World Politics in the 21st Century

(Political Science 2033)

Fall 2009: TTH 9:30-10:45 a.m., Kendall Hall 140

Professor Robert H. Donaldson: Chapman Hall 209, x. 2409, robert-donaldson@utulsa.edu; Office hours TTH 11:00 a.m.-Noon or by appointment

The objectives of this course are

to introduce concepts and propositions employed by practitioners and scholars of foreign policy and world politics (with special emphasis on the period from World War Two to the present);
to develop an enriched capacity for sophisticated understanding and analysis of the major issues and trends of world politics in an era of significant global transformation;
to equip the student for an active role as a global citizen in the coming decades.

Requirements of the course are as follows:

1) Participation in class discussion;

2) A mid-term examination, to be given on October 13 (counting 25% of the final grade);

3) A paper of 10-12 pages, on one of the topics (listed below) relating to the 1999 war in Kosovo and its consequences, due on December 3 (counting 25% of the final grade);

4) A comprehensive final examination, to be given on December 16 at 9:00 a.m. (counting 50% of the final grade).

Texts and Internet Resources:

The books below are basic texts. To follow current issues, students are encouraged to read a good daily or weekly newspaper, such as The New York Times or The Economist, or journals such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Security, or The National Interest. The outline below suggests the relation of the assigned readings to topics covered in class sessions.

Joseph S. Nye, Jr., Understanding International Conflicts: An Introduction to Theory and History, Seventh Edition, Pearson/Longman, 2009.
Manfred Steger, Globalisms, Third Edition, Rowman and Littlefield, 2009.
Karen Mingst and Jack Snyder, Essential Readings in World Politics, Third Edition, W.W.Norton, 2008.

In addition, students are encouraged to obtain supplemental information at sites on the World Wide Web. Toward this objective, students are urged to explore the links provided at http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~robert-donaldson/irwebsites.html.

Course Paper:

All students will write a paper of 10-12 pages, due on December 3, and counting 25% of the final grade.

The paper must be original, and based on the student's own research. There are plentiful resources, both books and journal articles, in McFarlin Library, as well as on the Internet. Professor Donaldson is available to assist with finding and utilizing sources.

Papers must be submitted in two formats: 1) a printed copy, to be turned in to Professor Donaldson in class or in the Chapman Hall office suite; 2) an electronic copy, to be turned in to Turnitin.com. (Instructions for submitting the paper to this web site will be provided later.)

Sources should be cited using the Chicago Manual of Style. A description of this format is available on the web, at http://www.libs.uga.edu/ref/chicago.html. A bibliography of works used in the student's research (both those cited and others consulted) should be included at the end of the paper.

Students are to write on some aspect of World Politics that is manifested in the recent history of Kosovo, formerly a province of Serbia, now recognized as an independent state by the U.S. and most European states. A variety of topics are available, including:

1) the 1999 war as a case study of intervention, focusing on one or more of: its legal and moral aspects, its military effectiveness, U.S. and NATO roles, the ceasefire agreement;
2) the role of the United Nations, both in the prewar and postwar phases; Kosovo as "collective security;"
3) the efforts by the United Nations representatives to mediate (and ultimately impose) a "final status" agreement for Kosovo--case study in negotiation;
4) the impact of the Kosovo conflict on Serbia; role of individuals (e.g., Milosevic), the role that Kosovo plays in Serbian national identity, etc.;
5) the nature of the political and military resistance of Serbian rule in Kosovo prior to the war, and the evolution of the Kosovo resistance into a recognized government;
6) NATO as a peacekeeping force in Kosovo--implications for the alliance and its future;
7) the role of Russia, Serbia's historic protector, in the prewar and postwar periods;
8) Kosovo as a possible precedent for resolution or inflammation of similar ethnic conflicts, e.g., Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the Republic of Georgia;
9) Kosovo as a test case for evaluating the perspectives of realism, liberalism, and constructivism.

August 25-September 3: Conflict, War, and the International System: Contending Approaches

Nye, chs. 1-2

Mingst and Snyder, chs. 1 and 3 and pp. 346-359, 598-609

September 8-10: The Kosovo Conflict: Illustrative of Many Issues in World Politics

War in Europe, Frontline Documentary film, shown in class

September 15-22: Power, Diplomacy, and the Origins of World War I

Nye, ch. 3

Mingst and Snyder, pp. 131-137, 334-337

September 24-29: Collective Security and the Origins of World War II

Nye, ch. 4

Mingst and Snyder, pp. 26-28

October 1-8: The Cold War and the Pursuit of Security

Nye, ch. 5

Mingst and Snyder, pp. 28-54, 227-249, 338-346, 360-368

October 13: MIDTERM EXAMINATION

October 15-22: Nationalism, Ethnic Conflicts, International Law and Organization

Nye, ch. 6

Mingst and Snyder, pp. 251-279, 290-331, 368-477

October 27-November 12: International Political Economy, Globalization, and Interdependence

Nye, ch. 7

Steger, entire

Mingst and Snyder, pp. 137-146, 478-568

November 17-19: Transnationalism and the Diffusion of Power

Nye, ch. 8

Mingst and Snyder, pp. 176-195, 279-290

December 1-3: Global Governance: A New World Order?

Nye, ch. 9

Mingst and Snyder, pp. 195-226

December 3: Course Paper Due

December 16: FINAL EXAMINATION

Students are bound by the statement on "Academic Misconduct: Standards and Definitions," found in the Student Handbook.

Students with disabilities should contact the Center for Student Academic Support to self-identify their needs in order to facilitate their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Center for Student Academic Support is located in Lorton Hall, Room 210. All students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with and take advantage of services provided by the Center for Student Academic Support such as tutoring, academic counseling, and developing study skills. The Center for Student Academic Support provides confidential consultations to any student with academic concerns as well as to students with disabilities.

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