POL 313 — Problems of International Relations
Spring, 2011
Dr. Charles Taber
Office: SBS N707A
Office Hours: M 11:00-12:00, Th 10:00-11:00
Phone: 631-632-7659
Email: Charles.Taber@stonybrook.edu
Web: https://blackboard.stonybrook.edu/
Class Time: TTh 8:20-9:40 Class Location: Library E4320
Course Description: POL 313 examines conflict and war in the international system using the concepts and analytic techniques developed in the field of international relations. The course draws on the conceptual framework introduced in POL 101. We begin with a series of historical case studies of major wars in the 20th century and end with a discussion of the theoretical causes of war, ranging from the anarchical structure of the international system to the instinctive pugnacity of human beings. The course will be a mixture of lecture and discussion.
Readings:
Stoessinger, John G. 2010. Why Nations Go To War , 11th edition.
Blainey, Geoffrey. 1988. The Causes of War , 3rd edition.
Grading: Your grade will be based on two take-home exams (50%), one research paper (30%), and class participation (20%). Note that attendance is mandatory; absences will count against your participation grade.
Be sure that you register your attendance each class on the sign-in sheet.
The take-home tests will cover text and lecture material in an essay format. You will choose one of several possible essay topics for each take-home test, which you will have at least 1 week to complete. Grading will be based primarily on how well you answer the question (80%), but will be somewhat affected by grammar, spelling, and writing skills (20%). Essays are limited to 5 double-spaced pages and must be typed.
The term paper will require outside research on a topic that you select from a list I provide. It will be 7-10 pages, double spaced and typed, with at least three outside sources. Further guidelines and an information sheet on plagiarism will be distributed with the list of topics. If you wish, you may submit your essays and research paper (must total at least 20 pages) to me for evaluation for the upper division writing requirement for political science majors.
Americans with Disabilities Act: If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Disability Support Services, ECC (Educational Communications
Center) Building, room128, (631) 632-6748. They will determine with you what accommodations, if any, are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.
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. Faculty are required to report any suspected instances of academic dishonesty to the Academic Judiciary. Faculty in the Health Sciences Center (School of Health Technology & Management, Nursing, Social Welfare, Dental
Medicine) and School of Medicine are required to follow their school-specific procedures. For more comprehensive information on academic integrity, including categories of academic dishonesty, please refer to the academic judiciary website at 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. Faculty in the HSC Schools and the School of Medicine are required to follow their schoolspecific procedures.

Dates
2/1
2/3
2/8
2/10-15
2/17-22
2/24
3/1
3/3
3/8-10
3/15
3/17-22
3/24-29
3/31-4/14
4/26-28
4/28-5/10
5/12
Topics
Introduction
The Origins and Evolution of War
World War I
Paper topics distributed, due 5/5 in class
World War II
Early Cold War and Korea
Vietnam
Yugoslavia
India-Pakistan
Israel-Arab
Iran-Iraq/Persian Gulf
The War on Terror
Test 1 distributed 3/22, due 3/29 in class
Peace and War
The Web of War
Plans and Accidents
Varieties of War
Research paper due 5/5 in class
Conclusions
Test 2 distributed 5/12, due 5/17 in my office
Readings
Stoessinger, Introduction
Stoessinger, Chapter 1
Stoessinger, Chapter 2
Stoessinger, Chapter 3
Stoessinger, Chapter 4
Stoessinger, Chapter 5
Stoessinger, Chapter 6
Stoessinger, Chapter 7
Stoessinger, Chapter 8
Stoessinger, Chapter 9
Blainey, Chapters 1-2
Blainey, Chapters 3-8
Blainey, Chapters 9-11
Blainey, Chapters 12-16
Stoessinger, Chapter 10
Blainey, Chapters 17-18