POL 336
Spring 2012
Tu Th 5:20-6:40
Melville Library W4525
Prof. Helmut Norpoth
Social and Behavioral Sciences N-731
Office Hours: Tu 2-3:30, Th 11-12:30
Phone: 631-632-7640
Helmut.Norpoth@sunysb.edu
http://www.primarymodel.com/
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
POL 336 examines the central themes of U.S. foreign policy and the process by which foreign policy
decisions are made, as both have evolved from the constitutional and historical roots of the United States.
The current-issue focus is the war on terrorism. Advisory Prerequisite: POL 101 or 102 or 103 or 105
Teaching Assistant: Cindy Zuniga, cindy.e.zuniga@gmail.com, SBS S-718.
Required Readings (available at the campus bookstore)
Kissinger, Henry. Diplomacy. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
Woodward, Bob. Obama’s Wars. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010.
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks on the Unites States, The 9/11 Commission
Report. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2004.
In addition, you are responsible for any readings placed on Blackboard. The written material will be
supplemented by documentaries, movies, and other recordings that will be featured in class and (for extra
credit) outside of class.
Papers
Write two papers, based on class readings, choosing from these topics:
(1) Was containment the best possible policy to assure the security of the United States?
(Diplomacy, chs. 17-19, 25-27) – due Feb. 14.
(2) Choose one of these policymakers: President, Vice President, National Security Advisor,
Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Military leaders, and Intelligence directors. What
did that policymaker contribute to the Afghanistan policy of the Obama Administration?
(Obama’s Wars, relevant sections) – due Mar. 15.
(3) Do the 9/11 attacks reveal a failure of the U.S. Intelligence Community?
(9/11 Commission Report, chs. 3, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 13.2) – due Apr. 19.
For each of those papers you will have to do the class readings ahead of the schedule listed below. Other
material should be used sparingly, and properly acknowledged. While asking you to cover the readings,
these assignments also call for your judgment. Make that a closely-reasoned and well-supported
judgment—the way a successful lawyer argues in front of a courtroom jury.
Be sure to refer to the readings frequently throughout your paper. No footnotes are needed, but use
references in parentheses with page numbers. (Kissinger 15), for example, would refer to a point made by
Kissinger on page 15 of his book Diplomacy. Also whenever someone else is quoted in a reading make
sure to identify that person in the reference. Anything used verbatim must be put in quotation marks. And
even though you are using class readings, don’t forget to include a “works cited” acknowledgement at the
end of your paper (just cut and paste from the syllabus above). Copying without quotation marks or
paraphrasing without acknowledgement from someone else’s writing constitutes “plagiarism.” (See note
on Academic Integrity below.)
Each of these papers should be 1,800 words long (no less, and not a lot more). Hard copies are due on the
dates stated above. In an emergency, you may email me the paper to meet the deadline. In that case, keep
a copy of the acknowledgement that I received the emailed copy. Late submissions will be penalized at
the rate of half a grade for each day late.
Class Debates and Simulations
For each of the paper topics there will be a debate or simulation conducted in class by “expert” students
(those who covered the particular topic) willing to participate in such a venture. The format will be a
debate for Vietnam and 9/11, and a simulation for the Afghanistan policy decision. Your contribution to
these activities will count heavily for the participation component of your course grade.
Examinations
There will be a midterm and a final examination, each consisting of short-essay and multiple-choice
questions. The final covers only the post-midterm portion of the course agenda. Review guides will be
handed out and discussed before each exam.
In the event that you are unable to take an exam you must contact me before the start of the exam. Makeups will be allowed only under conditions beyond your control.
Grading Your course grade will be determined based on the following weights:
Papers (2)
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Participation
40%
20%
25%
15%
Extra Credit: You may earn extra credit by participating in studies conducted by faculty and doctoral
students in the Department. There may be other opportunities (movies shown outside of class, field trips).
Disability Notice: If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact
your course work, please contact Disability Support Services, 128 ECC Building (632-6748). They will
determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All of this is confidential.
http://studentaffairs.stonybrook.edu/dss/index.shtml
Academic Integrity: Each student must pursue his or her academic goals honestly and be personally
accountable for all submitted work. Representing another person's work as your own is always wrong.
Any suspected instance of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Academic Judiciary.
http://www.stonybrook.edu/uaa/academicjudiciary/
Critical Incident Management: Stony Brook University expects students to respect the rights,
privileges, and property of other people. Faculty are required to report to the Office of Judicial Affairs
any disruptive behavior that interrupts their ability to teach, compromises the safety of the learning
environment, or inhibits students' ability to learn. http://www.stonybrook.edu/sb/behavior.shtml
Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments
Jan. 24
26
31
Feb. 2
IDEALISM vs. REALISM
Read: Diplomacy, chs. 1 & 2
Wilson, 1917 Speech (BB)
Bush, 2005 Inaugural (BB)
THE U.S. AS A WORLD POWER
Feb. 7
9
14
Feb. 14
INTERVENTION IN THE WORLD WARS
Read: Diplomacy, chs. 9, 15 & 16
** Paper on Topic #1 due (do the relevant readings ahead of schedule) **
Feb. 16
21
23
THE POLICY OF CONTAINMENT
Feb. 28
Mar. 6
8
CONTAINMENT UNDER FIRE: VIETNAM
Mar. 1
Mar. 13
Read: Diplomacy, chs. 17, 18 & 19
Read: Diplomacy, chs. 25, 26 & 27
** Midterm Examination**
CONTAINMENT VICTORIOUS
Read: Diplomacy, chs. 29 & 30
THE DECISION PROCESS
Mar. 15
Mar. 15
20
** Paper on Topic #2 due (do the relevant readings ahead of schedule) **
PRESIDENTIAL POWER
Read: Obama’s Wars, pp. 1-98
Mar. 22
27
CONGRESSIONAL PREROGATIVES
Read: Obama’s Wars, pp. 99-201
Mar. 29
Apr. 10
THE FOREIGN POLICY BUREAUCRACY
Read: Obama’s Wars, pp. 202-300
Apr. 2-8
Apr. 12
17
** Spring Break **
THE MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE
Read: Obama’s Wars, pp. 301-390
CURRENT ISSUE: TERRORISM
Apr. 19
Apr. 19
** Paper on Topic #3 due [only if you did not write two papers already] **
(do the relevant readings ahead of schedule)
THE NEW TERRORISM
Read: 9/11 Commission Report, ch. 2
Apr. 24
COUNTERTERRORISM STRATEGIES PRE-9/11
Read: 9/11 Commission Report, ch. 3
Apr. 26
THE 9/11 ATTACKS
Read: 9/11 Commission Report, chs. 6, 7 & 8
May 1
3
WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT?
Read: 9/11 Commission Report, chs. 11 & 13
May 10
(Thursday)
** Final Examination, 5:15-6:45 PM**