PS 131: International Relations
Professor William Vogele
Pine Manor College :: Fall 2008
| Date | Topic | Assignment |
| 9-Sept | First Class: Introductions; Exercise - What is world politics? | Identify a topic / issue / problem in world politics that you think is important - write a one page description of the issue. |
| 11-Sep | Contemporary issues: discussion |
Go Play "Free Rice"
|
| 16-Sep | Basic Concepts: system, actors, processes, levels of analysis |
In advance of class: Go to the NY Times series on the Russia-Georgia conflict. Read a few of the articles so that you can try to "explain" this conflict. [see course documents on Student Portal for selected articles] |
| 18-Sep | A very brief history lesson: Origins of the modern system of states | [current events: quiz and analysis] |
| 23-Sep | Key Analytical Perspectives: - Realism - Liberalism/institutionalism |
|
| 25-Sep | [current events: quiz and analysis] FOR
TUESDAY: Read the two articles on the Student Portal
pages: 2004AmericaUnlimited; and 2007USinIraq. Homework: short essay on how the arguments in these articles illustrate the analytical assumptions of the "realist" perspective. |
|
| 30-Sep | Key Analytical Perspectives: - Radicalism - Constructivism |
Homework (for Thursday): how would you characterize the argument by Joseph Nye in the article on the Student Portal course documents page? |
| 2-Oct | Focus I: Conflict and Cooperation |
[current events: quiz and analysis] Start reading Lafore: The Long Fuse Reading Guidance[current events: quiz and analysis] |
| 7-Oct | Europe and the international system of states in the 19th century | Lafore, Chapter 1. |
| 9-Oct | Nationalism and identity: the composition of states | [current events: quiz and analysis] Lafore ch 2 |
| 14-Oct | Alliances and the balance of power | Lafore, ch. 3 |
| 16-Oct | military threats and perceptions | [current events: quiz and analysis] Lafore, ch 4. Homework for Tuesday 21 Oct. First longer essay |
| 21-Oct | the breakdown of Europe in 1914: terror, alliances and fears | [skim, Lafore ch. 5, 6] READ Lafore ch. 7 |
| 23-Oct | Wrapping up: thinking about the causes of wars. | [current events: quiz and analysis]. "How do wars end?" [NPR Series] EXTRA CREDIT ESSAY |
| Focus II: Globalization | ||
| 28-Oct | Brief Historical Background to the contemporary international political economy | Essay on the causes of wars:
due. Start reading Friedman: The world is Flat. - ALL read: Ch. 1 |
| 30-Oct |
[current events: quiz and analysis] Watch the video lecture by Hans Rosling, "Debunking Myths about he '3rd World'". |
|
| 4-Nov | what does "flat" mean? | Friedman, World is Flat, ch.1 |
| 6-Nov | Forces of "flatteners" |
[current events: quiz and analysis]
|
| 11-Nov | flatteners | |
| 13-Nov | Projects and
process [current events: quiz and analysis] |
|
| 18-Nov | Library | |
| WED 19-Nov | Special Lecture: Journalists in African Conflicts | 7:30 in Kresge. Extra credit for essay |
| 20-Nov | [current events: quiz and analysis] | |
| 25-Nov | ||
| 26/27Nov | Thanksgiving Break | |
| Focus III: Contemporary Issues | ||
| 2-Dec | ||
| 4-Dec | [current events: quiz and analysis] | |
| 9-Dec | ||
| 11-Dec | [current events: quiz and analysis] | |
| 16-Dec | ||
| 18-Dec | last day of our class | |
| 19-Dec (FRI) | Last day of fall semester classes | |
PS 131: International Relations. Fall 2008. http://community.pmc.edu/vogelewi/ps131