University of Florida
INR 2001
Fall, 2004
International Relations
Dr. Samuel Barkin
Office: Anderson 334
Office Hours: Mondays 10am-noon.
barkin@polisci.ufl.edu
352-392-0262, ext. 222
TA Office Hours
This course is an introduction to the study of international
relations. It surveys the central issues in international relations,
such as war and peace, conflict and cooperation, poverty and
prosperity. It also surveys the basic concepts in the field, such
as sovereignty and globalization, power and interdependence, and
the different ways in which scholars of global politics understand
the system to work.
There are two weekly lectures and a discussion section
(note the
cellphone/beeper policy
during both lectures and discussion sections).
The lectures, on Mondays and Wednesdays at 1:55 pm, provide the theoretical
and factual background to the study of international relations.
The discussion sections, on Thursdays or Fridays, provide the opportunity
to apply this background through discussions of specific contemporary
issues in international relations. These sections are led by
one of five discussion section leaders.
Discussion section leaders and office hours
Readings:
One textbook has been ordered for purchase:
International Politics on the World Stage (Brief
5th edition) , by John T. Rourke and Mark A. Boyer (New
York: McGraw Hill, 2004).
Readings for the lectures and discussion sections can
all be found in the textbook book or as weblinks from this syllabus.
Course Requirements:
Attendance in Lectures:
You are strongly advised to attend all lectures.
The content of the lectures will not be the same as the content of
the readings, and some of the questions on the exams will draw directly
on material from the lectures.
Attendance in Discussion Sections:
Attendance in discussion sections is a required part
of the course. You must attend the particular discussion section
that you are enrolled in. Discussion section leaders will take
attendance at each discussion section meeting, and 5% of your final
grade will be based on your attendance record, according to the
following schedule: If you attend 10 sessions or more, you will
receive 5 point; if 9 sessions, 4 points; 8 sessions, 3 points; 7
sessions, 2 points; 6 sessions, 1 point; 5 sessions or fewer, 0 points.
Participation in Discussion Sections:
You are expected not only to attend discussion sections,
but also to actively participate in them. To participate
effectively, you must have done the assigned reading. 5%
of your final grade will be based on your participation, as determined
by the discussion section leader.
Research papers:
You will be asked to write two short research papers,
due in your discussion sections on October 28/29 and November 18-19
respectively. Each paper should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words.
The assignment for the
first paper
is to analyze a current issue in international politics
from the perspective of a country other than the United States.
The assignment for the
second paper
is to apply a particular theory of international relations
to a current issue in international politics. Specific requirements
and suggestions for each paper will be posted on this website at least
six weeks before the due date of each paper.
Each paper should be based on a range of research
sources. We will be discussing research strategies in class.
Papers should fully cite all sources of information. Look
here
for more information on citation. You should
remember to always note the source, along with full bibliographical
reference, of all relevant information when you first find it.
Plagiarism will result in automatic failure. Look
here
for a statement of policy on plagiarism and academic
honesty.
Late papers will be penalized half a letter grade
per day; exceptions will be made only for documented medical or
other similar reasons.
Exams:
There will two examinations, held in class on Monday
October 18 and Wednesday December 8. Each will cover theoretical
and empirical material discussed in class and in the readings.
The second exam will not be cumulative; it will only cover the material
presented after the first exam. Both examinations will be multiple
choice, and are worth 30% of the final grade.
Make-up exams are at Prof. Barkin’s discretion, and
will be allowed only under special circumstances (such as a medical
emergency) and only if accompanied by appropriate documentation.
Components of the final grades for this course:
Discussion section attendance - 5%
Discussion section participation – 5%
First research paper
- 15%
Second research paper
- 15%
First examination
- 30%
Second examination
- 30%
Class Schedule:
Week 1 (August 23, 25):
Introduction
No discussion section
No readings
Week 2 (August 30, September 1):
Realism and Liberalism
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
1: Thinking and Caring about World Politics
Textbook Ch.
4: Nationalism: The Traditional Orientation
Week 3 (September 6, 8):
A Brief History
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
2: The Evolution of World Politics
Textbook Ch.
5: Transnationalism: The Alternative Orientation
Week 4 (September 13, 15):
Levels of Analysis
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
3: Levels of Analysis
Week 5 (September 20, 22):
The State and Foreign Policy
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
6: National States: The Traditional Structure
Article 6:
Living in Candlestick Park (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 7:
Sovereignty (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 6 (September 27, 29):
Other Actors
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
7: International Organization: The Alternative Structure
Article 77:
United Nations (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 78:
Who Needs the U.N. Security Council? (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 79:
Rethinking the United Nations’ Mission (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 7 (October 4, 6):
Power
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
8: National Power and Diplomacy: The Traditional
Approach
Article 64:
Does China Matter? (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 65:
China Is Rising (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 8 (October 11, 13):
Law
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
9: International Law and Morality: The Alternative
Approach
Article 83:
Judging Genocide (
html
)(
pdf
)
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
,
-Preamble and at least articles 1 through 17.
Week 9 (October 18, 20):
Traditional Security
First Exam: October 18
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
10: Pursuing Security
Article 19:
The Nuclear Crisis on the Korean Peninsula (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 10 (October 25, 27):
The New Security
First paper due October 28/29
Reading:
Article 5:
Transnational Terrorism and the al Qaeda Model (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 30:
Nasty, Brutish, and Long: America’s War on Terrorism (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 54:
The Terrorist Notebooks (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 11 (November 1, 3):
Human rights
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
13: Preserving and Enhancing Human Rights and Dignity
Article 8:
Reconciling Non-Intervention and Human Rights (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 12 (November 8, 10):
International Political Economy
No discussion section
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
11: Globalization of the World Economy
Textbook Ch.
12: Global Economic Competition and Cooperation
Week 13 (November 15, 17):
The Global Commons
Second paper due November 18/19
Reading:
Textbook Ch.
14: Preserving and Enhancing the Global Commons
UNFCCC Climate
Change Information Kit :
The
Greenhouse Effect
Limiting
Emissions: The Challenge for Policymakers
Week 14 (November 22, 24):
Regions
No class November 24
No discussion section
Reading:
Article 21:
The Iran Game (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 68:
Why Do They Hate Us? (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 71:
Bin Laden, the Arab “Street,” and the Middle East’s Democracy
Deficit (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 73:
The Unblessed Peacemaker (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 15 (November 29, December 1):
Regions
Reading:
Article 39:
Two Ways to Go Global (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 41:
United States–Latin America Relations (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 75:
America and Africa (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 53:
US-Russian Relations: Between Realism and Reality (
html
)(
pdf
)
Article 55:
George W. Bush and Russia (
html
)(
pdf
)
Week 16 (December 6, 8): Conclusions
Second Exam December 8
No readings