Instructor: David W. Loebsack, 308 South Hall. Telephone: 895-4300. Phone messages may be left with faculty secretary Cheryl Dake at 895-4283 or in her voice mail box or on the answering machine in my office. For quickest response, e-mail your questions and comments to dloebsack@cornellcollege.edu

Office Hours: Normally, I will be in my office 11-11:45 (except Tuesdays) and often 2-3:30. Feel free to make an appointment or just show up. E-mail is the best way to reach me.

E-Mail: In order to take better advantage of technological innovations recently available, I encourage you to deliver your paper and/or rough draft by means of e-mail attachments. If you work on a PC, please save your papers and other submissions in either WordPerfect or Word. Please name your file xxxxx-y, where xxxxx are the first five letters of your last name and y is your first initial. Attach your file to an e-mail addressed to dloebsack@cornellcollege.edu.

Class Meets in South Hall 108. Generally, class will be held M-F 9-11 but there will be some days when we have morning and afternoon class. Check the daily schedule below for specific times.

Purpose --

This course will introduce students to the major conceptual and empirical issues of the subfield of political science known as international relations. We begin by examining how international relations scholars attempt to organize and explain the complexities of international politics. Next, an overview of the international political-economic system, concentrating on the period since WWII, is presented. Third, we return to a more analytical approach to the subject and discuss the relevant actors on the international stage, levels of analysis, and contemporary issues.

Geographically, this course deals with West-West and North-South issues but also discusses the Cold War, its termination and the implications of the dramatic changes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union since 1989. In addition, we will analyze the politics of international economic relations, revolution in the Third World, the evolving U.S.-Western European and U.S.-Japanese relationships, environmental, gender, resource, and other non-Cold War issues. Finally, there will be a particular focus on the events of 9/11/01 and the consequences of these events in the international community.

Readings –

1. Joshua Goldstein, International Relations, 5th Edition
2. Donald Snow, Cases in International Relations

Requirements --

1. Two exams, the first worth 25% and the second worth 35% of the course grade. The exams will be essay and short answer.
   
   
2. One 8-10 page research paper (typed double-spaced with notes and bibliography) worth 30% of the course grade (25% for the paper and 5% for the oral presentation). The paper will deal with an issue of international relations such as trade conflicts between the U.S. and Japan, attempts to solve the ethnic disputes in the former Yugoslavia, etc. The paper is due at 12 p.m., Wednesday, September 24. During Week 4, each student will be responsible for a 20-minute oral presentation of his/her findings.
   
   Also, you should note that substantial a block of time is reserved solely to assist you in this endeavor. First, we will visit with consulting librarian Amanda Swygart-Hobaugh on the first day of the term in the Library, Room 126 to learn more about research for your paper. Second, at the end of the first week, there will be a paper conference. For this conference on Thursday, September 5 or Friday, September 6, you should be ready to discuss with me not only your topic but also the issues/themes you are researching. Keep in mind that this paper conference is required.
   
   On the second Monday of the term, September 8, you will need to submit an annotated bibliography that consists of at least five quality sources. In the afternoon on that day, there will be another opportunity to meet with Amanda during a working session.
   
   There is no rough draft required. However, if you wish me to read one, it must be to me no later than Wednesday, September 17 to allow me time to read it and comment on it by Friday, September 29. You also should note that the rough draft should not be so rough that I would need to edit it extensively. The primary purpose of submitting a rough draft is to get my feedback as to whether you are covering the topic correctly and organizing your thoughts in a logical fashion.
   
   
3. Class participation worth 10% of the course grade. Every student is expected to participate in class discussion and attend your peers' oral presentations. If you fail to attend any of the presentations, you will earn no higher than a C- for class participation.
   
   * You also should be following closely recent developments in various countries that are undergoing significant change (e.g., Russia). To this end, you ought to be reading a good newspaper or newsmagazine such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal or Christian Science Monitor or the weekly news magazine, the Economist. Of course, there is also the ever-popular CNN. I encourage you to explore the resources available via the Internet. However, you should be exceedingly vigilant when surfing the Web as not all sources are of equal quality.
   

Schedule —

Week 1 — September 1-5

Monday - 9-11 - Introduction. What constitutes international politics? Why study international politics? Who are the actors on the world stage? Historical overview of the international system. Goldstein, Chapter 1.
To help you determine the quality of sources be sure that you read the overview provided here. This should be read in conjunction with our meeting with Amanda Swygart-Hobaugh on Monday afternoon.
1-3 - Meet with Amanda Swygart-Hobauch re web-based research at the Library, Room 126. We will meet in two groups of 12 or so for one hour each.

Tuesday - 9-11 - Historical overview (continued). How can we analyze international politics? Levels of analysis and theoretical approaches. Goldstein, Chapters 2-3; Snow, Chapter 1.

Wednesday -9-11- Thinking theoretically (continued). Snow, Chapter 5

Thursday - 9-11 - Foreign policy - what is it and how do we explain it? Goldstein, Chapter 4.
2-4 - paper conferences.

Friday - Paper conferences all day.

Week 2 — September 8-12

Monday - 9-11 - International conflict. Goldstein, Chapter 5; Snow, Chapters 10, 12, and 16. Annotated bibliography due.
1-3 - Meet w/Amanda Swygart-Hobauch for working sessions in the Library, Room 126. Again, we will meet in two groups of 12 or so for one hour each.

Tuesday - 9-11 - Exam 1.

Wednesday - 9-11 - Military force versus international organization and multilateralism. Goldstein, Chapters 6-7; Snow, Chapters 6 and 11.

Thursday - 9-11 - International Political Economy - Trade. Goldstein, Chapter 8 (Drexler in class).

Friday - 9-11 - Money and Business. Goldstein, Chapter 9.

Week 3 — September 15-19

Monday - 9-11 - International Political Economy (continued). Snow, Chapters 8 and 9.

Tuesday - 9-11 - Environmental challenges. Goldstein, Chapter 11; Guest lecturer David Osterberg

Wednesday -9-11- North-South relations. Goldstein, Chapter 12; Snow, Chapters 2 and 14.

Thursday - 9-11 - International Development, cooperation, etc. Goldstein, Chapters 13-14; Snow, Chapters 3 and 13.

Friday - 9-12 - Exam 2.

Week 4 — September 22-24

Monday - 9-11 and 1-3 - Paper presentations.

Tuesday - 9-11 and 1-3 - Paper presentations.

Wednesday - Paper due at 12 p.m.

Last updated: 8/12/2003
Site manager: dloebsack@cornellcollege.edu