Ediger POL2330 Syllabus
p. 1 of 4
POL2330: International Relations
Redesigned to Meet the Way of Knowing: Human Systems Criteria
(Changes and/or highlighted criteria marked in bold blue)
“Seattle Pacific University seeks to be a premier Christian university fully
committed to engaging the culture and changing the world by graduating people
of competence and character, becoming people of wisdom and modeling gracefilled community.”
– Mission Statement of Seattle Pacific University
Professor:
Phone:
Email:
Ruth M. Ediger, Ph.D.
Office:
Alexander 407
206-281-2937
Office Hours: MW 3:00-4:30
ediger@spu.edu
(or by appointment)
(The best way to contact me.)
REQUIRED TEXTS:
 Mingst, Karen A. 2008. Essentials of International Relations, fourth edition. New York,
NY: W.W. Norton.
o This text begins with the emphasis on how political scientists develop
answers using history, philosophy, and empirical methods.
 Mingst, Karen A. and Jack Snyder. 2004. Essential Readings in World Politics, third
edition. New York, NY: W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-92406-8
RECOMMENDED TEXTS:
 Hudson, John C. 2000. Goode’s World Atlas, Twentieth Edition. New York, NY: John
Wiley and Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-44105-8.
 Scott, Gregory M. and Stephen M. Garrison. 2002. The Political Science Student
Writer’s Manual. Fourth edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13040447-0.
 Geography Coloring Book. ISBN 0-13-101472-2.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Introduces the use of the scientific method to understand human behavior at the
international, national, and individual levels, contrasting concepts of national interest
to increasing global interdependence. Discusses interaction among ideals and realities in
national and global policy-making processes, and their relationship to individual citizens.
Attributes: Social Science Integration; Social Science B; Ways of Knowing: Human
Systems.
PURPOSE
This course aims to acquaint the student with the various social, political and economic
international issues that dominate the global landscape using the quantitative and
qualitative methods that political scientists use to interpret human behavior.
Theories behind global actions and events as well as the history, institutions, application
of international law, and various appropriate international organizations will be explored.
This course is also designed to show that most challenges and conflicts in the
international community are not as black and white as they may seem to be on the
surface and that the solutions to the problems and situations may have unexpected
impacts on the global community.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
As a result of the activities and study in this course, the student should be able to do the
following:
1. Evaluate truth claims about human activity and interactions using the scientific
method.
2. Delineate the different ideologies and theories behind the study of international
relations including a Christian theological perspective.
3. Interpret the forces that motivate national and international actors in the formation of
actions and/or policies that have national and international effect using scientific
inquiry.
Ediger POL2330 Syllabus
p. 2 of 4
4. Explain the problems and challenges that are unique to events and situations as
discussed in class and offer possible solutions to these.
5. Articulate both sides of an issue and then be able to support his or her opinion with
facts.
6. Describe the various types of international organizations, institutions, and structures
associated with international organizations and show how they interact in meeting the
challenges of the international community.
7. Locate the countries of the world on a map and name their current capitals.
EVALUATION:
1. Exams: There will be two exams given: one at midterm and one at the final exam
time. For both the midterm exam and the final exam you will choose two essay
questions for 50 point each from the three that I choose for the test day. The three
choices will be selected at random from the appropriate study guide that will be
available on Blackboard.
2. Make-Up Exams: You are expected to take the exams at the scheduled times. A
student with a legitimate reason for missing an exam will be permitted to take the
exam ahead of the scheduled time. If you are unable to take the exam at the
scheduled time, a comprehensive exam is your make-up exam. If you do not like
the grade that you earned on the first test and feel that you can do better, then you
also may opt to take the comprehensive exam. If you opt for comprehensive exam it
will take the place of the first test grade unless your first test grade was higher. In
that case the comprehensive grade will only take the place of the second test. The
comprehensive exam will consist of two sections; the first part will ask you to
answer one essay question selected from two that I choose off of the midterm study
guide and the second part will ask you to answer one essay from the two that I have
chosen off of the final study guide. In other words, you will answer two questions for
50 points each from the four selected at random.
3. Quizzes: I reserve the right to give quizzes if it becomes apparent that students are
not prepared for class. Quizzes will averaged into your geo-quiz grade and cannot
be made up. Only those prepared and in attendance can benefit from the quizzes.
4. Geo-quizzes: There will be 6 geo-quizzes given over the countries and capitals of
the world. These quizzes will be taken in class using your “alias” available to you
over Blackboard. The answers and practice quizzes are also located on Blackboard.
There will be one make-up day as scheduled on your course calendar for you to
make up one missed geoquiz. There is only one make-up day for geo-quizzes so
you will need to plan accordingly.
5. Reading Reviews: Reading Reviews must be turned in hard copy in class to the
instructor on the dates listed on the calendar. You may hand it in early but none will
be accepted late or via email. The Reading Reviews are potentially worth 100
points each but only if done according to the specifications as outlined on the
Reading Review form. You may skip one Reading Review without penalty.
6. Grading Scale:
The grading scale:
What each assignment is
worth:
A = 100 – 93 A- = 92 – 90 Midterm
35%
B+ = 89 – 87
B = 86 – 83
B- = 82 – 80 Final
35%
C+ = 79 – 77
C = 76 – 73
C- = 72 – 70 Reading Reviews
10%
D+ = 69 - 67
D = 66 – 63
Geoquizzes
20%
F = 62 – 0
TOTAL
100%
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Copying answers from a classmate, using crib notes during an exam, or turning in work
for another student is considered cheating. Anyone caught cheating or aiding someone
in cheating will be given a zero. Copying material from another source (book, journal,
newspaper, another student, etc.) for a paper without proper acknowledgment is
considered plagiarism. Anyone caught plagiarizing will be given a zero.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Ediger POL2330 Syllabus
p. 3 of 4
Seattle Pacific University is committed to the provision of reasonable accommodations for
students with disabilities, as defined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If
you think you may qualify for these accommodations, notify me (your instructor)
immediately. You will also want to contact The Center for Learning (206-281-2272) with
questions about special services. Once your eligibility has been determined, Disabled
Student Services will send a Disability Verification Letter to your professors indicating
what accommodations have been approved.
CELL PHONES
Because phones ringing in class and text messaging are a distraction from your learning
and the learning of those around you please turn off all cell phones in class.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY DURING CLASS
In the event that Rainier, St. Helens, or any of the other fun and exciting subduction
volcanoes around us decide to “pop off” or the Cascadia fault line finally slides giving us
an earthquake and tsunami to tell your grandchildren about, you may want to become
familiar with SPU emergency procedures: http://www.spu.edu/info/emergency/index.asp.
WEATHER NOTICE
In case of disruptive weather or that snow storm that will shut down the city of Seattle
(and it only take a couple of inches of snow to do this), please call SPU’s closure hotline
at 206-281-2800. Should it prove necessary, I will put an announcement with further
information on Blackboard otherwise just attend class as soon as school opens again.
RESERVATION
I reserve the right to change this syllabus as I deem necessary. I do realize that John
Locke might roll in his grave over this, but he’s dead and can’t complain. (Flip, flip, whirr!)
COURSE CALENDAR
The following schedule is an outline of the reading Assignments, due dates for the paper
and the exams. Each student should complete the assigned reading before the
appropriate class day. In addition to the reading listed below it is recommended that
you watch the news and/or read a newspaper or news magazine (on line or otherwise) in
order to discuss current events as they relate to class. You are responsible for the
material covered in a given week whether or not that material is covered in class.
Date:
Topic/Class Activity:
Assignment:
INTRODUCTION
Show up to class with syllabus. Read
W 1/6
Overview of Class
syllabus and bring any questions to class.
Lecture: The Scientific Method Applied to
F 1/8
Lecture
Human Behavior
Mingst 1 & 2; Mingst & Snyder 1 & 2
RR1 (Reading Review 1) due at the start of
M 1/11
Discussion: Approaches and History
class
THEORIES AND ANALYSIS
Lecture: History of the Current International
Political Geoquiz: AFRICA
W 1/13
System
Lecture: Realism, Liberalism Constructivism,
F 1/15
Marxism, Feminism, and the Rest
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
No class
M 1/18
Mingst 3; Mingst & Snyder 3
W 1/20
Discussion: Thinking Theoretically
RR2 due at the start of class
GLOBAL ACTORS & THE STAGE
Political Geoquiz: ASIA
F 1/22
Lecture: Hegemony
Mingst 4; Mingst & Snyder 4
M 1/25
Discussion: The International System
RR3 due at the start of class
Political Geoquiz: NORTH & MIDDLE
Lecture: Levels of Analysis
W 1/27
AMERICA
Lecture: Nationalism: Builder and Destroyer
F 1/29
Lecture: Nation-States
Political Geoquiz: OCEANIA
M 2/1
W 2/3
Discussion: The Nation-State
Mingst 5; Mingst & Snyder 5
Ediger POL2330 Syllabus
p. 4 of 4
F 2/5
M 2/8
W 2/10
Midterm
Lecture: International Law
Lecture: International Organizations
F 2/12
Discussion: The Individual, IOs and IL
M 2/15
F 2/19
Presidents’ Day
MANAGING GLOBAL CONFLICT
Lecture: The Nuclear Challenge
Lecture: National Security, & Terrorism
M 2/22
Discussion: War
W 2/24
MANAGING GLOBAL WELFARE
Lecture: Predominant Theories of IPE
F 2/26
Lecture: IPE Institutions
M 3/1
Lecture: Dependency Theory
W 3/3
Discussion: IPE
F 3/5
M 3/8
W 3/10
Lecture: Human Rights
Lecture: The Global Environment
Lecture: Population
F 3/12
Discussion: Globalizing Issues
Final
See Banner for time and date
W 2/17
RR4 due at the start of class
Study very hard
Political Geoquiz: EUROPE
Mingst 6 & 7; Mingst & Snyder 6 & 7
RR5 due at the start of class
No class
Political Geoquiz: SOUTH AMERICA
Mingst 8; Mingst & Snyder 8
RR6 due at the start of class
Geoquiz Make-up 3:00-5:00pm 1st Floor
Library Computer Instruction Room
Mingst 9; Mingst & Snyder 9
RR7 due at the start of class
Mingst 10; Mingst & Snyder 10
RR8 due at the start of class
Study really hard.