Exam 1 20% SCALE Exam 2 20% A= Final Exam 30% B+=87-91 Quizzes 15% B=80-86 Current

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1 INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS POL 253/IAF 253; FALL 2010, MWF 2-2:50 Dr. Eimad Houry 232 Langdale Hall; Tel: ; Office Hours: MWF 8-9, 1-2, TR by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is designed to introduce students to the theories and practices of international affairs. The course goals are: to introduce the forces shaping the dynamics of world affairs, the channels through which they flow, and the human attempts at their direction; to make some determination of the relationship between these forces and their effects; and to acquire some experience in the application of basic principles to specific problems. To accomplish these goals, students are expected to become familiar with the theories of global politics, and to become informed about current issues, practices and problems in today s international setting. In examining the myriad of complex global questions, the emphasis will be on degree. The student should not expect to have a neat package of answers to international riddles at the end of the semester. It is also hoped that the student will gain an appreciation for the extent to which other social and behavioral sciences, in addition to political science, may be useful (theoretically and/or methodologically) in gaining a deeper and better understanding of global issues. COURSE OBJECTIVES This course will assist students in developing the knowledge and analytical skills needed to understand the contemporary international political, military and economic systems. Students enrolled in this course will develop a basic understanding of: 1. The evolution of the international system, and the origins of the nation-state; 2. Theoretical models used to explain the conduct of states and international organizations; 3. The international political economy, including monetary and trade relations, economic development, environmental issues and North-South relations; 4. The contemporary international military situation, including theories on the causes of war, nuclear deterrence, arms control, and alternatives to war such as economic sanctions and international law and international organizations; 5. Current affairs and the future of the international system. REQUIRED TEXTS DANIERI International Politics. 10 th edition. ISBN: HAAS Controversies in Globalization. ISBN: GRADE DISTRIBUTION Exam 1 20% SCALE Exam 2 20% A= Final Exam 30% B+=87-91 Quizzes 15% B=80-86 Current 10% C+=76-79 Events/Participation Debate 5% C=71-75 D=65-70 F= less than %

2 SUMMARY OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 1. Students are required to attend all classes and actively participate in daily discussions. 2. Students are expected to have read the assigned chapters prior to class. 3. Quizzes will be administered for each reader article. 4. There will be two mid-term exams and a final non-cumulative exam. 5. All students are required to stay current on news headlines and developments. COURSE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Academic integrity at Mercer is maintained through the Honor System. The Honor System imposes on each student the responsibility for his or her own honest deportment and assumes the corollary responsibility that each one will report any violations of the Honor Code about which he or she has information. A violation of the Honor Code involves cheating, plagiarism, academic negligence, or other acts of dishonesty in the area of academics. For more details about the specific codes, please consult the University bulletin or the LAIR. (University Policy) ATTENDANCE: I take roll at the beginning of class. If you are not present at that time, you will be counted absent. Because participation is an integral and important part of the course outline, attendance is a must. You may accumulate four absences (excused or un-excused) for the term. I reserve the right to determine if an absence is excused. Each additional absence will adversely impact your final grade for the course by 3% points; while nine or more absences will result in an automatic F for the course. If you are an athlete, debater, or miss class because of an official Mercer function, I will consider classes and assignments missed as excused and will not count them against you. However, I must stress that it is your responsibility to inform me of your absences and arrange for the completion of all assignments I feel compelled to qualify the meaning of the word "attendance". By attending you are expected to be attentive and involved in class discussions. If you plan to show up physically and fall asleep during class DO NOT COME. I mean that seriously, because for each time you fall asleep during the class period you will lose 1% points assessed against the overall term average, with no upper limit set on the number of points taken as penalty. A similar penalty will also be assessed for those who leave before the class period ends without advance notice.. CELL PHONES POLICY: Out of courtesy to others, all cell phones and pagers must be turned off before entering any classroom, lab, or formal academic or performance event (University Policy). Cell phones should be stored out of sight, in your bag or pocket, not on the table. CURRENT EVENTS: To keep up with the most recent developments in world affairs, we will reserve a few minutes at the start of every class to discuss current events drawn from domestic and international headlines. At a minimum, everyone will read the international section of the BBC World Service Online and in order to come to class prepared to discuss the main stories reported. Current affairs are a living laboratory where the theories and paradigms we construct to understand the world are constantly tested and retested. Often, the evidence for or against a particular perspective on a global concern is only a newspaper article away. Bring current events articles to class to earn half of the participation grade. Over the course of the semester, I expect no less than 10 news articles to qualify for full marks. Each student will be assigned a country for which he/she will be responsible all term. The assignments will be made by Monday August 31. All students will be responsible for whatever headlines appear on the BBC/NPR web sites pertaining to their assigned country. Available countries, organized by region include: (1) Americas: USA, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Argentina and Brazil; (2) Europe: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, EU, and Serbia/Croatia/Bosnia; (3) Middle East: Iraq, Saudi Arabia, 2

3 Israel/Palestine, Turkey Syria and Iran; (4) Asia: China, Japan, India, Koreas, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Pakistan; and (5) Africa: Egypt. Nigeria, Sudan, South Africa, Somalia/Ethiopia and Kenya. DEBATE: Each of the Controversies in Globalization articles will be covered using a debate format. Two students will be assigned to argue for or against the central Proposition posed in each article. Each student will give a 5 minutes presentation outlining the best possible arguments, facts and conclusions in favor of the position he/she is taking. Once the affirmative arguments have been made, each debater will then be given 3 minutes to offer rebuttal speeches pointing to the weaknesses, fallacies, inconsistencies and problems with the other position. The class will then take a vote on which of the two sides is more persuasive. Students arguing the positions are required to consult outside sources for their presentations and are expected to turn in a one page single spaced summary of at least two sources used to develop the presentation. The grade for the presentation portion of this assignment will be assessed based on coherence, accuracy and level of detail. DISABILITIES: Students requiring accommodations for a disability should inform the instructor at the close of the first class meeting or as soon as possible. The instructor will refer you to the Disability Support Services Coordinator to document your disability, determine eligibility for accommodations under the ADAAA/Section 504 and to request a Faculty Accommodation Form. Disability accommodations or status will not be indicated on academic transcripts. In order to receive accommodations in a class, students with sensory, learning, psychological, physical or medical disabilities must provide their instructor with a Faculty Accommodation Form to sign. Students must return the signed form to the Disability Services Coordinator. A new form must be requested each semester. Students with a history of a disability, perceived as having a disability or with a current disability who do not wish to use academic accommodations are also strongly encouraged to register with the Disability Services Coordinator and request a Faculty Accommodation Form each semester. For further information, please contact Carole Burrowbridge, Disability Services Coordinator, at or visit the Disability Support Services website at ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS: Students bear sole responsibility for ensuring that papers or assignments submitted electronically to a professor are received in a timely manner and in the electronic format(s) specified by the professor. Students are therefore obliged to have their client issue a receipt verifying that the document has been received. Students are also strongly advised to retain a copy of the dated submission on a separate disk. Faculty members are encouraged, but not required, to acknowledge receipt of the assignment DISTRIBUTION LISTS: Everyone enrolled in the course will be automatically subscribed to an electronic distribution list set up exclusively for this course called POL F@MERCER.EDU, or IAF F@mercer.edu. Your subscription will use your Mercer and so it is imperative that you check your account regularly. All homework assignments and other course related announcements and materials will be sent through this list. This syllabus and other information of interest to students enrolled in this class can be found at any time by visiting the web site for the Department. The site offers copies of all course syllabi, advice and guidance on career directions and a list of upcoming events sponsored by the department or any of the affiliated student groups. The site can be found at EXAMS: We will have two midterms and a final exam, drawing on materials in the main texts and lecture notes. Exam dates shown in the outline are final and any undocumented excuse for failing to take the exam on the assigned date and time will be rejected. In such cases, no make up will be given and the student will receive an "F" for the exam. I will entertain requests for make-up exams only under the following conditions: (1) You provide a reasonable, documented (i.e., written) justification for missing 3

4 the exam, such as hospitalization for major surgery, and (2) you contact me within two days of the missed examination. Make-up examinations will not consist of the same questions given the rest of the class, and will consist of an oral part. Make-up exams must be taken no later than two days (excluding weekends) after the original test date. I reserve the right not to give make-up exams for non-emergency medical excuses. Final exam:: The University requires that this exam be administered at the scheduled time published in the course schedule. The ONLY exception is that students with three or more exams scheduled for the same day may make arrangements to move one exam. The final exam will be similar in format to the two midterms and will only cover material not assigned for previous tests, i.e. it is not a comprehensive exam. Please note that, barring an extreme emergency, an "I" will NOT be given as a final grade for the course and that NO make-ups can, or will, be given for the final. EXTRA CREDIT: A number of opportunities may be offered to earn 3% points of extra credit, added to the final term grade for the students who have: (1) three or less absences; (2) have not been disruptive in class (including falling asleep); (3) never arrived late or left class early (unless arranged in advance); and (4) turn in the required extra credit work on time. For each extra credit assignment, the student is expected to turn in a one page single spaced reflection essay with two main sections: what was said and what the student learned from or thought about the material. This essay is due in class no later than one week from the original event date. The Department of Political Science Annual Lecture Series. This year's series, our eleventh, is entitled "Ending Poverty at Home and Abroad: creative solutions in a complex world. Below, is a schedule of the lectures, all of which are held on Wednesdays and start at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in MUB 110 (Choir Room, Music School). September 22: The Demographics and Economics of Poverty --Dr. Allen Lynch (Economics) and Dr. Fletcher Winston (Sociology). October 20: Poverty and the Education Connection. Dr. Margaret Morris (Education) and Dr. Doug Thompson (IDS). November 17: The Feminization of Poverty. Dr. Natalie Bourdon (WGS) and Dr. Mary Ann Drake (IDS). PREPARATION FOR AND PARTICIPATION IN CLASS: You are expected to read ahead in order to be prepared to contribute to class discussions. You should be aware that mere attendance or the utterance of words does not constitute participation. Instead, participation will be assessed largely in relation to the assigned readings. Your remarks in class should be based on ideas presented in the readings, proving or demonstrating your understanding of the issues being discussed. I prefer that you volunteer to participate, but if you are reluctant I may be forced to call on you by name in order to bring you into the conversation. On the occasion that I ask questions and the student is unable to answer due to the lack of adequate preparation, an automatic deduction of a full letter grade will be taken from the participation grade. The participation portion of the grade will be assessed as follows: F, means no participation at all; D, a few scattered comments, with little relevance to the readings; C, occasional remarks about the readings; B, frequent contributions that demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of course materials; and an A means regular and substantive remarks that not only show comprehension but use factual evidence in the arguments made drawn from the readings or information presented in class. You may inquire about your participation grade at any point in the semester. A word of caution: it is practically impossible to get an A in this class if you do not score well on participation. QUIZZES: You will be quizzed on each of the debate articles assigned for class. Quizzes may be given at the beginning of class, and no make-ups, excuses, or rewrites will be accepted without an excused 4

5 absence. Quizzes will consist of a mix of objective questions such as multiple choice, true/false, and fill in the blanks. Written notes (but no books or copies) may be used when taking the quiz. Quizzes will be graded pass or fail. One failing quiz will be dropped from grade calculations at the end of the term and five failing quizzes will result in a zero grade for quizzes. STUDY TIPS FOR READING THE TEXT: Before you begin reading, spend some time with the book and familiarize yourself with the way it is organized. Learn a little about the book so that it can be a useful study and reference tool for you. Don t just read the chapter but study it. Take notes and/or highlight the important concepts, make an outline of the headings and subheadings, note the key terms when you find them. Try not to read the entire chapter in one sitting, break it into manageable pieces. Don t forget to check out and use the online resources that accompany your text. WITHDRAWAL AND INCOMPLETE GRADES: The University sets the deadline to withdraw or drop without penalty. Students who drop by this date will receive a W but it is your sole responsibility to know the date and to act if necessary. Do not simply decide to stop coming to class and hope to get an "I" or a "W." As a rule, I do not give incompletes, or I, for this course. PROPOSED COURSE OUTLINE, POL/WGS 314, FALL 2010 DATE WED. 8/25 FRI 8/27 MON 8/30 WED 9/ 1 FRI 9/3 MON 9/6 WED 9/8 FRI 9/10 MON 9/13 WED 9/15 FRI 9/17 MON 9/20 WED 9/22 FRI 9/24 MON 9/27 WED 9/29 FRI 10/1 READING ASSIGNMENT Introducing the course Danieri Part I: Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction: Problems and Questions in International Politics Chapter 1 continued Danieri Chapter 2: The Historical Evolution of International Politics Chapter 2 continued Haas 15: Democracy HOLIDAY Danieri Part II: Theoretical Approaches Chapter 3: Theories of IR: Realism and Liberalism Chapter 3 continued Danieri Chapter 4 Theories of IR: Structuralism, Constructivism and Feminism Chapter 4 continued Haas 11: Gender EXAM I Danieri Chapter 5: The State, Society and Foreign Policy Chapter 5 continued Haas 14: Civil Society Danieri Part III: International Conflict and Security Chapter 7 International Security and the Causes of War and Peace Chapter 7 Continued 5

6 MON 10/4 WED 10/6 FRI 10/8 MON 10/11 WED 10/13 FRI 10/15 MON 10/18 WED 10/20 FRI 10/22 MON 10/25 WED 10/27 FRI 10/29 MON 11/1 WED 11/3 FRI 11/5 MON 11/8 WED 11/10 FRI 11/12 MON 11/15 WED 11/17 FRI 11/19 MON 11/22 WED+FRI MON 11/29 WED 12/1 FRI 12/3 MON 12/6 WED 12/8 FRI 12/10 12/11, 12/12, 12/15 FINAL EXAM Haas 6: Nuclear Weapons Danieri Chapter 8 The Use of Force Chapter 8 continued Haas 7: Military Intervention and Human Rights Haas 5: Terrorism and Security FALL BREAK Danieri Part IV: International Political Economy Chapter 9 Fundamentals of International Political Economy Chapter 9 continued Haas 1 Trade Liberalization EXAM II Danieri Chapter 10 The Globalization of Trade and Finance Chapter 10 continued Haas 2 Trade and Inequality Danieri Chapter 11 The Problem of Global Inequality Chapter 11 continued Haas 3 Poverty Haas 12 Immigration Danieri Part V: The Evolving Agenda Chapter 12 International Organizations and Transnational Actors Chapter 12 continued Haas 8 Climate Change and the Environment Danieri Chapter 13 International Law, Norms and Human Rights Chapter 13 continued THANKSGIVING BREAK Haas 10 HIV/AIDS Danieri Chapter 14 Emerging grounds for Global Governance Chapter 14 continued Haas 13 Culture and Diversity Chapter 15 Conclusion: Power and Purpose in IR OPEN Human Rights Day READING DAYS Monday 12/13, 2-4pm 6