Introduction to World Politics
PSCI 230, section 01
Fall 2007
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 10:00 – 10:50am
Flory 202
Professor Jamie Frueh
office hours
M 11am-12pm; TTh 11am-2pm WF 11am-12pm and 3-4pm; and by appointment
Flory 210
office 828-5764; home 433-1171
jfrueh@bridgewater.edu
Overview
This introductory course is designed to provide you with a foundation for understanding political, social and cultural
events on a global scale. We will examine both events in global politics and the theories that scholars use to organize
and explain them. The field of World Politics ponders the human struggle to come to grips with difference – how do
we understand and relate to people and societies that are different from us? Institutions and systems have been
developed to help us make sense of the world and provide us with rules and options for acting in it. World Politics
studies how we think about, act toward and experience the world as a whole. You will be asked to critically examine
the theories, concepts and issues we confront, both in the abstract and with respect to political events going on in the
world this semester. You will be given the opportunity to make some decisions about your own perspectives on the
global context that is becoming ever more important to our daily lives.
The course is designed to provide ample opportunity for class discussion, which means that you will be expected to
think through your own opinions on the issues we confront and to contribute to the discussions that we as a group
will have. I expect you to come to class prepared to discuss the topic for the day, based not only on your digestion of
the assigned readings, but also your general knowledge of world events in the news.
Goals – by the end of the course, you should be able to:
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explain and critically evaluate main theories of world politics.
present a coherent and authoritative definition of globalization.
observe, appreciate and explain current global political, social and cultural events.
reproduce and evaluate a variety of specific theories that scholars use to explain global political events.
incorporate into your vocabulary key concepts from world politics such as security, power, sovereignty, etc.
understand the structure and role of important non-state actors.
list and discuss important problems and challenges confronting global actors.
Required Texts
Baylis, John and Steve Smith, editors. The Globalization of World Politics: Introduction to International Relations.
Third Edition. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005).
Rourke, John T. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Politics. Thirteenth Edition.
(Dubuque: McGraw Hill, 2008).
Part of your DAILY preparation will be to read a major national newspaper (e.g. Washington Post, New York Times,
Christian Science Monitor) and to visit the website http://www.watchingamerica.com/index.shtml which provides
English translations of stories from newspapers from around the world. You are encouraged to read a daily
newspaper in the foreign language that you (e.g. LeMonde [Paris, www.lemonde.fr]). Other great sources of
information are National Public Radio (WMRA 90.1FM, www.npr.org) and major news websites (www.cnn.com).
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Work Requirements – grades will be calculated out of 1000 points.
attendance and participation
Attendance is required. Absences will only be excused with a note from a doctor, school official or parent. Points
will be deducted for unexcused absences. Absence from more than seven classes for any reason will result in an
automatic failure for the course. You are also expected to participate in our discussions based on your understanding
of the assigned readings.
reflections - 200 points (20 points each)
Ten times over the course of the semester, you will submit to me via email a reflection of approximately 200 words
on the reading assigned for that day. You can do a reflection for any day that readings are assigned or for a seminar
day. Reflections should not summarize, but demonstrate thoughtful, critical engagement with concepts and themes.
Reflections should draw connections to your own experiences, knowledge and intuition. They should be emailed to
me at least an hour before class on the day we will cover the reading that inspired your reflection. I will not
accept reflections turned in after the class period for which the reading is assigned. Reflections will be graded
on your effort at critically engaging the text in a thoughtful way, not on the substance of your ideas.
position papers – 200 points (100 points each)
You will submit two, four-to-five-page position papers exploring a current issue of importance to world politics, one
on Monday, October 15 and one on Monday, November 12. The professor will assign the general topics for these
papers approximately a month in advance. The research will be conducted primarily through daily reading of
newspapers and the students will be given the specific question to be answered a week before the paper is due.
small group work – 200 points (40 points for each report)
During the semester, you will interact with members of a small group assigned by the professor. Periodically I will
give you class time to discuss an issue among yourselves. For each discussion, the group will submit a summary of
the discussion and any conclusions that it produced. The summaries should be approximately 300 words
(approximately a page) in length. In addition to the grades for the reports, at the end of the semester the other
members of your group will evaluate your efforts in the small group. These evaluations can raise or lower your final
grade for the course.
tests – 200 points (100 points each)
On Friday, September 28 and Friday, November 2 you will take in-class tests over the readings and lectures. Each
test will cover roughly one-third of the semester; the tests are not cumulative. The tests include multiple choice,
short answer and short essay questions.
final exam – 200 points
On Monday, December 10 at 8am, you will sit for a final exam. The first part of the exam will be similar in format
to the first two tests and will examine your mastery of the material from the last third of the semester. The second
part of the exam will be essay questions that will ask you to integrate ideas and information from the entire semester.
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Grading Scale
You will be graded out of 1000 points according to the following scale:
A
A minus
B plus
B
B minus
C plus
930 to 1000 points
900 to 929 points
870 to 899 points
830 to 869 points
800 to 829 points
770 to 799 points
C
C minus
D plus
D
D minus
F
730 to 769 points
700 to 729 points
670 to 699 points
630 to 669 points
600 to 629 points
599 and below
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be aware of and abide by the Bridgewater College Honor Code, specifically as it relates to
the act of plagiarism, which the student handbook defines as “the use of another person’s ideas or thoughts, which
are not common knowledge, without acknowledging the source.” The policy specifically prohibits copying
paragraphs or even central ideas and claiming them as your own, in addition to the more obvious violations such as
buying papers off the web or turning in someone else’s work as your own. Violations will be dealt with swiftly and
severely and could result in failure of the course or expulsion from the college. If you are in doubt, cite the source.
Course Structure – B&S refers to the Baylis and Smith text and Rourke refers to the Taking Sides text.
Part I: Introductions
Week 1 – September 5 – 7
W
F
Introductions, syllabus, teaching philosophy, goals of the course
International Relations and World Politics
For Friday, read: B&S introduction, pages 1-13.
Part II: Theories of World Politics
Week 2 – September 10 – 14
M
W
F
Global politics
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 1, pages 19-38.
Liberalism
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 8, pages 185-201.
Realism
For Friday, read: B&S chapter 7, pages 161-179.
Week 3 – September 17 – 21
M
W
F
Evolution of theories: the “neo-”s
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 9, pages 205-222.
Marxist theories of world politics
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 10, pages 225-247.
Constructivism
For Friday, read: B&S chapter 11, pages 252-269.
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Week 4 – September 24 – 28
M
W
F
The world today
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 6, pages 131-155.
Seminar day and test review
FIRST EXAM
Part III: Key Concepts, Structures and Processes
Week 5 – October 1 – 5
M
W
F
Nationalism
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 23, pages 521-536.
Security
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 13, pages 297-322.
The war in Iraq
For Friday, read: Rourke issues 7 and 12, pages 102-113 and 204-225.
Week 6 – October 8 – 12
M
W
F
Fall Break
Gender
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 30, pages 669-686.
International law
For Friday, read: B&S chapter 15, pages 349-366.
Week 7 – October 15 – 19
M
W
F
The United Nations
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 18, pages 405-422.
First position paper due at the beginning of class.
Issues in global governance
For Wednesday, read: Rourke issues 16 and 17, pages 292-324.
European and regional integration
For Friday, read: B&S chapter 26, pages 579-595.
Week 8 – October 22 – 26
M
W
F
Transnational actors and international organizations
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 19, pages 425-445.
International Political Economy
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 14, pages 325-345.
The World Trade Organization
For Friday, read: Rourke issue 9, pages 134-161.
Week 9 – October 29 – November 2
M
Global communications
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 28, pages 622-641.
W
Seminar day and test review
F
SECOND EXAM
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Part IV: Issues and Problems
Week 10 – November 5 – 9
M
W
F
Poverty, development, and hunger
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 29, pages 645-667.
The environment
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 20, pages 451-475.
Global warming
For Friday, read Rourke issue 19, pages 346- 359.
Week 11 – November 12 – 16
M
W
F
Film: “Ambush in Mogadishu”
Second position paper due at the beginning of class.
Humanitarian Intervention
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 25, pages 555-576.
Film: “Triumph of Evil”
Week 12 – November 19
M
Human rights
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 31, pages 689-702.
Thanksgiving Break
Week 13 – November 26 – 30
M
W
F
Nuclear proliferation
For Monday, read: B&S chapter 22, pages 499-517.
Terrorism
For Wednesday, read: B&S chapter 21, pages 479-495.
The War on Terror
For Friday, read: Rourke, issue 13, pages 226-253.
Week 14 – December 3 – 5
M
W
Globalization, community and order
For Monday, read: B&S chapters 32 and 33, pages 709-740.
Seminar day and exam review
Final Exam: Monday, December 10, 8am
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How to Write a Reflection
Step 1: READ THE ASSIGNMENTS! In the course of reading you will pick up knowledge. You won't be able to
help it. But the point of the reading assignments is to understand things. This should be EXCITING. If you think
about the reading as so many pages to trudge through, you are much less likely to CREATE IDEAS. Engage the
author in a kind of conversation.
Step 2: Take some notes while you read – nothing extensive just what seems most important to the author's point.
Write down what you think is interesting. Your notes should just be things around which thoughts can coalesce
either while you're reading or afterwards. These notes will be quite valuable when it comes time to study for the
exam. If you have the notes, you won’t have to re-read everything – you’ll just be able to look over your notes
Step 3: Sit back and THINK about the readings for 15 or 20 minutes before you try to write anything. You are not
done reading when you finish the last page. You must leave yourself some time to process what you have just read.
Scribble some notes. Put things in your own words. Brainstorm. Try to summarize the main points of the readings
and figure out how they relate to one another. Also, think of interesting connections to your childhood or to your day
or to some rerun of the Simpsons. Thinking is not always a linear process. Work at engaging each author. If the
process of reading is like a conversation, the reflection is your opportunity to relate that conversation to a third party.
The point is there is no right answer. I will grade you on whether or not you seem to have thought about the
readings. You are more than welcome to talk about your ideas with each other AFTER you have written your
reflections, but I want each of you to engage the readings on your own.
Step 4: Write up your ideas in 200 words or so. Pick something – anything – from the readings that made you think
and write about it. Make sure you relate your ideas to the readings explicitly, but you only have to refer to the
passage that made you think. Do not rehash what the author said. I have read the book too. If you spend too much
space telling me what we both already know you will fail the reflection. I want to know what you thought was cool
and why. What connections did you make to other things we have discussed in class or with your ideas or
experiences? I want you to realize that reading is mental work. The reflection is the evidence that you have worked.
Step 5: Email the reflection to me. Cut and paste your reflection into a new message and send it to
jfrueh@bridgewater.edu at least one hour before class. You must turn it in before we discuss the pages that sparked
your thoughts. I do not accept late reflections. Each reflection is worth up to 20 points, or 2% of your final grade.
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