Introduction to International Relations: V53.0700
Spring, 2010
Professor Bruce Bueno de Mesquita
Office hours: Monday, 1:30-3, Tuesday, 9:30-11
Telephone: 212 998 3521
Email: bbd2@nyu.edu
This course is designed to introduce the central concepts and methods for studying international
relations and foreign policy. It emphasizes a political economy perspective that draws attention to how
incentives, political institutions and domestic politics shape interactions in the international arena
whether those interactions concern national security or economic exchange. The course introduces a set
of analytic tools that will help provide a means to evaluate points of view regarding foreign affairs based
on logic and evidence rather than personal opinion or partisan preferences.
The required texts for the course are, Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Principles of International Politics, 4th
edition (hereafter referred to as PIP) and Manus Midlarsky, ed., Handbook of War Studies III (hereafter
HWS). Please note that the 4th edition of PIP is completely different from the third edition. It is not a
minor change. Therefore, please do not use the third edition thinking it will serve as a substitute.
The course will include a midterm, final exam, and several problem sets as homework assignments
throughout the semester. The graded problem sets (about half of all problem sets) will count as 15
percent of the final grade. Section participation will count for 10 percent. The midterm will count as 25
percent of the grade and the final exam will count as 50 percent.
Weekly assignments:
January 20 PIP Introduction, PIP Appendix I (History background)
January 27 PIP Appendix 2 (Scientific Method); PIP Chapter 1, introduction to the strategic perspective
and selectorate theory. HWS, pp.
February 3 PIP Chapter 2 , Tools 1: spatial models, median voter theorem and security, win sets and the
Meaning of the national interest; and HWS pp. 30-59, Emotions and War
February 10 PIP Chapter 3, Tools 2: game theory
February 15 is Presidents Day – no class
February 17 PIP Chapter 4, Structural theories – the conventional view; HWS, pp. 63-99,
The Evolution of Theory on Civil War and Revolution
February 24 PIP Chapter 5, Strategic Theories of War; HWS, pp. 100-154, Internal Wars over the State:
Rational Choice Institutionalism and Contentious Politics
March 3 continue game theory, review for midterm if time permits
March 10 Midterm Exam
March 15=17 are part of Spring Break
March 24 PIP Chapter 6: Democratic Peace; HWS, pp.155-192, Democracy and Civil War
March 31 PIP Chapter 7: Rationality of Terrorism; HWS, pp.260-279, The International Relatons of Ethnic
Conflict
April 7 PIP Chapter 8: Military Intervention and Democratization
April 14 PIP Chapter 9: Why foreign Aid doesn’t work
April 21 PIP Chapter 10: Political Economy of Trade
April 28 PIP Chapter 11: International Organizations and International Law; HWS, pp. 280-300, Genocide
Studies
May 3 summation and review for final