Golya PS 454/554
SYLLABUS
PS 454/554 (CRN 39184/39185)
International Law and Organizations
Oregon State University, School of Public Policy
Winter 2012 (4 credits)
Mon & Wed Noon-1:50pm, Milam 234
Instructor: Tamas Golya
Office: Gilkey 300C
Office Hours: Mon & Wed 10-11:30am
Phone (during office hours): 541-737-1352
Email: golyat@onid.orst.edu
Course Description
In the absence of a “world government”, the international system is often characterized as
anarchical. In modern times, however, states have created international organizations which contribute
to the solution of problems with international reach, help to provide rules and structures to manage interstate relations, and serve as venues in which learning processes can occur. While some see international
organizations as just another venue in which states pursue their national interests, others argue that the
enormous rise in the number and reach of international organizations is proof that globalization and
changing global power dynamics increasingly require cooperation and coordination that can only be
achieved by international organizations.
This class will explore the history, causes and effects of selected formal international
organizations (such as the United Nations and its various agencies), treaty organizations (like NATO),
regional organizations (such as the European Union) as well as international non-governmental
organizations (like Amnesty International). Students will learn how to use various international relations
theories and concepts to make sense of the evolution, success and failure of global governance and
international law in the issue areas of security, economics, human rights and environmental politics.
Readings
Required textbook available at the OSU Bookstore
Margaret P. Karns and Karen A. Mingst, International Organizations: The Politics and
Processes of Global Governance, Second Edition 2010 (Boulder: Lynne Rienner)
Other required and recommended readings
All other readings are posted or linked to on the class site on Blackboard. The required readings
are listed in the course outline at the end of this syllabus. It is important to have read the required
readings before class to be able to participate in class discussions and to do well in the exercises (see
below).
Additionally, you are encouraged to follow news coverage of current international events, which
will also be important to complete the News Review (see below). The News Review Assignment Sheet
on Blackboard provides a list of English-language quality news sources from around the world. The
following websites offer comprehensive additional resources for interested students:
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Golya PS 454/554
American Society of International Law Electronic Resource Guide
http://www.asil.org/erg/
Georgetown Law Library IGOs & NGOs Research Guide
http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/guides/igosngos.cfm
Northwestern University’s List of Intergovernmental Organizations
http://libguides.northwestern.edu/print_content.php?pid=227016&sid=1878840&mode=g
Assignments and Grading
In-Class Midterm (20%)
The 60-minute midterm exam will take place on Monday of Week 6 (2/13). It will be roughly
equally divided into a multiple choice part and an essay part that tests your understanding of the material
covered in the required readings AND in lecture. No open books or notes are allowed.
Tips regarding the multiple choice part: There’s always only ONE correct answer. If you have no
clue, take a guess. Read carefully!
Tips regarding the essay part: Read extra carefully! Try to take every word of the question into
account while writing your answer. Construct a logically coherent argument (e.g. define and describe a
theoretical concept before you apply it to a case). Discuss counterarguments too. Provide examples. You
are not graded on your opinions (even if asked to provide them), but on how well you use facts, theories
and authors discussed in class to build your argument and form your conclusions.
PS 454 Students: In-Class Final (30%)
Similar in structure to the midterm, the final exam is longer (110 minutes). In both exams, you
will be given a choice of essay topics. The final is cumulative (covering the entire term). The final exam
will take place on Wednesday, 3/21, at noon.
PS 554 Students: Research Paper (30%)
Graduate students registered to PS 554 do NOT take the final exam. Instead, you have to submit
a research paper of 16-20 pages length. The paper is due on Monday of Finals Week (3/19). You will
also be required to summarize your paper’s findings in a 15-minute in-class presentation on Wednesday,
3/14. The available topics can be found on the Paper Assignment Sheet on Blackboard. You have to
submit a 4-page paper draft per email to golyat@onid.orst.edu by Monday, 2/27, to which you will
receive feedback.
Exercises (30%)
There will be five short exercises out of which your top three scores will count. At least two of
these will be home work assignments. The in-class exercises will not be announced in advance. These
exercises are meant to stimulate your learning beyond the memorization of the (sometimes dry) contents
of the textbook, with the additional benefit of a relatively low pressure to score well (because the two
lowest scores will be dropped).
News Review (20%)
You will be asked to summarize and analyze the current news coverage on a topic of your choice
(but related to international organizations) and to relate it to the theoretical concepts discussed in class in
the form of a posting on the discussion board on Blackboard. Your posting should be around 2-3 pages
in length. The News Review Assignment Sheet on Blackboard provides details on the format and
content of your posting. This assignment is due on Wednesday of Week 8 (2/29). You are encouraged
(with bonus points) to respond to other students’ contributions on the Blackboard discussion board.
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Grading
Even though more than 100 points are possible (due to bonus points), your minimum grade will
be determined by treating the total number of points in this class as percentage points in the following
way:
A+
98 or more points
C+
77.0-79.5 points
A
93.0-97.5 points
C
73.0-76.5 points
A90.0-92.5 points
C70.0-72.5 points
B+
87.0-89.5 points
D+
67.0-69.5 points
B
83.0-86.5 points
D
60.0-66.5 points
B80.0-82.5 points
F
59.5 or fewer points
If your final Blackboard score is close to a cutoff point between grades, you will be rewarded for
regular contributions to class discussions with the higher grade.
Class Policies
Late Work / Make-Ups
There is no make-up and no graded late work for the exercises. In fact, the additional exercise
scores that will get dropped can be seen as make-up opportunities. For late submissions of the news
review or the research paper, 10% of the maximum possible score will be subtracted per late day. In
medical or other emergency situations or time conflicts, you may petition the instructor to change the
midterm or final exam time or date. However, you need to contact me about such issues as soon as you
become aware of them and NOT after the exam. Student-athletes should contact me as early as possible
(i.e., at the beginning of the term) regarding excused days of absence and with relevant contact
information for proctoring exams on the road.
Incompletes
Incompletes will only be granted in exceptional emergency situations. In all other cases the grade
will be based upon the work completed by the end of the class, which may result in a failing grade. The
grade “I” for Incomplete will be assigned only after the instructor and the student have completed and
signed a Contract for Grade of Incomplete, which will specify deadlines for the student to finish the
missing assignments.
Academic Integrity and Civility
The Oregon State University Student Conduct Code will be enforced. You can read the code
at: http://oregonstate.edu/studentconduct/code/index.php
Behaviors disruptive to the learning environment will not be tolerated and will be referred to the
Office of Student Conduct for disciplinary action. The Conduct Code is also concerned with academic
dishonesty, which it defines as an act of deception such as: cheating (use or attempted use of
unauthorized materials, information or study aids); fabrication (falsification or invention of any
information); assisting (helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty); tampering (altering or
interfering with evaluation instruments and documents); and plagiarism (representing the words or ideas
of another person as one's own). If you are caught doing any of this you risk failing the class and being
reported to university authorities. Whenever you’re in doubt about what constitutes cheating, contact me
before problems arise.
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Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities will be accommodated. Please contact Disability Access
Services, A200 Kerr Administration Building (737-4098 or http://ds.oregonstate.edu/home/) and they
will advise me as to how to meet your needs.
The #1 Class Policy
Have fun – with the assignments, the readings, and, hopefully, in class! I will attempt to leave
considerable room for discussion time in class. As in other areas of life, you will get as much out of this
class as you are willing to put into it.
Course Outline with Required Readings
K&M = Karns & Mingst
All other required readings and additional recommended readings available on Blackboard
1/9
Introduction (no readings)
1/11
A Brief History of Global Governance
• K&M Chapters 1, 3
• Hardin, G. 1968. The Tragedy of the Commons. Science 162(3859): 1243-8.
1/16
MLK Holiday (no class)
1/18
IR Theory and Global Governance I
• K&M Chapter 2
• Mearsheimer, J.T. 1994/95. The False Promise of International Institutions.
International Security 19(3): 5-49.
• Keohane, R.O. and Martin, L.L. 1995. The Promise of Institutionalist Theory.
International Security 20(1): 39-51.
1/23
IR Theory and Global Governance II
• Oye, K.A. 1985. Explaining Cooperation under Anarchy: Hypotheses and
Strategies. World Politics 38(1): 1-24.
• Wendt, A. 1995. Constructing International Politics. International Security 20
(1):71-81.
1/25
International Law: The Logic of Legalization and Delegation
• Abbott, K.W. and Snidal, D. 1998. Why States Act Through Formal International
Organizations. Journal of Conflict Resolution 42(1): 3-32.
• Abbott, K.W., Keohane, R.O., Moravcsik, A., Slaughter, A.-M. and Snidal, D.
2000. The Concept of Legalization. International Organization 54(3): 401-19.
1/30
States
• K&M Chapter 7
• Putnam, R.D. 1988. Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level
Games. International Organization 42 (3):427–60.
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2/1
Nonstate Actors
• K&M Chapter 6
• Davenport, D. 2002. The New Diplomacy. Policy Review 116. 17-30.
2/6
Regional Organizations
• K&M Chapter 5
2/8
European Union
• Schimmelfennig, F. 2001. The Community Trap: Liberal Norms, Rhetorical
Action, and the Eastern Enlargement of the European Union. International
Organization 55(1), 47–80.
2/13
MIDTERM EXAM; United Nations I (no readings)
2/15
United Nations II
• K&M Chapter 4
2/20
United Nations III
• Finnemore, M. 1993. International Organizations as Teachers of Norms: The
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and Science
Policy. International Organization 47(4): 565-97.
• Daalder, I. and Lindsay, J. 2006. Democracies of the World, Unite. American
Interest, Spring 2006.
2/22
The Quest for Security I
• K&M Chapter 8
• Boehmer, C., Gartzke, E. and Nordstrom, T. 2004. Do Intergovernmental
Organizations Promote Peace? World Politics 57(1): 1-38.
2/27
The Quest for Security II; PS 554 Students: Paper Draft due
• Kupchan, C. 2010. NATO's Final Frontier: Why Russia Should Join the Atlantic
Alliance. Foreign Affairs 89(3): 100-12.
2/29
The Quest for Prosperity; News Review due
• K&M Chapter 9
3/5
The Quest for Individual Liberty
• K&M Chapter 10
• Neumayer, E. 2005. Do International Human Rights Treaties Improve Respect
For Human Rights? Journal of Conflict Resolution 49(6): 925-53.
3/7
The Quest for Environmental Protection
• K&M Chapter 11
• Mitchell, R.B. 1994. Regime Design Matters: Intentional Oil Pollution and Treaty
Compliance. International Organization 48(3): 425-58.
• Bättig, M.B. and Bernauer, T. 2009. National Institutions and Global Public
Goods: Are Democracies More Cooperative in Climate Change Policy?
International Organization 63(2): 281-308.
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3/12
The Future of Global Governance
• K&M Chapter 12
3/14
Review (no readings); PS 554 Students: Paper Presentations
3/19
PS 554 Students: Research Paper due
3/21
FINAL EXAM (12:00-1:50)
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