This course explores the concept of order in world politics. It addresses several important questions: Where did the state come from? How might order emerge among the roughly 200 states in the world? Do states invariably advance their self-interest, or might they adhere to universal norms or rules set by a higher authority? What roles do war, regime change, and non-state actors play in world order? What is the future of world order – and indeed, of the state? Through deep readings of classic and contemporary texts, we will discover different conceptual approaches to world order from realist, liberal, feminist, and constructivist perspectives. In doing so, we will evaluate concepts such as anarchy, sovereignty, morality, institutions, norms, law, and international organizations. We will conclude by discussing the future of world order.
This course examines fundamental questions about the political phenomenon known as terrorism: What is terrorism? Who engages in it? What do they hope to achieve? Who supports or opposes terrorism? What are the effects of terrorism and counter-terrorism on society? The class considers these questions from a variety of perspectives, drawing from political science, psychology, sociology, and primary sources.
This course introduces basic concepts and skills necessary for students to carry out research and to interpret the research of others in the field of international relations. It discusses the stages of research, from identifying appropriate questions and assessing existing literature; the challenge of framing questions in a researchable fashion; identifying the best research approaches for those questions; the problems associated with creating and evaluating data, whether quantitative or qualitative; and strategies for drawing defensible conclusions and identifying further areas for research.
This course seeks to understand and evaluate three related problems in international relations: (1) making peace and providing security, (2) making wealth and ensuring prosperity, and (3) making meaning and preserving community values. Put another way, this course will examine both conflict and cooperation in the pursuit of these goals.
This course surveys the most prominent themes in philosophical and scientific thought about international politics. Its approach is both historical and analytical and aims to to give students the intellectual tools to understand the fundamental debates and broad patterns of international relations.
This course introduces students to basic concepts and skills for research, both academic and practice-based, in international relations areas. It discusses the stages of research, from identifying appropriate questions and assessing existing literature, through framing questions in researchable fashion, identifying the best research approaches for those questions, identifying existing data resources, creating research agendas for gathering new quantitative and qualitative data, analyzing and weighing different forms of data, and drawing defensible conclusions while identifying further areas for research.