PS235: International Relations
Instructor: Hanbeom Jeong
Class Times: MWF 10:00-11:00 AM, CB 214
Office: 1602 P.O.T. (phone: 257-7051)
E-Mail: hjeon2@uky.edu
Office Hours: M 2:30-3:30, Th 1:00-2:30 or by Appointment
Why do a war and other armed conflicts break out? What are the Arabs and Israelis fighting over
and how could we approach a peaceful resolution in the Arab-Israeli conflict? Can future UN
Peacekeeping practices be made more effective in such places as Lebanon or Sudan? How can the tentative
Kyoto Protocol on climate change be implemented effectively? Are the WTO and the IMF harbingers of a
more prosperous and peaceful world or villains of world inequality, environmental degradation, and the
misery of the Third World? These are examples of the questions we will learn –and how to approach the
possible answers- in the class. To do so the class combines the concepts used by academia and real events,
both past and current. The concepts will help you to analyze the prescriptions and solutions of a certain
problematic international event.
Students need to read materials to understand the class and actively participate in the discussion
during the class. To keep up the rapidly changing world, students are also highly encouraged to follow the
news sources, such as the New York Times (www.nytimes.com), CNN (www.cnn.com), the Washington
Post (www.washingtonpost.com), the BBC (www.bbc.co.uk), etc. I also strongly recommend the students
to ask questions during the class, to stop by my office, and to send me an e-mail to ask questions.
Required Texts
Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon Pevehouse, International Relations, 7th edition, NY: Longman
William R. Keylor, The Twentieth-Century World and Beyond: An International History since 1900, 5th
Edition (2005, NY: Oxford University Press)
Course Assignments
Quizzes: Students will have 5 quizzes, one about world leaders and four map quizzes. Each map quiz will
cover a different region of the world.
Movie assignment: Students are required to write five movie reviews from the movie list during the
semester. The movie list and how to write a review will be provided separately.
Exams: Students will have a mid-term exam and a final exam. You will be tested on your understanding of
both reading materials and lectures.
Class conduct: Sleeping, chatting with classmates, reading the newspaper or other materials during
class period, putting away your things before I finish the class, and leaving the classroom in the
middle of the class without telling me in advance are very disrespectful to not only the instructor but
also to your fellow students. So don’t do it, or you will have to bear the consequences: Repeat
offenders will be asked to leave the class and his or her misbehavior will be reflected on your
attendance and participation grade and may be reported!
Inappropriate use of cell phones and laptop computers creates distractions within the classroom and
interferes with right of fellow classmates to effectively participate in the class. Cell phones must be
set off or vibrate while in class. If you must take a call in an emergency, leave the classroom quietly
through back of the room and minimize disruption to your classmates. Texting is prohibited during
class time. A student caught texting in class will be warned once. If caught a second time, the
professor will confiscate the phone until the end of class. Cell phones must be stored in bags or given
to the instructor during all tests and quizzes: otherwise, it will be considered cheating and dealt
accordingly. Laptop computers are only to be used for note taking or completing in-class work, as
permitted by instructor. Inappropriate use will result in the instructor directing the student to shut
down and close the laptop. Students’ misbehaviors on these cases will also be reflected on the
attendance and participation grade and may be reported!
Late Assignments and Exam Make-Ups
Your written assignment is due at the beginning of the class period on the announced due date. A late
paper will have its grade reduced by 10 points for each 24 hour period it is late (not accepted more than 5
days late, including weekend and holidays). Lateness will be excused only upon written confirmation of
exceptional hardship, and only if you had no opportunity to communicate with me prior to the due date. As
for exams or quizzes, missed exams or quizzes will be allowed to be made up only upon written
confirmation of sudden, exceptional hardship, and only if you had no opportunity to communicate this to
me prior to the exam or quiz.
Grading
10% Attendance and Participation
20% Quizzes (4% each)
15% Movie Reviews (3% each)
25% Midterm Exam
30% Final Exam
Grading Scale
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
E 0-59
Ethical Policy
Both cheating and plagiarism are very serious crimes and are dealt with harshly by the college. According
to the college rules, “in an instance where there has been a violation of the principles of academic honesty,
the instructor may choose to follow one or more of a number of possible alternatives including but not
limited to: (1) automatic failure of the work; (2) automatic failure of the entire course; (3) recommending
expulsion from the degree program; or (4) recommending expulsion from the College.”
Instances of these offenses will also be reported to the Associate Dean.
Student Learning Objectives:
A. Primary Competency: Contextual Competency
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to, verbally and in writing,:
Objective #1: identify major international events in the 20 th and 21st Centuries.
Objective #2: demonstrate knowledge of main concepts and theories of international relations.
Objective #3: demonstrate comprehension of geography, history and divers cultures around the world.
Objective #4: identify the points of conflict and cooperation among various state and non-state actors.
Objective #5: relate the interconnectedness between major international events and our daily lives.
B. Secondary Competency: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
After successful completion of this course, students will also be able to, verbally and in writing,:
Objective #6: identify causes of war and other types of conflicts and discuss possible solutions.
Objective #7: identify various problems and challenges around the world, including environmental
degradation, human rights abuses, poverty, etc. and discuss possible answers.
Objective #8: identify various aspects of international economy such as international trade, international
monetary system, globalization, the North-South gap, economic (under)development of the developing
world, etc.
Objective #9: utilize analytical skills to critically evaluate current events that are happening in the world
and provide policy implications to the events.
C. Secondary Competency: Civic Responsibility
After successful completion of this course, students will also be able to, verbally and in writing,:
Objective #10: appreciate and respect the diverse aspects of modern civilizations in other parts of the world
and their influence on US, as good citizens of a democratic society.
Objective #11: acquire proper knowledge to interact with the global community
Class Schedule
1/27: Welcome to IR
1/29: Introduction to International Relations (Goldstein, Ch. 1, Keylor Prologue)
2/1, 3: Theories of International Relations (Goldstein Ch. 2, 3, 4)
2/5, 8, 10: World War I and Interwar Period (Keylor Ch. 1, 2, 3, 4)
2/8: World Leaders Quiz
2/12: Causes and Conduct of World War II (Keylor Ch. 5, 7)
2/17: Video---Haves and Have Nots
Movie Review #1 Due
2/19: No Class---Conference Participation
2/22: Cold War and Nuclear Weapons (Keylor Ch. 8, 9, Goldstein pp. 202-207, 209-216)
2/24: Korea and Vietnam (Keylor, Ch. 11)
Map Quiz: Europe
2/26: Détente and Arms Control (Keylor, Ch. 10)
3/1: The End of the Cold War (Keylor Ch. 12, 16)
Movie Review #2 Due
3/3: Conflicts in Middle East (Keylor, p. 274-78, 315-22, 359-64, and Ch. 20)
3/5: Review for Midterm Exam
3/8: Midterm Exam
3/10: New Threats: Terrorism and BC weapons (Goldstein, pp. 198-201, 207-209)
3/12: Foreign Policy Making (Goldstein, Ch. 4)
3/15, 17, 19: Spring Break
3/22: International Organization and Law (Goldstein, Ch. 7)
3/24: Human Rights and Environment (Goldstein, Ch. 7, 11)
Map Quiz: Asia
3/26: Video—“Delta Force”
3/29, 31: Military and Nationalism (Goldstein, Ch. 5, pp. 188-198, 216-229; Keylor, pp. 432-437, 448-452,
Ch. 19)
Movie Review #3 Due (3/29)
4/2, 5: Spring Holidays-- No Class
4/7: Military and Nationalism continued
4/ 9, 12: International Trade (Goldstein, Ch. 8)
Map Quiz: Latin America (4/9)
Movie Review #4 Due (4/12)
4/14, 16: International Monetary System (Goldstein, Ch. 9)
4/19: Integration (Goldstein Ch. 10, Keylor pp. 423-31)
4/21, 23, 26: North-South Gap & Development of LDCs (Goldstein, Ch. 12, 13; Keylor Ch. 13, 14, 15, pp.
438-48, Ch. 21)
Map Quiz: Africa (4/21)
Movie Review #5 Due (4/26)
4/28: Academic Festival-- No Class
4/30, 5/3: North-South Gap & Development of LDCs continued
5/5: A Better Tomorrow? (Keylor Ch. 16, 17, 22; Goldstein, Ch. 14)
5/7: Review for Final
Final Exam TBA