GOVT 322-001: International Relations Theory
Spring 2014
George Mason University
Monday/Wednesday, 1:30 PM-2:45 PM
Robinson Hall B Room 208
Professor Gregory D. Koblentz
Office: Robinson Hall A, Room 216
Tel: (703) 993-1266
Email: gkoblent@gmu.edu
Office Hours: Mondays, 3:00-4:00 PM (or by appointment)
Introduction
Government 322 is an advanced inquiry into the field of international relations. The purpose
of the course is to familiarize students with the leading theories of international relations and the
methods for applying these theories to key historical and contemporary cases. The course will
provide students with sophisticated theoretical tools and analytical skills for understanding
international politics. The course emphasizes the major schools of thought about international politics
including realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Students will also explore key issues using
different levels of analysis—such as the international system, states, organizations, and individual
decision-makers—that cut across these schools of thought. The course will also assess the influence
of non-state actors, such as transnational non-governmental organizations, terrorist groups and
multinational corporations, on international politics. International Relations Theory will encourage
the development of close reading, critical thinking, and writing skills.
Course Objectives
Upon completing this course, students will be able to:
• Identify the major characteristics of the leading theories of international relations;
• Understand how these theories relate to each other, and critically assess the core debates
between them;
• Identify the factors that contribute to the outbreak of war and the maintenance of peace;
• Understand key theories of international political economy that seek to explain the
emergence of the liberal international economic order and the impact of globalization;
• Analyze the causes and consequences of contemporary global challenges such as internal
conflict, international terrorism, and nuclear proliferation;
• Devise analytical, practical, or creative responses to global challenges such as terrorism,
nuclear proliferation, and zombies.
Requirements
Attendance and Participation
Attendance at all class lectures is required.
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The use of electronic devices during class (including cellphones, smartphones, and
laptops) is strictly prohibited. Please turn off your phone or set it to vibrate and leave it in your
pocket or bag. The use of such devices during class will result in their confiscation.
There are several ways for students to participate in the class. Students are encouraged to
ask questions during class and to attend the professor’s office hours. When you ask questions in
class please state your full name loudly and clearly so I can keep track of who is participating in
class.
Please do not email substantive questions about the readings or lectures directly to the
professor. Instead, please post your questions on the Discussion Board on the course’s
Blackboard site. The professor and your fellow students will respond to these questions. Using
the Discussion Board allows the entire class to benefit from the Q&A process and facilitates
debate, discussion, and dialogue.
I reserve the right to call on randomly selected students during each class to answer
questions about the readings and/or lecture materials. Students unable to answer the question due
to absence from class or lack of preparation will be penalized.
Readings
Required readings should be completed before the class for which they are assigned. The
exams will require you to have a strong comprehension of the material covered in both the
readings and the lectures. All course materials, aside from the books recommended for purchase,
will be available on Blackboard, George Mason University’s electronic course management
system. You can log onto Blackboard at https://mymasonportal.gmu.edu.
In addition, you are strongly encouraged to read the international affairs section of a
major newspaper on a daily basis.
Online IR Simulation
We will also be using an online simulation of international politics called Statecraft to
illustrate the major concepts of the course and give you an opportunity to implement them in a
virtual world. The semester subscription fee is $30. You will need to sign up and pay at
http://www.statecraftsim.com/ before the first week of using the simulation (Turn 0 starts on
March 3).
To sign up, go to http://www.statecraftsim.com/, click “Create Account”, create a student
account, and then type in the simulation code (which will be provided later) along with your
username and password. From here you will take your foreign policy attitude test and pay
through Paypal. You must complete this process before February 24.
Statecraft Manual Quizzes
You must complete two Statecraft manual quizzes. The first quiz is completed during
Turn 0. The second quiz is completed during Turn 1. The manual quizzes are located in the quiz
tab of your student profile.
Simulation Memos
You must post a simulation memo through the Statecraft online messaging system
BEFORE each simulation turn ends (typically noon on Saturday). These memos must be at least
300 words in length (the simulation will count them for you). You can submit memos in your
messaging system under the “Write Memo” button. The memos should focus on how and why
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your country made the decisions it did during the turn and should reflect the process and
outcome of decision-making within your country. In a sense, these memos will become your
ongoing “journal” for the simulation experience. The memos are intended to help ensure that
you are actively participating in, and thinking about, the simulation each week. These memos
will also be useful when writing the simulation experience paper at the end of the semester. Late
memos and memos shorter than the required length will not be counted.
Simulation Experience Paper
This paper requires you to integrate your simulation experience with the material you
learned in class. This is an opportunity to reflect on how the simulation illuminated the concepts
and theories we’ve been discussing throughout the semester and how these concepts and theories
informed your own decision-making. This paper should be uploaded to Blackboard by 1:30 PM
on the last day of class (May 5). Specific requirements for the paper will be made available on
Blackboard.
Quizzes
Quizzes to test your knowledge of the assigned readings will be posted on Blackboard every
week. Each quiz will open on Monday and close on Wednesday at the beginning of class. There is no
quiz the first week, during spring break, or the week of the midterm exam. You may take each quiz
twice before it closes. The grade for the lowest quiz of the semester will be dropped.
Examinations
There will be two in-class exams. The midterm will be on April 7. Make-ups for the
midterm will not be given absent a genuine, documented medical emergency. The final exam
will be on May 7 from 1:30-4:15. The final exam will be cumulative, i.e. it will cover the entire
semester. There will be absolutely no make-ups for the final exam for any reason.
The use of electronic devices of any kind is strictly prohibited during the exams. If you
have your phone, or any other electronic device, out during an exam, it will be considered
cheating. The device will confiscated, you will be asked to leave the classroom immediately, you
will receive a zero on the exam, and you will be reported to the Honor Council.
Grading
Your final grade will be calculated as follows:
Midterm Examination
Final Examination
Quizzes
Simulation Manual Quizzes
Simulation Memos
Simulation Experience Paper
Simulation Performance
Attendance and Participation
20%
30%
15%
2%
3%
15%
5%
10%
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Extra Credit
You will have the opportunity to earn extra credit by attending events related to
international politics in the DC area and submitting a paper about the event. Eligible events
include briefings and panels hosted by think tanks or universities (see http://dc.linktank.com/),
Foreign Policy Classroom events held at the Department of State
(http://www.state.gov/r/pa/pl/c18671.htm), or Congressional hearings
(http://www.capitolhearings.org/).
The paper should be at least 4 pages long (minimum of 1,000 words) and provide not
only a summary of the speaker(s) presentation but also your analysis of the presentation using
the theories and concepts we are learning about in class. The paper should include a title page
with the following information: the speaker(s), title of presentation, location and date, your full
name, G# and word count. The paper should be uploaded to Blackboard no later than 1 week
after the date of the event. Up to three such extra credit papers may be submitted. No extra credit
papers will be accepted after the last day of class.
Honor Code
Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat,
plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work. Violations of the Honor Code will
not be tolerated and will be referred to the Honor Committee for investigation. For more
information on this subject, please consult honorcode.gmu.edu
Plagiarism encompasses the following:
1. Presenting as one's own the words, the work, or the opinions of someone else without proper
acknowledgment.
2. Borrowing the sequence of ideas, the arrangement of material, or the pattern of thought of
someone else without proper acknowledgment.
Disability Statement
If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see
me and contact the Office of Disability Resources at (703) 993-2474. All academic
accommodations must be arranged through that office.
Enrollment Statement
Students are responsible for verifying their enrollment in this class. Schedule adjustments
should be made by the deadlines published in the Schedule of Classes. After the last day
to drop a class, withdrawing from this class requires the approval of the dean and is
only allowed for nonacademic reasons.
Required Texts
The following readings will be placed on reserve at Fenwick library and will also be
available for purchase at the George Mason bookstore:
Joseph S. Nye, Jr. and David A. Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and
Cooperation: An Introduction to Theory and History, 9th Edition (Boston: Pearson, 2012).
Karen A. Mingst and Jack L. Snyder, Essential Readings in World Politics, 5th Edition
(New York: W.W. Norton, 2013).
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All other course materials will be available on Blackboard, George Mason University’s
electronic course management system. You can log onto Blackboard at
https://mymasonportal.gmu.edu.
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CLASS SCHEDULE AND READINGS
WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION
January 22: Introduction
Please bring a hard copy of the syllabus to review during class.
WEEK 2: ROADMAP TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
January 27: Zombies, Terrorists and International Politics
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 1-16.
Jack Snyder, “One World, Rival Theories,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 2-10.
Daniel W. Drezner, “Night of the Living Wonks,” Foreign Policy (July/August 2010),
pp. 34-38. [On Blackboard]
January 29: Roadmap to International Relations
Quiz 1 Due
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 38-76.
PART I: THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
WEEK 3: THE REALIST PARADIGM
February 3: Realism and Neorealism
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 16-24.
Thucydides, “Melian Dialogue,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 11-12.
Hans J. Morgenthau, “A Realist Theory of International Politics and Political Power,” in
Mingst and Snyder, pp. 32-36.
John Mearsheimer, “Anarchy and the Struggle for Power,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 3756.
Hans J. Morgenthau, “The Balance of Power, Different Methods of the Balance of
Power, and Evaluation of the Balance of Power,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 99-105.
February 5: Security in an Anarchic World
Quiz 2 Due
Thomas C. Schelling, “The Diplomacy of Violence,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 401-409.
Robert Jervis, “Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp.
410-424.
Stephen M. Walt, “Alliances: Balancing and Bandwagoning,” in Robert Art and Robert
Jervis, International Politics, pp. 127-134. [On Blackboard]
James D. Fearon, “Rationalist Explanations for War,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp.
425-450.
WEEK 4: THE LIBERAL PARADIGM
February 10: Liberalism and Neoliberalism
Michael W. Doyle, “Liberalism and World Politics,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 57-72.
Erik Gartzke, “Capitalist Peace or Democratic Peace?” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 532536.
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Robert D. Putnam, “Diplomacy and Domestic Politics,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 174194.
February 12: International Cooperation
Quiz 3 Due
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 193-206.
Kenneth Oye, “The Conditions for Cooperation in World Politics,” in Robert Art and
Robert Jervis, International Politics, pp. 79-92. [On Blackboard]
Robert Keohane, “From After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World
Political Economy” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 292-307.
John J. Mearsheimer, “The False Promise of International Institutions,” in Mingst and
Snyder, pp. 308-319.
WEEK 5: THE CONSTRUCTIVIST PARADIGM
Register for Statecraft
February 17: Constructivism
Alexander Wendt, “Anarchy is What States Make of It: The Social Construction of
Power Politics,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 73-97.
February 19: The Clash of Civilizations?
Quiz 4 Due
Samuel Huntington, “The Clash of Civilizations?” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 256-262.
Jack Donnelly, “Human Rights and Cultural Relativism,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 672685.
Brenda Shaffer, “Is There a Muslim Foreign Policy? The Case of the Caspian,” Current
History (November 2002), pp. 382-387. [Blackboard]
WEEK 6 (February 24, 26): FOREIGN POLICY: REAL AND SIMULATED
Statecraft: Turn 0
February 24: Theories of Foreign Policy Decision-Making
Graham Allison, “Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis,” American Political
Science Review, Vol. 63, No. 3 (September 1969), pp. 689-718. [On Blackboard]
Adam Entous, Janet Hook and Carol E. Lee, “Inside White House, a Head-Spinning
Reversal on Chemical Weapons,” Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2013. [On Blackboard]
February 26: Statecraft Orientation
Statecraft Manual Quiz 1 Due By Beginning of Class
Read the Statecraft Manual
WEEK 7 (March 3, 5): INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
Statecraft: Turn 1
Statecraft Manual Quiz 2 Due By End of Turn
March 3: Theories of International Political Economy
Robert Gilpin, “The Nature of Political Economy,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 523-531.
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Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 254-284 (Chapter
7: Globalization and Interdependence).
March 5: Globalization
Quiz 5 Due
Helen V. Milner, “Globalization, Development and International Institutions,” in Mingst
and Snyder, pp 537-559.
Daniel W. Drezner, “The Irony of Global Economic Governance,” in Mingst and Snyder,
pp. 560-580.
Lloyd Gruber, “Globalization with Growth and Equality,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 581602.
Week 8 (March 10, 12): NO CLASS (SPRING BREAK)
No Statecraft Turn
No Quiz
PART II: HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
WEEK 9 (March 17, 19): WORLD WAR I
Statecraft: Turn 2
Quiz 6 Due
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 78-110 (Chapter 3:
From Westphalia to World War I).
WEEK 10 (March 24, 26): WORLD WAR II
Statecraft: Turn 3
Quiz 7 Due
Woodrow Wilson, “The Fourteen Points,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 14-16.
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 111-140 (Chapter
4: The Failure of Collective Security and World War II).
WEEK 11 (March 31, April 2): THE COLD WAR
Statecraft: Turn 4
Quiz 8 Due
George F. Kennan, “The Source of Soviet Conduct,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 17-22.
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 141-191 (Chapter
5: The Cold War).
PART III: CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES
WEEK 12 (April 7, 9)
Statecraft: Turn 5
April 7: **MID TERM**
April 9: The Global Politics of Climate Change
Garret Hardin, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 707-717.
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Elinor Ostrom, “Institutions and the Environment,” Mingst and Snyder, pp. 718-730.
David G. Victor, “Toward Effective International Cooperation on Climate Change:
Numbers, Interests and Institutions,” Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (August
2006), pp. 90-103. [Blackboard]
WEEK 13 (April 14, 16)
Statecraft: Turn 6
April 14: The Rise of China
Aaron L. Friedberg, “The Future of U.S.-China Relations: Is Conflict Inevitable?”
International Security, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Fall 2005), pp. 7-45. [On Blackboard]
April 16: Intervention in the Post-Cold War Era
Quiz 9 Due
Nye and Welch, Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 25-34, 206-218.
Martha Finnemore, “Changing Norms of Humanitarian Intervention,” in Mingst and
Snyder, pp. 496-520.
Samantha Power, “Bystanders to Genocide: Why the United States Let the Rwandan
Tragedy Happen,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 317-337.
Virginia Page Fortna, “Does Peacekeeping Work?” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 308-316.
WEEK 14 (April 21, 33): NON-STATE ACTORS AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
Statecraft: Turn 7
April 21: The Information Revolution and Rise of Transnational Actors
Nye and Welch, Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 285-314 (Chapter 8: The
Information Revolution and Transnational Actors).
Margaret Keck and Kathryn Sikkink, “Transnational Advocacy Networks in International
Politics,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 382-393.
April 23: Terrorism
Quiz 10 Due
Andrew H. Kydd and Barbara F. Water, “The Strategies of Terrorism,” in Mingst and
Snyder, pp. 471-495.
WEEK 15 (April 28, 30): THE MIDDLE EAST
Statecraft: Turn 8
April 28: The Arab Spring: Causes and Consequences
Olivier Roy, “The Transformation of the Arab World,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 245255.
Jason Brownlee, Tarek Masoud, and Andrew Reynolds, “Tracking the Arab Spring: Why
the Modest Harvest?” Journal of Democracy, Volume 24, Number 4 (October 2013), pp. 29-44.
[Blackboard]
Daniel Byman, “Explaining the Western Response to the Arab Spring,” Journal of
Strategic Studies, Vol. 36, No. 2 (2013), pp. 289-320. [Blackboard]
April 30: Iran and Nuclear Proliferation
Quiz 11 Due
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Barry R. Posen, “A Nuclear-Armed Iran: A Difficult But Not Impossible Policy
Problem,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 451-466.
Kenneth N. Waltz, “Why Iran Should Get the Bomb: Nuclear Balancing Means World
Stabiity,” in Mingst and Snyder, pp. 467-470.
Matthew Kroenig, “Time to Attack Iran,” Foreign Affairs, January/February 2012. [On
Blackboard]
WEEK 16 (May 5): WRAP UP
May 5: The Future of Global Governance and Simulation Debriefing
**Simulation Experience Paper Due**
Nye and Welch, Global Conflict and Cooperation, pp. 315-347 (Chapter 9: What Can
We Expect From the Future?)
May 7: Final Exam, 1:30-4:15 PM
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