Introduction to Global Politics
Poli Sci/Glob 241
Prof. John W. Dietrich
Mailbox in Suite C Office Hours: M, W 2-3, Th 1-3, F 12-1
jdietric@bryant.edu Office: Room C-222
Phone: 232-6432
Required Readings:
Karen Mingst, Essentials of International Relations, 3rd
edition
John Rourke, ed., Taking Sides (TS) 12th edition
Among Nations (AN)
Articles and book chapters placed on reserve at the library.
Evaluation and Grading:
There will be two midterms. The first on October 13 will cover
weeks 1-6; the second on November 10 will cover weeks 7-10. The
exams will consist of short answer questions and an essay. The midterms
each count 20% of the course grade.
A 6-8 page independent research paper is due in class December 8.
Possible paper topics will be distributed in class and will require some
outside research. The paper counts 25% of the course grade.
There will be a non-cumulative final exam that will cover weeks 11-15
on December 15 at 2 pm. The final counts 25% of the course grade.
4) Students are expected to be active and informed participants in
class discussions and to demonstrate their careful reading of assignments.
Formal attendance will not be taken, but participation grades will depend
on both the quantity and quality of students’ comments and questions.
Additionally, students can participate in online discussions of class
material by going to Bryant’s Blackboard website. Online participation is
strongly encouraged, but should be seen as a supplement to, not a
substitute for, class participation.
Participation counts 10% of the course grade AND will also determine
borderline grades.
Week 1-
September 6-8 Introduction and Terms
Week 2-
September 11-15 Development of the European System
Mingst, pp. 17-34; 101-3; 108-19.
(On Reserve) "Martin Luther and the Birth of Protestantism"
(On Reserve) "The Industrial Revolution in England"
Week 3-
September 18-22 Rise of the Superpowers and Cold War
Mingst, pp. 35-54; 256-64.
(AN) Schmidt, "The Marshall Plan Reconsidered"
(AN) Mallaby, "Saving the World Bank"
(On Reserve) "The Origins of the Cold War"
Week 4-
September 25-29 Interaction with the Developing World
Mingst, pp. 244-49.
(On Reserve) "Growth of Spain’s Overseas Empire"
TS #12 "Is Capitalism the Best Model for the Global Economy?"
TS #13 "Should the Rich Countries Forgive all the Debt?"
(AN) Birdsall, "Life is Unfair: Inequality in the World"
(AN) Birdsall et al, "How to Help Poor Countries"
Week 5-
October 2-6 Theories of International Relations
Mingst, pp. 55-82 (skip constructivism pp. 74-6); 83-99; 105-8.
Week 6-
October 9 Columbus Day- No Class
October 11 Changes in the International System/Discussion
Mingst, pp. 128-34; 180-5; 307-14.
October 13 MIDTERM EXAM
Week 7-
October 16-20 Population Pressure and Environment Concerns
Mingst, pp. 280-95.
(On Reserve) Jennifer D. Mitchell, "Before the Next Doubling"
TS #20 "Do Environmentalists Overstate Their Case?"
TS #22 "Are US Efforts to Control Global Warming Gas Emissions
Adequate?"
(On Reserve) "Should the Kyoto Protocol on Global Warming Be
Supported?"
Week 8-
October 23-27 Security Issues and Proliferation
Mingst, pp. 208-16; 220-8.
(On Reserve) Kenneth N. Waltz, "Toward Nuclear Peace"
(On Reserve) Lewis Dunn, "Controlling the Bomb What Difference
Will it Make"
TS #8 "Should North Korea’s Arms Program Evoke a Hard-Line
Response?"
TS #10 "Was the War With Iraq Justified?"
TS #14 "Is Preemptive War an Unacceptable Doctrine?"
(AN) Newhouse, "The Missile Defense Debate"
Week 9-
October 30-November 3 Human Rights
Mingst, pp. 185-91; 203-8; 296-307.
(On Reserve) "Reconciling Non-Intervention and Human Rights"
TS #11 "Are Strict Sanctions on Cuba Warranted?"
TS #18 "Should the U.S. Ratify the International Criminal Court
Treaty?"
TS #19 "Is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women Worthy of Support?"
Week 10-
November 6-8 The United Nations
Mingst, pp. 159-80.
TS #17 "Is the United Nations Fundamentally Flawed?"
(AN) Helms, "Saving the U.N."
(AN) Annan, " ‘In Larger Freedom’ Decision Time at the UN"
November 10 MIDTERM EXAM
Week 11-
November 13 The United States: A Declining Hegemon?
(On Reserve) "Will the United States Remain a Global Economic
Power?"
November 15 The United States in a Unipolar World
(On Reserve) "The New Rome Meets the Barbarians"
(On Reserve) James Chace, "Present at the Destruction"
TS #4 "Should the United States Decrease its Global Presence?"
November 17 The Collapse of the Soviet Union and Russia’s Transition
(On Reserve) Paul Kennedy, "The Erstwhile USSR and Its Crumbled
Empire."
(AN) Shleifer, "Flight from Freedom"
(AN) Pipes, "A Normal Country"
TS #6 "Is Russian Foreign Policy Taking an Unsettling Turn?"
Week 12-
November 20 Europe: Will the Union Work?
Mingst, pp. 249-56.
TS #5 "Should the United States Continue to Encourage a United
Europe?"
(AN) Cohen-Tanugi, "The End of Europe?"
(AN) Bergsten, "America’s Two-Front Economic Conflict"
November 22-24 Thanksgiving Break
Week 13-
November 27 Asia’s Economic Boom
(On Reserve) Paul Kennedy, "The Japanese ‘Plan’"
November 29 Asia Stumbles
(On Reserve) "On the Rocks"
(On Reserve) "On the Edge"
December 1 China As the New Power
(AN) Zakaria, "Does the Future Belong to China?"
(AN) Segal, "Does China Matter?"
TS #7 "Does a Strict One China Policy Still Make Sense?"
Week 14-
December 4 Terrorism
(AN) Zakaria, "Why Do They Hate Us?"
(AN) "License to Kill: Usama bin Ladin’s Declaration of Jihad,"
TS #15 "Is the War on Terrorism Succeeding?"
December 6 Divided by Culture?
(AN) Huntington, "The Clash of Civilizations"
December 8 United by Globalization?
Mingst, pp. 264-7.
(On Reserve) L. Jon Wertheim, "The Whole World is Watching."
TS #1 "Is Economic Globalization a Positive Trend?"
TS #2 "Does Globalization Threaten Cultural Diversity?"
Week 15-
December 11 Tomorrow’s International System
TS #3 "Will State Sovereignty Survive Globalism?"
Final Exam
Friday, December 15 at 2 pm