Classroom: 225B Eggers                                                          Office: 517 Eggers Hall

Office Hours: T 9-11 a.m.                                                        Office Phone: 443-5877     

This course equips you with a theoretical understanding of the factors that permeate, promote, or prohibit conflict and cooperation in the international system.  Considering the heavy overlay of civil, ethnic, religious, and cultural conflicts occurring around the world, the idiom of inquiry regarding international conflict in this course is not limited to studies of violent conflicts between states.  In addition, the course immerses you in the literature that examines the philosophy of peace, the furies of nationalism and ethnicity, and the role and impact of violence.  To develop your theoretical grasp of how global change may lead to conflicts and invidious acts of hatred and violence at various societal levels, we will probe the works of some leading scholars of international relations.

You should consider this seminar a collective exercise in critical thinking.  My role is to steer class discussion and engender an informal participatory class environment where we can all search collectively for the broader understanding of the subject matter at hand.  Needless to say, the present structure of the course reflects my interests.  However, I welcome a broadening of aims and interests.  Please take note of the fact that this syllabus represents anticipated scheduling of lectures/readings/assignments; changes may be made to suit the actual composition and competencies of the class.  Also please note that single copies of all the assigned readings have been placed on reserve in the Bird Library (second floor). 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

(1)   To ensure class participation and to spread out the work a bit, each student is required to make one oral presentation (15 to 25 minutes) in class concerning a topic listed in the syllabus in which you are interested or have some familiarity with.  To facilitate class discussion you are asked to e-mail your commentary to your classmates (through a listserv set up by me) two days before your scheduled presentation (i.e., Tuesday mornings).  Please note that you are expected to present a critical commentary and not just a simple summary that regurgitates the readings.  You will sign up for these presentations during our first class meeting. 

1. (2)   You are also expected to fulfill one of the following two requirements for your writing assignment in this course:
2.      (a) Write one major essay or research paper, 20-30 pages long, focusing on a    particular concept, theory, school of thought or problem examined in class.  Please note that descriptive case study papers are not acceptable. The paper is due on April 25. 
3.       (b) You will turn in a "journal of notes" on all of the reading assignments for this course.  In each entry, you will entertain the following set of questions: What is the author's thesis?  What is the major point s/he is trying to make? What are the major assumptions the author makes (and expects you to accept) in arguing that thesis? What are the implications for research practice if the author's thesis and underlying assumptions are valid or true?; What are some important or useful concepts the author presents?; How does the reading relate to previous readings?; and finally how do you assess the book as a whole (in terms of its strength and weaknesses)?  You are expected to write between 3 to 5 pages on each of the books.  The final deadline for the journal is also April 25. 

 GRADING CRITERIA

Oral Presentation and commentary                                   (25%)

Quality of Class Discussions                                                   (25%)

Writing Assignment (paper or journal)                                 (50%)

 REQUIRED TEXTS

The following books are available for purchase at the Orange Student Bookstore.

Balakrishnan, Gopal (ed.). 1996. Mapping the Nation. London. Verso.

Bull, Hedley. 1995. The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics. 2^nd ed., New York: Columbia University Press.

Haliday, Fred. 2001. The World at 2000: Perils and Promises. New York: Palgrave.

Hobsbawm, Eric. 1994. The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991. New York: Random House.

Steger, Manfred and Nancy Lind (eds.). 1999. Violence and Its Alternatives: An Interdisciplinary Reader. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Williams, Howard, Moorhead Wright, and Tony Evans (eds). 1993. A Reader in International Relations and Political Theory. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

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It has been said that man is a rational animal.  

All my life I have been searching for evidence which couldsupport this.

                                                                                                       --Bertrand Russell

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READINGS ASSIGNMENTS

January 17: Introduction - The Nature and Structure of the Course

Talking about the logistics, trajectory, expectations, and goals of the  course as well as watching the video "Faces of the Enemy." No readings.

January 24: The Age of Catastrophe

                           Hobsbawm – chapters 1 to 7

January 31: The Golden Age

                          Hobsbawm – chapters 8 to 13

February 7: The Landslide

                           Hobsbawm – chapters 14 to 19

February 14: The World At 2000

                           Halliday – entire book

February 21: Nation, Nationality, and Nationalism

                          Balakrishnan – pp. 1-225

                        Note: Since the instructor is out of town on this day we will reschedule this class.

February 28: Nationalism, Violence and the Future of Nation-States

                            Balakrishnan – pp. 226-266; 295-316

                          Steger and Lind – pp. 201-234

                          Video: Triumph of the Will

March 7: Violence and Nonviolence as Ideas and Ideals

                        Steger and Lind – pp. 3-76; 95-112; 145-168; 191-197; 253-289; 293-307; 317-333

March 14: No Class (Spring Vacation)

March 21: From Thucydides to Machiavelli

               Williams et al – chapters 1 to 5

March 28: From Grotius to Rousseau

               Williams et al – chapters 6 to 8

April 4: From Kant to Lenin

               Williams et al – chapters 9 to 13

April 11: From Carr to Cox

               Williams et al – chapters 14 to 21 (skip chapter 20)

April 18: Order in World Politics

               Bull – pp. vii-155

April 25: Alternative Paths to World Order

               Bull – pp. 155-308

              Due Date for Papers/Journals

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