basic theories and concepts in international relations course syllabus

8/6/2019 Basic Theories and Concepts in International Relations Course Syllabus

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Basic Theories and Concepts in International Relations (PSC 76000)

The Graduate Center, City University of New York Fall 2010

Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30pm

Room 8203

Professor Dov WaxmanPhone: (212) 817-8701Email: [email protected]: GC, Room 5202.02Office Hours: Wednesdays 1:00-6:00pm, and by appointment

Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the theories and concepts that

scholars use to understand and explain world politics. The course examines the major theories in the discipline of International Relations (IR), and important recentdevelopments and debates in the discipline. Throughout the course, the relevance of specific theories and theory in general for how we make sense of world politics will becritically assessed. The focus of this course, however, will be theoretical rather thanempirical. Thus, each class will be devoted to a consideration of a different theoretical

perspective, as opposed to a substantive issue in world politics.

Course Objectives:

This is a core course that is designed to provide students with knowledge of the main

theoretical traditions, concepts, and debates within the political science sub-field of International Relations. It also aims to develop a broader understanding of what theoryis, how it is made, and what it can be used for. By applying their theoretical knowledgeto real world events and issues, students will come to appreciate the role that theory can

play in helping us to understand the past, present, and future of world politics. By theend of this course students will be able to: (1) critically evaluate a range of IR theories;(2) select and apply IR theories to specific research problems and recognize the costs and

benefits of those selections; (3) understand how International Relations theory hasdeveloped in response to both historical events, and debates between different schools of thought.

Course Conduct:

This is a graduate seminar, not a lecture course . The instructors role in a seminar is toguide, facilitate, and contribute to the seminar discussion. Each class will start with anintroduction by the instructor followed by a discussion of salient themes from the weeksreadings.

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Course Texts:

You can purchase the books below through the Graduate Centers virtual bookstore,which is affiliated with Amazon. To access this, go to: www.gc.cuny.edu/bookshop.Click on the Affiliation with Amazon.com logo and you can then order the books

through Amazon. The Graduate Center gets 5% of all sales conducted this way.

Tim Dunne , Milja Kurki , Steve Smith , eds., International Relations Theories: Disciplineand Diversity (Oxford University Press, 2007).

Scott Burchill et al., Theories of International Relations , 4th edition (Palgrave, 2009).

REQUIREMENTS

Participation: All students should actively participate in seminar meetings. In order to properly do this you must come to class having done all of the assigned readings . Your

participation grade combines your attendance and contribution to class discussions.

Presentation: In one class during the semester, you will have to give a 10-15 minute oral presentation on one or two of the assigned readings for the week. You must not justsummarize the reading. Instead, you should begin by giving an overview of the reading,outlining the main questions and issues it raises. You should then offer a criticalassessment, identifying the authors argument and discussing whether you agree or disagree with it and explaining why. Presenters should also prepare a typed handout for the class in which they briefly summarize their presentation and provide some questionsfor the class to discuss.

Midterm Exam: The midterm exam will take place in class on October 27th. You willhave to choose two essay questions to answer from a list of four questions.

Final Exam / Research Paper: The final exam will take place during exam week. Youwill have to choose two essay questions to answer from a list of four questions. All Ph.D.students must take the final exam. M.A. students can substitute a research paper ( at least15 double-spaced pages in length ) for the final exam. The paper should compare theexplanatory power of any two theoretical approaches by applying them to a historical or contemporary case of your choice. It should draw on academic literature beyond theassigned readings and must be properly referenced. You choose a subject to research andwrite about, but I must approve all topics. The paper will be due on the last day of class.

Grading:Participation: 10%Presentation: 10%Midterm Exam: 40%Final Exam / Research Paper: 40%

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http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/276-4294295-3483940?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-uk&field-author=Tim%20Dunnehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/276-4294295-3483940?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-uk&field-author=Milja%20Kurkihttp://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/276-4294295-3483940?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-uk&field-author=Steve%20Smithhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/276-4294295-3483940?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-uk&field-author=Tim%20Dunnehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/276-4294295-3483940?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-uk&field-author=Milja%20Kurkihttp://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/276-4294295-3483940?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-uk&field-author=Steve%20Smith


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CLASS SCHEDULE

Week 1 (September 1): Introduction

Week 2 (September 15): The Academic Study of International Relations

Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater, Introduction, in Burchill et al.

Steve Smith Introduction: Diversity and Disciplinarity in International RelationsTheory, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Milja Kurli and Colin Wight, International Relations and Social Science, in Dunne,Kurki, and Smith.

Week 3 (September 22): Classical Realism

Jack Donnelly, Realism, in Burchill et al.

Richard Ned Lebow, Classical Realism, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

E.H. Carr, The Twenty Years Crisis, 1919-1939 , 2nd ed. (1945), chaps. 1-6.

Hans J. Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace , 4th ed.(1967), chaps. 1-3, 16.

Week 4 (September 29): Neo-Realism

John J. Mearsheimer, Structural Realism, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Kenneth N. Waltz, T heory of International Politics (1979), chaps. 1, 4-6.

John J. Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), chaps. 1-2, 9-10.

Week 5 (October 6): Neo-Liberalism

Lisa L. Martin, Neoliberalism, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Robert Axelrod and Robert O. Keohane, Achieving Cooperation under Anarchy:Strategies and Institutions, World Politics 38, no. 1 (1985) .

Joseph M. Grieco, Anarchy and the Limits of Cooperation: A Realist Critique of the Newest Liberal Institutionalism, International Organization 42, no. 3 (1988).

Lisa L. Martin and Beth A. Simmons, Theories and Empirical Studies of InternationalInstitutions, International Organization 52 (Autumn1998).

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Week 6 (October 13): Liberalism

Scott Burchill, Liberalism, in Burchill et al.

Diana Panke and Thomas Risse, Liberalism, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Michael W. Doyle, Liberalism and World Politics, American Political Science Review 80, no. 4 (1986).

John M. Owen, How Liberalism Produces Democratic Peace, International Security 19, no. 2 (1994).

Andrew Moravcsik, Taking Preferences Seriously: A Liberal Theory of InternationalPolitics, International Organization 51, no. 4 (1997).

Week 7 (October 20): The English School

Andrew Linklater, The English School, in Burchill et al.

Tim Dunne, The English School, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Barry Buzan, From International System to International Society: Structural Realismand Regime Theory Meet the English School, International Organization 47, no. 3(1993).

Week 8 (October 27): Midterm Exam

Week 9 (November 3): Constructivism

Christian Reus Smit, Constructivism, in Burchill et al.

K. M. Fierke, Constructivism, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Alexander Wendt, Anarchy is What States Make of It: The Social Construction of Power Politics, International Organization 46, no. 2 (1992).

John Gerard Ruggie, What Makes the World Hang Together? Neo-Utilitarianism andthe Social Constructivist Challenge, International Organization 52 (Fall 1998).

Week 10 (November 10): Post-structuralism

Richard Devetak, Post-structuralism, in Burchill et al.

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David Campbell, Poststructuralism, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Jim George and David Campbell, Patterns of Dissent and the Celebration of Difference, International Studies Quarterly 34, no. 3 (1990).

Bradley S. Klein, How the West Was One: Representational Politics of NATO, International Studies Quarterly 34, no. 3 (1990).

Week 11 (November 17): Marxism and Critical Theory

Andrew Linklater, Marx and Marxism, in Burchill et al.

Richard Devetak, Critical Theory, in Burchill et al.

Mark Rupert, Marxism and Critical Theory, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

Immanuel Wallerstein, The Rise and Future Demise of the World Capitalist System:Concepts for Comparative Analysis, Comparative Studies in Society and History 16, no.4 (1974).

Robert W. Cox, Social Forces, States and World Orders: Beyond International RelationsTheory, Millennium: Journal of International Studies 10, no. 2 (1981).

Week 12 (November 24): Feminism

Jacqui True, Feminism, in Burchill et al.

J. Ann Tickner and Laura Sjoberg, Feminism, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

J. Ann Tickner, You Just Dont Understand: Troubled Engagements Between Feministsand IR Theorists, International Studies Quarterly 41, no. 4 (1997).

Week 13 (December 1): Normative Theory

Terry Nardin, International Political Theory, in Burchill et al.

Chris Brown, International Relations as Political Theory, in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.

James Johnson, Morality and Contemporary Warfare , introduction, chaps. 1-2

Simon Caney, International Distributive Justice, Political Studies 49 (2001).

Week 14 (December 8): The Future of IR Theory

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Colin Hay, International Relations Theory and Globalization, in Dunne, Kurki, andSmith.

Ole Waever, Still a Discipline After All These Debates? in Dunne, Kurki, and Smith.RECOMMENDED READING

Classical RealismGeorge Kennan, American Diplomacy (1952).Michael Williams, The Realist Tradition and the Limits of International Relations (2005).

Neo-RealismKenneth N. Waltz, Structural Realism after the Cold War, International Security 25:1(Summer 2000), pp. 5-41.Stephen M. Walt, The Origins of Alliances (1987).Robert Gilpin, War and Change in World Politics (1981).Robert Jervis, Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma, World Politics 30:2 (January

1978), pp. 167-214.William C. Wohlforth, Realism and the End of the Cold War, International Security19:3 (Winter 1994/95), pp. 91-129.Stephen Brooks & William Wohlforth, World Out of Balance (2008).Robert O. Keohane (ed.), Neorealism and its Critics (1986).Jeffrey W. Legro and Andrew Moravcsik, Is Anybody Still a Realist? International Security , 24 (1999): 5-55.Helen Milner, The Assumption of Anarchy in International Relations Theory: ACritique, Review of International Studies , vol. 17, no.1 (1991).

Neo-Liberalism

Robert Axelrod, The Evolution of Co-operation (1984).Robert O. Keohane, After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political

Economy (1984).Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye, Power and Interdependence (1977).Robert Powell, Absolute and Relative Gains in International Relations Theory,

American Political Science Review, 85 (1991) 1303-1320.Robert Powell Anarchy in International Relations: The Neoliberal-Neorealist Debate,

International Organization, 48 (1994): 313-334.Stephen D. Krasner (ed.), International Regimes (1983).David A. Baldwin (ed.), Neorealism and Neoliberalism: The Contemporary Debate(1993).

G. John Ikenberry, After Victory: Institutions, Strategic Restraint, and the Rebuilding of Order After Major Wars (2000).

LiberalismMichael Doyle Kant, Liberal Legacies and Foreign Policy, Parts I and II, Philosophyand Public Affairs, 12 (1983) 205-235 and 323-353.Beate Jahn, Kant, Mill and Illiberal Legacies in International Affairs, International Organization (2005): 177-207.

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Michael Howard, War and the Liberal Conscience (1981).Bruce Russett, Grasping the Democratic Peace: Principles for a Post Cold War World (1993).

English School

Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (1977).Tim Dunne, Inventing International Society: A History of the English School (1998).Chris Brown, World Society and the English School, European Journal of

International Relations , 7 (4) 2001, 423441.Adam Watson, The Evolution of International Society (1992).Alex J. Bellamy (ed.), The English School and its Critics (2004).Hedley Bull and Adam Watson (eds.), The Expansion of International Society (1985).Ian Clark, Legitimacy in World Society (2007).Martin Griffith, Order and International Society: The Real Realism, Review of

International Studies Vol. 18 (1992).Robert Jackson, The Global Covenant (2000).

Martin Wight, International Theory: The Three Traditions (1991).

ConstructivismMartha Finnemore, National Interests in International Society (1996).Peter Katzenstein (ed.), The Culture of National Security: Norms and Identity in World

Politics (1996).Alexander Wendt, Social Theory of International Politics (1999).Dale C. Copeland, The Constructivist Challenge to Structural Realism: A ReviewEssay, International Security 25:2 (Fall 2000), pp. 187-212.Michael Barnett and Martha Finnemore, Rules for the World (2004).Jeffrey Checkel The Constructivist Turn in International Relations Theory, World

Politics 50 (2) (1998).Martha Finnemore and Kathryn Sikkink, Taking Stock: The Constructivist ResearchProgram in International Relations and Comparative Politics, Annual Review of

Political Science 4 (2001): 391-416.Audie Klotz, Norms in International Relations: The Struggle Against Apartheid (1999).

Nicholas Onuf, World of Our Making (1989).John G. Ruggie, Constructing the World Polity (1998).Emanuel Adler, Seizing the Middle Ground: Constructivism in World Politics,

European Journal of International Relations , Vol. 3 (1997).Martha Finnemore, Norms, Culture and World Politics, International OrganizationVol. 50 (1996).Yosef Lapif and Friedrich Kratochwil (eds.), The Return of Culture and Identity in IRTheory (1996).Jonathan Mercer, Anarchy and Identity, International Organization, Vol. 49 (1995).Christian Reus-Smit, Human Rights and the Social Construction of Sovereignty,

Review of International Studies , Vol. 27, No. 4 (2001).Thomas Risse, Lets Argue!: Communicative Action in World Politics, International Organization, Vol. 54, No. 1 (2000).

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Alexander Wendt, On Constitution and Causation in International Relations , Review of International Studies , Vol. 26, No. 1 (2000).Alexander Wendt, Collective Identity Formation and the International State, American

Political Science Review , Vol. 88, No. 2 (June 1994).

Post-structuralismRichard Ashley and Walker, R. B. J. (eds.), Speaking the Language of Exile: Dissidence inInternational Studies, International Studies Quarterly , 34: 3 (1990).Richard Ashley, Untying the Sovereign State: A Double Reading of the Anarchy

Problematique , Millennium 17 (1989): 227-86.James Der Derian and Shapiro, M. (eds.), International/Intertextual Relations (1989).James Der Derian, Antidiplomacy: Spies, Terror, Speed and War (1992).David Campbell, D., Writing Security (1992).Roxanne Doty, Imperial Encounters (1996).Jim George, Discourses of Global Politics (1994).

Nicholas J. Rengger and Mark Hoffman, Modernity, Postmodernism and International

Relations, in M. Doherty (ed.), Postmodernism and the Social Sciences (1992).R.B.J. Walker, Inside/Outside (1993).

Marxism and Critical TheoryAlex Anievas (ed.), Marxism and World Politics (2009).Robert Cox, Gramsci, Hegemony and International Relations, Millennium , Vol. 12, No.2, 1983, pp. 162 175.Robert Cox, Production, Power and World Order (1987).Randall Germian, and M. Kenny, Engaging Gramsci: International Relations Theoryand the New Gramscians, Review of International Studies , Vol. 24 (1988).Stephen Gill (ed.), Gramsci, Historical materialism and International Relations (1993).Stephen Gill, Globalization, Market Civilization and Disciplinary Neo-liberalism,Millennium , Vol. 24, No. 3 (1995): 399423.Chris Brown, Turtles all the Way Down: Antifoundationalism, Critical Theory andInternational Relations, Millennium , Vol. 23, No. 2 (1994).Mark Hoffman, Critical Theory and the Inter-Paradigm Debate, Millennium , Vol. 16,

No. 2 (1987).Andrew Linklater, Beyond Realism and Marxism: Critical Theory and International

Relations (1990).Craig Murphy, Understanding IR: Understanding Gramsci, Review of International Studies, Vol. 24 (1998).

FeminismJ. Ann Tickner, Gender in International Relations: Feminist Perspectives on Achieving Global Security (1992).Jean Bethke Elshtain and Sheila Tobias (eds.), Women, Militarism, and War: Essays in

History, Politics, and Social Theory (1990).V. Spike Peterson (ed.), Gendered States: Feminist (Re)Visions of International

Relations Theory (1992).

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Robert O. Keohane, International Relations Theory: Contributions of a FeministStandpoint, Millennium 18:2 (Summer 1989), pp. 245-253.Cynthia Weber, Good Girls, Little Girls, and Bad Girls: Male Paranoia in RobertKeohanes Critique of Feminist International Relations, Millennium 23:2 (Summer 1994), pp. 337-349.

Peter Beckman and Francine DAmico (eds.), Women, Gender, and World Politics: Perspectives, Policies, and Prospects (1994).Jill Steans, Gender and International Relations: An Introduction (1998).Cynthia Enloe, Maneuvers: The International Politics of Militarizing Womens Lives(2000).

Normative TheoryCharles Beitz, Political Theory and International Relations (1979).Stanley Hoffman, Duties Beyond Borders (1981).Stanley Hoffmann, The Ethics and Politics of Humanitarian Intervention (1996).Terry Nardin and David R. Mapel, Traditions of International Ethics (1992).

Terry Nardin (ed.) The Ethics of War and Peace (1996).Michael Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars (1977).Chris Brown, Sovereignty Rights and Justice: International Political Theory Today(2002).Simon Caney, Justice beyond Borders: A Global Political Theory (2006).Ian Forbes and Mark Hoffman (eds.), Political Theory, International Relations, and the

Ethics of Intervention (1993).Mervyn Frost , Ethics in International Relations: A Constitutive Theory (1996).

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basic theories and concepts in international relations course syllabus

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