How do we decide if the war in Iraq is good or bad, necessary or
unnecessary? Why was it started? How might it end? . . . .How do we
understand the sources of, and the solutions to, the world's food
crisis? . . . .What makes people move across borders? What are the
consequences for global and local economics, security, and identity?
International relations studies the world political system(s) in an
effort to ask and answer questions like these.
Course
Objectives, Requirements, Expectations
Course & portfolio objectives
The course will be interactive and will depend on participation by all members of the class. Our activities during the semester will include discussion of selected case studies in which you will take leadership responsibilities, presentations of your own research, and general discussion of our topics. Each of the course objectives below is linked to one or more course activities and to the
learning outcomes of both the SPS program and of the College.
LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE SPS PROGRAM
ü Gain substantive knowledge about society and
politics.
ü Develop a personal capacity to be an agent of
social action and social change
ü Learn to design and undertake social science
research.
ü Write effectively in the language of social
science.
ü Develop capacity for quantitative reasoning.
ü Learn to think critically and theoretically
about the social and political environment
Substantive and procedural course objectives (and how our work supports
these)
Understand basic concepts for the analysis of international relations
General reading and discussion
Specific exercises on production, exchange and globalization
Independent research project
Learn the evolution and operation of political decisions in the global
system
General reading and discussion
Research project
Develop analytical and critical thinking skills
Short analytical essays
Independent research project
Improve skills in oral presentation
Presentations of topics
Presentations of research
Become familiar with electronic resources in fields of international
politics
Research project
General Education Learning Outcomes
The college has several general learning outcomes which relate to
the portfolio process. In our course we will have a particular focus on
Communication and Critical Thinking - we will work on
these through short writing exercises, close reading of texts, the
evaluation of data related to international relations, and in the
completion of a research project.
Various assignments will also relate to
other outcomes - such as Social Responsibility
(as we critically evaluate global problems and potential
solutions).
Books
The following books are
available to purchase through
Akademos,
the PMC
on-line bookstore:
Thomas L. Friedman. The World Is Flat 3.0 A Brief History of
the Twenty-first Century. (2006) ISBN: 9780312425074
Laurence D. Lafore. The Long Fuse An Interpretation of the
Origins of World War I. (1997) ISBN: 9780881339543
Recommended as a good reference: Karen A. Mingst, Essentials
of International Relations. 3rd edition (2004). ISBN: 9780393924480.
You can get this through the Akademos Marketplace for about $7.50 ($3.50 plus
~$4 shipping)
Course and College information on the Student Portal.
Student Portal (http://portal.pmc.edu/estudent)
: We will use the student portal to maintain access to course
materials, including your grades on various assignments. All
information for this course will be posted or uploaded to that site
on a regular basis - so you can always find material you have missed
(or misplaced). It is your responsibility to check our course
sites, including the portal pages.
Grading and
Assessments
Please note: most written assignments should be submitted by email in
advance of their due date.
[Homework/Quizzes]:[10%] Short thought papers - about a typed page -
and other preparatory work, which will be due at the beginning of class)
[Current Events Quizzes]:[10%] Current Events
Analysis. Weekly quizzes based on current news stories
[Short topical papers]:[40%] These will be 2 or three short
essays (about 3 pages) that focus on a topic or set of concepts that we have
just covered in the class. They will often draw directly from reading and
discussion questions.
[Final Exam/essay]:[20%] This essay will be take-home and will ask you
to explain, relate and apply concepts from the entire course.
[Research Project]:[20%] Research
Project. This is both a group and individual project, in which the group
of 2-3 focuses on a specific question on a topic in world politics, periodically
presenting their work to the class. By the end of the term each member of the
group will write an individual 10-page paper.
[Extra Credit] Current Events
Analysis. This regular weekly analysis of current news
stories can earn you up to an additional 10% of the course grade.
General Policies
All written work will be evaluated in line with the
College Composition standards. Please refer to the
SPS web site for additional information on grading standards and advice on writing social science papers.
All reasonable accommodations will be made for students with learning disabilities. Please talk with me
as necessary and/or contact Mary Walsh in the Learning Resource Center.
Most work should be submitted by email in advance of the class meeting at
which it is due.
All work is expected to be submitted on time in the interests of efficiency and fairness to all involved.
All written work may be revised, including work submitted after its due
date. It is in your interest to submit all work
on time - falling behind always leads to work that is rushed, anxiety that
is increased, learning that is limited, and grades that are lower than they
might be.
You should submit all work - work that I do not have can only count as a
zero in the final grading calculation.
Written work submitted that violates the
College
code of Academic Integrity will never be accepted for a grade. The
nature of the violation will determine any other responses. Learning to "do
right" is a learning process - but one at which we must succeed.
Attendance is expected. You will not be "rewarded" for showing up – but excessive absences will substantially harm your grade.
PS 131: International Relations. Fall 2008.
http://community.pmc.edu/vogelewi/ps131
PS 131: International Relations