Lectures, Reading Assignments and Paper Topics
Wednesday, August 27-Friday, September 26
International Relations in the Post-Cold War Era
What Has Changed in the World? What Has Not?
Is There a Doctrine Gap?
Some Post-Cold War Paradigms: Kennedy, Fukuyama, Huntington, Hoffmann, “A New World Order”?
Is It an Interdependent World or Still a World of Competing Sovereignties?
Two Major Tendencies: Globalism and National Localism (Globalization and Fragmentation). Contradictions or Amazing Reality?
Readings
Clark Globalization and Fragmentation, 2-32.
Stathis. "Samuel P. Huntington's 'Clash of Cultures.’”
Ikenberry. "The Myth of Post-Cold War Chaos.”
Hoffmann. "A New World and Its Troubles."
_____, "What Should We Do in the World?'
_____,"The Crisis of Liberal Internationalism."
Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of Great Powers.
Huntington, “The Clash of Civilizations.”
_____, “If Not Civilizations, What?”
Theoretical Thinking
What Is a Theory?
What Is a Paradigm?
A Science of International Relations?
"Traditionalism vs. Science in International Relations”
Anarchy or Interdependence?
Readings
Carr, The Twenty Years' Crisis, 1 -45.
Morgenthau. Politics Among Nations, Parts One and Two.
Kissinger, Diplomacy, 17-28.
Keohane. Neorealism and Its Critics, 1-26.
Bull, "International Relations Theory: The Case for a Classical Approach.”
Kaplan, “The New Great Debate: Traditionalism vs. Science.”
Paper #1 (Due Friday, September 26)
Huntington claims a culturally divided and conflicted world; Hoffmann describes two levels according to the logic of interdependence and the logic of fragmentation; Clark speaks of globalization and fragmentation; and Ikenberry insists on consistency. What seems to be the nature of the post-Cold War world? Does anyone’s paradigm seem adequate to the task of describing it?
Monday, September 29-Friday, October 31
Early Theoretical Antecedents
Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Grotius.
How Relevant to the Post-Cold War World is "Traditional Theory?
Readings
Thucydides. The Peloponnesian Wars. Books I. V, and VI.
Stathis. "Thucydides: Still Relevant in Post-Cold War International Relations?
_____, Prognosis vs. Fortuna
_____, Thucydides and Prognosis
Pratt, "War and Empire."
Hanson. "Thomas Hobbes's 'Highway To Peace.
Paper #2 (Due Friday October 31)
Historical theorists such as Thucydides and Hobbes are generally highly
regarded, but how much did they have to say about international relations and is any of it applicable to the twentieth century state-system and modern international relations? How is “traditional theory” of limited usefulness? How is it relevant?
Monday, November 3-Friday, November 28)
Political Realism (Description)
A World of Competing Sovereignties: "It's a Jungle Out There."
An Anarchical and Fragmented World.
The Limitations of Accurate Description.
Carr, Morgenthau, Aron. Bull. Hoffmann and Kissinger.
A Relevant Theory For the Post-Cold War World, or Has History Passed It By?
Neorealism (Prediction)
Creating a "Science" of International Relations?
Anarchical Society and Interdependence?
New Methodologies for a New International System?
Idealism, Utopianism, Liberalism, Wilsonism and Neo-Wilsonianism (Prescription)
Jefferson and the American Founding Fathers: The First “New World Order.” Wilson and the End of World I: Ending War and Building a New World Order.
Legalists, Moralists, and Functionalists.
Readings
Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations. Parts Three-Six.
Bull, The Anarchical Society. 3-52.
Hoffmann. The State of War. 3-21.
Kissinger, Diplomacy, 56-102 and 804-835.
Keohane, Neorealism and Its Critics. 255-345.
Waltz, Theory of International Relations.
Carr, The Twenty Years' Crisis. 146-169.
Paper #3 (Due Friday, November 28)
Political realism seems rooted in the past and stresses reality; Neo-realism
insists on proper scientific method and stresses a changed world; Idealism condemns the old world and the politics of power, and stresses the potential for Utopia. Compare and contrast the relative strengths and weaknesses of these schools of thought. Which, if any or all, seem most relevant for the Post-Cold War world?
Monday, December 1-Friday, December 5
Some "New" or Post-Modern Views For a Post-Cold War World
Has History Ended?
Is Nationalism Relevant? Is Ideological Conflict Over?
Is the State Fading? Is It Still a World of Sovereignties?
Are Super-Powers Doomed to Fall?
Will Civilizations Replace Nation-States?
Does Gender Impact International Relations?
Readings
Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, Introduction, Chapter 8, and Epilogue.
Fukuyama, "The End of History?"
_____, "Women and the Evolution of World Politics."
Huntington, "The Clash of Civilizations?"
_____, "If Not Civilizations, What? Paradigms of the Post -Cold War World."
Schlesinger, “Has Democracy a Future?”
Stathis, “Statesmanship and Politics.”
Conclusions
Paper #4 (Due Monday, December 8)
What is the nature of the post-Cold War World, promise or threat, utopia or
apocalypse, cultural and economic community or savage international arena? Give it your best shot, but consider accuracy, methodology and use of your source material.