Global Issues
POLS 2401-001, Spring 2011
MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
Classroom J-101
Instructor: Eszter Simon, PhD
Office: Room 223, 2nd floor, J Building
Office Phone: 678-915-3725
Email: esimon@spsu.edu
Office Hours: MW 1:00pm-2:00pm
Course website: http://www.personal.ceu.hu/students/04/Eszter_Simon/globalissues.html
Course Objectives:
This is an introductory course to International Relations, covering such issues as diplomacy, development,
poverty, and war and peace. The course is designed to introduce students to the dilemmas countries and their
leaders face today. It is important to understand that today the quality of our lives greatly depends on what is
happening in other states. This course is a partially hybrid course.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students will be able to
1. identify and describe some major political, economic, social, and environmental issues confronting
the global community.
2. evaluate major threats to peace and stability in the world today, and be able to discuss the underlying
reasons for a lack of resolution.
3. evaluate the demographic, economic, and/or ethno-national dimensions to issues of development.
Textbook:
Kegley, Charles W. and Gregory A. Raymond.2010. The Global Future. A Brief Introduction to World
Politics. Third Edition. Boston: Wadsworth.
Supplementary reading will be available to the students at the course website. If you experience problems
downloading them, contact me immediately. The inability to download the readings is not a legitimate
excuse for not reading. Supplementary readings are marked with an asterisks (*) in the syllabus.
All readings whether they are assigned from the textbook or denoted as supplementary are compulsory to
read.
Grading Scale:
A: 91-100
B: 81-90
C: 71-80
D: 61-70
F: -60
I reserve the right to change the grading scale.
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Course Evaluation:
Your final grade will be derived from the following components:
3 Maps: (3 maps are worth 10% of the final grade)
Quizzes: 25%
Exam 1: 15%
Exam 2: 15%
Exam 3: 15%
Exercises: 20%
Participation 10%
Three map tests (10%)
Issues in world politics cannot be understood without a general understanding of geography. A study guide
and a practice map are available for all three of the map s.
Quizzes – 25%
There will be 10 quizzes during the term. Their purpose is to help students regularly prepare for classes and,
thus, make preparation for the three exams easier. The dates of the quizzes and the material to be covered for
them are listed below under ‘Course Schedule’ A quiz will be 10-minute long, administered at the beginning
of the class, and will consist of five short questions each worth 20 points (∑ 100).
An additional ten points may be earned each week through an extra-credit question. Questions will deal with
current affairs i.e. major international news items.
If a student fails to attend a class, his/her quiz will automatically earn him/her 0 points. However, the results
of the worst three quizzes will be automatically dropped when calculating the final grade. There will be no
make-up quizzes.
Three Exams (15% each) – 60%
All thee exams will be combine multiple choice and short answer questions. Exams will test the students’
knowledge of the whole material covered in class preceding the exam. They will be based on class readings
and classroom lectures, which are designed to complement each other. They may not cover identical
material.
During the review session before the first exam, a more detailed description of the exam will be given.
There will be NO make-up exams. Missed examinations will be graded as a 0 unless the student has a valid
and properly documented excuse such as a significant illness, death in the immediate family, required
attendance at university sponsored activities and job emergency. Vacation plans, social events and
sorority/fraternity functions are NOT valid reasons for missing exams or any exercises. Students who miss an
exam for valid, documented reasons will have the other exam grades increased proportionally.
Exercises: 25%
There will be 5exercises throughout the term. Their purpose is to help students learn the nuts and bolts of
arguing for and against a position, deepen the theoretical knowledge in form of an exercise, and allow
students to try their hand at analytical tasks. Exercises therefore are short argumentative essays of 700-1000
words (without title, author, and references). Formal requirements are as follows: font type is Times New
Roman, point 12, double-spaced. Each paragraph should be indented. Each essay should come with a cover
page containing the name of the student, course name, essay title. Essays will not require students to consult
any other sources. However, if they are consulted, they must be properly referenced. A printed copy of the
essays is due at the beginning of the class on the day of the deadline.
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Participation – 10%
The last 10 percent of your grade will be based on participation. Participation does not equal class
attendance, but attendance is a good starting point, as I will regularly take attendance. Students who miss
more than 3 classes will lose the participation component of the grade. Students who miss more than 6
classes will automatically fail the course. Besides attendance, students are expected to actively contribute to
class discussion.
General policies
Students are expected to come prepared to class: read the assigned readings prior to class, and bring a copy
with them in class. While e-book readers are allowed in the classroom, most people find paper copies easier
to read, annotate, and study from.
No late submission is accepted.
Students with a problem or an extenuating circumstance should contact me at the earliest possible date and
before deadlines.
If you have a question, please ask!
Academic honesty
Students are expected to comply with the Southern Polytechnic State University code for academic honesty
(see http://www.spsu.edu/cs/faculty/bbrown/papers/conduct.html). For a definition of plagiarism, see
http://www.spsu.edu/cs/faculty/bbrown/papers/ghspla.html. Plagiarism includes copying from students
in and out of class. When in doubt about quoting sources, consult the APSA Style Manual
(http://www.ipsonet.org/data/files/APSAStyleManual2006.pdf)
Plagiarism will be punished severely. At the first instance, the student will receive a 0 for the task, for the
second instance, the student will fail the class.
Behavior in the classroom; use of electronic devices
Every student has the right to take part in the class undistracted by other students' behavior. Disruptive
behavior such as entering class late, leaving it early, receiving phone calls, talking during class, or reading
extra-course materials will not be tolerated. Cell phones should be turned off during class. Other electronic
devices (laptops, ebook readers, etc.) may only be used for learning purposes (following course readings or
taking notes). Inappropriate uses of computers and other electronic devices (e.g. checking emails, playing
games, surfing the web, watching movies) will be penalized.
Students with disabilities
Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class should contract the counselor working
with disabilities (678) 915-7489 as soon as possible so as to ensure that accommodations are made in a
proper and timely fashion.
Some useful tips on dealing with class-room readings
 In the first half of the course (the last guide will be provided for ‘Terrorism’) students will get guiding
questions in order to help readings comprehension and preparation for exams/quizzes.
 The first part of the course will also serve as a learning period for being able to find what is important in
a reading and what is illustration and example, which help understanding the material but its details are
not vital to memorize.
 In general, a story is usually an illustration.
 Definitions, concept, causes of things discussed, arguments for and against a position are things to learn.
 Make sure you read the chapter and only then start dealing with the guiding questions. Otherwise you
may miss something that facilitates understanding or you will have a much harder time to prepare for
class in the second half of the course when there will be no guiding questions.
 Taking notes of readings substantially helps understanding and memorizing contents. Treat the guide in
the first part of the course as a help in what you should take notes of in a readings.
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
For one reason or another, sometimes it is easier to carry an argument for a position you do not
personally agree with.
Some useful tips for writing argumentative essays (exercise)
 the paper should have an introduction, body (of multiple paragraphs, and conclusion).
 the introduction should clearly state the position argued or opinion expressed and supported in the rest of
the essay. E.g. In this paper I will argue/prove that….
 paragraphs should be between 5-7 sentences long and start with a topic sentence (the point you want to
make in the paragraph) and followed with supporting argument.
 Supporting arguments can be many things: data, quotes from other sources that support your position
(must be properly referenced!), a logical chain of thoughts.
 When you are inclined to start a sentence with I THINK, I BELIEVE, you probably do not have an
argument and just a hunch or a moral judgment. They are good starting points, but you will have to find
ways to support your position. Work on your argument as long as it make sense without ‘I think’, ‘I
believe’ and then delete these words.
 Moralizing is not an argument.
 The essay should conclude with a 1-2 sentence concluding paragraph where you restate the position you
argued for and list the supporting claims you brought for that position.
 As you are required to write fairly short essays, you will need no more than 2-3 supporting arguments for
a position.
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Date
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Topic
Reading
Deadlines/Map &Quiz dates
-
-
M
January 10
CLASS CANCELED DUE TO SNOW
W
January 12
CLASS CANCELED DUE TO SNOW
M
January 17
Martin Luther King Day – NO CLASS
W
January 19
1. Introduction to class
-
M
January 24
2. What is International Relations?
Kegley& Raymond, pp. 410, 16-21
Quiz 1: syllabus + Kegley &Raymond pp. 410, 16-21
W
January 26
3. History of the International System 1
Kegley& Raymond, 59-65
(stop before ’Type of
Government’), 80-88.
Map 1: Europe
M
January 31
4. History of the International System 2
Kegley & Raymond, pp 88103
Quiz 2: Kegley & Raymond, pp. 59-65; 80103.
-
EXTRA CREDIT EXERCISE on Fateless due
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
W
February 2
5. International Relations Theory 1: Realism
and Liberalism
Kegley & Raymond, pp. 27- Quiz 3: Kegley & Raymond, pp. 231-255.
39, 231-255
M
February 7
6. International Relations Theory 2.
Alternative Approaches
Kegley & Raymong, pp. 40- Quiz 4: Kegley & Raymond, pp. 40-49, 25549, 255-273
273
W
February 9
7. International Relations Theory 3: Nuclear
Tipping Point
-
M
February 14
8. Review Session
-
W
February 16
9. EXAM 1
-
M
February 21
10. Foreign Policy Analysis 1
Breuning* pp. 115-136
Map 2: Middle-East
W
February 23
11. Foreign Policy Analysis 2
Breuning* pp. 53-81
Quiz 5: Breuning pp. 53-81, 115-136
M
February 28
12. Terrorism
Hoffman*; Kegley &
Raymond pp 192-198.
Quiz 6:Hoffman, Kegley & Raymond, pp .
192-198
5
Nuclear Tipping Point exercise due
Date
Week 9
Week 10
Topic
W
March 2
13. Diplomacy: Ambassador inside the
Embassy
M
March 7
Spring break – NO CLASS
W
March 9
Spring break – NO CLASS
M
Mach 14
14. US Foreign policy
Reading
Deadlines/Map &Quiz dates
Map :3 Asia
Moyar
Quiz 7: Moyar
Ambassador inside the Embassy exercise
due
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
W
March 16
15. Intelligence: Charlie Wilson's War 1
-
M
March 21
16. Intelligence: Charlie Wilson's War 2
-
W
March 23
17. Review Session
-
M
March 28
18. EXAM 2
-
W
March 30
19. International Organizations 1: United Nations Karns & Mingst,* pp. 95-142
M
April 4
20. International Organizations 2: the
European Union
Karns & Mingst,* pp. 161177
W
April 6
21. International Conflict 2
Kegley & Raymond pp. 175192
M
April 11
22. Civil-Military Relations
Rukavishnikov & Pugh*
W
April 13
NO CLASS
M
April 18
23. Rich and Poor
Kegley & Raymond, pp.
106-135
Quiz 10: Kegley & Raymond, pp. 106-135
W
April 20
24. Globalization
Kegley & Raymond, pp.
286-307
Globalization exercise due
M
April 25
25. Review session
-
W
April 27
26. EXAM 3
-
Exercise on Charlie Wilson’s war due
Quiz 8: Karns and Mingst, pp. 95-142 &161177
Quiz 9: Rukavishnikov & Pugh; Kegley &
Raymond, pp. 175- 192
Civil-Military relations exercise due IN EMAIL
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