Sample Syllabus: World Politics
Dr. Federici
POLI 436-88--HONORS WORLD POLITICS DR. MICHAEL P. FEDERICI
MWF 9:50-11:10 OFFICE: PRESTON 117
SPRING 2005 OFFICE HOURS : MWF 1:30-3:00; TT 11:45-12:30
ROOM: HC M200 READING/RESEARCH HOURS : MWF 11:15-1:30;
TT 9:00-11:45
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of the fundamental theoretical, historical, and political
components of world politics. The course will make a clear distinction
between domestic and international politics emphasizing that in
world politics there is, as Thomas Hobbes cautioned, no common power
to mitigate conflict. Due to this defining characteristic and the
human condition, international politics has historically been faced
with tension, conflict, and war. The course examines whether this
anarchical condition is permanent or whether a new international
system based on collective security and human rights can transform
international politics in a way that makes peace, justice, and order
more prevalent if not permanent. The course will also consider the
possibility that a third way of understanding world politics exists
that rejects both amoral realism and utopian idealism.
The pedagogical approach for this course focuses on an area of
political science that is often neglected. While students of politics
are usually familiar with the institutional and policy approach
to the study of politics, they are seldom exposed to the experience
of learning about politics from imaginative and powerful literature.
The use of political novels, monographs, and historical studies
is meant to broaden and deepen students’ rational and imaginative
grasp of world politics. The advantage of using literary, theoretical,
and historical texts is that they appeal to common human experience,
spark the imagination, and avoid reifying abstractions. Textbooks,
for example, tend to be didactic and dry; they can leave the impression
that life can be captured in abstract forms like principles or doctrines.
Powerful and insightful literature, however, tends to be grounded
in human experience (and pathos ) and inspired by conceptions
of reality that allow students to distinguish between knowledge/wisdom
and romantic ideology.
The insights provided in the readings will be applied to selected
historical and contemporary problems. To illustrate the nature of
international politics historical and contemporary examples of conflict,
negotiation, and policy will be used. Cases like 9/11, nuclear proliferation,
the use of atomic weapons on Japan , cultural imperialism, the war
on terror, and Iraq will be discussed. The course will also examine
how the collapse of communism has changed the international environment
as well as analyze the debate over global democracy.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course will also familiarize students with specific political
concepts and issues related to world politics including: human nature,
collective security, justice, order, second reality, gnosticism,
natural law, Realpolitik , realism, just war, economy of
violence, diplomacy,balance of power, state of nature, totalitarianism.
Other course objectives include improving students’ writing and
critical thinking skills.
TEXT AND ADDITIONAL READINGS
William Golding. Lord of the Flies (New York: Putnam, 1954).
Machiavelli. The Prince (New York: Oxford University Press,
1998).
Richard Gamble. The War for Righteousness ( Wilmington
: ISI Press, 2003).
Walter McDougall. Promised Land, Crusader State : The American
Encounter with the World Since 1776 (Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1998).
Thomas Fleming. The Illusion of Victory: America in World War
I ( New York : Basic Books, 2003).
Claes G. Ryn. America the Virtuous ( New Brunswick : Transaction,
2003).
ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
Students are required to write four 3-4 page essays. (See separate
pages of syllabus for additional information. Due dates for essays
are included on the assignment page of the syllabus.)
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance of all classes is required and grade penalties will
result for unexcused absences. As a general policy, no make-up examinations
will be given (students can petition the instructor if they think
an exception is warranted). Work which is incomplete because of
absence will be recorded as zero unless the absence is excused.
Absences will be excused by the instructor and only for compelling
reasons which must be stated in advance of the event (in writing)
with obvious exceptions.
EVALUATION PROCEDURE
EXAMINATIONS-There will be two examinations, one at midterm (Friday,
April 8) and one during final exam week (Wednesday, May 18: 10:15-12:15).
GRADING POLICY
Your final grade for the course will be determined on the following
basis:
Midterm................25%
Final Exam.............25%
Essays.................50%
The grading scale is--Below 60% = F; 60-66 = D; 67-69 = D+; 70-76
= C; 77-79 = C+; 80-86 = B; 87-89 = B+ 90+ = A. *Attendance and
class participation will be used to determine final grades. A maximum
of 3 points will be added or subtracted to the final average depending
on the quality of attendance and class participation. No points
will be given for good attendance but points will be deducted for
poor attendance. A student who has perfect attendance but very little
participation will lose points.
OFFICE HOURS
Office: 117 Preston Hall. My class schedule and office hours are
posted near my door. To see me other than during office hours make
an appointment. Campus telephone number: 824-2560. E-mail: mfederici@mercyhurst.edu
.
STUDY GUIDES
Study guides are included in the syllabus. They provide a list
of terms and essay questions. Five of the terms and all of the essay
questions will appear on each exam. The essay questions will be
split into two sections and students are required to do two essays,
one from each section. Because the terms and essays are provided
in advance of the exam, it is expected that students will be thorough
and complete in providing definitions and writing essays. It is
especially important to provide concrete examples and texts to support
arguments in essays and demonstrate an understanding of the concepts
in the definition section. It is recommended that students practice
both definitions and essays before taking the exam.
ASSIGNMENTS FOR WORLD POLITICS--SPRING 2005
Below are the reading assignments for the term. Changes may be
made if the instructor feels they are necessary. The exact date
for the midterm exam will be verified one week before the exam.
Additional assignments may be added throughout the term.
FOUNDATIONS OF WORLD POLITICS
Week 1 Introduction to World Politics and Important
Concepts; Kissinger, Diplomacy : Chapter
1 (RESERVE READING); Stanley Kurtz, “The Future of ‘History’”: http://www.policyreview.org/JUN02/kurtz.html
.
Week 2 McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader
State .
The Challenge of Realism
Week 3 Hobbes and the State of Nature ; Golding, Lord
of the Flies ; ESSAY 1 due Wednesday, March
23 .
Week 4 RESERVE READINGS :
Thucydides, "The Melian Dialogue," "Pericles’ Funeral
Oration"; Machiavelli, The Prince ;
ESSAY 2 due Monday, April 4.
The Challenge of Idealism
Week 5 UN Charter (including Universal Declaration
of Human Rights) (RESERVE READING); Dr. Ripley’s Defense of Liberal
Internationalism. President Bush’s Second Inaugural Address.
MIDTERM EXAM (Friday, April 8)
TOWARD A COMMON HUMAN GROUND
Week 6 The Search for Ethical Foundations: Cicero and
Just War Theory.
Idealism and WWI
Week 7 Gamble, The War for Righteousness
; ESSAY 3 due Friday, April 22.
Week 8 Fleming, The Illusion of Victory
; ESSAY 3 due Monday, May 2.
The Recovery of the Republic and Resistance to
Empire
Week 9-10 Democracy and World Politics; Stanley Kurtz,
“Democratic Imperalism”: http://www.policyreview.org/apr03/kurtz.html
(RESERVE READING ); Ryn , America
the Virtuous ; ESSAY 4 due Monday, May 9.
FINAL EXAM (Wednesday, May
18, 10:15-12:15)
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