UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO POLS 3360-001: International Relations (CRN: 28187) Spring 2013 TR 10:30am-11:50am, Psychology Building 115 Instructor: Dr. Cigdem V. Sirin Office Hours: TR 12:30pm-2:00pm (or by appointment) Office Location: Benedict Hall 302 Office Phone: (915) 747-7971 E-mail: cigdemsirin@utep.edu Class Website: Blackboard through MyUTEP portal COURSE OVERVIEW This course is a general overview of the study of international relations. The primary goals of the course are to cover key concepts and theories within the scientific method of studying world politics, increase your familiarity with global issues and problems, and help you develop a better understanding of major foreign policy affairs. We will discuss topics such as international conflict and terrorism, international law, and international political economy. In doing so, you will increase your ability to think more critically and systematically about international politics. COURSE OBJECTIVES I believe, with adequate effort and willingness, all of you are capable of doing well in this course. By the end of this course, you can expect to accomplish the following learning outcomes: To define, understand, and apply major concepts, principles, and practices of international politics. To recognize major analytical methods and approaches used for the scientific study of international relations. To apply and critique a body of factual knowledge and theories relevant to understanding different international political factors and structures. To comprehend and evaluate major foreign policy events and issues. To recognize and evaluate alternative points of view on historical and contemporary problems in global politics. OBJECTIVES FOR PROFESSIONALISM As a member of the academic and global community, I expect you to adhere to the following principles of professionalism: interpret the consequences of one s own actions respect different points of view and different cultures
work effectively as a leader and/or member of the community articulate the value of a diverse and global perspective in the workplace and society have concern for the well-being of others Unprofessional conduct will be dealt with immediately through the university. REQUIRED COURSE TEXT Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon C. Pevehouse. International Relations, 10/E, 2012-2013 Update (Plus MyPoliSciLab with etext Access Card Package). Pearson/Longman. ISBN-10: 0205844022; ISBN-13: 9780205844029. This book is available at the UTEP Bookstore and may also be available at online bookstores. If you choose to order your books via an online provider, please be mindful of the delivery time as several weeks may pass before you receive them. ADDITIONAL READINGS Apart from the required book, I will also assign several additional book chapters and journal articles as listed in the course schedule section of this syllabus. All of these items are available on Blackboard in the Additional Readings folder. GRADING POLICY Your final grade in this class will be based on the following requirements: Course Requirements Due Dates Weight Exam 1 02/12 15 percent Exam 2 03/07 15 percent Final Exam 05/16 15 percent Between Nations Online Assignments 1-5: 03/28 15 percent Course Project Assignments 6-10: 05/09 Group Research Project To be assigned 15 percent 3 World Geography Quizzes 02/07; 03/05; 04/11 15 percent Class Participation All meetings 10 percent All grades (including the final grade) are based on the following distribution of points: Points 89.50 79.50-89.49 B 69.50-79.49 C Letter A 59.50-69.49 D 59.49 F 2
Please note that, to be fair, I do not change grades or give individual-specific extra credit opportunities. If you are concerned about your grade, please come and see me during my office hours. This is particularly important if your grade on the first exam is not what you expected. I will not change the grade, but I can give you feedback and suggestions on how to improve your performance in the class. EXAMS There are three exams for the course. All exams are closed book/notes and in-class. Questions are based on the readings, lectures, and class discussions. Exam dates are February 12, March 7, and May 16 (final exam). Make-up exams Make-up exams will be given only in the case of a documented university-excused absence (see the excused absences section below). Note that make-up exams may be in a different format than the original exam and may require more intensive preparation. If you miss a test and your absence is not considered excused, you will receive a zero on the test. This policy will be strictly enforced. ONLINE COURSE PROJECT The course project is entitled the Between Nations Online Course Project and constitutes the development of an online folder of required reading assignments (for more information, see http://betweennations.com). The project is due by 11:59pm on June 29. Full details and instructions for this project are provided on Blackboard. Projects that are submitted late will not be accepted. WORLD GEOGRAPHY QUIZZES There will be 3 geography quizzes during the semester, which will constitute (in total) 15% of your final grade point average. Each quiz will include a map on which you will locate a selection of countries from a certain region. The first quiz is on the Americas, which will be administered on February 7. The second quiz is on Europe and Asia, which will be administered on March 5. The third quiz is on the Middle East and Africa, which will be administered on April 11. You will not need to know capitals or topography. GROUP RESEARCH PROJECT The group research project consists of a presentation to be prepared on a specific foreign policy issue of the group s choosing. The presentation will be given in class on one of the assigned days at the end of the semester. The project is worth 15% of the final grade and requires that a PowerPoint document is prepared and submitted on the presentation date. Full details and instructions for this project are provided on Blackboard. 3
CLASS PARTICIPATION (ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT) I expect everyone to attend class on the scheduled dates and times. Keep in mind that class participation is more than just attending the class meetings you should come to class alert, be willing to ask and answer questions, and contribute intellectually to class discussions. To do so, you should complete the assigned readings before each class meeting. Exams will cover material from the readings and the lectures, so doing just one or the other will leave you at a disadvantage. Beginning from the second week of the course, I will start using a technology called monoclecat (a.k.a. the CAT tool ) for tracking participation and attendance, conducting polls, as well as facilitating discussions and interaction in the classroom. On the first day of class, I will show you how to register for and use this tool (the subscription fee for one term is $20.00). You can access the Quick Start Guide for this tool on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to make sure to register for the service in a timely manner and to use this tool as instructed. You will also be asked to sign an attendance sheet for each class meeting and it is your responsibility to make sure to sign-in (forgetting to sign in, missing the sign-in sheet by arriving late, or signing-in the wrong place are not acceptable excuses). In-class attendance and participation will count for 10% of the final grade such that one must attend and participate in class to earn an A. Remember that only those students who attend class regularly and actively participate in class discussions will receive full credit (100) for their class participation grade. After two absences, I will begin to deduct 10 points from your participation grade for each absence thereafter. If you arrive late and request to sign-in at the end of the class meeting, I will deduct 5 points from your participation grade for each incident of tardiness after two late arrivals. The same policy will apply to incidents of leaving class early (Note that if you leave the class early, teaching assistants will record the time of your departure). The class participation portion of each student s grade is non-negotiable and left solely to the discretion of the instructor. EXCUSED ABSENCES I will excuse absences only when a student participates in an official university-recognized activity, observes a recognized religious holiday of her/his faith that happens to coincide with a class meeting, is called to and participates in active military service for a reasonably brief period, or confronts a medical emergency. To be excused, you must notify me in writing prior to the date of absence. That said, in cases where advanced notification is not feasible (e.g., a medical emergency), you must provide notification as soon as possible following your absence. Such notification must include an explanation of why notice could not be sent prior to the class. You must also provide satisfactory documentation verifying the reason for the absence. In case of an illness, a doctor s note is the proper documentation required. For my records, you should provide me with a hard 4
copy of the documentation that verifies the reason(s) for your absence. Documentation that is not provided in a timely manner will not be accepted. Please do not ask me to excuse absences for minor illnesses or scheduling conflicts (e.g., sports practices, play rehearsals, meetings, conferences, appointments with other professors or advisors, student teaching, having your cable installed, having a bad headache, etc.). I am aware that students have other interests and obligations, but you should nevertheless make this class a priority. See academic regulations in the UTEP Undergraduate Catalogue for a list of excused absences: http://academics.utep.edu/default.aspx?tabid=54418. According to UTEP s Curriculum and Classroom Policies, When, in the judgment of the instructor, a student has been absent to such a degree as to impair his or her status relative to credit for the course, the instructor may drop the student from the class with a grade of W before the course drop deadline and with a grade of F after the course drop deadline. CLASSROOM AND E-MAIL PROTOCOL Cell phones must be turned off or on silent during class hours. Chatting, e-mailing, internet browsing, or any other activity not related to official class activity is prohibited. When e-mailing me, please put the course number in the subject line. In the body of your e-mail, clearly state your question. At the end of your e-mail, be sure to put your first and last name, as well as your university identification number. Please do not e-mail me to inquire about information you can obtain from the syllabus. I do not answer substantive material from lectures or readings via e- mail as it is not an effective means of communicating. If there is class material you are confused about, please come and see me during my office hours (or by appointment). ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Academic dishonesty is prohibited and is considered a violation of the UTEP Handbook of Operating Procedures. It includes, but is not limited to cheating, collusion, and plagiarism. Cheating may involve copying from or providing information to another student, possessing unauthorized materials during a test, etc. Collusion involves collaborating with another person to commit any academically dishonest act. One example of collusion is signing in for another person (or having someone sign for you) on the class attendance sheet. Plagiarism is commonly defined as the passing off the ideas, works, writing, etc., of another person as your own. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own work, even if you have the permission of that person. I encourage students to study together and work collectively; however, working together to write any part of a written assignment, research paper, and/or exam is plagiarism. Be aware, just as the internet has made it easier to find material, it has also made it easier to trace the source of any written work. If you are unsure whether a citation is required, err on the side of caution and provide one. 5
Any act of academic dishonesty attempted by a UTEP student is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Violations will be taken seriously and will be referred to the Dean of Students Office for possible disciplinary action. Students may be suspended or expelled from UTEP for such actions. Refer to http://studentaffairs.utep.edu/default.aspx?tabid=4386 for further information. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT FOR COURSE MATERIALS The handouts used in this course are copyrighted. By handouts I mean all materials generated for this class, which include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lecture notes and PowerPoint slides, in-class materials, review sheets, and additional problem sets. This also includes any information posted on the course webpage. Because these are copyrighted, you do not have the right to copy and/or distribute the handouts unless I expressly grant permission. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. Please see me personally within the first two weeks of the semester to discuss any special needs you might have. If you require specific accommodations and support services, contact the Center for Accommodations and Support Services (CASS) in the Union Building East Room 106 within the first two weeks of classes. The Center for Accommodations and Support Services (CASS) can also be reached in the following ways: web: http://sa.utep.edu/cass/; phone: (915) 747-5148; fax: (915) 747-8712; e-mail: cass@utep.edu. 6
CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS* SECTION I: OVERVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: MAJOR THEORIES 01/22 Course Introduction 01/24 General Overview of International Relations Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 1 01/29 Realist Theories Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 2 01/31 Liberal and Social Theories Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 3 02/05 Foreign Policy Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 4 02/07 World Geography Quiz 1: The Americas Review for Exam 1 02/12 Exam 1 SECTION II: INTERNATIONAL ORDER AND SECURITY 02/14 International Conflict Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 5 02/19 Military Force & Terrorism Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 6 02/21 International Organization, Law, and Human Rights Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 7 02/26 Environmental Security Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 11 02/28 Civil War, Ethnic Conflict, and Genocide Reading: Wolff, Stefan. 2007. Ethnic Conflict: A Global Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press. Chapter 1. 03/05 World Geography Quiz 2: Europe and Asia Review for Exam 2 03/07 Exam 2 SECTION III: GLOBALIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY 03/12 International Integration Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 10 03/14 International Trade Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 8 03/19 Spring Break No class meeting 03/21 Spring Break No class meeting 03/26 Global Finance and Business Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 9 03/28 Annual Meeting of the Western Political Science Association No class meeting *Between Nations Online Project Assignments 1-5 due by 11:59pm 04/02 The North-South Gap Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 12 7
04/04 International Development Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 13 04/09 In-class group meetings to prepare for the upcoming project presentations 04/11 Documentary and discussion session World Geography Quiz 3: The Middle East and Africa SECTION IV: GROUP RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTATIONS 04/16 Group Presentations: Session 1 04/18 Group Presentations: Session 2 04/23 Group Presentations: Session 3 04/25 Group Presentations: Session 4 04/30 Group Presentations: Session 5 05/02 Group Presentations: Session 6 05/07 Concluding Remarks Reading: Goldstein & Pevehouse Chapter 14 05/09 Review for Final Exam *Between Nations Online Project Assignments 6-10 due by 11:59pm 05/16 FINAL EXAM: 10:00am-12:45pm *Note: This is a provisional schedule of our course. With advanced notice, I may introduce specific changes based on progress in class. 8