Course Description and Objectives

The overarching goal of this course is to prepare students for research in international relations by providing them with a theoretical background in the field. Therefore, this course provides an overview of an array of theories of international relations, from the major debate of realism vs. neoliberalism to "radical" challengers such as Marxism, dependencia, critical theory, postmodernism, and feminism to approaches that look inside political actors such as foreign policy analysis and leadership. Through a series of papers, students will explore, debate, and compare theories to develop a solid grasp of the different theoretical perspectives and to establish their own theoretical preferences.

Required Readings

There are three required books for this course:

Kenneth N. Waltz. Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis. New York: Columbia University Press, 1959.

Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater. Theories of International Relations. New York: St. Martin's, 1996.

Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995.

In addition, students are responsible for a range of other readings which are available through on-line reserve.

Course Requirements

Class Participation (20% of course grade)

Class participation is a vital part of this course. The intention is to run the class as an advanced seminar, where students will engage in an open dialogue based on the readings assigned for that day. Thus, students are required to have completed the assigned readings before class and to participate in discussions on a regular basis. Failure to be properly prepared or a lack of engaged discussion will result in a reduction in the class participation grade.

Take Home Exams (45% of course grade)

There are two take home exams required for the course. The questions will be handed out in class.

1. Midterm Take Home Exam (22% of course grade)

The take home midterm is due in class by November 6 at the latest. The midterm will cover the realism vs. neoliberalism debate and the "radical" theoretical approaches.

2. Final Take Home Exam (23% of course grade)

The take home final exam is must be turned in by December 12 at 2pm. The final exam will require students to consider the possibilities of creating an integrated theory of international relations and whether this theory should have practical applications.

Papers (35% of course grade) There are two papers required for the course:

1. Levels of Analysis Paper (10% of course grade)

This short paper is designed to allow students to respond to Waltz's Man, the State and War: A Theoretical Analysis and to come to their own conclusions regarding the proper level of analysis to employ when studying international relations. The paper should be 5-7 pages in length and is due in class on September 13. A list of questions that must be addressed will be handed out in class.

2. Research Paper (25% of course grade)

Since this class provides such a broad overview of the different theories, the research paper provides students an opportunity to more closely explore one theory in particular. The goal of the paper is for students to do additional outside theoretical reading, to explore how the theory has been applied to particular international issues, and to reach their own conclusions about how well this theory explains international events and how the theory could be refined. The paper should be at least 15 pages in length and is due by the class meeting on November 29.

Research Paper proposal (not graded)

Students must get their research paper topic approved. Each student must submit a brief description of the topic for their research paper. Along with the description, a short bibliography (a minimum of 5 sources must be listed at this point, but please note that the actual research paper may require more research sources) should be provided to indicate that you have begun your research. This will not be graded, but comments will be provided to assist you. Students are encouraged to turn in the paper proposal as soon as possible, but a proposal must be turned in by Tuesday September 25.

Course Policies:

1) Extensions for paper assignments will only be allowed in extreme circumstances, such as a severe illness or death of a close member of the family. There will be no extensions given for the research paper deadline since students should be working on this throughout the semester. Students handing in a late paper will have one letter grade deducted for every day that the paper is late AND papers will only be accepted in this manner with prior permission from the instructor.

2) Plagiarism is a serious offense and will be treated as such. References must be clearly cited. Students must provide a bibliography and citations (either footnotes or parenthetical format) for the information they drew from sources in the body of the paper. Work done by other students or work done previously for other classes is unacceptable.  Students who plagiarize will automatically fail the course and could be subject to further academic disciplinary action. If there are any questions regarding proper academic behavior please see the professor or refer to the "Code of Academic Integrity" in The Scotís Key.

3) As stated in The College of Wooster Catalogue letter grades are defined as:

"A range" indicates an outstanding performance in which there has been distinguished achievement in all phases of the course

"B range" indicates a good performance in which there has been a high level of achievement in some phases of the course

"C range" indicates an adequate performance in which a basic understanding of the subject has been demonstrated

"D range" indicates a minimal performance in which despite recognizable deficiencies there is enough to merit credit

F or NC indicates unsatisfactory performance

COURSE OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:

Introduction and Overview (August 28 and 30)

"The Roadrunner and the Coyote Guide to IR Theory." International Studies Perspectives, Vol. 2,
No. 3, August 2001.

Stephen M. Walt. "International Relations: One World, Many Theories." Foreign Policy. Number 110, Spring 1998: pp. 29-44.

Scott Burchill. "Introduction." in Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater (eds.) Theories of

International Relations. New York: St. Martinís, 1996, pp. 1-27.

Levels of Analysis

Kenneth N. Waltz. Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis. New York: Columbia, 1959.

September 4: Introduction and First Image

Chapter 1: "Introduction," pp. 1-15.
Chapter 2: "The First Image: International Conflict and Human Behavior," pp. 16-41.

September 6: The Second Image

Chapter 4: "The Second Image:International Conflict and the Internal Structure of States," 80-123
Chapter 5: "Some Implications of the Second Image: International Socialism and the Coming of the First World War," Introduction 124-128 and Conclusion 156-158.

September 11: The Third Image

Chapter 6: "The Third Image: International Conflict and International Anarchy," pp. 159-186.
Chapter 7: "Conclusion," pp. 224-238.

September 13: Discuss Levels of Analysis Paper*Levels of Analysis Paper Due*

Realism versus Liberalism

September 18: Overview of Realism and Liberalism

Charles W. Kegley, Jr. "The Neoliberal Challenge to Realist Theories of World Politics: An Introduction." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 1-24

Preface to Part I of Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 25-34.

September 20: Liberalism

Scott Burchill. "Liberal Institutionalism." in Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater (eds.) Theories of International Relations. New York: St. Martin's, 1996, pp. 28-66.

Michael W. Doyle. "Liberalism and World Politics Revisited." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 83-106.

Mark W. Zacher and Richard A. Matthew. "Liberal International Theory: Common Threads, Divergent Strands." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 107-150

September 25: Realism *FINAL DAY TO TURN IN RESEARCH PAPER PROPOSAL*

Scott Burchill. "Realism and Neo-Realism." in Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater (eds.) Theories of International Relations. New York: St. Martinís, 1996, pp. 67-92.

Kenneth N. Waltz. "Realist Thought and Neorealist Theory." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 67-82.

September 27: A Realist Critique of Neo-Liberal Institutionalism

Joseph M. Grieco. "Anarchy and the Limits of Cooperation: A Realist Critique of the Newest Liberal Institutionalism." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 151- 171.

October 2: No Class - Fall Break

October 4: Realism, Liberalism, and International Relations

James Lee Ray. "Promise or Peril? Neorealism, Neoliberalism, and the Future of International Politics." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 331-352.

Joel H. Rosenthal. "Rethinking the Moral Dimensions of Foreign Policy." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 317-329.

October 9: Beyond Realism and Liberalism?

Ole R. Holsti. "Theories of International Relations and Foreign policy: Realism and Its Challengers." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 35-65.

"Radical" Theoretical Approaches

October 11: Marxism

Andrew Linklater. "Marxism." in Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater (eds.) Theories of International Relations. New York: St. Martinís, 1996, pp. 119-144

October 16: Dependencia and Poverty in International Relations Theory

V. Kubalkova and A.A. Cruickshank. "Marxism and Dependency." pp. 136-146, excerpt reprinted in Poverty Amidst Plenty, edited by Edward Weisband. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1989.

Robert Gilpin. "Dependency Theory and Modern World Systems: A Liberal Critique." p.146-154, excerpt reprinted in Poverty Amidst Plenty, edited by Edward Weisband. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1989.

October 18: Is International Relations Theory Relevant for the "Third World"?

Selected chapters from Stephanie G. Neuman (ed.), International Relations Theory and the Third World. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998.
- Stephanie G. Neuman, "International Relations Theory and the Third World: an Oxymoron?" pp. 1-29
- K.J. Holsti, "International Relations Theory and Domestic War in the Third World: The Limits of Relevance," pp. 103-132
- Donald J. Puchala, "Third World Thinking and Contemporary International Relations," pp. 133-157.

October 23: Critical Theory and Postmodernism

Richard Devetak. "Critical Theory." in Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater (eds.) Theories of International Relations. New York: St. Martinís, 1996, pp. 145-178.

Richard Devetak. "Postmodernism." in Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater (eds.) Theories of International Relations. New York: St. Martinís, 1996, pp. 179-209.

October 25: Feminism

Jacqui True. "Feminism." in Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater (eds.) Theories of International Relations. New York: St. Martinís, 1996, pp. 179-209.

October 30: Functionalism

Chadwick F. Alger. "Functionalism and Integration." International Social Science Journal. Vol. 29, No.1, 1977: pp. 73-93.

Barry B. Hughes. "Evolving Patterns of European Integration and Governance: Implications for Theories of World Politics." in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. (ed.), Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 223-243.

Foreign Policy Analysis

November 1: Foreign Policy Analysis: An Overview

Valerie M. Hudson. "Foreign Policy Analysis: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." Mershon International Studies Review. Vol. 39, No.2, October 1995: pp. 209-238.

November 6: Two-Level Games: *FINAL DAY TO TURN IN TAKE HOME MIDTERM*

Robert. D. Putnam. "Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level Games." International Organization. vol. 42, No. 3, Summer 1988: pp. 427-460.

November 8: Bureaucratic Politics

Grahm Allison. "Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis." American Political Science Review. Vol. LXIII, No. 3, 1969: pp. 689-718.

Jonathon Bendor and Thomas Hammond. "Rethinking Allisonís Models." American Political Science Review. Vol. 86, No. 2, 1992: pp. 301-322.

November 13: Democratic Peace

Steve Chan. "In Search of the Democratic Peace: Problems and Promise." Mershon International Studies Review. Vol. 41, No.1, May 1997: pp. 59-91.

Nicholas G. Onuf and Thomas J. Johnson. "Peace in the Liberal World: Does Democracy Matter?" in Charles W. Kegley, Jr. (ed.), Controversies in International Relations: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martinís, 1995: pp. 179-197.

The Importance of Individuals in International Relations

November 15: Do Leaders Matter?

Margaret G. Hermann and Joe D. Hagan. "International Decision Making: Leadership Matters." Foreign Policy. Number 110, Spring 1998.

Michael D. Young and Mark Schafer. "Is There a Method in Our Madness? Ways of Assessing Cognition in International Relations." Mershon International Studies Review. Vol. 42, No. 1, May 1998: pp. 63-96.

November 20: Decision-Makersí Psychological Limitations?

*RECOMMENDED DAY TO HAVE RESEARCH PAPER TURNED IN BY*

Herbert Simon. "Human Nature in Politics: The Dialogue of Psychology with Political Science." American Political Science Review. Vol. 79, 1985: pp. 293-304.

Robert Jervis. "Perception and the Level of Analysis Problem." in Robert Jervis, Perception and Misperception in International Politics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1977: pp. 13-31.

November 22: No Class - Thanksgiving Break

Applying International Relations Theory

November 27: Should Theory Have Practical Applications?

Alexander George. Bridging the Gap: Theory and Practice in Foreign Policy. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Institute for Peace, 1993: pp.xvii-29.

Joseph Lepgold. "Is Anyone Listening?: International Relations Theory and the Problem of Relevance." Political Science Quarterly. vol. 113, No. 1, Spring 1998: pp. 43-62.

November 29 - December 4: Research paper presentations

*Reminder: NOVEMBER 29 IS THE FINAL DAY TO TURN IN RESEARCH PAPER*

Have We Really Learned Anything in the Last 2000 Years?

December 6: The Art of War

Sun Tzu. The Art of War.
- Preface and Introduction pp. vii-38
- Chapter 1 "Strategic Assessments" 41-56
- Chapter 5 "Force" 93-99
- Chapter 7 "Armed Struggle" 114-124

*TAKE HOME FINAL EXAM DUE BY WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 12 AT 2:00PM*