s policies surrounding academic honesty, classroom demeanour, the conduct of examinations, the requirement to use a university account and the use of recording devices in classrooms. Tips for Succeeding in Political Science at MUN etips ( is a website created by MUN political science students with tips about how do to well in political science courses. In addition to written tips there are audio clips and YouTube videos about research and writing, life in the classroom, undergraduate planning and tips for applying to graduate programs. Check out this 24/7 support tool and consider submitting tips of your own to share with others. Facebook Groups: MUN Political Science and Memorial Political Science Department Join our Facebook group (MUN Political Science) to find out about events and international work/travel opportunities, buy and sell textbooks, and discuss politics. Like Memorial Political Science Department to receive official departmental announcements. Academic honesty Cheating includes (but is not limited to) allowing another student to copy from your work, presenting someone else s work as your own, consulting electronic devices such as mobile phones or MP3 players and/or interacting with others while a test is ongoing. Information about procedures and penalties for academic dishonesty is outlined in the University Calendar and is available from the Department (mun.ca/posc/undergraduate/planning/plagarism.php). Campus support A number of student support services exist on campus, such as the Counseling Center and the QEII Library Commons. The Writing Centre ( is a free, drop-in facility for all Memorial University students who want help with their writing; the Centre provides individualized tutorials to students from all schools and faculties. The Glenn Roy Blundon Centre (mun.ca/blundon) serves students whose disabilities involve conditions affecting mobility, vision, hearing, learning, chronic illness, or mental health. Support is also provided to students with documented temporary illnesses and injuries. The ESL Centre (mun.ca/esl) at MUN offers various forms of support to students who would like to improve their English. Class cancellations policy 6

7 If class is cancelled due to weather or any other circumstance, an will be send to students through the D2L site. Additional Class policies Students may not make a visual and/or audio recording, openly or surreptitiously, of any lecture material delivered in a course without the written permission of the course instructor. Letters of Reference I am happy to write letters of reference for students in my classes. Most of what I will write will be based on your performance in class (i.e. attendance, participation, presentation skills, written work). Generally, letters of reference discuss students participation, presentation skills, written work and in-class and across-class rank. A good strategy is to obtain letters from professors of classes where you have performed your best. If you d like me to write a letter for you, I will require an updated CV, a page-long statement on why you are applying for particular programs, jobs etc., and any forms required for each application. I must receive all of the needed materials at least two weeks before the letters are due. Other Opportunities Co-op Program: There is a new co-op program in Political Science. The program offers three four-month paid work placements as part of your BA. Applications should be made in the second year of study and can be submitted to Dr. Stephen Tomblin, Department of Political Science by November 15. See the following website for more information. Honours Program: If you have an average of 75% or higher in your POSC courses at the secondyear level and beyond (or a minimum of 70% in each of your POSC courses at the second-year level and beyond), consider entering the POSC honours program. An honours degree will help improve your skills in research and writing, allow you to spend a significant amount of time researching a topic of your interest, and help prepare you for a master s degree. WUSC International Seminar: If you re interested in international development and possess an intermediate knowledge of Spanish consider applying for the six-week WUSC International Seminar which will be held in Guatemala next summer. Submit your applications to Miriam Anderson, POSC department by November 15. See the following website for more information: Application-package-EN.pdf 7