POLS 440/5140 - The Constitution of a Global Society
Monday 5:00-7:15PM @ WALEED CP67
Professor Ezzedine Choukri FISHERE
ecfishere@aucegypt.edu
Office hours: Monday and Thursday @HUSS-2015 11:30-12:30am
Monday 16H00-17H00
Teaching Assistant: MostafaTharwat
mostafatharwat@aucegypt.edu
This course explores the different ways in which International Relations field analyzes the
constitution of a global society. Students will read and review ten different books offering
different perspectives on the topic. From Realism, which sees the world as one of states, to the
English School which emphasize the normative dimension of the “international society” (of
states), to liberal and Marxist approaches, and finally to the contribution of historical sociology.
Readings
 Beaud, Michel. A History of Capitalism.(New York: Monthly Review Press, 2001).
 Bull, Hedley. The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (London:
Macmillan, 1977).
 Cox, “Social Forces, States, and World Orders,” in Keohane, Robert O., ed. Neorealism
and Its Critics, pp. 204-253.
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Crothers, Lane. Globalization and American Popular Culture. 3rd ed.
Lanham : Rowman& Littlefield Publishers, 2012 (available online)
-
Dunne, Tim, Milja Kurki, and Steve Smith. International Relations Theories: Discipline
and Diversity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, (2010).
-
Giddens, Anthony, the Consequences of Modernity, Oxford : Wiley, 2013
(1995) (available online)
Keck and Sikkink. “Transnational Activist Networks,” in Art and Jervis,
International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 9th ed, pp
.477-483.
Lacher, Hannes. Beyond Globalization: Capitalism, Territoriality and
Theinternational Relations of Modernity, (London: Routledge, 2006).
Martinelli, Alberto .Global Modernization : Rethinking the Project of
Modernity. SAGE Publications Inc. (US). London. 2005 (available online)
Mascareño, Aldo. Legitimization in World Society. Farnham: Ashgate
Publishing Ltd, 2012 (available online).
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-
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Viotti, Paul R. and Mark V. Kauppi, International Relations Theory: Realism,
Pluralism, Globalism and Beyond. 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999.
Wallerstein, Immanuel, Maurice. World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction
(Durham NC: Duke University Press, 2004).
Watson, Adam. The Evolution of International Society. (New York: Routledge,
1992).
Wendt, Alexander, “Anarchy is What States Make of It - The Social Construction
of Power-Politics,” International Organization 46, no. 2 (March 1, 1992), pp. 391425. (available online)
Evaluation
1. Attendance: three absence generate an F grade automatically.
2. Book reviews
10% (each)
- Each student will review seven of the books mentioned in the reading list in bold, and
present them in class. A book review should be between 1000 and 1500 words. It
shouldidentify the main argument of the author, summarizes how s/he
demonstrates this argument, and assess its contribution to the topic.
3. Collective study
- Students will work together on producing a collective work on “Global Society”,
using edited books as a model. With an introduction and a conclusion written
collectively (or with one or more editors selected by the students), each “chapter”
will be written by one student, covering one aspect of the topic. The Work is due
on 20 December.
10% collectively
20% individually
Format of submissions
-
Submissions should be typed in Times New Roman font, size 12, spaced in 1.5, 1-inch
margin each side, on regular A4 sheets.
Work should be concise, reflect clarity of thinking, and follow a logical presentation.
Expectations
-
The AUC has a zero-tolerance policy regarding academic integrity. It will be applied
vigorously.
Students are expected to observe general rules of civility (turn off your mobile phone
before you come, listen to your colleagues and avoid interrupting them, don’t monopolize
the discussion, be considerate of others, etc.).
Schedule
Week 1
8/9
Introduction.
Week 2
15/9 The World of States
 Lebow. “Classical Realism,” in Dunne pp. 58-76
 Wendt, Alexander “Anarchy is What States Make of It - The Social Construction of
Power-Politics,” International Organization 46, no. 2 (March 1, 1992), pp. 391-425.
(available online)
 Grovogui, “Postcolonialism,” in Dunne, pp. 238-256.
Week 3
22/9
-
The World as a Society of States I
Watson, Adam. The Evolution of International Society. (New York: Routledge,
1992).
Week 4
Saturday 27/9
The World as a Society of States II
- Bull, Hedley. The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (London:
Macmillan, 1977).
Week 5
29/9 Liberalism and Global Society
 Viotti and Kauppi. “Liberalism and World Politics” pp. 233-256.
 Viotti and Kauppi. “Normative Considerations in International Relations Theory,” pp.
391-424.
 Transnational complex interdependence and Decision-making
 Keck and Sikkink. “Transnational Activist Networks,” in Art and Jervis, International
Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 9th ed, pp .477-483.
3-7/10 Eid Break
Week 6
Saturday 11/10
First Meeting of the Collective Work Group
Week 7
13/10 The World of Social Classes
 Beaud, Michel. A History of Capitalism.(New York: Monthly Review Press, 2001).
Week 8
20/10 World-System and Beyond
 Wallerstein, Immanuel Maurice. World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction (Durham NC:
Duke University Press, 2004).
 Cox, “Social Forces, States, and World Orders,” in Keohane, Robert O., ed. Neorealism
and Its Critics, pp. 204-253.
Week 9
27/10 Modernity, and the Transformation of the World
 Giddens, Anthony, the Consequences of Modernity, Oxford : Wiley, 2013 (1995) Full
text online
http://lib.aucegypt.edu/search~S2?/Xgiddens%2C+anthony&SORT=DX/Xgiddens%2C+
anthony&SORT=DX&SUBKEY=giddens%2C+anthony/1,65,65,B/l856~b2126795&FF
=Xgiddens%2C+anthony&SORT=DX&11,11,,1,0
Week 10
3/11 Globalizing Modernity
 Lacher, Hannes. Beyond Globalization: Capitalism, Territoriality and Theinternational
Relations of Modernity, (London: Routledge, 2006), Chapter 3 (pp. 45-60) and Chapter 8
(pp. 147-167).
Week 11
10/11 Global Modernity and its Critics
 Martinelli, Alberto .Global Modernization : Rethinking the Project of Modernity. SAGE
Publications Inc. (US). London. 2005
Connect to full text:
http://library.aucegypt.edu:2048/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/aucairo/Doc?id=102
18316
Week 12
17/11 World Society and Legitimacy
 Mascareño, Aldo. Legitimization in World Society [electronic resource].
Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2012.
Connect to full text :http://www.aucegypt.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1002989
Week 13
24/11 A Global or an American Society?
-
Crothers, Lane. Globalization and American Popular Culture [electronic resource].
3rd ed. Lanham :Rowman& Littlefield Publishers, 2012.
Connect to full text http://aucegypt.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=466813
27/11 Thanksgiving
Week 14
1/12
Second meeting of the collective Work Group
Week 15
8/12
Final meeting of the collective work group