Approaches to International Relations
Political Science 144A
International Studies 179, Lec C
University of California Irvine
Summer Session 1
MW 4:00-6:50pm
Arturo Jimenez-Bacardi
arturoj@uci.edu
Office: SST 534
Office Hrs: Mon 11:00-12:00pm, or by appointment.
If you have any special needs please contact me directly.
Overview:
This class has several goals. One is to gain a much more sophisticated and nuanced
understanding of international affairs. Two is to learn how to systematically assess competing
theoretical perspectives. Three is to sharpen your skills at critical engagement of texts. Four and
perhaps most importantly, is to enhance your own aptitude for critical engagement. This involves
working out your own perspective and being able to articulate it in a coherent, fluent manner.
This course will address the main theoretical debates in the field. Students will be introduced to
different ways of thinking about global affairs and how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses
of these competing ideas. The theories that we will explore include: realism, liberalism,
constructivism, neo-conservatism, critical theory, feminism, postcolonial theory, and
psychological approaches. We will analyze the philosophical foundations of each approach,
assess their underlying assumptions, examine how they have evolved over time, and evaluate
how they deal with power in global affairs. Finally, by focusing on several current event issues,
such as nuclear proliferation, transnational terrorism, the use of force, the laws of war, and
economic inequality, we will draw out the policy implications for each theoretical school.
Learning Objectives:
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Understand the substantive information presented in lectures and readings.
Engage in close reading of the material to identify main arguments and themes.
Participate in classroom discussion. You should come to class with prepared notes of the
reading material and a list of discussion questions.
Think critically about the material. Rather than simply summarize the materials presented
in lectures and reading, form your own judgments on how persuasive you find the
analyses.
Express sophisticated, clear ideas in writing.
Collaborate with fellow students in preparation for in-class ‘special topic’ debates.
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Course Materials:
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REQUIRED: Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki, and Steve Smith, eds. (2010). International
Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. Oxford University Press.
RECOMMENDED: Daniel W. Drezner (2011). Theories of International Politics and
Zombies. Princeton University Press.
All other materials will be available online through the course webpage.
Grading and Assignments:
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Weekly current events short papers: 15%
o Every Monday you will turn in a one-page single spaced analysis of a current
events article that deals with international affairs. This is not meant to be a
summary of the article. Instead, you have to use one or more of the theoretical
perspectives to analyze the content in the article (i.e. Does x theory do a good job
at explaining the event; what would x theory expect to happen next; what policy
recommendation would x theory provide, etc.).
 New York Times Washington Post Huffington Post
al-Jazeera BBC The Economist The Independent
 Foreign Policy Foreign Affairs Foreign Policy in Focus
 Counterpunch Monthly Review The Weekly Standard
The National Interest Survival
Midterm: 25%
o In class midterm on Wednesday, July 10.
o 40% of the grade will be based on 6 short identifications.
o 60% of the grade will be based on two essay questions.
Final: 25%
o In class final on Wednesday, July 24.
o 40% of the grade will be based on 6 short identifications.
o 60% of the grade will be based on two essay questions.
Take-Home Paper: 20%
o Due on Monday, July 29 at 11:59pm.
o 6-7 pages double spaced (max 1,500 words).
o There are three options for this final paper:
 Write a book review of a classic international relations book (See
Appendix 1 for some suggestions).
 Write a theoretical analysis based on a recent historical or journalistic
book (See Appendix 2 for some suggestions).
 Write a paper for the Foreign Affairs student essay contest due August 1
(http://www.foreignaffairs.com/classroom/bulletin-board/student-essaycontest-2012).
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QUESTION: How much did U.S. foreign policy change after the
last election and how much will it change after this one?
Participation: 15%
o Everyone starts out with 70 out of 100 points. Each absence costs you 4 points.
Each in class participation earns you 3 points. You can only earn 3 points per
class, and you can make up participation points through office hours.
Final Grade Breakdown:
93 = A
90 = A-
87 = B+
84 = B
80 = B-
77 = C+
74 = C
70 = C-
Class and Reading Schedule:
Monday June 24 – Levels of Analysis, Methods, Concepts, and Power.
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Recommended Readings:
o Brian Schmidt (2002). “On the History and Historiography of International
Relations,” in Handbook of International Relations.
o Kenneth Waltz (1954) Man, the State and War: A Theoretical Analysis.
Introduction on the Level of Analysis.
Wednesday June 26 – Realism, neo-Realism, and their Critics.
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Introductory Readings:
o Dunne et al, John Mearsheimer (2009). “Structural Realism.”
o Hans Morgenthau (1948). “A Realist Theory of International Politics and Political
Power.”
o Hans Morgenthau (1948) “The Balance of Power.”
o Robert Jervis (1978). “Cooperation under the Security Dilemma”
o RECOMMENDED: Drezner, Zombies, p. 33-47.
Discussion topic:
o Will (and should) the US conduct a military operation to stop Iran from acquiring
nuclear weapons?
 Barry Posen (2006) “A Nuclear-Armed Iran: A Difficult but Not
Impossible Policy Problem.”
 Matthew Kroenig (2012). “Time to Attack Iran, why a strike is the least
bad option.”
 Patrick Cockburn (2012) “The Ongoing War on Iran.”
 Charles Kupchan (2010). “Enemies into Friends: How the United States
Can Court Its Adversaries.”
Monday July 1 – Neo-Liberal Institutionalism.
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Introductory Readings:
o Dunne, Kurki and Smith, IR Theories, (Chapter on Neoliberalism): p. 116-135.
o Robert Keohane, ,O. (1984), After Hegemony; Cooperation and Discord in the
World Political Economy (Pnnceton NJ; Princeton University Press). Selections.
o Robert O. Keohane and Lisa L. Martin, "The Promise of Institutionalist Theory."
International Security 20,1 (Summer 1995): 39-51
o Mearsheimer, J. J., “The False Promise of International Institutions,” International
Security, Vol.19, no. 3 (1994-95).
o RECOMMENDED: Drezner, Zombies, p. 47-60.
Discussion Topic:
o Are the Geneva Conventions’ provisions on the treatment of detainees obsolete in
a time of transnational terrorism?
 Alberto R. Gonzales, Counsel to the President, January 25, 2002 Memo,
“Decision Re Application of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War
to the Conflict with al Qaeda and the Taliban.”
 Colin L. Powell, U.S. Department of State, January 26, 2002 Memo to the
President, “Draft Decision Memorandum for the President on the
Applicability of the Geneva Convention to the Conflict in Afghanistan.”
 John Yoo, “Commentary: Behind the 'torture memos'”
 Jose Rodriguez, 60 Minutes Interview, “Hard Measures: Ex-CIA head
defends post-9/11 tactics.”
 Ali Soufan, “My tortured decision.”
 Ali Soufan, interview criticizing Jose Rodriguez.
 For a brief history of the Bush administrations ‘enhanced interrogation
program,’ see: Philippe Sands, “The Green Light.”
Wednesday July 3 – Constructivism.
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Introductory Readings:
o Dunne, Kurki and Smith, IR Theories, (Chapter on Constructivism): p. 177-194.
o Alexander Wendt, “Anarchy is What States Make of It,” International
Organization 46 (Spring 1992).
o Margaret E. Keck and Kathryn Sikkink (1998). Activists Beyond Borders:
Advocacy Networks in International Politics, Introduction.
o Martha Finnemore (1996). The National Interest in International Society. Cornell
University Press. Chapter 1.
o RECOMMENDED: Drezner, Zombies, p. 67-77.
Discussion topic:
o Is an international norm against targeted killings emerging?
 Joe Becker and Scott Shane (2012). “Secret ‘Kill List’ Proves a Test of
Obama’s Principles and Will.”
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David Cole (2012). “An Executive Power to Kill?”
Kenneth Anderson (2010) “Predators over Pakistan: The U.S. drone
campaign is effective—and legal. Why won’t the Obama administration’s
lawyers defend it?”
John Sifton (2012) “A Brief History of Drones.”
Harold Koh (2012) Speech on Obama Administration and International
Law.
Pew World Poll: Drone Strikes Widely Opposed (Except in US):
ON BIN LADEN ASSASSINATION: Nicholas Schmidle (2011),
“Getting Bin Laden: What Happened that night in Abbottabad.” Pages 915 only.
FOR LEGAL BACKGROUND: Gary Solis (2010). The Law of Armed
Conflict: International Humanitarian Law in War. Section on Targeted
Killings.
Monday July 8 – Liberalism.
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Introductory Readings:
o Dunne, Kurki and Smith, IR Theories, (Chapter on Liberalism): p. 95-115.
o Michael Doyle, “Liberalism and World Politics,” American Political Science
Review 80 (Dec., 1986).
o Ma’oz and Russett, “Normative and Structural Causes of Democratic Peace.”
o Christopher Layne, "Kant or Cant: The Myth of the Democratic Peace"
International Security, 19, 2, Fall.
o RECOMMENDED: Drezner, Zombies, p. 77-87.
Discussion topic:
o Is the forceful (military) spread of democracy a worthwhile foreign policy goal to
pursue?
 Roland Paris, “The Limits of Wilsonianism: Understanding the Perils”
 Charles Krauthammer, “In Defense of Democratic Realism.”
 Condoleezza Rice, “The New American Realism,” Foreign Affairs, Vol.
87, no. 4 (July/August 2008).
 Ish-Shalom (2008) “Lessons from the Politicization of the Democratic
Peace.”
 Ned Parker (2012). “The Iraq we Left Behind: Welcome to the next failed
state.”
Wednesday July 10 – (MIDTERM from 4:00-5:30pm)
Neo-Conservatism
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Readings:
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o Drezner, Zombies, p. 61-67.
o The National Security Strategy of the United States of America (White House,
2002).
o Schmidt & Williams (2008) “The Bush Doctrine and the Iraq War: Neocons
versus Realists.”
Monday July 15 – Critical Theory.
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Introductory Readings:
o Dunne, Kurki and Smith, IR Theories, (Chapter on Neoliberalism): p. 157-176.
o Mark Ruppert (2005). “Class Powers and the Politics of Global Governance.”
o Robert W. Cox, “Gramsci, Hegemony, and International Relations: an Essay in
Method.”
Discussion topic:
o Is it the global 1% versus the rest?
 Mara Baviere and Walden Bello (2009) “Food Wars.” Monthly Review.
 Michael D. Yates (2004). “Poverty and Inequality in the Global
Economy.” Monthly Review.
 The Economist (2011). “The Rich and the Rest: What to do and not to do
about inequality.”
 Joseph Stiglitz (2012) “The Price of Inequality.”
 Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine, Chapter 1
 Thomas Pogge (2008) World Poverty and Human Rights. Introduction.
 Jagdish N. Bhagwati (2011) “Does Redistributing Income Reduce
Poverty?”
Wednesday July 17 – Post-Colonial Theory and Feminism.
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Introductory Readings:
o Dunne, Kurki and Smith, IR Theories, (Chapters on Feminism and
Postcolonialism): p. 195-212, and 238-256.
o Santos et al (2005) Law & Globalization from Below. Introduction.
o J. Ann Tickner. “Gendered Perspectives on national security.”
Discussion topic:
o Should the International community militarily intervene in Syria?
 Marc Lynch (2012). “Pressure not War, A Pragmatic & Principled Policy
toward Syria.”
 Jackson Diehl (2012) “Why the US Should intervene in Syria.”
 Jonathan Cook (2012) “The Evils of Humanitarian Wars.”
 Various (2012) “Open Letter to Obama to Intervene in Syria.”
 Mahmood Mamdani (2007). “The Politics of Naming: Genocide, Civil
War, Insurgency.”
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Jonathan Graubart (2012). “Responsibility to Protect and Pragmatic
Liberal Interventionism: Values in the Service of Interests.”
Yon Western and Joshua S. Goldstein (2012). “Humanitarian Intervention
Comes of Age: Lessons from Somalia to Libya.”
Monday July 22 – Individual Level – Rational Choice and Psychology.
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Introductory Readings:
o Drezner, Zombies, p. 99-109.
o Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith, Dictators Handbook, Chapter 1 and
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o Kydd and Walter, “The Strategies of Terrorism”
o Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow. Introduction.
Discussion Topic:
o What is the most effective/efficient counterterrorism strategy?
 David Kilcullen (2008). “The Accidental Guerrilla.”
 Noam Chomsky (2002). “Who are the Global Terrorists?”
 Jessica Stern, (2010). “How to Deradicalize Islamist Extremists.”
 Philip Gordon (2007). “Can the War on Terror be Won? How to Fight the
Right War.”
 Daniel Bymann (2011). A High Price: The Triumphs and Failures of
Israeli Counterterrorism. P. 362-382.
Wednesday July 24 – Final Exam.
MONDAY JULY 29 – FINAL PAPER DUE @ 11:59pm.
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