TROY UNIVERSITY
eTROY
IR5551-XTIA
Survey of International Relations
SYLLABUS
Term 15T2
Oct 12th - Dec 13th, 2015
For course syllabus posted prior to the beginning of the term, the instructor reserves the right to make minor changes prior to or
during the term. The instructor will notify students, via e-mail or Blackboard announcement, when changes are made in the
requirements and/or grading of the course.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
David R Hayes, PhD
Assistant Professor of International Relations
Troy University
Cell: (910) 286-1871 eMail: dhayes@troy.edu
INSTRUCTOR EDUCATION
PhD in Political Science, University of Rochester
TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED
The Globalization of World Politics (6th Edition)
John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens (eds,)
Oxford Press, 2014
ISBN-10: 0199656177; ISBN-13: 978-0199656172
The textbook provider for the eTROY of Troy University is MBS Direct. The Web site for
textbook purchases is http://www.mbsdirect.net/Index.htm
Students should have their textbook from the first week of class. Not having your textbook will
not be an acceptable excuse for late work. Students who add this course late should refer to the
“Late Registration” section for further guidance.
LATE REGISTRATION
Students who register during the first week of the term, during late registration, will already be
one week behind. Students who fall into this category are expected to catch up with all of Week
#1 and Week #2's work by the end of Week #2. No exceptions, since two weeks constitutes a
significant percentage of the term's lessons. Students who do not feel they can meet this deadline
should not enroll in the class. If they have registered, they should see their registrar, academic
adviser, GoArmyEd/eArmyU representative, or Military Education officer to discuss their
options.
Also note that late registration may mean you do not receive your book in time to make up the
work you missed in Week #1. Not having your book on the first day of class is not an excuse for
late work after the deadlines in the Schedule.
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ELECTRONIC OFFICE HOURS
I am available by email anytime and this is the preferred way of contacting me. If you are not
emailing me through Blackboard (which conveniently indicates the course number), please say
what course you are enrolled in (i.e., IR551) somewhere in the email. Note: I check my email in
the morning and several times during the day, but rarely in the evening.
I can be reached on my cell phone at (910) 286-1871 especially in the mornings (leave a message
if you want me to call you back). You can also text me at this number, but you will need to
include your name and the course you are enrolled in (“5551” or “Survey” is enough) in the text.
Note: I tend to put my cell phone aside at the end of the day (i.e. dinner time).
I am also available on Blackboard IM in the mornings (generally 6 AM to 10AM Eastern Time)
and the evenings (generally 7PM to 10 PM Eastern Time). This is the best way to get a hold of
me in the evening.
Many students ask questions in the “Ask Me Something” forum. I check the forum first thing
each morning and respond there (or send out a class-wide email if it’s a really good question).
This is a good place to ask questions about not only the course, but IR in general. You can
subscribe to the forum and get an email whenever a question or response is posted.
I also have a blog called Thinking Out Loud where I posts lots of comments and links relevant to
the course and IR in general. Feel free to make comments on the blog or to make requests for me
to cover particular topics.
Troy instructors are required to respond to student messages within 24 to 48 hours.
PREREQUISITES
None
ENTRANCE COMPETENCIES
Students are expected to have the basic skills necessary for graduate study. At a minimum they
must be able to:
Read, comprehend, and analyze scholarly literature
Write clearly and effectively
Use the online library resources to look up and download additional readings
Cite references using APA (or other scholarly) style format
STUDENT EXPECTATION STATEMENT
Students are expected to
• Do high quality work consistent with the standards of graduate scholarship
• Take responsibility for completing the requirements of this course
• Take the lead in communicating with the instructor to resolve any personal questions or
conflicts
• Print out this syllabus and identify the specific course requirements and the dates on
which they are due.
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•
•
Participate in the course via email exchanges with the instructor, by reading the assigned
readings, submitting comments to the discussion forums, submitting assignments, and
completing exams in a timely fashion.
Check their TROY email daily and the announcements at least every 48 hours.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: An overview of international politics; states, power, national
interests, instruments of foreign policy, challenges to sovereignty, ethno-nationalism,
international organizations, global communications and economic interdependence.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course the student should be
able to:
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Define key terms in International Relations (IR)
Identify important events and trends in the history of IR
Explain major theories of IR
Identify major instruments of international relations
Analyze current issues in international relations.
RESEARCH COMPONENT
None
THREE USEFUL WEB SITES FOR THIS COURSE
See the External Links section in Blackboard.
eTROY COURSES AT TROY UNIVERSITY
All eTROY courses at Troy University utilize Blackboard Learning System. In every eTROY
course, students should read all information presented in the Blackboard course site and should
periodically check for updates—at least every 48 hours.
TROY E-MAIL
All students were required to obtain and use the TROY e-mail address that is automatically
assigned to them as TROY students. All official correspondence (including bills, statements, emails from instructors and grades, etc.) will be sent ONLY to the troy.edu (@troy.edu) address.
• All students are responsible for ensuring that the correct e-mail address is listed in
Blackboard by the beginning of Week #1. E-mail is the only way the instructor can, at
least initially, communicate with you. It is your responsibility to make sure a valid e-mail
address is provided. Failure on your part to do so can result in your missing important
information that could affect your grade.
Your troy.edu e-mail address is the same as your Web Express user ID following by @troy.edu.
Students are responsible for the information that is sent to their TROY e-mail account. You can
get to your e-mail account by logging onto the course and clicking “E-mail Login”. You will be
able to forward your TROY e-mail to your eArmy e-mail account. You must first access your
TROY e-mail account through the TROY e-mail link found on the Web site. After you log in to
your TROY e-mail account, click on “options” on the left hand side of the page. Then click on
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“forwarding.” This will enable you to set up the e-mail address to which you will forward your
e-mail.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
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Upon Enrollment: Students must print out and read the syllabus, review eCampus
Policies and procedures in the Syllabus section of Blackboard, verify their email address
in blackboard and post a Personal Intro on the discussion board.
Discussion Board: There will be 2 types of assignments on the discussion board, a
Summarization and Reflection Exercise (SREx) and a Discussion Exercise (DEx).
1. Reflection Exercise (REx): Students will reflect on all readings (videos. Etc) and
list the key point of each. They will also indicate what they think is the most
interesting point among all assigned material. These are due on Thursday before
midnight.
2. Discussion Exercise (DEx): A topical discussion question will be posted in
selected weeks. Students will post an answer to this question and comment on at
least two other students’ posts.
•
Extra Credit Quizzes (ECQs): There will be extra credit objective quizzes administered
through Blackboard in selected weeks of the course. Each quiz will be worth up to one
point added to your final grade.
•
Practice Midterm: In week 3, students will be given a sample midterm question. Each
student’s answer will be graded and individual feedback will be sent via Voice email.
Practice Midterm Peer Review: In week 4, students will anonymously review several
other student’s Practice Midterm.
Mid-Term Examination: The midterm will consist of a long essay question. Students
will have 90 minutes to write an answer. The exam will NOT be proctored. It will be
administered through Blackboard and be open book.
Midterm Peer Review: In week 6, students will anonymously review several other
students’ midterms.
Final Essay Exam: The final exam will consist of a long essay question. This exam will
be proctored and students will NOT be able to consult notes and readings. [Note: you
must arrange for a proctor. See instructions for doing so on Blackboard.]
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ATTENDANCE POLICY
Although physical class meetings are not part of this course, participation in all interactive,
learning activities is required.
MAKE-UP WORK POLICY
Missing any part of this schedule may prevent completion of the course. If you foresee difficulty
of any type (i.e., an illness, employment change, etc.) which may prevent completion of this
course, notify the instructor as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in failure for an
assignment and/or failure of the course. See “Attendance,” above.
If I have not heard from you by the deadline dates for assignments, exams, or forums, no
make-up work will be allowed (unless extraordinary circumstances existed, such as
hospitalization). Requests for extensions must be made in advance and accompanied by
appropriate written documentation if the excuse is acceptable to the instructor. "Computer
problems" are not an acceptable excuse.
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That said, I understand that “life happens” and students face many competing demands on their
time. Therefore, when you contact me with a reasonable time conflict, you can expect me to
work with you.
INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY
Missing any part of the Course Schedule may prevent completion of the course. If circumstances
will prevent the student from completing the course by the end of the term, the student should
complete a request for an incomplete grade.
Note: A grade of incomplete or “INC” is not automatically assigned to students, but rather must
be requested by the student by submitting a Petition for and Work to Remove an Incomplete
Grade Form. Requests for an incomplete grade must be made on or before the date of the final
assignment or test of the term. The form will not be available after the last day of the term. A
grade of “INC” does not replace an “F” and will not be awarded for excessive absences. An
“INC” will only be awarded to student presenting a valid case for the inability to complete
coursework by the conclusion of the term. It is ultimately the instructor’s decision to grant or
deny a request for an incomplete grade, subject to the policy rules below.
Policy/Rules for granting an Incomplete (INC)
• An incomplete cannot be issued without a request from the student.
•
To qualify for an incomplete, the student must:
a. Have completed over 50% of the course material and have a documented reason for
requesting the incomplete. (50% means all assignments/exams up to and including the
mid-term point, test, and/or assignments.)
b. Be passing the course at the time of their request.
If both of the above criteria are not met an incomplete cannot be granted.
• An INC is not a substitute for an F. If a student has earned an “F” by not submitting all the
work or by receiving an overall F average, then the F stands.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
This is an eTROY class. It is not a “correspondence course” in which a student may work at
his/her own pace. Each week there will be assignments, on-line discussions, and/or exams with
due dates. Refer to the schedule at the end of this syllabus for more information.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: The student's overall performance will be established by the
assignment of grades and substantive feedback from the instructor.
The student's overall performance will be evaluated on three criteria:
1. Knowledge of the subject material including references to authors and theories (50% of
points): I can’t emphasize how important it is that you not only know the facts involved
in the international issues but the theories and authors that have previously dealt with
them. Accumulation of knowledge is one of the big goals of scholarship and to have
cumulative growth we need to build on the work of others.
2. Analytical skills, comprehension and insight (50% of points): Here I am looking for
reasoned answers to the question. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of
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answering the question as it is posed. Dumping everything you know about the subjects
or going off on a tangent demonstrates an inability to focus.
ASSIGNMENT OF GRADES
The final grade will be determined in the following manner:
RExs:
6% (pass/fail)
Discussion Exercises20% (graded on a curve)
Practice Midterm6%
Practice Midterm Review1% (pass/fail)
Midterm Exam33%
Midterm Review1% (pass/fail)
Final Exam33%
(Plus Extra Credit Quiz points)
All grades will be posted in the student grade book in Blackboard and will be assigned according
to the following or similar scale:
A
B
C
D
F
90 – 100%
80 – 89%
70 – 79%
60 – 69%
59% and below
Postings:
I post grades in Blackboard, in the Grade Center.
FA: “FA” indicates the student failed due to attendance. This grade will be given to any
student who disappears from the course for three or more weeks. See the Attendance
section of this syllabus for additional information.
Substantive Feedback: I will provide individual feedback on graded assignments via intext and voice comments on Turnitin (in Blackboard).
Grading of Discussion Board: Participation grades are given for the Summarization and
Reflection Exercises (SRExs) and Discussion Exercises (DExs) based on student effort and
contribution. For SRExs, 1 point is given on a Pass/Fail basis (partial points may be awarded).
For DExs, the student’s contribution is assessed on a 5 point scale which will be mapped to
curve to produce a final grade. As this is student discussion, the emphasis is on the level of
engagement. Students are free to express and try out thoughts and are encouraged to bring in
outside material and engage other students in discussion. Grading is meant to give students credit
for their level of engagement in scholarly discussion.
Students must be careful not to equate this 5 point scale with a percentage point grade.
The scale should be interpreted as follows
No grade- DEx has not been assessed, student can still complete
0 – DEx has been assessed and student failed to post
1 – Minimal completion of exercise
2- Partial completion of exercise
2.5- Exercise completed but lacking in effort (read as “Okay but needs
improvement”)
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3- Exercise completed, Student met expectations (read as “Good”)
3.5- Student exceeded expectations (read as “Very Good”)
4- Student significantly exceeded expectations (read as “Excellent”)
>4- Student particularly distinguished him/herself (read as “Outstanding”, used
sparingly)
SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS
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Reflection Exercise (REx): Post to discussion board in the forums provided. I prefer to
have the text pasted into the DB rather than having Word files attached.
Discussion Exercises (DEx): Answers and responses to other student’s answers must be
posted in the appropriate discussion forum. I prefer to have the text pasted into the DB
rather than having Word files attached.
Practice Midterm: Post to Turnitin assignment in Assessments section.
Practice Midterm Peer Review: Complete Turnitin Peermark assignment in
Assessments section
Midterm Exam: Post to Turnitin assignment in Assignments section.
Midterm Peer Review: Complete Turnitin Peermark assignment in Assessments section
Final Exam: This exam will be administered through the Assessments section of
Blackboard. This exam must be proctored (you must arrange for the proctor). The proctor
will have the password to access the exam in Blackboard.
.
EXAMINATION SCHEDULE & INSTRUCTIONS
Mid-Term:
• This will consist of a long essay. It will be open book and not proctored.
• The exam question will be posted in the Assessments section of Blackboard during week
five and will be available from Nov 12 - 15 (inclusive)
• The completed exam should be submitted to the Assignments section.
Final Exam:
• This will consist of a long essay. It will be proctored and closed book.
• You need to make arrangements to have the exam proctored. See info at eTroy’s proctor
info page at http://trojan.troy.edu/etroy/testing/
• The exam question will be posted in the Assessments section of Blackboard from Dec 9 13 (inclusive)
• The completed exam should be submitted to the Assessments section.
Internet Access
•
This is an on-line class. Students must have access to a working computer and access to the
internet. Students can use the TROY computer lab, a public library, etc., to insure they have
access.
•
“Not having a computer” or “computer crashes” are not acceptable excuses for late work.
Have a backup plan in place in case you have computer problems.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1 (Oct 12 - 18): Introduction to IR
Textbook Reading: Baylis, Smith and Owens- Introduction
JSTOR Reading: Souva, Mark. (2007) “Fostering Theoretical Thinking in Undergraduate
Classes.” PS: Political Science and Politics. Vol. 40, No. 3 (Jul., 2007), pp. 557-561
[JSTOR is a database of scholarly journals that can be accessed through the Troy Library
site at http://trojan.troy.edu/library/databases.html ]
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do: Introduce Yourself and Week 1 Reflection Exercise (REx) on the Discussion Board
(Due Sunday)
Week 2 (Oct 19 - 25): Theory in IR: Realism, Liberalism, and “Neo” Variations
Textbook Reading: Baylis, Smith and Owens- Chapters 6 (Dunne & Schmidt), 7
(Dunne), and 8 (Lamy)
JSTOR Readings:
• Waltz Kenneth N. (1988) “The Origins of War in Neorealist Theory.” The Journal of
Interdisciplinary History, Vol. 18, No. 4, The Origin and Prevention of Major Wars
(Spring, 1988), pp. 615-628
• Axelrod, Robert and Robert O. Keohane (1985) “Achieving Cooperation under
Anarchy: Strategies and Institutions.” World Politics, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Oct., 1985), pp.
226-254
• Keohane, Robert O., and Joseph S. Nye Jr (1998) “Power and Interdependence in the
Information Age.” Foreign Affairs, Vol. 77, No. 5 (Sep. - Oct., 1998), pp. 81-94
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do:
Week 2 REx on the Discussion Board (Due Thursday)
Week 2 Discussion Exercise (DEx) on the Discussion Board (Due Sunday)
Week 3 (Oct 26 – Nov 1): Rational Choice and Constructivism
Read: Baylis, Smith and Owens- Chapter 10 (Barnett)
JSTOR Reading:
• Bueno De Mesquita, Bruce. (2006) “Game Theory, Political Economy, and the
Evolving Study of War and Peace.” The American Political Science Review. Vol.
100, No. 4, Thematic Issue on the Evolution of Political Science, in Recognition
of the Centennial of the Review (Nov., 2006), pp. 637-642
• Riker, William H. (1995) “The Political Psychology of Rational Choice Theory.”
Political Psychology, Vol. 16, No. 1, Special Issue: Political Economy and
Political Psychology (Mar., 1995), pp. 23-44
• Hopf, Ted (1998) “The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations
Theory.” International Security, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Summer, 1998), pp. 171-200
• Farrell, Theo (2002) “Constructivist Security Studies: Portrait of a Research
Program.” International Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Spring, 2002), pp. 49-72
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do:
Week 3 REx on the Discussion Board (Due Thursday)
Practice Midterm in the Assignments Section (Due Sunday)
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Week 4 (Nov 2 - 8): Research Methods in IR
Read: Selected readings in Lectures section of Blackboard
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do:
Peer Review of Practice Midterm
Week 4 Discussion Exercise (DEx) on the Discussion Board (Due Sunday)
Week 5 (Nov 9 - 15): Putting it all together: Democratic Peace and China
Read: Selected readings in Lectures section of Blackboard
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do:
Week 5 REx on the Discussion Board (Due Thursday)
** Mid Term Exam must be taken from Nov 12 - 15 (Thursday to Monday,
inclusive). Exam covers material from Weeks 1-5.**
Week 6 (Nov 16 - 22): Security Issues
Read: Baylis, Smith and Owens- Chapters 14 (Sheehan), 15 (Baylis), and 24 (Greitens)
JSTOR Readings:
• Singh, Sonali and Christopher R. Way (2004) “The Correlates of Nuclear
Proliferation: A Quantitative Test.” The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 48,
No. 6 (Dec., 2004), pp. 859-885
• Rauchhaus, Robert. (2009) “Evaluating the Nuclear Peace Hypothesis: A
Quantitative Approach.” The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 53, No. 2, A
Strategic Approach to Nuclear Proliferation (APRIL 2009), pp. 258-277
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do:
Week 6 REx on the Discussion Board (Due Thursday)
Week 6 Discussion Exercise (DEx) on the Discussion Board (Due Sunday)
Week 7 (Nov 23 – 29) IPE Issues
Read: Baylis, Smith and Owens- Chapters 9 (Hobden & Wyn Jones), 16 (Woods). and 26
(Best & Christiansen)
• Hayes (n.d.) Chapter 1 (available in lectures section)
• Krugman, Paul R. (1993). “What Do Undergrads Need to Know About Trade?” The
American Economic Review. 83 (2),23-26. Retrieved at
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2117633
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do:
Peer Review of Midterm Essays in Assignments
Week 7 Discussion Exercise (DEx) on the Discussion Board (Due Sunday)
Week 8 (Nov 30 – Dec 6): Cultural Issues
Read: Baylis, Smith and Owens- Chapters 23 (Kiras), 25 (Breuilly), and 30 (Donnelly)
• Pape, Robert A. (2003). “The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism.” The
American Political Science Review, 97 (3) , 343-361. Retrieved at
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3117613
• Abrahms, Max. (2006). “Why Terrorism Does Not Work.” International Security.
31 (2), 42–78. Retrieved at http://www.jstor.org/stable/4137516
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Do:
Week 8 REx on the Discussion Board (Due Thursday)
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Week 8 Discussion Exercise (DEx) on the Discussion Board (Due Sunday)
Week 9 (Dec 7 - 13): International Law and Organizations/Final Essay Exam
Read: Baylis, Smith and Owens- Chapters 18 (Reus-Smit), 20 (Taylor & Curtis), and 21
(Willetts)
JSTOR Readings:
• Albright, Madeleine K. (2003) “United Nations.” Foreign Policy, No. 138 (Sep. Oct., 2003), pp. 16-18+20+22+24
• Keohane, Robert O. (1982) “International Agencies and the Art of the Possible: The
Case of the IEA.” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Vol. 1, No. 4
(Summer, 1982), pp. 469-481
• Mitchell, Sara McLaughlin, and Paul R. Hensel. (2007) “International Institutions
and Compliance with Agreements.” American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 51,
No. 4 (Oct., 2007), pp. 721-737
• Neumayer, Eric. (2005) “Do International Human Rights Treaties Improve Respect
for Human Rights?” The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 49, No. 6 (Dec., 2005),
pp. 925-953
View: Video and Links in Lectures section
Final Examination: Arrange with Proctor to take the final exam between Dec 9th and
th
13 (inclusive).
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