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Brooklyn College – Dept of Political Science

POL 761X: Modern International Politics

Spring 2009

Patricia Stapleton Section W6 – Code 1873

Office: 3416 James Hall Wed: 6:05-7:45pm

Office Hours: 5:00-6:00pm James Hall 3414 pstapleton@gc.cuny.edu

Course Description

This survey course studies international relations by analyzing the basic factors shaping

contemporary international politics, theories and approaches to the study of international politics, patterns of relations among states and non-state actors, and sources and uses of power in the global

arena. To do so, we will examine the historical development of the modern international system,

the functioning and relevance of international organizations such at the United Nations, the role of 

international law, the different dimensions of globalization, international financial institutions, thegap between rich and poor countries, and international cooperation on issues such as armed conflict,

 poverty, health, human rights, the environment, and terrorism.

Readings

All readings will be posted on our Blackboard page. While you are not required to print all

assignments to bring to class, I highly recommend that you at least have notes on the readings withyou in every class session.

Course Requirements

Final grades will be based on a score of 100, comprised of the following assignments:

Essays: Two essays based on course readings.  Each essay 15 points (totaling  30% of final grade)

Policy Paper: A 20-25 page paper analyzing your choice of an international policy. 40 points

Class Response: An in-class response to a class discussion question, which will be provided eachweek and be used to begin the following week’s class discussion. 15 points

Participation and Attendance: Regular participation in class discussion (one point off for each

unexcused absence). 15 points

Policy on academic integrity

Academic dishonesty of any type, including cheating and plagiarism, is unacceptable at Brooklyn

College. Cheating is any misrepresentation in academic work. Plagiarism is the representation of 

another person's work, words, or ideas as your own. Students should consult the Brooklyn College

Student Handbook for a fuller, more specific discussion of related academic integrity standards.Academic dishonesty is punishable by failure of the "test, examination, term paper, or other 

assignment on which cheating occurred" (Faculty Council, May 18, 1954). In addition, disciplinary

 proceedings in cases of academic dishonesty may result in penalties of admonition, warning,censure, disciplinary probation, restitution, suspension, expulsion, complaint to civil authorities, or 

ejection (Adopted by Policy Council, May 8, 1991).

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Course Calendar

Class 1: Introduction

January 28

Class 2: International Relations Theory: Realism, Liberalism & Alternative ParadigmsFebruary 4

1. Kegley, Charles and E. Wittkopf, World Politics: Trends and Transformation (1997), Chapter 1.2. Walt, Stephen, “International Relations: One World, Many Theories,” Foreign Policy, Spring

1998.

3. Liberal Theories of International Relations: Introduction + Writings of Hugo Grotius, MichaelDoyle, Woodrow Wilson, and Hedley Bull (from Williams, Phil, et al, Classic

 Readings and Contemporary Debates in International Relations, Wadsworth, 2005).

4. Realist and Neo-Realist Theories: Writings of Thomas Hobbes, E.H. Carr, Hans Morgenthau,

and Kenneth Waltz (from Williams et al).

Class 3: International Relations Theory: Realism, Liberalism & Alternative ParadigmsFebruary 11

5. Critical Theories of International Relations (Steans and Pettiford, International Relations, 2005).

6. Feminist Perspectives (from Steans and Pettiford, 2005) & Gender and International Relations

(Griffiths).7. The Structure of the International System: Introduction and Essays by Waltz, Deutsch and

Singer, Kaplan, Rosenau, Keohane, Nye, and Mansbach et al (from Williams et al).

8. Young, Oran, “Regime Dynamics,” International Organization 36 (1982).

Class 4: International Relations through the Theory & History of Conflict

February 18

1. Holsti, Oli, “Models of International Relations: Realist and Neoliberal Perspectives on Conflict

and Cooperation” (from Kegley and Wittkopf, The Global Agenda, 1998).

2. Classic Paradigms in the Study of War: Essays by Von Clausewitz, Waltz, Morgenthau,Organski, Claude, Bunn (from Williams et al).

3. Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War and the Melian Debate (from Williams et al).

4. Niall Ferguson, The Cash Nexus (Basic Books, 2002), selection.

*** First Essay Due: February 25th, in class***

Class 5: International Relations through the Theory & History of Conflict

February 25

5. Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers (Random House, 1987), selection.6. Eric Hobsbawm, The Age of Empire, 1875-1914 (Pantheon, 1987), selection.7. Hobsbawm, The Age of Extremes, 1914-1991 (Vintage, 1994), selection.

8. “Attempted Suicide,” The Economist , Dec 23, 1999.

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Class 10: International Relations & Cooperation on Human Rights

April 1

1. The Economist , “Human Rights Law: The conscience of mankind” (12/5/98) and “Bloodhounds

of History” (4/12/97).

2. Weston, Burns, Human Rights in the World Community, Introduction, selection

3. Lauren, Paul, The Evolution of Human Rights, Chapters 1-24. Howard, Rhoda, Human Rights and the Search for Community , Chapter 1

5. Donnelly, Jack, “International human rights: a regime analysis”6. Walby, Sylvia, “Measuring women’s progress in a global era,” International Social Science

 Journal , 2005.

7. Engle Merry, Sally, Human Rights and Gender Violence: Translating International Law into

 Local Justice (U of Chicago: 2006), selection.

SPRING BREAK: No Classes - Wednesday, April 8th & Wednesday, April 15th

*** Rough Draft of Policy Paper Due April 22nd, in class***

Class 11: Development & International Relations

April 22

1. Harvard Working Group, “Globalization, Development, and the Spread of Disease.”2. Gordenker, Leon, et al, International Cooperation in Response to AIDS, selections.

3. Hsu, Lee-Nah, “Building dynamic democratic governance and HIV-resilient societies,” International Social Science Journal , 2005.

4. Stares, Paul, Global Habit: The Drug Problem in a Borderless World , Chapters 1-3.

Class 12: Development & International Relations

April 295. Young, Oran, International Cooperation: Building Regimes for the Environment, selection.

6. Sitarz, Daniel, ed., Agenda 21: The Earth Summit Strategy to Save our Planet, Chapters 1-2.

7. Miller, Marian, The Third World in Global Environmental Politics, Chapters 3 and 7.8. VanDeveer, Stacy, “Green Fatigue,” Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2003

9. Uvin, Peter, Human Rights and Development (Kumarian Press: 2004), selection.

10. Anghie, Anthony, Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law (Cambridge:2004), selection.

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Class 13: Conflict in the Contemporary World: Ethnic-Based War

May 6

1. Pfaff, William, “Invitation to War: Ethnic Conflict in the Balkans” ( Foreign Affairs, 1999).

2. Snyder, Jack, From Voting to Violence: Democratization and Nationalist Conflict , Chapter 1.

3. Gurr, Ted, “Communal Conflicts and Global Security” (from Kegley and Wittkopf, 1998).

4. Ahmed, Akbar, “Ethnic Cleansing,” from Violence and its Alternatives, Palgrave: 1999.5. Power, Samantha, “Bystanders to Genocide,” Atlantic Monthly, at

www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/power.htm.6. Williams, Paul, “Military Responses to Mass Killings: The African Union Mission in Sudan,”

 International Peacekeeping Vol. 13, No. 2, June 2006.

7. Straus, Scott, The Order of Genocide: Race, Power and War in Rwanda (Cornell: 2006),selection.

8. Alvarez, José, “Crimes of State/Crimes of Hate: Lessons from Rwanda,” Yale Journal of  International Law, vol. 24, 1999.

Class 14: Conflict in the Contemporary World: Terrorism & States’ RolesMay 13

1. Huntington, Samuel, “A Clash of Civilizations?” (from The New Shape of World Politics).

2. Barber, Benjamin, Jihad vs. McWorld (in Betts, Richard, Conflict after the Cold War, 2002).

3. Lewis, Bernard, “Islam and Liberal Democracy” (from Kegley and Wittkopf, 1998).4. Kerry, John, The New War , selection.5.  American Journal of International Law, “Agora: Future Implication of the Iraq Conflict,” vol.97,

issues 3 & 4, 2003 + articles on Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts.

6. Articles on Russian-Georgian conflict.

*** Policy Paper Due May 20th ***

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