Course Syllabus

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PL SC 418:  International Relations Theory

Course Overview

CATEGORY INFORMATION
Credits 3
Prerequisites None
Delivery Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com)
Dates See the Calendar.
Instructor See the Orientation module under the Modules tab.

 

Course Overview

Why do actors in the international system (e.g., states, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other non-state actors) behave and interact in the way that they do, especially in regards to conflict and cooperation?  There are many explanations for their international behavior, primarily because theorists often “see” the world differently.  In this course, we will analyze these explanations and their underlying meta-theoretical assumptions by studying a host of international relations theories.

In the process of doing so, I hope that you come to recognize and appreciate the diversity of international relations theory.  In other words, international relations theory is not confined to realism and liberalism, the theories that have dominated the international relations discipline for decades.  There are many theories outside the mainstream that provide useful and meaningful critiques and extensions of realism and liberalism.  The alternative theories that we will consider are Marxism, constructivism, feminism, post-colonialism, and green theory.

We will also try to determine whether realism, liberalism, and the various alternative theories adequately describe the reality of international relations, though all theories can provide insight into current global problems and suggest potential solutions to them.  To that end, we will explore how international relations scholars should decide whether one theory is more compelling than another.  Since all theories have strengths and weaknesses in regards to their internal logic and evidence, we will investigate the possibilities for constructing more comprehensive and persuasive theories.

Hopefully, this course will enhance your ability to interpret the causes and consequences of global phenomena and processes and to examine critically political leaders’ preferences, as well as your own, in regards to foreign policy.  Ultimately, I hope that it will help you to devise more effective solutions to the numerous problems facing humanity today.

Course Objectives

  1. Outline the history of the IR discipline, explain the role of meta-theoretical debates and the philosophy of social science in it, and assess the importance of this history for the construction of theories.
  2. Compare and contrast the major tenets of realism, liberalism, and various alternative theories.
  3. Evaluate the evidence for and against each theory.
  4. Use these IR theories to answer questions about international conflict behavior and the extent of global cooperation.
  5. Employ these IR theories to explain current global phenomena.
  6. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of each theory and examine ways to construct more accurate theories.
  7. Recognize the diversity of IR theory and analyze the consequences for understanding international political reality.

Course Organization

This course is divided into five modules: Introduction to International Relations Theory, Realism, Liberalism, Critiques of the Mainstream Theories, and Conclusions. 

The first module, Introduction to International Relations Theory, provides a broad historical overview of the international relations discipline, with special attention given to the role of meta-theoretical debates and the philosophy of social science.

The second module, Realism, focuses on the realist paradigm, with specific attention given to classical realism and its founding theorists, structural realism, the issue of polarity, power transition theory, offensive realism, and defensive realism.

The third module, Liberalism, focuses on the liberal paradigm, with special attention given to classical liberalism, the democratic peace theory and its qualifications, diversionary conflict theory, neo-liberalism, and the role of international institutions in global politics.

The fourth module, Critiques of the Mainstream Theories, presents a series of alternative theories to realism and liberalism, namely Marxism, constructivism, feminism, post-colonialism, and green theory.

The fifth module, Conclusions, presents a recent phenomenon that challenges contemporary international relations theories: terrorism.  This module will also examine the current state of the international relations discipline in terms of its intellectual and social patterns.

There are a series of lessons in each module.  One or two lessons are covered each week.  Within each lesson, there is a combination of assigned readings, lecture materials, videos, quizzes, and additional assignments.  The quizzes are based on the textbook and lecture materials.  The additional assignments include 11 discussions, three reflection essays, a revision of each reflection essay, and a final research paper, for which you will complete a research paper quiz, eight preliminary assignments, and a peer review.  All of the above assignments are spread out over the semester to provide you with ample time to learn from each activity.

At the end of the semester, there will be a cumulative final exam; that is, it will cover all of the assigned readings and lecture material from the course. 

Online Learning and Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe.  However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.

Texts and Other Materials

Required Text:

  • Tim Dunne, Milya Kurki, and Steve Smith, ed. 2013. International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199696017

There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please go to the PL SC 418W Course Reserves at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/er.php?course_id=25312.

For any questions you may have about searching, viewing, or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the Viewing/Printing Electronic Reserves page at https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/reserves/usingreserves.html.

Supplemental Material: About midway through the course, you are required to watch a clip from the 1997 film Wag the Dog. You can obtain this film via Google Play for $2.99, Microsoft Movies & TV for $2.99, VUDU for $2.99, Amazon Video for $3.99, or Netflix.  Other supplemental information will be supplied by your instructor.

Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.

Scale

LETTER
GRADE		 MINIMUM % MAXIMUM %
A 95 100
A- 90 94.9
B+ 88 89.9
B 82 87.9
B- 80 81.9
C+ 78 79.9
C 70 77.9
D 60 69.9
F 0 59.9

Due Dates

Most assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please look at specific assignments for earlier times. As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments (you will get a zero for late assignments). It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (hospitalization, jury duty, or family emergency) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.

Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.

You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within seven days of their due date.

ASSIGNMENT
GROUP		 # of points
Syllabus Quiz 10
Discussion Board Posts 10 x 20 points,
200 total points
Lesson Quizzes 11 x 10 points,
110 total points
Reflection Essays 3 x 32 points,
96 total points
Final Exam 150

Quizzes

Periodic quizzes (noted in the Course Summary below) are administered online.  These quizzes typically have 10 multiple choice or true-false questions about the readings and concepts for that week’s worth of material.  Students take the quizzes on the Canvas website during the week indicated in the course schedule.

Note:  The quizzes are “open book” but are timed.  You will have a relatively short amount of time once you start to quiz to finish it.  I would strongly suggest that prior to attempting to take the quiz you have completed all parts of the lecture and readings for the week and are very familiar with the material.  Students who attempt to take the quiz without being prepared should not expect to rely upon the open book nature to perform well on the quiz.

Discussion Board Participation

On various weeks (noted in the Course Summary below) students are also required to participate in class discussion boards via Canvas.  These discussion boards both pose some open-ended questions about the course material and student’s opinions about the material for the week, while also giving students a chance to ask for clarification about anything they have encountered in the class in past weeks.  The discussion boards will help us flesh out the material for the week, clarify anything that did not make sense and provide a forum for your feedback.  Students are required to post on the discussion board between 12:00 a.m. Monday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday the week they are held. A grading rubric is attached to each discussion.

Note: please use the General Questions message forum to post any questions you have about the administration of the class – grading, class schedule, how to access the readings, etc. – or if you are having any problems that are not related to the actual substance of the material for that week.  Do not post items like, “When is our final exam?” or “A link does not work” to the discussion boards.  Use General Questions instead.

For technical issues in the course, the Technical Support message board should be the first recourse for communicating specific questions or problems. Students are encouraged to respond to the problems and questions posted there by their peers. To access the World Campus HelpDesk, Persons needing General Canvas assistance may call (800) 252-3592, option 4 between 8:00 a.m. and midnight (ET), Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on weekends. Please use the forms available on the Help website whenever possible and an support expert will assist you (http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/technical-support/contact-us). Turnaround time is generally less than one business day.

Reflection Essays

You will write three reflection essays throughout the course, each of which is worth 32 points.  For each essay, you will have two topics from which to choose, as described within the assignments.  Each essay is due by 11:59pm ET on the date indicated on the course calendar and must be submitted via the appropriate assignment in Canvas.  Take care that your submitted files are easily accessed and readable across operating platforms.  Documents should be saved as .RTF (Rich Text Format).  If you initially submit a corrupted file or a document with an unreadable file extension (for example, ..docx), you must upload a fixed version prior to the deadline if you want to earn credit for the assignment.  Each essay must be no longer than two double-spaced pages (excluding reference lists) and must use 12-point Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins.  Be sure to properly document any and all sources following the guidelines in the American Political Science Association’s Style Manual for Political Science, available at http://www.apsanet.org/files/Publications/APSAStyleManual2006.pdf. You can find the grading rubric for these essays in each assignment.

Final Exam

The Final Exam is a cumulative examination of the material presented in the course.  Like the quizzes, the Final is taken online via Canvas during the time indicated. You will have only two hours from when you “open” the Final to complete it.  Again, you are free to look over your notes or course material when taking the Final, but I strongly suggest, given you have limited time, not attempting to take the Final without completing all lessons and materials in the class and studying them very carefully.

Discussion Policies

Written communication is different than oral communication. The policies and pointers listed below cover common issues that crop up in an online discussion forum. They are designed to enhance organization, help you convey your ideas more clearly, and prevent misunderstandings.

  1. Try to think of discussion forums as an extension of your real-life classroom.
    1. Endeavor to share ideas among your classmates, not to prove that you are right and they are wrong.
    2. Be aware that differences of opinion are going to occur in any forum. Multiple perspectives on a topic or problem are often valuable.
  2. Compose long messages in NotePad (or TextEdit) and then copy/paste into Canvas. Or add an attachment and provide a simple explanation of its contents.
  3. Keep closely related ideas organized under a single post.
    1. To respond to the original post, click in the Reply field, type your response, and click Post Reply. Title your post so that individuals know what your post is about. The title of your post should be a brief phrase that summarizes your post.
    2. To respond to another individual, click the Reply button just below the individual's original response. Type in your response and then click Post Reply.
    3. To express a new idea, click in the Reply field again, similar to adding your original post. Remember to add a title.
    4. Don’t feel obligated to make a reply to a post if you feel it does not warrant one. Numerous posts that contain no essential new ideas may create more work for everyone.
    5. Don’t be offended if no one replies to your message. Often people will read postings on a discussion forum but not make a reply.
  4. Act professionally and be considerate of others.
    1. Remember that not everyone comes from the same background, or shares the same values and ideals as you.
    2. Be mindful of your “tone.” If you are unsure of your tone, try reading your discussion forum post out loud before you submit it. When you read it out loud, does it sound the way you would speak to another student in the classroom?
    3. Remember that a message can easily be misunderstood. Making a joke or being ironic in a discussion forum is a great way to break the ice, but you have to let people know your intentions. If you wish to convey a humorous tone, try using emoticons or adding comments like “Just kidding!” Do not use slang.
  5. Alert your instructor as soon as possible if there is a message on the discussion forum that strikes you as inappropriate or offensive.
    1. Keep in mind that the author may not realize how the message “sounds” to you. Try to think of the situation as a growth opportunity facilitated by the instructor.
    2. Allow the instructor to handle the situation. Rest assured that your instructor is determined to prevent breakdown of group process.
    3. Be aware that the instructor has the right to remove any inappropriate or offensive messages.
    4. Be aware that any student who posts an inappropriate of offensive message will be blocked from participating in the discussion forum and will receive an F for that assignment. Students are also subject to relevant policies in the student code of conduct.

University Policies

Academic Integrity

Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.

Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions and will be reported to the University's Judicial Affairs office for possible further disciplinary sanction. For further information, please read University Faculty Senate Policy 49-20 at http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/47-00-48-00-and-49-00-grades/#49-20.

Disability Access

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide the documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/guidelines/. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

 

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office Website at http://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at http://www.psu.edu or Penn State News at http://news.psu.edu.

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due