PLSC 212
Introduction to International Politics (Honors)
Eastern Michigan University
Department of Political Science
Winter 2014
MW, 3:30-4:45 p.m., 419 Pray-Harrold
Dr. Volker Krause
Office: 602J Pray-Harrold
Phone: 487-0061
Email: vkrause@emich.edu
Office Hours: MW, 12:30-2:00 p.m., T, 2:00-4:00 p.m., or by appointment
Course Description:
This course introduces you to concepts, ideas, and debates central to the study of international
politics. The course is divided into four parts. Part 1 deals with the evolution and characteristics
of the global system and international actors, focusing on approaches to international relations as
well as the historical context of contemporary international relations. Part 2 identifies levels of
analysis, theoretical perspectives, and sources of foreign policy behavior in international
relations, focusing on three levels of analysis (the international system, the state, and the
individual) and four theoretical perspectives (realism, liberalism, radicalism, and
constructivism). Part 3 covers global governance as well as international cooperation and conflict
over security and economics, focusing on intergovernmental organizations, international law,
and nongovernmental organizations, war and strife, international political economy, human
rights, as well as transnational issues. In Part 4, you will have an opportunity to make a
PowerPoint presentation and submit a report of an international problem analysis that you will
develop in four stages throughout the semester.
Course Objectives and Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:
Understand and critically reflect on the evolution and diversity of characteristics of
the global system and international actors.
Explain how different levels of analysis and theoretical perspectives help us view and
interpret international politics.
Analyze critically political, military, economic, and cultural issues of global diversity
and discuss their impacts on the emergence and management of international
cooperation and conflict.
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Develop critical analytical skills essential to research on contemporary events in
international politics.
In addition to these objectives, the course will also pursue a set of General Education Social
Science outcomes. By taking the course, students will be able to:
Acquire an understanding of social science methods and how they are used to engage
in systematic study of society and culture.
Understand and compare formal and informal social and political structures,
organizations, and institutions.
Explore and understand power relationships and the impact of social change on
different groups and on society in general.
Develop an appreciation of different interpretations of contemporary issues,
institutions, or structures.
Use social science methods and content to interpret and analyze data and reports in
the media and to make informed decisions regarding local, national, and international
issues.
Use basic social scientific research techniques to examine and present information in
a clear and concise manner.
Understand the relation between qualitative and quantitative research.
Course Structure:
The class combines both lectures and discussions. While lectures introduce and explain key
concepts, ideas, arguments, and facts, discussions address critical questions, problems, and issues
identified during lectures. You are expected to be active participants in class discussions and
contribute meaningfully to the explanation, evaluation, and application of concepts and issues
covered in the course. To this end, you are expected to read the assigned material and be well
prepared for each class session.
In an international problem analysis, you will select a problem in international politics and then
analyze it with qualitative and quantitative data. You will present your analysis with PowerPoint
in class and in a report that is due on the day of your presentation. Throughout the semester,
there will be four stages in which you develop the international problem analysis.
Required Text:
In pursuit of the course objectives, the following text is required:
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Karen A. Mingst and Ivan M. Arreguín-Toft. Essentials of International Relations, 6th
edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-393-92195-3
(http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Essentials-of-International-Relations/)
Recommended Text:
As a supplement to the required text, the following text is recommended:
Karen A. Mingst and Jack L. Snyder. Essential Readings in World Politics, 5th
edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-393-92196-0
(http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Essential-Readings-in-World-Politics/)
Please note that you may get the recommended text at a discount if you purchase it online in a
package together with the required text.
Other Sources:
I strongly encourage you to read daily news relevant to international politics. Here are some
suggestions of possible news sources:
BBC: http://www.bbc.com
CNN: http://www.cnn.com
Global Edition of the New York Times: http://global.nytimes.com/
Course Requirements:
International Problem Analysis: Throughout the semester, you will develop an international
problem analysis in which you address the following questions:
What is the problem in international politics chosen for investigation?
What level(s) of analysis and what theoretical perspective(s) may help us understand
the problem?
What is your qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of the problem?
What policies do you recommend to deal with the problem?
You will respond to these questions in four stages. The first three stages will require cumulative
drafts of a report whose final version, together with an in-class PowerPoint presentation, will be
submitted at Stage 4. There will be comments and feedback on each draft to inform the next
cumulative draft as well as the final report and the PowerPoint presentation. Each draft and the
final report should have a title page and a list of references. Please use either the APSA or
Chicago style of citation.
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Stage 1: Problem Statement: This requires a draft of up to two double-spaced type-written
pages of text identifying and describing the problem in international politics. Depending on
quality, this Stage 1 Draft will be worth up to 10 points; it is due on Wednesday, January 22.
Stage 2: Problem Statement, Level(s) of Analysis and Theoretical Perspective(s): This
requires a draft of up to four double-spaced type-written pages of text including the problem
statement as well as the level(s) of analysis and theoretical perspective(s) that may help us
understand the problem. Depending on quality, this Stage 2 Draft will be worth up to 20 points;
it is due on Monday, February 10.
Stage 3: Problem Statement, Level(s) of Analysis and Theoretical Perspective(s),
Qualitative and/or Quantitative Analysis: This requires a draft of up to eight double-spaced
type-written pages of text including the problem statement, the level(s) of analysis and
theoretical perspective(s) that may help us understand the problem, as well as the qualitative
and/or quantitative analysis. Depending on quality, this Stage 3 Draft will be worth up to 30
points; it is due on Monday, March 10.
Stage 4: Problem Statement, Level(s) of Analysis and Theoretical Perspective(s),
Qualitative and/or Quantitative Analysis, Recommended Policies: This requires a final
version of a report of up to ten double-spaced type-written pages of text including the problem
statement, the level(s) of analysis and theoretical perspective(s) that may help us understand the
problem, the qualitative and/or quantitative analysis, as well as recommended policies. The
complete international problem analysis covered in this report will also be presented with
PowerPoint in class. Depending on quality, the report and the PowerPoint presentation will be
worth up to 40 points; the report is due in class on the day of your PowerPoint presentation.
Among examples of problems in international politics are war, terrorism, nuclear proliferation,
human rights violations, economic decline, poverty, financial crisis, and threats to the
environment.
You might want to consider the three levels of analysis (the international system, the state, and
the individual) and four theoretical perspectives (realism, liberalism, radicalism, and
constructivism) covered in class and in the readings.
Qualitative data sources include news articles, speeches, declarations, and interviews.
Quantitative data sources include statistics, figures, tables, and charts.
Grading Scale:
Through the four stages of the international problem analysis, you can obtain a possible total
number of 100 points, which are divided as follows:
Stage 1: 10 points
Stage 2: 20 points
Stage 3: 30 points
Stage 4: 40 points
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Your course grade will be determined by your actual total number of points based on the
following scale:
95-100 A
90-94 A87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C67-69 D+
63-66 D
60-62 D0-59 F
Course Outline:
Part 1: Evolution and Characteristics of the Global System and International Actors
Week 1: January 6 and January 8
Topic: Approaches to International Relations
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 1)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 1)
Week 2: January 13 and January 15
Topic: The Historical Context of Contemporary International Relations
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 2)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 2)
Week 3: January 22
Topic: The Historical Context of Contemporary International Relations (continued)
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 2)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 2)
Note: No classes on January 20 (MLK Jr. Day)!
Part 2: Levels of Analysis, Theoretical Perspectives, and Sources of Foreign Policy
Behavior in International Relations
Week 4: January 27 and January 29
Topic: Contending Perspectives
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 3)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 3)
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Week 5: February 3 and February 5
Topic: The International System
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 4)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 4)
Week 6: February 10 and February 12
Topic: The State
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 5)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 5)
Week 7: February 17 and February 19
Topic: The Individual
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 6)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 6)
Week 8: February 24 and February 26
No classes (Winter Recess)!
Part 3: Global Governance, International Cooperation and Conflict over Security and
Economics
Week 9: March 3 and March 5
Topic: Intergovernmental Organizations, International Law, and Nongovernmental
Organizations
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 7)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 7)
Week 10: March 10 and March 12
Topic: War and Strife
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 8)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 8)
Week 11: March 17 and March 19
Topic: International Political Economy
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 9)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 9)
Week 12: March 24 and March 26
Topic: Human Rights
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 10)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 10)
Week 13: March 31 and April 2
Topic: Transnational Issues
Required Reading: Mingst and Arreguín-Toft (Chapter 11)
Recommended Reading: Mingst and Snyder (Chapter 11)
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Part 4: International Problem Analysis
Week 14: April 7 and April 9
Topic: PowerPoint Presentations
Reading: Individual Research
Week 15: April 14 and April 16
Topic: PowerPoint Presentations
Reading: Individual Research
Week 16: April 21
Topic: PowerPoint Presentations
Reading: Individual Research
Course Policy:
Late drafts, a late report, or absence from a PowerPoint presentation will be accepted only in
cases of documented medical or family emergencies.
Incomplete grades will be given only for documented medical or family emergencies, and must
be negotiated before final grades are due.
Since I respect your observance of religious holidays, nobody will be penalized or disadvantaged
for missing class on such days.
I will work hard to help any student who has to miss class due to illness, religious holidays, or
unavoidable conflicts.
I will try to offer extensive support in office hours and schedule appointments at other times for
any student who is staying up-to-date but has questions. Conversely, I will give only basic
guidance to a student who lets the course go for no important reason.
I recommend that you take this class only if you are seriously committed to doing the course
work.
Academic dishonesty (including plagiarism and cheating) will not be tolerated and is prohibited
by the EMU Code of Student Conduct. Academic dishonesty evident in any assignment will
result in a score of zero for the assignment.
Violations of the EMU Code of Student Conduct or the University’s Safe Working and Learning
Environment may result in sanctions up to removal from the course or expulsion from the
university.
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