CGLO 1503
CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL ISSUES
Humanitarian Intervention
Fall 2014
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Randall Parish
OFFICE: SRC 540
OFFICE HOURS: MW 9:00-11:30, 3:00-4:30
TR 1:30-3:00
TELEPHONE: 706-310-6231
EMAIL: Randall.Parish@ung.edu
CLASS TIMES: MW 1:15-2:30
II. TEXT AND OTHER MATERIALS (available in the Oconee bookstore)
1. “A Problem from Hell”: America and the Age of Genocide by Samantha Power
2. The Responsibility to Protect by Gareth Evans
3. “The UN – How It Works” by Kirsten Nakjavani (only on elearning)
III. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides students with insight into a variety of contemporary global issues. The course
focuses on specific global themes/topics each semester. Topics may cover issues such as religion in
politics, poverty, war and peace, ethnic and religious conflict, international organizations, political
and economic development, disease, or the effects of globalization. All topics covered are globally
relevant in contemporary times and studied from a global perspective.
This fall we will explore the politics of humanitarian intervention, or efforts by the international
community to deal with especially horrific cases of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and other
crimes against humanity. Against the background of the ongoing Syrian Civil War, we will investigate
previous cases to explain when, how, and why the international community, prominently including
the United States, has intervened to protect endangered populations. Three credit hours.
This course can be used in Area B in the core curriculum.
This course fulfills the Global Perspectives Learning Outcome
IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES (EXPECTED OUTCOMES)
By the time students have finished this course, they should be able to:
1. Analyze current global issues from multiple perspectives, including the differing perspectives of
actors involved in the issue.
2. Demonstrate critical thinking skills through the comparison of the multiple perspectives through
which one can analyze current global issues.
3. Analyze the political, cultural, or socioeconomic interactions among people or organizations of
the world as they relate to the particular global issues being examined during the course.
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HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Discuss prominent cases of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.
2. Describe international actions, including actions of the United States, to protect at-risk
populations.
3. Explain the rationale for U.S. actions in specific cases.
4. Explain the rationale for international actions in specific cases.
5. Evaluate whether the U.S. or other international actors SHOULD intervene to protect at-risk
populations and defend your argument.
V. COURSE POLICIES
1. Attendance policy. Students are expected to attend and be on time for all classes, and attendance
will be recorded. Attendance will play an important role in determining any final or borderline
grades. Barring a legitimate emergency, students may leave class early only if he or she has received
permission before the period begins.
2. Make-up exams and quizzes. Missed exams will receive a zero, and make-up exams will only be
issued under extraordinary circumstances. It is the student’s responsibility to provide written
documentation from a physician or similar authority to justify a make-up exam. Missed quizzes will
receive a zero unless the student provides such documentation. Quizzes missed during an excused
absence will be dropped and not count toward the overall average.
3. Disruptive behaviors. Students who exhibit behaviors that are considered to obstruct or disrupt
this class or its learning activities will be considered under the Board of Regents Policy on Disruptive
Behavior. Behaviors which are considered to be inappropriate in this classroom include sleeping,
eating, coming in late, leaving before class is over, interrupting others, talking out of turn,
inappropriate behavior during group work, verbal behavior that is disrespectful of other students or
the faculty member, or other behaviors that may be disruptive. Students who exhibit such behavior
may be temporarily dismissed from the class by the instructor and may be subject to disciplinary
procedures outlined in the Student Handbook.
4. Supplemental Course Information. Students are responsible for observing the policies on the
Academic Success Plan Program, students with disabilities, academic integrity, disruptive behavior,
class evaluations, academic exchange, inclement weather, and course grades and withdrawal process
found at http://ung.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-guidelines/supplemental-syllabus.php.
5. Academic Dishonesty. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated, and at a minimum, any
student caught cheating or taking credit for others’ work will receive a zero for the assignment.
6. Communication. UNG email is the official means of communication at the college.
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7. Student Disability Services. This university is committed to equal access to its programs, services,
and activities, and welcomes otherwise qualified students with disabilities. Students who require
accommodations and services must register with Disability Services and submit supporting
documentation. Disability Services provides accommodation memos for eligible students to give to
their instructors. Students are responsible for making arrangements with instructors, and must give
reasonable prior notice of the need for accommodation.
Contact Information for Disability Services: Erin Williams, ewilliams@gsc.edu, Administration
Building, Room 112, 706-310-6202
VI. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
1. Quizzes. There will be a series of unannounced quizzes throughout the course, mostly short answer
or short essay questions taken from the day’s reading assignment. These quizzes will be open book,
but the time to complete them will be restricted, so it really pays to read and be familiar with the
assignment. In addition to the unannounced quizzes, you will have several other activities that will count
toward the quiz grade. Some activities will be in class, while others will be take-home assignments. Missed
quizzes will receive a grade of zero unless you bring a note from a physician or a similar explanation
for missing class. Quizzes missed during an excused absence will be dropped and not count toward
the overall average. I will drop the worst grade from final grade calculations, and the average of all
quizzes will count for 200 points on the final grade.
2. Exams. There will be two exams during the course, a mid-term and a final. The exams, based on
course readings as well as class discussions, will have short answer and essay components. Study
guides for each exam are posted on eLearning. Each will be worth 200 points.
3. Team Case Study. To gain a more complete picture of the scope of genocide, ethnic cleansing, war
crimes, and crimes against humanity, you and a group of teammates will explore one additional case
that I will assign. You will then present your findings in a 6-8 page essay and an 8-10 minute oral
presentation. Support your presentation with audio-visual aids like PowerPoint, Prezi, or other aids.
The team case study will be worth 250 points, broken down as follows. The essay and the oral
presentation will each be worth 100 points, with each team member receiving the same grade. In
addition you will rate each of your teammates, awarding them 0-50 points based on their
contribution to the group. The average of your teammates’ evaluations will complete your case study
grade.
Structure your essay and oral presentation with the following elements:
a. Describe the events in your country, including relevant prior history if that is necessary to
understand the events.
b. Identify the key actors in your country and discuss their roles in the events – what did they
do and why? What impact did they have?
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c. Identify any relevant international actors and discuss their roles – what did they do (include
any subsequent legal tribunals) and what impact did they have?
d. Explain the international community’s actions (including the U.S.) – identify the political
factors that explain why the world acted as it did.
4. Normative Essay. You will have an opportunity to express your personal opinion about
humanitarian intervention, writing a 2-4 page essay arguing that “The international community,
prominently including the United States, does (or does not) have a responsibility to protect the
citizens of other countries from mass atrocities, including genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and
crimes against humanity.” For this assignment, there is no correct answer to that question. Instead,
your grade will depend on how you defend your position with logical, compelling arguments,
supported by real-world facts. The normative essay will be worth 150 points on your final grade.
Extra credit. There will be a variety of extra credit opportunities throughout the course. Each
opportunity will be described on the eLearning website, and each must be completed by the last day
of the semester, unless another deadline is cited on the website. I will add any extra credit points
earned directly into your semester point totals.
6. Grading summary:
Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
Quizzes
Team Case Study
Normative Essay
Extra credit
Total
-
200 points
200
200
250
150
???
1000 points
900 – 1000 points = A
800 – 899
= B
700 – 799
= C
600 – 699
= D
Below 600
= F
VII. CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNED READINGS
Aug 18: Course Introduction
Aug 20: What is the problem? Syllabus quiz due
Aug 25: Beginnings: Nuremberg – UN – Genocide Convention (Power Ch 4 and pp 62-63)
Aug 27: The UN – How It Works (reading on elearning)
Sep 1: Labor Day Holiday
Sep 3: Ratifying the Genocide Convention – Opposition Builds (Power Ch 5 (pp 61-70, 78-85 only))
Sep 8: U.S. politics and political actors (Power Ch 7)
Sep 10: Bosnia, the Bush years (Power Ch 9, pp 247-293)
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Sep 15: Bosnia, the Bush years (Power Ch 9, pp 247-293)
Sep 17: Bosnia, the Clinton years (Power Ch 9 pp 293-327)
Sep 22: Bosnia, the Clinton years (Power Ch 9 pp 293-327)
Sep 24: Rwanda, the violence begins (Power Ch 10)
Sep 29: Rwanda, the world reacts (Power Ch 10)
Oct 1: Srebrenica, UN/NATO/U.S. military action (Power Ch 11)
Oct 6: Kosovo, NATO/U.S. military intervention (Power Ch 12)
Oct 8: Genocide tribunals (Power Ch 13)
Oct 13: Team case study presentations – Guatemala (1966-1996), Bangladesh (1971),
Cambodia (1975-1979)
Oct 15: Team case study presentations – Argentina (1976-1983), Sierra Leone (1991-2002),
East Timor (1999)
Oct 20: Team case study presentations - Congo (1998-present), Darfur (2003-present),
Sri Lanka (2009)
Oct 22: Team case study presentations –Libya (2011), Syria (2011-present),
Central African Republic 2013-present)
Oct 27: Mid-term exam
Oct 29: The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) (Evans pp 11-19 and Ch 2)
Nov 3: Actions Before the Crisis (Evans Ch 4)
Nov 5: Actions Before the Crisis (Evans Ch 4)
Nov 10: Non-military Actions During the Crisis (Evans Ch 5)
Nov 12: Military Actions During the Crisis (Evans Ch 6)
Nov 17: Actions After the Crisis (Evans Ch 7)
Nov 19: Mobilizing Political Will (Evans Ch 10)
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Nov 24-28: Thanksgiving Holidays
Dec 1: Essay/debate – Should the international community (including the U.S.) intervene? How?
Normative Essay Due
Dec 3: Conclusion
Dec 12: Final Exam (12:40-2:40)
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