PG 103

Introduction to International Relations

Fall 2014


Kelly Erickson
klerickson@pugetsound.edu
Wyatt 323 (253) 879-3323
MWF 12:30-14:00, and by appointment

M/W/F
Section A 10:00-10:50
Section B 11:00-11:50
Wyatt 101


OVERVIEW
The goal of PG 103 is to seek to understand the causes and consequences of the changes and continuities of
world politics. Around the globe wars, trade disputes, human rights violations, and disparities in wealth are still
with us; but so are peacemaking and peacekeeping, democratization, trade, and international cooperation.

We begin with the observation that international relations are anarchical (i.e., that there is no world
government, no entity capable of consistently punishing states that harm others). International anarchy forces
states to take responsibility for their own interests and can make international trust and cooperation difficult.
Yet, various scholars argue that the pernicious effects of anarchy may be mitigated in various ways and many
diplomats and activists have devoted entire careers to that end. A recurring theme in PG 103 is how anarchy
makes international politics a distinctive sphere of human activity and in what ways we can mitigate the worst
effects of international anarchy.

Among our topics are the nature of the international system, causes of conflict, the pursuit of wealth, and
conditions for international cooperation. Our concern is relations among states; we are concerned with events
within states only insofar as they affect those states foreign relations.


WHAT THIS COURSE IS NOT:

This course is not easy. The reading is challenging and voluminous, there is much writing, and I grade
rigorously. I have been told that this is one of the harder intro classes some students have taken. Be
forewarned. If you are not prepared to make the commitment necessary, you should drop now.

This is not a course where will sit around and talk about how we feel about issues. I do not care what
you feel, I care what you think. But you need to learn how to think like an IR analyst first and that will
entail learning concepts, logic, arguments, and history.

This is not a current events course. While what we do is of critical importance to understanding what is
going on in the world, the focus of this class is to give you the analytic tools and background necessary
to make sense of the world. We will be considering some headline issues at the end of the course.


MY PROMISE
If you put in the effort necessary for this course I guarantee that you will understand the world much better than
you do now. You will also have made a major step in forming your own worldview and know why you hold that
view. You will also understand and see news from around the world in a different way than you did before.
Finally, you will also feel a sense of accomplishment from persevering through a worthwhile challenge.


NOTA BENE
If you do not understand the material or are having problems, please come and see me. Come earlier rather than later. I
can do much to help if you act early, but if you wait until the final weeks of the course, little can be done.


TEXTBOOKS & READINGS

You should purchase the following two books:

* Art & Jervis, eds. International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 11
th
edition
(New York, NY: Pearson Longman, 2013) referred in the schedule as A&J.
* Henry Nau, Perspectives on International Relations: Power Institutions and Ideas, 3
nd
edition
(Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2011) referred to in the schedule as Nau.

Many readings are not in those texts. Some will be marked with this symbol and can be found on the course Moodle
site and others will be hyperlinked on the syllabus. Minor changes in assigned readings may occasionally occur. If this is
the case I will give advanced notice.


COURSE REQUIREMENTS


Assignment % Description Due Date
Daily Summaries 25% Submit daily reading summaries. See the next
page for information on this assignment. You will
not get a good grade in this class if you do not do
these summaries.


Every class,
beginning on Day 03
Participation 5% Informed, quality participation in class
discussions. While this intro course is not
discussion-based, the lectures are interactive and
you will have ample opportunity to participate in
the class dialogue if you choose to do so. The
participation grade is designed primarily to reward
those who engage in discussion frequently, and
will not significantly hurt those who choose not to.


Opportunities during
every class
Quizzes


30%

5% each

Take six in-class quizzes that may consist of a
combination of identifications, multiple choice,
short answer, and fill in the blank questions.
Material covered will be readings, slides, and
lectures. These quizzes are not cumulative. I will
provide a study guide.


September 15
th

September 26
th



October 13
th

October 24
th

November 14
th

November 24
th



Take-home
Mid-term Essay
15% An essay requiring you to grapple with major
issues raise in the first sections of the course. I
will provide a handout with the topic and
expectations. No outside research will be
required.
By the beginning of class,
October 27
th


I recommend writing this paper
in small segments as we go
through the topics.




Final Paper 25% You will write an essay entitled Why I am a
_______ where you explain why you identify with
one of our IR worldviews more than the others.
This paper will require you to engage in
comparative argumentation utilizing logic and
evidence from our course to support your
position. No outside research is necessary. A
detailed handout will be distributed later in the
class.
Due any time prior to
December 19
th
at noon

Note that this is not the date of
the scheduled final. There is
no exam, so I am giving you
until the end of finals week



GRADING

You will receive specific grading criteria for individual writing assignments. This section, however, gives you a general
insight into how I use grades in my courses. Be forewarned I use the full range of grades!

A grades are earned by performance that is outstanding. Not only will you understand concepts, theories and history, but
you will be able to utilize that understanding and critically analyze and synthesize the material of the course and display
the ability for original thought. Your written work will be insightful, well-written and effectively organized. Your participation
will be frequent, insightful, and of high quality

B grades are earned by performance that is strong. You will understand the subject matter and show familiarity with the
literature. Your arguments will be well-thought out and reflect a good understand of the issues raised in class. Your written
work will be well-composed and organized and reflect the course material but not contain insightful original thought. Your
participation will be regular and thoughtful

C grades will be earned by performance that is adequate. You will show a basic understanding of the course material,
and attempt to grapple with the ideas and concepts of the course. Written work may be coherent but not strong, but will be
free from major errors in organization or language mechanics.

D grades will be earned by performance that is poor. Little understanding of course materials and concepts is evident as
is a lack of serious effort. Written work will be conceptually and organizationally flawed, and poorly written.

F students will fail to engage the course materials and will exhibit little understanding of the theories, history, and logic
we discuss. The failure to hand in any major assignment (all of them except the daily summaries) will automatically result
in an F grade.

CLASS POLICIES

Assignments
Hand in your work on time
o Late summaries (any time after the beginning of class) get a check minus (1/2 credit)
o Late papers suffer penalties, many of them serious. See the handouts for details.
o Make-ups and extensions are not automatic. You must contact me in advance if you are unable to submit
an assignment or take an exam at the scheduled time. If you do not contact me in advance AND if you do
not have a compelling reason that was beyond your control you will get an F for that assignment or
exam.
Incompletes are rarely granted and then only with prior consultation by me and in the most dire circumstances.
You must complete all major assignments (quizzes and papers) to receive credit for this course.
Plagiarism in any of its forms or any violation of academic honesty will not be tolerated. If you plagiarize you will
fail the course and I will seek maximum enforcement by the University administration. You are responsible for the
guidelines on academic honesty contained in the Academic Handbook (aka The Logger) which can be found at
http://www.pugetsound.edu/student-life/student-resources/student-handbook/academic-handbook/academic-
integrity/ . If you are unsure of what constitutes plagiarism see me. When in doubt cite.

Behavior
Be on time.
Turn off your cell phone ringer before class. The first cell phone ring in the class gets a warning. Any subsequent
rings the offender will be asked to leave the class for the day.
Any active use of an electronic device for non-class purposes will result in you being asked to leave the class. A
second offense and you will result in your failure of the class with no additional warning. If you are not going to
engage in the course do not come.
Our class sometimes deals with highly contentious issues. I expect discussion in this course to be civil. The
discourse in this class WILL be better than that we see in public or in the popular media because I will enforce it.
Civility and passion are not incompatible.

Administrative
If you require any accommodations due to a documented learning disability please work through the Center for
Writing Learning and Teaching. With appropriate documentation I will provide any reasonable accommodation. It
is your responsibility to initiate this process in sufficient time for me to make the accommodationsdo not wait
until the day of the first quiz!
Attending the other section of Intro to IR is not normally allowed, but in unusual circumstances, see me.
Reading Summaries/Causal Diagrams

Beginning with the readings for day 3, I will be asking you to submit a brief reading journal/summary of the
days readings. This ongoing assignment serves several purposes:

1. It gives you an incentive to keep up with the reading. The readings are often complex and cumulative, and
catching up on readings if you fall behind is quite difficult, if not impossible.

2. The lectures and discussion will make more sense and you will get more out of them if you have read beforehand.

3. It will help you ask smart questions and participate in the class. If you have written a summary or diagram you
must have thought about the readings and thus have something to say or ask.

4. When it comes time for the quizzes and papers you will have a study guide already prepared. IF you do these well
you will not have to go back and try to cram. Good summaries make everything else easier in the course.

Content
Your journal should contain the following elements:

Answers to the assigned questions that can be found in the daily assignments in the syllabus. These focused
questions will get you to address core issues in the readings.

Any additional information you need to make sense of the reading. That may include vocabulary, overview of
history, or additional issues you think are important from the reading.

You may also find it very useful to make note of pages numbers (this will save you time when writing essays)
where you find information, evidence, or examples that are either convincing or problematic. You are also free
to include critical commentary as well.

Format
Students come to this class with a wide variety of background knowledge, so I do not expect everyones
summaries to look the same. A good summary is one which allows you to recall the most important information
from the reading. You are writing this as much to yourself as you are to me.

Some students write lengthy paragraphs, some use bullet points, and some (after I show you how) use causal
diagrams (see the following page for an example). The best style may depend on the type of reading.
Diagrams work well for argumentative articles, while historical overviews are better captured by bullets or
paragraphs.

Grading
This assignment is due by the beginning of each class. It is not graded for content; rather you get credit for
making a good attempt at critical engagement. I do not expect you to be able to get everything from an article
or chapter the first time you read it, but I do expect that you will make a determined effort to grapple with the
reading. Thus, you will receive one of the following marks/points
Assignments that have made a decent attempt at engaging every reading will get a check ( ) or 4 points.
Submitting all the summaries and receiving a check will earn you an A on this assignment.

Incomplete, minimal, shoddy, or careless work check minus ( - ) or 3 points. Receiving nothing but check
minuses on your summaries would earn you a C on this assignment.

Not submitting a summary/journal will earn you 0 points.

I accept late summaries for half credit. Thus, a decent summary that is late will receive 2 points and a
substandard summary that is late will receive 1 point.

Submission
Submit the assignment on Moodle. I prefer you copy and paste into Moodle, but will also accept uploaded Word
or PDF documents. NO Notes documents from your IPad or IPhonesI cannot read them!

ORyou may hand in a copy at the beginning of classhand-written or typed is fine.

All late summaries must be handed in as a hardcopy with Late written at the top of the page.

This assignment is the key to success in my class. By doing decent daily work you can counterbalance
any lower grades you receive on quizzes and essays. You cannot do well if you skip this assignment.
A SAMPLE CAUSAL DIAGRAM
Superior Participation

Greater Better performance Higher Final Grade
Understanding on quizzes and papers
Of Material
Doing Summaries/Diagrams

More efficient test/ paper preparation








HOW TO SUCCEED IN MY CLASS
Attend. Without this nothing else will work.

Do the summaries. They are the single best way to do well in this class. If done well they will keep you from falling
behind in the class, ensure that you understand the material, can discuss it well, and prepare you for papers and
exams. You CANNOT get a good grade in this class without doing the summaries, and doing well on the
summaries can ameliorate poor performance on other assignments.

Ask questions when you do not understand material.

Come see me if you earned a bad grade so we can figure out why and get you on track.
o Note: I do grade stringently, but DO NOT PANIC if you earn a bad grade at first. I have had many
students do poorly on a first exam and end up with a good grade. Remember, the summaries are a huge
part of your grade and good effort there can counterbalance a bad grade or two.

Read and understand the syllabus. Not just the administrative issues, but how it is designed and why. That way
you will understand what the course is about. You will probably find it useful to read my daily descriptions.

Edit, edit and re-edit your writing. Editing is the item most deficient in students writing and the key to becoming a
good writer. In my own work I often edit things a dozen or more times.

Participate. If you find this difficult come see me. I have ways to make it easier.

Learn to read effectively.
o Read the introduction to the assigned piece and the conclusion. This allows you to understand the
authors goal and it previews the content
o Look for headings within the article while you skim the middle. Headings are like signposts indicating the
structure of the argument.
o Now go back and read the entire piece carefully.

Things that irritate me (and thus you should avoid)
Asking me administrative questions that are plainly on the syllabus. There is a reason why this syllabus is so
long. Act like a responsible learner, take charge, and think.

After being absent asking me did I miss anything important? My sarcastic answer to that is no, I pretty much
wasted everyones time by talking about useless trivia. Every professor I know hates this question.

Not stapling your midterm and final papers. Even worse is asking me if I have a stapler. This just leads me to
think you procrastinated, left the paper to the last second, barely got it off the printer and rushed to class. While
this may in fact be true, it is never in your interest to let me think this about you.

The use of the word liberalist instead of liberal. While liberalist can be used correctly in some situations,
in IR-speak someone who subscribes to the liberal approach is a liberal.
Doing Summaries = Independent Variable (IV or causal variable)

Higher Final Grade = Dependent Variable (DV or outcome variable)

The steps in-between represent causal mechanisms (the processes by which the IV causes the DV)
can also be called intervening variables.
CLASS SCHEDULE
I. FOUNDATIONS
03 Sept.
Day 01
Introduction: Thinking Theoretically
In our first session I will be introducing the field of international relations and some of the big issues at stake.
One of the primary goals of this course is to start you on the path of developing and defending your own
worldview. In short, we are going to be having a fifteen week long argument about what factors best explain
how the world works and you will have to stake out your initial position in this argument. Along the way you
will learn a lot of history, new concepts and language, and apply this new knowledge to a few important
current issues in international relations. Good luck!

Reading: (17 pages)

Stephen Walt, How to Get a B.A. in International Relations in 5 Minutes, Foreign Policy, 05/19/2014.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/05/19/how_to_get_a_ba_in_international_relations_in_5_minutes

Jack Snyder, One World, Rival Theories, Foreign Policy (November/December 2004).


05 Sept.
Day 02
The History of the International System: The Concentration and Diffusion of Power
Today we examine how we arrived at an international system of nation-states. The nation-state is a
relatively modern creation, dating from about the 15
th
to 16
th
century, while the legal sovereignty of these
states is an artifact of the mid-17
th
century. Why did we end up with a state system? What preceded it for
the thousands of years of political history with which we are familiar? You should look for the patterns of
concentrations (empires) and fragmentation (those periods between or without empire. How does
concentration or fragmentation affect the evolution toward the modern state? Todays reading will be heavily
supplemented by lecture.

Readings: (34 pages)

Walter Opello and Stephen Rosow, The Feudal State and The Medieval State, The Nation-State and
Global Order (Boulder, CO: Lynne Reinner, 2004) pp. 37-52, 55-66.

Paul Kennedy, Ch. 1: The Rise of the Western World, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers,
(New York: Random House, 1987) pp. 3-13.

Optional: Chapter 2 of the Nau text has a section on change and continuity that you may find useful to skim.


Warning: This coming week will contain some of the more abstract and difficult readings of the entire class. Be
sure to allocate enough time to grapple with them as they will take more than one reading to grasp.


08 Sept.
Day 03
What is an International System and Why Do We Call it Anarchic?
Today we will begin to deal with one of the core concepts in international relations. How does the realm of
international politics differ from that of domestic politics? What is the nature of a world where there is no
higher authoritative power above states? Why is thinking about things from a systemic level important?
This reading is difficult, but do your best to wrap your brain around it.

Reading: (20 pages)

Kenneth Waltz, The Anarchic Structure of World Politics, in A & J: 35-55focus mostly on 35-45.

Assignment:
1. Why does Waltz argue we need a systems theory to understand international politics?
2. Define in your own words the three principles of a systems theory and how they can vary
(e.g. anarchy v. hierarchy)
3. Briefly summarize the remaining major points in the article

10 Sept.
Day 04
The Implications of Anarchy: Is it Really That Important?
Not all analysts agree that international anarchy is the most important facet of the international system. Our
readings today pit two scholars with very different views about the effects of anarchy against each other.
The first reading is very blunt, but do not let the tone distract you from the argument. The second reading is
another dense one that we will need to unpack in class. Do your best with it but do not be discouraged if
you do not get it at first.

Readings: (18 pages)

John J. Mearsheimer, Anarchy and the Struggle for Power, in A & J: 59-69.

Alexander Wendt, Anarchy is What States Make of It, in A & J: 65-72.

Assignment:
1. According to Mearsheimer, why must states compete for power and what are the consequences
of that competition? If you are ambitious try to draw a diagram of the security dilemma.
2. Why does Wendt argue that anarchy is what states make of it?
3. What are the three types of international systems he outlines and what are their main principles?



12 Sept.
Day 05
Power
Power is one of the most important concepts in international relations, yet attempts to rigorously define it
and measure it are notoriously difficult. Today we will explore the concept of power and see if we can
create some order out of this conceptual muddle. First we will examine several different types of power.
Then we will briefly examine the origins of power. Finally we will look at how power can be used and
conclude with the challenges inherent in exercising power.

Readings: (35 pages)

Joseph Nye, The Future of Power (New York: Public Affairs, 2011) pp. 25-29, 39-54, 70-79.

Joseph Nye, Think Again: Soft Power, Foreign Policy (Feb 23, 2006).

Walter Russell Mead, Americas Sticky Power, Foreign Policy (March/April 2004).

Assignment:
1. What are the ways that hard power can be used?
2. How does soft power work? How does sticky power work?



15 Sept.
Day 06
Quiz 1; Preview of International Order
After the quiz we will preview the next unit. Unit II is all about the various tools suggested by our theories to
help overcome the challenges of anarchy. If the international system is a permissive social environment for
conflict, what do our main worldviews say about how to prevent or at least minimize that conflict?















17 Sept.
Day 07
Realist Solutions I: The Microfoundations - Compellence & Deterrence
Realism is often seen as the theory against which all others react. Its proponents claim it has timeless logic
and sees world affairs repeating patterns throughout history. Its view is also tragic meaning that even
when states only seek security they can find themselves in a struggle for power. The hallmark of realism is
not the use of force, but an awareness that force permeates IR and its potential use is never far from the
surface. Today we will examine some of the foundational concepts about the use of power.

Readings: (36 pp.)

Thomas Schelling, The Diplomacy of Violence, in A & J: pp.172-178 only.

Robert Art, The Four Functions of Force, A& J: 164-171.

Robert J. Art, Coercive Diplomacy, in Art & Jervis, International Politics 8
th
edition, pp. 163-176.

Robert Jervis, Deterrence, the Spiral Model, and Intentions of the Adversary, in Perception and
Misperception in International Politics (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1976) pp. 58-67.

Assignment:
1. What is the difference between brute force and coercion? How does coercion work?
2. Summarize the four functions of force according to Art
3. Art left out one important function of force. What is it? Which one should not be included in the list?
4. Why is coercive diplomacy difficult?
5. Summarize the main differences between the deterrence and the spiral models according to Jervis

19 Sept.
Day 08
Realist Solutions II: Order through Equilibrium The Balance of Power
The balance of power is one of the two primary means of creating order according to realist logic. Today we
address two variants of balancing; internal and external. We also look at several other ways in which power
can be used to create security according to realists.

Readings: (44 pp.)

Hans Morgenthau, selections on power balancing from Politics Among Nations, reprinted in Mingst and
Snyder, eds. Essential Readings in International Politics (New York: WW. Norton, 2008) pp. 131-137.

Stephen Walt, Alliances: Balancing and Bandwagoning in A&J: 125-131.

John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics pp. 234-261, 267-272.

Assignment:
1. What different meanings can the term balance of power refer to?
2. What strategies can be used to create a balance of power?
3. What is bandwagoning? Buckpassing?
4. What conditions are conducive to balancing? Bandwagning?
5. What is off-shore balancing and how does it work?

22 Sept.
Day 09
Realist Solutions III: Nuclear Weapons The Ultimate Balance
Today we examine the ultimate deterrence device, nuclear weapons. We will talk about their nature,
effects, and how they have transformed international relations.

Readings: (32 pp.)
Thomas Schelling, The Diplomacy of Violence, in A&J, pp. 178-185.

Nye & Welch, The Role of Nuclear Weapons, pp. 161-167

Keith B. Payne and C. Dale Walton, Deterrence in the Post-Cold War World, in Baylis, Wirtz, Cohen
and Gray, eds., Strategy in the Contemporary World (Oxford University Press, 2002) pp. 161-180.

Assignment:
1. How do nuclear weapons change the logic of coercion and strategy?
2. Why might deterrence fail?
3. What is different about deterrence in the post-Cold War era in comparison to Cold War deterrence?
II. STRATEGIES OF ORDER AND SECURITY: MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF ANARCHY
24 Sept.
Day 10
Realist Solutions IV: Order though Concentrated Power Hegemonic Stability
Hegemony is the other realist configuration of power that some say leads to international order. Be sure to
focus not just on the costs of opposing hegemon but what the hegemon can do to create the conditions of
bandwagoning that are required for stable hegemony.

Readings: (33 pp.)

Patrick Callahan, Hegemonism, The Logics of American Foreign Policy (New York: Pearson, 2004).

G. John Ikenberry, Michael Mastanduno, and William C. Wohlforth, Unipolarity, State Behavior, and
Systemic Consequences, World Politics (Jan 2009), pp. 10-24 only.

Daving Kang, Hierarchy and Hegemony in International Politics, in A&J, pp. 132-136

Assignment:
1. What are the mechanisms by which a hegemon can provide international order? Basically, describe
how hegemonic stability works.
2. Why might states not balance against a hegemon?



26 Sept.
Day 11
Quiz 2; Liberal Overview: The Kantian Triangle
After having seen how anarchy operates in the international system and what tools Realists offer to mitigate
the pernicious effects of international anarchy, we turn to the tools Liberals believe are effective. After the
quiz we will put the liberal approach in context and discuss the Kantian Triangle

Readings: (12 pp.)

Review your reading notes and the Nau section on Liberalism from Unit 1.

Bruce Russett and John ONeal, International Systems: Vicious Circles and Virtuous Circles, excerpted
in ed. Russell Bova, Readings on How the World Works: Current Issues in International Relations
(New York: Longman, 2010): 17-29.

Assignment: Summarize the logic of the Kantian Triangle



29 Sept..
Day 12
Liberal Solutions I: Economic Interdependence
Economic interdependence is one of the three pillars of liberal order. Does it share any assumptions about
the world with realism? You will also be considering a challenge to interdependence based on trade
vulnerability.

Readings: (29 pp.)

Dale Copeland, Economic Interdependence and War: A Theory of Trade Expectations, in eds. Spiegel,
et.al., Readings in World Politics: A New Era (Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005): 395-415.

Daniel McGroarty, China: From Cyberwar to Supply Chain Sabotage,
http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2013/06/04/china_from_cyberwar_to_supply_chain_sabotage_105211.html

Richard Katz, Mutually Assured Production: Why Trade Will Limit Conflict Between China and Japan,
Foreign Affairs (July/August 2013)

Anne Applebaum, Russias Blow to Globalization, Washington Post, 08 August, 2014

Assignment:
1. What is the positive logic of interdependence
2. What is the negative logic of interdependence?
3. What conditions determine which logic will prevail?
4. Be prepared to discuss your thoughts on the effects of interdependence on crises with China and
Russia


01 Oct.
Day 13
Liberal Solutions II: The Logic of International Organizations
The main questions to be asking while evaluating todays readings are: 1) How do institutions create
cooperation? By what mechanisms? 2) To what extent do these institutions merely reflect state interests
(thus constraining states relatively little), versus actually creating or reshaping the interests of states? In
other words, do these institutions only do what states already want done when they want it done, or do they
play an independent causal role in international politics?

Readings: (17 pp.)

Robert Keohane, International Institutions: Can Interdependence Work? in A&J: 151-158.

John Mearsheimer, The False Promise of International Institutions, International Security 19:3, 16-19.
**While the author is a skeptic of IOs, his summary of the logic is fair, and also clearer and more concise than most liberal theorists**

Kenneth Abbott and Duncan Snidal, Why States Act Through Formal International Organizations, The
Journal of Conflict Resolution 42:1 (February 1998), 9-23.

Assignment: Create a causal diagram of Mearsheimers logic and Abbott and Snidals logic


03 Oct.
Day 14
The United Nations: Structure, Logic, and Reform
As the most prominent IO, we will take time to look at the UN today. Its institutional and decision-making
design will be the main topics. If you have ever wondered why the UN so often fails to act, todays class will
explain why.

Readings: (31 pp.+slides)

Pachula, Laatkainen, and Coate, United Nations Politics: International Organization in a Divided World
(Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007) pp. 21-41 only.

Look at the slides on the organizational structure of the UN

Adam Roberts, The United Nations and International Security in A&J: 515-523.

Richard Weitz, No Security Council Reform, No Problem, World Politics Review, 01/04/2011.

Assignment:
1. What are the major bodies of the UN and their roles? What are the decision-making rules in the
UNSC? In the General Assembly?
2. What factors limit the ability of the UN to prevent/manage conflict?
3. What are the pros and cons of UNSC reform? Why is reform of the UNSC unlikely?


06 Oct.
Day 15
Liberal Solutions III: The Democratic Peace - Democratic, Liberal, or Illusion?
Today we examine the concept of the Democratic Peace. This is often referred to as the closest thing we
have to an empirical law in political science. We will also examine some exceptions to it and hear about an
argument to create a League of Democracies. A critical conceptual issue today is the difference between
liberalism (as a political systemnot IR Liberalism) and democracy.

Readings (37 pages)

John Owen, How Liberalism Produces Democratic Peace reprinted in Brown, Lynn Jones, and Miller,
eds. Debating the Democratic Peace (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2006) pp. 116-133 only.

Edward Mansfield and Jack Snyder, Democratization and War, in Richard K. Betts, ed., Conflict After
the Cold War, 3
rd
ed. (New York: Pearson Longman, 2008) pp. 347-359 (but just skim the statistics).

Ivo Daalder and James Lindsay, Democracies of the World Unite, in Art & Jervis, eds. International
Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 9
th
edition (New York, NY: Pearson Longman,
2009) pp. 567-576.

Assignment:
1. Why does Owen call it the Liberal Peace
2. How does the liberal peace work (what are the causal mechanisms?)
3. Why are Mansfield and Snyder skeptical about the pacifying effects of democracy?
4. What are the reasons that Daalder and Lindsay think a League of Democracies will be a more
effective international organization?
08 Oct.
Day 16
Constructivism I: Basics; Non-State Actors, Identities, Norms, and Legitimacy
Today we will grapple with the elusive concepts of norms and legitimacy as well as the role of non-state
actors such as NGOs. Ask yourself how an order built by these elements would differ from a Liberal or
Realist order. What are the prospects of successfully building this type of order?

Readings: (34 pp.)

Nau, pp. 44-51, 471-478 ( you may also want to review notes on Wendt from Day 06)

Ian Hurd, Legitimacy in International Politics, in A&J 73-75.

Mikail Sundstrom A Brief Introduction: What is an Epistemic Community? 2000.
For those of you with further interests in this concept the original (complex) article that this summary is based on is
in the Moodle folder but is optionalEmmanuel Adler and Peter Haas, Conclusion: Epistemic Communities,
World Order, and the Creation of a Reflectivist Approach, International Organization 46:1 Winter 1992.

Margaret Keck and Kathryn Sikkink, Transnational Activist Networks, in A&J, pp. 456-462.

Eric Arnett, Norms and Nuclear Proliferation: Swedens Lessons for Assessing Iran,
The Nonproliferation Review (Winter 1998) pp. 32-40. (focus on Sweden not Iran)

Assignment:
1. What are epistemic communities and how do they work?
2. What are transnational advocacy networks and how do they work?
3. What is legitimacy? How does it work? How can we distinguish it from support?

10 Oct.
Day 17
Constructivism II: International Courts and Human Rights Norms
While international law is not the sole domain of constructivists, one of the arguments about how international
law works relies heavily on establishing new norms of behavior and creating legitimate institutions, which are
constructivist concepts. We also look at the history and functioning of international law.

Readings: (53 pp.)

J. Martin Rochester, Beyond Promise and Peril: The Politics of International Law 2
nd
edition
(Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2012) pp. 44-70.

Freiden, Lake, and Schultz, Does International Law Matter? World Politics: Interests, Interactions,
Institutions (New York: W.W. Norton, 2012) 431- 434.

Q&A: International Criminal Court, BBC, 07/10/2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11809908

David Forsythe, Transnational Justice: Criminal Courts and Alternatives, in Nau, ed. International
Relations in Perspective: A Reader (Washington DC: CQ Press, 2010) 678-694.

International Criminal Court Working to Protect African Victims, Amnesty International, 03/05/2009.

David Bosco, Why is the International Criminal Court Picking Only on Africa? Washington Post, 03/29/14.

Assignment:
1. What are the criteria for law? What definitions of law does Rochester offer?
2. Do you think international law really law? Why or why not?
3. What are the major challenges to making international law more authoritative?

13 Oct.
Day 18
Quiz 4; IPE I - Theories of International Political Economy
After the quiz we will examine the nature and theories of international political economy. Two of them will
already be familiar to you as they are realism and liberalism as applied to IPE. Constructivist IPE is not a
highly developed field yet, so for our critical approach we will be examining the Structural Marxist approach

Readings: (19 pp.)
Frieden & Lake eds. International Political Economy: Perspectives on Global Power and Wealth,
(New York: St. Martens Press, 1995), pp. 1-4. (this is an overview of the study of IPE)

Robert Gilpin, The Nature of Political Economy in A&J: 265-280.

Assignment:
Fill out the blank IPE Theory Chart than can be found in the readings folder for today.

15 Oct.
Day 19
International Political Economy II: History and Institutions
The evolution of the global economy and the institutions that undergird the operation of the international
economy will be the focus of this class. As you read try to think how the information would be interpreted from
a realist, liberal, or Marxist approach. This is particularly challenging when looking at the US role in the post-
1945 international economy.

Readings: (45 pp.)

Video: Crash Course - The Silk Road and Ancient Trade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfe-eNq-Qyg

Benjamin Cohen, A Brief History of International Monetary Relations, Friedan and Lake, eds.,
International Political Economy: Perspectives on Global Wealth and Power (New York; St. Martins, 1995):
209-228.

Michael Mastanduno, System Maker and Privilege Taker: US Power and the International Political
Economy, World Politics (Jan 2009) 127-153.

Optional: Skim or read Nau Chapter 8 as necessary or desired

Assignment:
1. Briefly summarize the highlights of the history of international economy
2. What are the major institutions of the Bretton Woods system and what do they do?
3. What role did the US play in creating the post-WWII international economy? What theory does the
US role most support?


17 Oct.
Day 20
International Political Economy III: Trade and Globalization
International trade is seen as the source of great wealth creation by many. Today we will examine the logic
underlying trade and examine the comparative wealth and trade relations among countries and regions. Try
to grasp the logic of comparative advantage.

Readings (42 pp.)

Nau, pp. 302-306, 331-346.

Keith Shimko, Globalization and Sovereignty, International Relations: Perspectives, Controversies &
Readings 4
th
ed. (Boston, MA: Wadworth, 2013) pp. 189-205.

Video: Crash Course - Globalization I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SnR-e0S6Ic

Video: Crash Course - Globalization IIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_iwrt7D5OA

John Micklethwaite and Adrian Woolridge, Why the Globalization Backlash is Stupid, in A & J: 363-369.

Pankaj Ghemawat, Why the World Is Not Flat, in A&J: 321-327.

Richard Florida, The World is Spiky, The Atlantic Monthly (October 2005) pp. 48-51.

Jim Reily, Onshoring: Is China Losing its Competitiveness as a Low-Cost Location for Manufacturing?
This is a blog post that refers to a larger study. If you are interested you can find the full report (the manufacturing
cost data is in the third chapter) at :
https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/lean_manufacturing_sourcing_procurement_behind_american_export_surge/#chapter1

Frederico Diaz and Gita Gopinath, The Onshoring Myth? Project Syndicate, 07/24/14.
Do not worry about the complex data, focus on the big reasons and the timeframe they use

Assignment:
1. What is the logic of Absolute Advantage? What is the logic of Comparative Advantage?
2. Are states becoming significantly less relevant in an era of globalization? Why or why not?
3. Is globalization an overall force for good or for ill? Why?



20 Oct.
NO CLASS - FALL BREAK



22 Oct.
Day 21
International Political Economy IV: Development
One of the most enduring features of the international system is the disparity of wealth among nations. Our
day on the history of the international system shed some light on why this inequality emerged. Today we
focus on how states have tried to transition from poor to rich. Our primary focus will be on distinguishing
between two strategies, Export-Led Growth (ELG) versus Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI). You may
also find the comparisons of the four regions (Asia, Latin America, Africa, and MENA) interesting, but
perhaps too general, since there are significant exceptions in all these regions.
Readings: (42 pages)

Nau, pp. 361-363, 370-391, 397-417.

Assignment:
1. Summarize the logic Export Led Growth (ELG)
2. Summarize the logic of Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI)
3. What are the problems with each model?

24 Oct.
Day 22
Quiz 4; Causation, Levels of Analysis, and a Preview of WWI
After the quiz we will prepare for the next section of the course. Fr the next couple of weeks we will be
looking at the evolution of international politics over the last hundred years or so and how we can use that
history to shed light on our worldviews. Our purpose is to explore how the approach explain the causes of
conflict and order (or lack thereof). We will examine levels of analysis, the nature of causation, and along
the way preview the causes of WWI.

Readings: (34 pages)

Nau, Level of Analysis pp. 56-63

Nau, Chapter 3: World on Fire, pp. 103-128.
Samuel Williamson, The Origins of World War I, in Rotberg & Rabb, The Origin and Prevention of
Major Wars, pp.245-246. (Read just for a brief take on a very first image argument about the cause of WWI)

Assignment:
1. Summarize the major causes of WWI, sorted by worldview. (Do not just repeat Nau, paraphrase in
your own words. You are also welcome to make a chart instead).

Activity: CSI Tacoma

























03 Nov.
Day 26
Discussion of WWI



III. CONFLICT AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM
27 Oct-
31 Oct.
Day 23-
Day 25
The First World War A Profusion of Arguments

I will be in New York this week for a conference discussing the decision-making leading up to the
2003 Iraq War with a couple of senior members of the G W Bush Administration.

While I am gone you will be doing some in-depth reading about the causes of WWI. This war has
something for analysts of every theoretical stripepower dynamics and preventive war,
inadvertency and misperception, pathological collective ideas and norms. This results in WWI
being what we call, overdetermined. This is why it is a great case for you to practice your
analytic skillsone answer is not abundantly the right one.

The way we deal with this is to first examine the major arguments and them start pitting them
against each other. We ask, if author A is correct, what else should I expect to see. You also
have to be a good judge of evidence. If an author cites the words of Kaiser Wilhelm, you need to
ask, was the Kaiser in charge of policy or not. If so, the word MIGHT matter, but if not, they are
irrelevant.

So treat this break from my lectures as an opportunity to really immerse yourself in one question,
and practice your analytic skills. I highly recommend starting to keep an evidence log. It will make
writing the final essay much easier.

I will also post some narrated slides to help explain some of the big arguments. After reading,
writing and viewing the slide/lectures, please come prepared Monday to ask questions and to
stake out a position on what argument you think carries the most weight in explaining WWI.



Readings: (79 pages)

Stephen Van Evera, The Cult of the Offensive and the Origins of the First World War,
International Security 9:1 (Summer 1984) pp. 58-63, 66-107.

Marc Trachtenberg, The Coming of the First World War: A Reassessment, excerpted in Nau, ed.,
International Relations in Perspective: A Reader (Washington D.C., CQ Press, 2008) pp. 172-182.

Scott Sagan, 1914 Revisited: Allies, Offense, and Instability, International Security, 11:2 (Autumn 1986)


Readings: (32 pages)

Dale Copeland, German Security and WWI, The Origins of Major War (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University
Press, 2000) 56-78.

Optional: Dale Copeland, The July Crisis and the Outbreak of World War I. This follows up the chapter you read with a
fascinating look at the diplomacy that led to war.




This section will be updated shortly
05 Nov.
Day 27
The Interwar Period: What Went Wrong?
The aftermath of WWI saw an attempt to manage international relations in a revolutionarily new manner.
Rather than a balance of power, US president Wilson attempt to create collective security. Combined with
efforts such and the Kellogg-Briand Treaty outlawing war, this approach signifies an unprecedented attempt
to legalize international politics. Today we explore the concepts and history of this era and its march
toward even more destructive conflict.

Readings: (27+ pages)

Joseph Nye and David Welch, The Rise and Fall of Collective Security, Understanding Global Conflict
and Cooperation, 9
th
ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2013) 112-121.

Woodrow Wilson, Fourteen Points

Inis L. Claude Jr., Collective Security as an Approach to Peace, in eds. Donald M. Goldstein, Phil
Williams, & Jay M. Shafritz, Classic Readings and Contemporary Debates in International Relations,
(Belmont CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2006) pp. 289-301.

Optional: Nau Chapter 4 provides a familiar voice for additional information. I think this chapter is a bit
disjointed, so have used the Nye & Welch instead, but to get the more detailed R/L/C details feel free to
skim or read this.


Assignment:
1. What is logic of collective security (how is it supposed to work)? What conditions are necessary for
it to work?
2. On what types of issues was the League fairly successful, and on what types of issues was it not?
3. Record evidence that could be used to support or challenge the Realist, Liberal, and Constructivist
interpretations of this era.
4. Based upon the evidence you listed, which worldview do you think can best account for the international
politics of the interwar period?



07 Nov.
Day 28
The Second World War: WWI Geopolitics redux, or Ideological Battleground?
The last class focused on the Liberal attempt to provide order through collective security and how the
failure of this approach set the stage for WWII. Today we examine Realist and Constructivist accounts.
These articles are particularly interesting because they speak to each other directly. Haas is writing in
response to Copelands chapter. In fact, Copeland was one of Haas mentors in graduate school. The key
to adjudicating between these two approaches to ask yourself which one provided better evidence.

Readings: (38 pages)


Dale Copeland, The Rise of Russia and the Outbreak of WWII, The Origins of Major War (Ithaca, NY:
Cornell University Press, 2000) 118-145.

Mark Haas, The 1930s and the Origins of the Second World War, excerpted in Nau, ed. International
Relations in Perspective: A Reader (Washington D.C.: CQ Press, 2010) pp.228-239.


Assignment:
1. Summarize Copelands argument (including the strongest evidence)
2. Summarize Haas argument (including the strongest evidence)
3. Which do you find more persuasive? Why?










10 Nov.
Day 29
The Cold War: Origins, Explanations, Crisis, and Stability in Bipolarity
Brief hopes for a cooperative post-war period were soon dashed as a new era of bipolarity emerged with
two superpowers, driven toward conflict not only by power competition but also by vast ideological and
economic differences. Add to this mix revisionism, teleological visions and nukes and you have the
ingredients for a half century of conflict. We will also discuss the three interpretations of these origins (the
orthodox, revisionist, and post-revisionist approaches) and how they link up to our IR theories. We will do a
very superficial overview of some of the major crises in this era as well as some periods of relative stability.

Readings: (49 pp.)

Nau, Ch. 5, The Origins and End of the Cold War,

Joseph Nye and David Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation: An Introduction to
Theory and History (Boston MA: Pearson, 2013) 143-146, only...the rest is optional

John Lewis Gaddis, The Long Peace: Elements of Stability in the Post-War System,
in Williams, Goldstein & Shafritz, eds. Classic Readings and Contemporary Debates in
International Relations, pp. 506-516.

Optional: John Lewis Gaddis, Two Cold War Empires: Imposition v. Invitation, in Merrill and Paterson, eds.
Major Problem in American Foreign Relation vol. II (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000) pp. 241-254.
This piece does an excellent job on two issues: It offers some very detailed information about the origins
of the Cold War, and it provides the context for you to distinguish between the spheres of influence
(empires) of the two superpowers. Too often there is an unthinking moral equivalence in many peoples
minds, but HOW power was exercised differed dramatically between the two sides. I highly recommend it.

Assignment:
1. Briefly summarize the orthodox/revisionist/post-revisionist arguments.
2. Briefly summarize the major theoretical arguments about the origins of the Cold War.
3. Record evidence that will help you adjudicate between the theoretical approaches
4. Why did the Cold War stay cold according to Gaddis?


12 Nov.
Day 30
The End of the Cold War and the Origins of Unipolarity: Power v. Ideas
The causes of the end of the Cold War are hotly debated with some giving credit to Gorbachev while
making constructivist arguments, while others credit Reagan, utilizing a largely realist framework. When
analyzing the issues be sure to push back your causal reasoning to ask what might have caused the factors
that our authors offer as explanations.

Readings: (45 pp.)

Nau, Ch. 5, pp. 176-1178, 183-186, 194-195.

Janice Gross Stein, Political Learning by Doing: Gorbachev as Uncommitted Thinker and Motivated
Learner. In International Relations Theory and the End of the Cold War
(New York: Columbia University Press, 1995), 223-224, 236-246.

Thomas Risse-Kappen, Ideas Do Not Float Freely: Transnational Coalitions, Domestic Structures, and
the End of the Cold War. Ibid., pp. 187-189, 195-205.

Randy Schweller and William Wohlforth. Power Test: Evaluating Realism in Response to the End of the
Cold War. Security Studies 9, no. 3 (Spring 2000): 85-97.











IV. CURRENT ISSUES

Please note that readings in this final unit of the course are subject to change due to current events.
I will always give you notice at least one class meeting before any changes are made.

14 Nov.
Day 31
Quiz 5; The Institutions of the European Union
After the quiz we will cover the origins and basic institutional structure of the European Union.

Readings: (19pp. + slides)
Video: The European Union Explained https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O37yJBFRrfg

Slides on the History and Institutions of the EU

Sebastian Rosato, Europes Troubles: Power Politics and State of the European Project,
International Security v. 35 n. 4 (Spring 2011) pp. 45-48, 52-68 only.

Assignment:
1. Briefly describe or draw a chart of the major institutions of the EU. Where do you think power
resides in the EU? Explain.
2. Briefly summarize the major theoretical arguments about the formation of the EU

17 Nov.
Day 32
The European Union: Economic and Security Challenges
The European Union is an attempt to put IR Liberal ideas into practice and create supranational
governance. Does this foreshadow the decline of the nation-state and the international system it spawned
or is it a unique outcome due to regional historical, economic and geopolitical factors? Will the EU continue
to deepen or is it facing crises that might fatally weaken it? These are some of the issues we will grapple
with as we examine two current crises: the ongoing economic troubles and the EU response to the crisis in
Ukraine.

Readings

Timothy Garton Ash, The Crisis of Europe: How the Union Came Together and Why Its Falling Apart,
Foreign Affairs (Sept/Oct 2012).

Additional readings TBA

Assignment:
1. Summarize Ashs argument and the major points of the other readings.
2. Come prepared with questions on the economic crisis and the Ukraine Crisis

19 Nov.
Day 33
The Contested Origins of Transnational Terrorism
Today we explore the rise of terrorism and its newest manifestation as a transnational movement. We will
consider several different explanations of the origins of this phenomenon.

Readings: (44 pp.)

Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations? in ed. Henry Nau, International Relations in
Perspective: A Reader (Washington DC: CQ Press, 2010) pp. 332-346.

Audrey Kurth Cronin, Behind the Curve: Globalization and International Terrorism, in Spiegel, et. al.,
eds., Readings in World Politics: A New Era (Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005) pp. 345-352.

Fareed Zakaria, Why Do They Hate Us? in Art &Jervis, International Politics, 8th edition, pp. 406-416.

Usama bin Laden, A Call for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders

Christopher Blanchard, The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya, CRS Report (01/24/2008).

Christopher Blanchard, Al-Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology, CRS Report (07/09/2007)
Summary,1-4 (pp. 4-7 of the pdf).

Assignment:
1. Summarize or diagram Huntingtons, Cronins, and Zakarias arguments.
2. Based on the Bin Laden and Blanchard readings, summarize the major political tenets of the violent
transnational Islamist movement.

21 Nov.
Day 34
Transnational Terrorism: Responses
Continuing our exploration of transnational insurgency, today we will discuss solutions analysts have
proposed and critically evaluate their claims.

Readings: (44 pages)

Scott Stewart, Defining Al Qaeda, STRATFOR http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/defining-al-qaeda

F. Gregory Gause III, Can Democracy Stop Terrorism? in Art & Jervis, International Politics 8
th
ed.,
pp. 411-418.

Selections from: Max Abrams, Why Terrorism Does Not Work
International Security, v. 31, n. 2 (Fall 2006). Look at chart on pp. 49-50 and read pp. 52-57 only.

David Kilcullen, Countering Global Insurgency, The Journal of Strategic Studies 28:4 (August 2005).

Audrey Ruth Cronin, Ending Terrorism, in A&J: 402-415.

Assignment:
1. Summarize Gausess arguments about democracy and terrorism? Do you see any logical flaws?
2. What are the conditions under which terror campaign can be successful or fail?
3. Summarize in your own words Kilcullens primary argument(s).
4. Describe the various ways terrorist movements end according to Cronin.



24 Nov.
Day 35
Quiz 6; Causes of Nuclear Proliferation
After the quiz we will cover the history of nuclear proliferation, review the current status of countries and
their nuclear weapons programs, discuss arguments that seek to explain why states seek nuclear weapon
or fail to do so, and explore the ambiguities of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Readings (7 pages)
Scott D. Sagan The Causes of Nuclear Proliferation, in Russell Bova, ed., Readings in How the World
Works (Longman, 2010) pp. 63-69.

Fact Sheet: The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty At a Glance, Arms Control Association, 2005.

Assignment:
1. Summarize Sagans three approaches. I hope you can see the connection to our theories!
2. The NPT requires different things from different states. Describe the central deal in the NPT.



26 Nov. &
28 Nov.
NO CLASS THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Research and write a 30-page paper on the national security issues raised for the Iroquois Confederation
by the influx of undocumented immigrants fleeing Britain in the 17
th
century. JUST KIDDING!

Please have a relaxing and joyful holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!




01 Dec.
Day 36
Nuclear Proliferation and Iran
The next in our series of current hot topics on IR is that of nuclear proliferation. While the issue goes well
beyond the current confrontation between the United States and its allies versus Iran, we will focus on this
as a representative case of the general issue of nuclear proliferation. At stake are the approaches of our
worldviews. Look for deterrence, compellence, institutional, and identity issues in this debate. The 2007 NIE
is a very controversial document. I will tell you why, but try to figure out why this document is flawed.

Readings

Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities, National Intelligence Council, 2007.

Peter Crail, U.S. Updates Iran Assessment, Arms Control Association, 11/14/2013

Additional Reading TBA

Assignment:
1. Summarize Sagans three approaches. I hope you can see the connection to our theories!
2. The NPT requires different things from different states. Describe the central deal in the NPT.



03 Dec.
Day 37
The Rise of China
The rise of China brings to the forefront all the logics we have been studying. Will shifts in relative power
lead to increasing rivalry between the US and China, or will the effects of economic interdependence
restrain any rivalry? These are only two of several arguments about the likely effects of Chinas rise. In our
next two sessions we will try to shed some light on this issue by deploying all the causes we have been
studying thus far.

Readings: (38 pp.)

Aaron Friedberg, The Future of U.S.-China Relations: Is Conflict Inevitable?
International Security, v.30, n.2 (Fall 2005) pp. 7-45

Assignment:
1. Diagram each of the six arguments (optimistic and pessimistic variants of realism, liberalism and
constructivism as applied to China). Note: I will be asking people to put their diagrams on the board
during class, so be prepared.



05 Dec.
Day 38
The Rise of China II
Yesterday we examined how our different worldviews might view the rise of China, and therefore what
issues for which we may want to remain watchful. Today we will address current issues related to the rise
of China

Readings (43 pp.)

The Economist, What China Wants, 08/24/2014
http://www.economist.com/news/essays/21609649-china-becomes-again-worlds-largest-economy-it-wants-respect-it-enjoyed-centuries-past-it-does-not

Arvind Subramanian, The Inevitable Superpower: Why Chinas Dominance Is a Sure Thing A&J 578-585.

Josef Joffe, US is No. 1, China is So Yesterday, Bloomberg View, 05/12,2014.

Minxin Pei, Everything You Think You Know About China is Wrong, Foreign Policy Blog, 08/29/2012.

Chinas Military Rise: The Dragons New Teeth, The Economist, 04/07/2012.

Drew Thompson, Chinas Military: Its Not Time to Panic. Yet. Foreign Policy (March/April 2010).

Brad Glosserman, Chinas Grand Strategy Disaster, The National Interest, 05/20/2014.

Assignment:
1. Summarize the primary arguments of each article.



08 Dec.
Day 39
Course Evaluations; Topic TBA
Today you get to exact revenge upon me for the challenging reading load and other issues.

Readings (TBA.)



10 Dec.
Day 40
The Future of the International System
It is conventional wisdom among many analysts that the period of unipolarity is over or will be shortly.
Today we will look at the debate between those who argue that the era of unipolarity of over and those who
argue that it will endure. We will also examine some divergent views of what might follow unipolarity.

Readings: (35+ pp.)
Christopher Layne, This Time its For Real: The End of Unipolarity and Pax Americana,
International Studies Quarterly (2012)

Robert Kagan, Not Fade Away: The Myth of Americas Decline, The New Republic, Jan 11, 2012.

Barry Posen, Emerging Multipolarity: Why Should We Care? in A&J: 552-560.

G. John Ikenberry, Rising Powers and Global Institutions, in A&J: 545-551.

Robert Kaplan, The Return of Toxic Nationalism, Wall Street Journal, 12/23/2013.

Recommended but optional:
Niall Ferguson, A World without Power, Foreign Affairs (July/Aug 2004)

Richard Jackson and Neil Howe, Global Aging and the Crisis of the 2020s in A&J: 570-578.

Assignment:
1. Summarize the primary arguments of each article.