POLS 2401 Global Issues: OLA & OLB
Spring 2014
Instructor: Jun Kwon
CRN #: 8043
E-Mail: Jun.Kwon@ung.edu
Time: Online
Office: 313 Hansford Hall
Phone: 706-864-1870
Office Hours:
T: 11:00am to 02:00pm
TR: 11:00am to 02:00pm
Mission
This course is designed to introduce students to the study of global issues and provide them with
foundation for more advanced study within that area. As such, this course will explore the
fundamental concepts, theories, issues, and problems of global issues. This course consists of
two parts by and large. The first half of the semester will be devoted to exploring major
theoretical approaches to analyze global issues such as realism, liberalism, constructivism, etc. In
this part, we will attempt to address the question of how to explain states’ behavior in response to
external challenges. The second half of this course will deal with major issues of current global
relations. In this part, we will explore states responses to the current hot issues. In this way, the
ultimate goal of this course is that students cultivate their ability to understand current issues of
global politics and to analyze states’ actions in response to them.
Course Requirements and Grading Criteria
Short Answer Questions: 20%
Final Grade Ranges:
Essay Assignment: 50%
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 59 and below
Final Exam: 20%
Common Assignment Paper: 10%
Readings
-- Art, Robert and Robert Jervis. International Politics, 11th edition. New York: Longman
(referred to as A&J).
-- Additional readings are listed in the syllabus and are posted on “Content” tab of our
class D2L.
Methods of Instruction
This course will be conducted online using a combination of written assignments along with
short-answer questions on D2L. Students are expected to be fully involved in answering shortanswer questions and in submitting their written essay works. This course is reading intensive
and the students are required to read the materials. Students are expected to answer questions and
write essays based on the assigned readings.
Short Answer Questions: 20%
There are 11 modules in this class focusing on different issues related to global and international
issues and politics. Each topic spans one week except Module 1 spanning two weeks. It starts on
Monday and runs through Friday. Short-answer questions and essay assignments in each
module are due on 05:00PM on Friday. No late submission will be accepted. Reading and
understanding your assigned readings is the basis of learning in this course. You will be asked to
answer three short answers questions on the Dropbox tab on D2L. Each question requires the
length of around 200-300 words.
Essay Assignment: 50%
Going along with short-answer questions will be a broader essay assignment which will focus on
the issues under consideration for each week. You will synthesize the readings and show your
understanding of them in essay questions. The essay assignment should be around 1,000 words
in which you answer the questions as directed in the assignment. Short-answer questions and
Essay assignments will be posted and submitted on the Dropbox of D2L. It is due on
05:00PM on Friday.
Common Assignment Paper: 10%
Students will submit a semester paper on April 25th (Friday) by 05:00PM. The following
format must be used: 1200-1500 words, double spaced, times new roman 12pt font, 1” margins.
You must submit it through Turnitin.com (class ID: 7407305 and password is 2401). In order to
submit your paper, you need to create user profile and use our class ID and password above to
turn it in. Using the material from the course, lectures, discussions, readings, and analysis,
students will have to evaluate an academic article. Students will be able to choose from four
articles. The articles are available on D2L under the tab of “Common Assignment Paper
Articles”. In their evaluation of the article, students must answer the following questions:
Question #1: What is the global issue raised in this article? Provide specific examples from the
article to support your answer.
Question #2: What is the main argument put forth by the author(s) in discussing this global
issue? What theoretical perspective (i.e., realist, liberal, radical, etc.) and/or empirical evidence
do the authors use to support their argument(s)? Are they successful in effectively demonstrating
their points? Provide specific examples from the article to support your answer.
Question #3: Identify the main actors in the international system affected by this global issue
and at which particular level of analysis that actor operates (individual, state/domestic, and
systemic/global). How does this global issue affect the different actors in the international system,
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for example individuals, states, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations,
etc.? Provide specific examples to illustrate your points.
Question #4: Considering the relevance of this issue today, what should be done in the future?
What actors should respond and how? In your answer address the impact on and/or response by
individuals, states, and transnational actors (IGOs, NGOs, etc.).
In-class Final Exam: 20%
Students are required to participate in at least one in-class activity (e.g. exam) in this online class.
The final exam will be based on the materials presented each week, the main text, other required
readings. It will be mainly objective tests, including multiple choice questions, fill-in-the blank
short answers, and essays. The date of the final exam is scheduled on Wednesday, April 16
(12:00-12:50PM). The location of the final will be announced later. If you miss the final exam,
you will fail the course. Note that there are no make-ups available for the final exam.
The Link of Supplemental Syllabus
http://ung.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-guidelines/supplemental-syllabus.php
Class Attendance
Since this is a web-based course, there is no attendance that is required for this class. Please,
concentrate your efforts on completing your work in a professional, efficient and timely manner.
Turnitin.com Statement
Your semester paper must be submitted to Turnitin.com. Please read the following statement and
familiarize yourself with the terms of this policy:
“Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to
submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism.
All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference
database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the
Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the
Turnitin.com site.”
Academic Honesty
All academic work must meet the standards contained in NGCSU honor policy. All students are
responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.
Suspected violations of the Academic Integrity policy should be referred by students to the
instructor. If the instructor concludes that a violation of the Academic Integrity policy has
occurred, the instructor will either (1) penalize the student and file an incident report with the
Academic Integrity Council (2) refer the matter directly to the Academic Integrity Council, If an
incident report is filed by the instructor, the instructor will review the completed report with the
student and will request that the student sign the report as an indication that the student is aware
of the contents of the report. Any instance of plagiarism or cheating will result in a zero grade for
the assignment and/or a failing grade for the course (“F”) depending on the severity of the
offense and to be determined by the instructor.
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Plagiarism
Defined as using others’ ideas and words without clearly acknowledging the source of that
information. Plagiarism is offering someone else's work as your own, whether one sentence or
whole paragraphs, and whether from an internet source, book, periodical, or the writing of other
students. It also includes turning in work submitted for another class, in full or in part, without
the expressed permission of the course instructor.
Accommodations for Disabilities
North Georgia College & State University is committed to equal access to its programs, services,
and activities for people with disabilities. If you believe that you have a disability requiring an
accommodation, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the instructor and the Office of
Student Disability Resources. In this case, contact Mr. Thomas McCoy, Director of Student
Disabilities Services, in the Stewart Student Success Center, Room 313 at 706-867-2782.
Contact Issues and Roll Verification
Within the first week of the class (between January 06 and January 10), each student need to post
a brief self-introduction message on the “Dropbox” tab on D2L. It is designed to get to know
each other as well as to ensure that you have been able to get into D2L.
1. Your full name and brief self-introduction (also include a shortened version of your name, if
you would like to be referred to as Nick for example rather than Nicholas)
2. A bit of information regarding why you chose to take this course and what you hope to learn
within the confines of the course.
Course Schedule
Below you will find a schedule of topics and readings for the semester. The schedule is as
follows.
Module One (Jan 06 through Jan 17): Welcome! Anarchy and Realism
-- “Anarchy and its Consequences” in A&J (p. 1-7)
-- Waltz, Kenneth N. “The Anarchic Structure of World Politics” in A&J (p. 35-56)
-- Mearsheimer, John J. “The Anarchy of the Struggle for Power” (D2L)
-- Sanger, David. “Superpower and Upstart: Sometimes It Ends Well” in New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/weekinreview/23sanger.html?_r=1&ref=china
-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9eV5gPlPZg
-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKFamUu6dGw
Module Two (Jan 20 through Jan 24): Mitigation of Anarchy and Liberal Institutionalism
-- Nau, Henry. 2007. Perspectives on International Relations: Power, Institutions, and Ideas.
Washington, DC: CQ Press. Chapter 1 (D2L)
-- Oye, Kenneth. “The Conditions for Cooperation in World Politics” in A&J (p. 76-89)
-- Keohane, Robert O. “International Institutions: Can Interdependence Work?” in A&J (p. 151158)
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-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5foxGFXNl-s
Module Three (Jan 27 through Jan 31): Ideas and Norms & Constructivism
-- Wendt, Alexander. “Anarchy is What States Make of It” in A&J (p. 65-72)
-- Hurd, Ian. “Legitimacy in International Politics” in A&J (p. 73-75)
-- Checkel, JT. 1998. “The Constructivist Turn in International Relations Theory.” World
Politics: 324-48. (D2L)
Module Four (Feb 03 through Feb 07): Democratic Peace Theory
-- http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http://www.e-ir.info/2012/02/18/the-democraticpeace-theory/#
-- Nau, Henry. 2007. Perspectives on International Relations: Power, Institutions, and Ideas.
Washington, DC: CQ Press. Conclusion Chapter (D2L)
Module Five (Feb 10 through Feb 14): Alliance and Polarity
-- Walt, Stephen M. “Alliances: Balancing and Bandwagoning” in A&J (p. 125-131)
-- Posen, Barry. “Emerging Multipolarity: Why Should We Care?” in A&J (p. 552-559)
-- Mearsheimer, John. 1990. “Why we will soon miss the Cold War.” The Atlantic Monthly 266
(2):35-50 (D2L)
Module Six (Feb 17 through Feb 21): World War I & World War II
-- Henry Nau. 2007. Perspectives on International Relations: Power, Institutions, and Ideas.
Washington, DC: CQ Press. Chapter 3 (D2L)
-- Nau, Chapter 4 (D2L)
Module Seven (Feb 24 through Feb 28): International Intervention
-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=264NqMyxKf8
-- Annan, Kofi. “Reflection on Intervention” in A&J (p. 416-421)
-- Barnett, Michael and Jack Snyder. “The Grand Strategies of Humanitarianism” in A&J (p.
422-428)
-- Downes, Alexander. “To the Shores of Tripoli?” in A&J (p. 429-436)
Module Eight (Mar 03 through Mar 07): Spread of Nuclear Weapons
-- Sokolski, Henry. “Getting ready for a Nuclear-Ready Iran” in A&J (p. 239-241)
-- Posen, Barry. “A Nuclear-Armed Iran: A Difficult but Not Impossible Policy Problem.” in
A&J (p. 242-258)
-- Regarding North Korea: readings to be announced
Module Nine (Mar 10 through Mar 14): Terrorism
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-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHXLdwuFi7Q
-- Hoffman, Bruce. “What is Terrorism?” in A&J (p. 186-196)
-- Pape, Robert A. “The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism.” in A&J (p. 214-231)
-- Cronin, Audret. “Ending Terrorism” in A&J (p. 402-415)
Spring Break (Mar 17 through Mar 21): No Assignment
Module Ten (Mar 24 through Mar 28): Israel-Palestine Conflict
-- Haass, RN. 2006. “New Middle East,” Foreign Affairs 85 (6):2-11. (D2L)
-- Mearsheimer, JJ, and SM Walt. 2006. “The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy.” Middle East
Policy 13 (3):29-87. (D2L)
-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5pGLz74jIA
-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7XtT91yO6g
Module Eleven (Mar 31 through Apr 04): The Rise of China and the U.S.
-- Friedberg, Aaron. “The Future of U.S.-China Relations: Is Conflict Inevitable?” International
Security, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Fall 2005) pp. 7-45. (D2L)
-- Art, Robert. “The United States and the Rise of China” in A&J (p. 393-401)
-- Subramanian, Arvind. “The Inevitable Superpower: Why China’s Dominance is a Sure Thing”
in A&J (p. 578-585)
Note: This course syllabus is a general plan for the course: deviations announced to the class by
the instructor may be necessary.
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