Political Science 327
Security and Conflict in the Global Economy
(a.ka. International Political Economy)
Call Number: POLSCI – 327
Class Meetings: T/TH 2:15pm – 3:35 pm, Heldrich Science Building, Room 106
Instructor: Dr. Paul Poast, Ph.D.
Office: 305 Hickman Hall
E-mail: paul.poast@rutgers.edu
Course Web page: On Sakai
Office Hours: T/TH: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm and by make appointment
I. Course Objective:
Understanding how the interaction and interdependence between economics and security, both in the past and the present, is
vital to solving many of the challenges facing the world today and in the future. Unfortunately, traditional political-economy under
emphasizes the interdependence between military security and economics. This course shows that only through combining
international security and international economics can instances of international cooperation be fully understood.
II. Course Requirements
Prerequisites: Permission from the instructor
Students are expected to attend class and required to:
1) MID TERM (40 points)
2) FINAL (40 points)
3) FOUR PART DATA ANALYSIS HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT (5 points for each part)
III. Textbook:
Thomas Oatley. International Political Economy. 5th edition. Pearson-Longman. 2011
IV. Assessment
90 - 100 points: A
80 - 89 points: B
70 - 79 points: C
60 - 69 points: D
< 59 points: E
V. Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct will result in failure of the course. Alleged academic misconduct will be reported to the department and the
Committee on Academic Misconduct. Academic misconduct in this course includes, but is not limited to, assisting another student
during an examination and failure for a student to do their own work during the exam.
VI. Absences and Missed Assignments
Attendance will not be taken, but instructors have a tendency to know who has been in class and who hasn't. Late assignments will
not be accepted, but assignments can be handed in early. There is no makeup for the mid-term and final unless you have a prearranged university sanctioned event (and can provide evidence of this prior to the exam).
VII. Disability Notice
Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability
should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs and contact the Office for Disability
Services.
VIII. Schedule
September 1: Course Introduction
Topics Covered: Pass out syllabus and introduce main idea of course.
WEEK ONE
September 6: Why Europe and China? Climate, Climate, and Stirrups
September 8: Why Europe and China? (continue)
WEEK TWO
September 13: Why Europe, Not China? Plague, Greed, and Other Happy
Things.
September 15: Why Europe, Not China? (continue)
WEEK THREE
September 20: Why the British? Winner by `default'
September 22: Why the British? (continue)
HOMEWORK PART #1 PASSED OUT IN CLASS
WEEK FOUR
September 27: The First `Golden Age': Gun Boats, Free Trade, and `Crosses
of Gold'
September 29: The First `Golden Age' (continue)
WEEK FIVE
October 4: The First `Golden Age' (continue)
October 6: "You Think it's bad now!?" Depression, Another World War, and
the Origins of the Cold War
HOMEWORK PART #2 PASSED OUT IN CLASS
WEEK SIX
October 11: "You Think it's bad now!?" (continue)
October 13: Wrap-up and Review for Exam
WEEK SEVEN
October 18: MID TERM ONE
October 20: NO CLASS
WEEK EIGHT
October 25: Of Ski Resorts and Nuclear Weapons: War-Time Planning, The
Post-War Gold Standard and US-Soviet Rivalry
October 27: Of Ski Resorts and Nuclear Weapons: (continue)
WEEK NINE
November 1: Of Ski Resorts and Nuclear Weapons: (continue)
November 3: Oil! Ending the Cold War, Creating Global
Financial Markets, and Influencing US Foreign Policy
WEEK TEN
November 8: Oil! (continue)
November 10: Oil! (continue)
HOMEWORK PART #3 PASSED OUT IN CLASS
WEEK ELEVEN
November 15: Definition of Insanity: Financial Crises in the late 20th
Century and the Great Recession.
November 17: Definition of Insanity: (continue)
WEEK TWELVE
November 22: It's About Time: The Return of China
November 24: NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING)
WEEK THIRTEEN
November 29: It's About Time: (continue)
December 1: Workshop: Introduction to Regression Analysis (necessary for
homework 4)
HOMEWORK PART #4 PASSED OUT IN CLASS
WEEK FOURTEEN
December 6: Special Topic 1: Global Poverty
December 8: Special Topic 2: The Ethics of Globalization
WEEK FIFTEEN
December 13: Wrap-Up and Review for Final