Fall 2019  |  POL 3835 Section 001: International Relations (16991)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Class Attributes:
UMNTC Liberal Education Requirement
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
09/03/2019 - 12/11/2019
Mon, Wed 02:30PM - 03:45PM
UMTC, West Bank
Blegen Hall 10
Enrollment Status:
Open (82 of 83 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
Why do countries go to war? Are individuals, organizations, and states driven by their interests or their ideas? What role does power play in international relations and is there any role for justice in global politics? Do international laws and transnational advocacy groups matter in a world dominated by powerful states? Whose interests are served by a globalizing world economy? These questions are central to the study of international relations, yet different theoretical approaches have been developed in an attempt to answer them. Often these approaches disagree with one another, leading to markedly different policy prescriptions and predictions for future events. This course provides the conceptual and theoretical means for analyzing these issues, processes, and events in international politics. By the end of this class, you will be able to understand the assumptions, the logics, and the implications of major theories and concepts of international relations. These include realism and neorealism, liberalism and liberal institutionalism, constructivism, feminism, Marxism, and critical theory. A special effort is made to relate the course material to world events, developments, or conflicts in the past decade or so.
Class Notes:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?POL3835+Fall2019
Class Description:
Why does war occur? What role do international institutions and international law play in international politics? Do ideas and culture matter in a world dominated by power politics? This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of theoretical approaches for analyzing these issues, processes, and events in international politics. Specific topics will include: the causes and consequences of war; the role of law and institutions; human rights and humanitarian intervention; transnational activism and environmental politics; the regulation of arms and conflict; globalization and political economy; and the role of ideas, norms, and culture. By the end of the course, students will gain a better understanding of why and how events happen in global politics, and will be able to develop and articulate their own views on current and historical cases in global politics.
Learning Objectives:
Students who complete this course will gain a better understanding of why and how things happen in international relations. They will be able to critically analyze scholarly and popular articles, and by the end of the term should be able to develop and articulate their own views on current and historical events in international relations. They should be able to apply analytical frameworks and tools to understand the political world.
Grading:
30% Two Response Papers
25% Midterm Exam
35% Final Exam
15% Participation (inc. Attendance)
Exam Format:
The midterm exam will be a combination of short answer and essay questions. The final exam is a longer, analytical essay (5-7 pages).
Class Format:
A mix of lecture, discussion, and in-class activities.
Workload:
100 Pages Reading Per Week
1 In-Class Exam
2 Short Papers
1 Essay Final
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/16991/1199
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
15 March 2017

ClassInfo Links - Fall 2019 Political Science Classes

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