Towson University
Introduction to International Relations, POSC 107
Spring 2014, Class/Online Hybrid
Instructor: Molly Ruhlman
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesday 12-1
mruhlman@towson.edu
Course Description (from the catalog):
POSC 107 is an introductory examination of principles of legal, political and social relations among nations;
coordination and conflict in the international system; global issues, such as trade, security, war and peace,
power and formation of foreign
policy. GenEd II.D.
Students may not repeat this course for credit. It may be repeated once to replace the grade. It cannot be
repeated more than once without prior permission of the Academic Standards Committee.
The last day that you can drop this course with no grade posted is Tuesday Feb. 4th, Last day to withdraw with a
grade of “W” or change your grade to a Pass/No Pass is Friday Feb. 28th.
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
The goal of the Department of Political Science is to provide students with an understanding of politics that will
prepare them for further study in graduate or professional education or that will prepare them to enter the world
of domestic or international public service or business. To meet this goal, the department seeks to accomplish
the following four general student learning outcomes:
1.
Substantive Knowledge about Politics - Describe the structure and nature of politics in international
relations.
2.
Critical Thinking Skills - Identify historical, cultural, and socio-economic assumptions that underlie
understandings about politics and explain how they affect one’s perspectives and actions.
3.
Affective Meanings of Politics - Explain the importance of politics in the attitudes and beliefs about
current issues that affect local, national and international affairs.
4.
Skills for Learning and Life - Present articulate and persuasive arguments about politics in written
and oral communications.
This course addresses these outcomes by introducing you to the study of International Relations. Upon
completion of the course, students should be able to do the following:
1. Understand how the international system evolved into its current form;
2. Identify and describe the major actors and institutions in the international system; including the role of
states, international organizations, and the world political economy;
3. Understand various theoretical approaches to the study of international relations;
4. Understand the instruments of international relations such as power, military force, diplomacy, law, and
economics; and
5. Be able to use these understandings and theories to explain major issues that affect international
relations.
Course Overview
This course offers a broad overview of the theories, history, concepts and major issues of international politics.
We will explore competing theoretical approaches as we seek to understand and explain the interaction of
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international actors including states, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations and
individuals. Our goal will be to that you gain a firm understanding of the important facts and conceptual
frameworks that you will need to make sense of international events and politics, and to be prepared for upperlevel courses in IR.
This class is a hybrid of an in-person course and an online course. That means that we will meet in the
classroom on Mondays and Wednesdays, but there will also be online assignments, which will be due by the
end of Friday each week. Each week’s online assignment will become available for completion at midnight on
Friday.
Assignments and Grading
Each class will be a combination of lecture and discussion. You are required to have read the material before
attending class. This will help you understand the lecture, as well as participate in discussion.
Exams (4): 60%
Papers (2): 30%
Quizzes (11): 10% (the lowest quiz score will be dropped)
Online Assignments and Exams
Each week there will be an online quiz, assignment, or exam. These will all be available on blackboard.
Quizzes/assignments will be available all week long, and will be due by midnight on Sunday. Once you begin
the quiz or assignment you will have one hour to complete it (two hours for exams). Because we will not have a
lot of in-class time, the online assignments will be designed to make sure that you are learning the material, and
will aim to help clarify concepts. You must take these quizzes/assignments/exams on your own, but you may
use your assigned reading material and your own notes. However, do not rely on being able to “look up” every
answer; you will not have time for that! You must be prepared for exams. Before opening online exams you
should have read all assigned material and have studied your notes.
Papers
There are two paper assignments, each of which is worth 10% of your grade. Details for each can be found at
the end of the syllabus. The papers are to be 4-5 pages in length.
Exams
Exams in this course will be taken online (except for the final exam, which will be taken in class during the
final exam period). They will be composed of both multiple choice and essay questions. You will have two
hours to take the exam. The exams will be available all week, but when you begin the exam you will have only
2 hours to complete it. When you start an exam you must be sure you have time to finish it. You should be sure
of your Internet connection when you begin an exam (you may want to do these exams in Cook library). You
will have your material available to you, but you must be familiar with that material or you will not do well on
these exams in the time you have available. Prepare and organize.
Late Work
Late Exams: Late exams will not be accepted. Any conflict with the exam-writing window must be discussed
with me before the exam begins. Only in the case of DOCUMENTED AND VERIFIABLE emergencies will
exceptions be considered.
Late Assignments: Your grade will drop by TEN points once the deadline has passed. Every day thereafter,
your grade will drop by another 10 points. The only valid exceptions are noted immediately below.
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Exceptions: Except in DOCUMENTED AND VERIFIABLE emergencies, students will not receive individual
extensions under any circumstances. Obviously, this policy only applies to real emergencies, which are
unplanned.
Grading
I use the +/- grading system for grades A-, B+, B-, and C+. I do not use +/- below the grade of C. My scoring
for grades is as follows
Letter
Grade
Range
A
AB+
B
B-
92-100
90-91
88-89
82-87
80-81
Score Recorded when
only a Letter Grade is
Assigned
95
90
88
85
80
Letter
Grade
Range
C+
C
D
F
78-79
70-77
60-69
Below 60
Score Recorded when
only a Letter Grade is
Assigned
78
75
65
Varies
Academic Integrity
The Towson University Code of Conduct prohibits “all forms of dishonesty including cheating and plagiarism.”
Plagiarism is copying the words of another or the use of ideas of another without proper citation. The
consequences of cheating or plagiarism will be a failing grade of 0 points for the assignment, and a discussion
with me about the possibility of referring the situation to the College of Liberal Arts Dean which may result in
suspension. All circumstances of clear intention to cheat will be reported as an honor violation.
Individual Student Needs
If English is not your first language special arrangements can be made to improve your performance on the
exams and assignments. Please see me prior to the first exam for more information.
This course is in compliance with Towson University’s policies for students with disabilities. Accommodations
can be made on exams and assignments for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are encouraged
to register with Disability Support Services (DSS), 7720 York Road, Suite 232, 410-704-2638 (Voice or TDD).
Students who expect that they have a disability but do not have documentation are encouraged to contact DSS
for advice on how to obtain appropriate evaluation. A memo from DSS authorizing your accommodation is
needed before any accommodation can be made.
If you have special needs regarding assignments or exams, please talk with me at the beginning of the term. The
number for Towson disability support services is 410-704-3475
Required Text
1) Lamy, et al. Introduction to Global Politics, Owens.Oxford University Press. 2011
2) Karen A. Mingst and Jack Snyder, Essential Readings in World Politics, 4th ed. (on syllabus schedule as
ERWP)
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CLASS SCHEDULE
We only meet in person on Mondays and Wednesdays.
**Consider FRIDAYs as online assignment days – online assignment EVERY WEEK**
Week 1, January 27-31: Introduction to International Relations
1) Syllabus. Read it thoroughly, more than once, and keep it handy throughout the semester!
2) Lamy: Chapter 1
Recommended: Snyder (p2)
*note, for this introductory week the online quiz is a practice quiz covering material that is in the syllabus
Week 2, February 3-7: Historical Context of Contemporary IR
1) Lamy: Chapter 2
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 2
*note, for this week the online quiz covers material from both week 1 and 2.
Week 3, February 10-14:Theoretical Perspectives Part I, Realism
1) Lamy: Chapter 3, to 74
2) ERWP: Thucydides (p11)
3) ERWP: Morgenthau (p32)
Recommended: Mearsheimer (p37), Morgenthau (p99)
Week 4, February 17-21:Theoretical Perspectives Part II, Liberalism
1) Lamy: Chapter 3, 74-end
2) ERWP: Doyle (p57)
Recommended: Wilson (p14), Keohane (p338),
Week 5, February 24- 28: Theoretical Perspective Part III
EXAM I THIS WEEK
1) Lamy: Chapter 4
2) ERWP: Wendt (p73)
Recommended: Finnemore (p496)
Week 6, March 3-7: States and Foreign Policy
PAPER 1 DUE Wednesday March 5rd
1) Lamy: Chapter 5
2) ERWP: Putnam
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 5
Week 7, March 10-14: Global Governance
1) Lamy, Chapter 6
2) ERWP: Hurd
Recommended: Keohane (p338), Mearsheimer (p355)
SPRING BREAK March 16-23
Week 8, March 24-28: Transnational Actors
EXAM 2 THIS WEEK
1) Lamy, Chapter 7
2) ERWP: Keck and Sikkink
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Recommended: Roy (p245)
Week 9, March 31-April 4: Security and Military Power
1) Lamy: Chapter 8
2) ERWP: Fearon
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 8
Week 10, April 2-7: Terrorism
3) Lamy Chapter 9
4) ERWP: Kydd and Walter
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 8
Week 11, April 9-11: Human Rights
EXAM 3 THIS WEEK
1) Lamy: Chapter 10
2) ERWP: Sen
3) ERWP: Hurd
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 10, and Power (p317)
Week 12, April 14-18: International Political Economy, Theories
1) Lamy: Chapter 11
2) ERWP: Gilpin
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 9
Week 13, April 21-25: Globalization and Economics
1) Lamy: Chapter 12
2) ERWP: Yotam
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 9
Week 14, April 28-May 2: Poverty and Development
1) Lamy: Chapter 13
2) ERWP: Gruber
Recommended: ERWP, Chapter 9
Week 15, May 5-9: The Environment
1) Lamy: Chapter 14
2) ERWP: Hardin
Recommended: ERWP Chapter 11
Last Day of Class: Monday May 12: Conclusion, wrap up
FINAL EXAM:
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WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1) An application of IR Theory to contemporary questions, Due Wednesday March 5th
Choose a current problem in international politics. Define that problem in terms of a question. Use IR theory to
answer that question. You paper will demonstrate understanding of the logic of each IR theory and an ability to
apply theory as a tool for understanding the world.
3) IR subject reflection paper, Due the Monday following the week of the subject you choose to write on.
Choose one week from weeks 9-15. Read both the assigned and recommended material for that week and write
a reflection paper on that week’s material. Make a list of questions that you have about the subject of the week
and then answer one of those questions in your paper. Your paper should have a clear defined argument that is
stated in the introduction, and defended throughout the paper with references made to the reading. Use proper
citations!
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