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Syllabus for Fall 2008This seminar is the capstone course for international affairs majors. It has two major objectives. First, we will work together to share and to develop our knowledge of international affairs by exploring several topics in depth. Change and continuity in international affairs will be the ongoing theme of our group readings. On a series of issues, what factors promote change and what produces continuity? Second, students will have the opportunity to undertake a major research project that allows them to draw upon previous international affairs courses. Although the seminar focuses on a series of specific topics (U.S. foreign policy, conflict and conflict resolution in Iraq, comparative dynamics of democratization, international and internal conflict in Israel and Palestine, the interplay between international and domestic dynamics in economic development), the research project need not focus on the issues examined in the seminar's reading list. Students should pick research questions that interest them from their own respective concentrations within the INTA major. EVALUATION:Class Participation -- 15% PROCEDURES:This course will be conducted as a seminar. Students will be responsible for leading several of the meetings, for posting discussion board entries online, and for discussing the readings in a thoughtful manner in class. If this seminar is to flourish, students must attend class regularly and must complete all of the reading assignments thoroughly and promptly. Students are limited to 3 unexcused absences; each subsequent absence will result in a reduction of one-third of a letter in the final grade for the course. If some students are not meeting their reading responsibilities, the professor reserves the right to change the evaluation standards by adding an exam component. As a point of fairness to your classmates, the honor code must be observed at all times & written work must be handed in promptly. Written work handed in late will be penalized 5 points plus an additional 5 points for every additional 24-hour period. All work is to be original work done specifically for this course. Readings should be completed by class time of the date listed. The professor reserves the right to alter this syllabus as circumstances demand. For further discussion of course policies, see the appropriate portion of the course website. TEXTS:Cleary, Matthew and Susan Stokes. Democracy and the Culture of Skepticism:
Political Trust in Argentina and Mexico. New
York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2006. Additional readings will be made available in online form. READING LIST:WEEK ONEAug. 25 – Introduction and the Research Project Aug. 27 – Continuity and Change in International Affairs WEEK TWOSep. 1 -- Globalization, State
Power, Terrorism, & U.S. Foreign Policy Sep. 3 -- The Bush Doctrine WEEK THREESep. 8 -- Kegley & Raymond's Action Plan for U.S. Foreign Policy Sep. 10 -- NO CLASS MEETING TODAY: individual meetings re: research project WEEK FOURSep. 15 -- Ancient and Islamic Iraq Sep. 17 -- British and Revolutionary Iraq WEEK FIVESep. 22 -- ACTION PLAN: Toward Conflict Resolution in Iraq Sep. 24 -- Trust, Political Culture, and Democracy in Mexico & Argentina WEEK SIXSep. 29 -- Political Culture and the Quality of Democracy Oct. 1 -- **MANDATORY CLASS SESSION re: ASSESSMENT** WEEK SEVENOct. 6 -- Trust, Development, Inequality, & the Pace of Democratization Oct. 8 -- ACTION PLAN: Building Democracy in Mexico WEEK EIGHTOct. 13 -- The Creation of the State of Israel Oct. 15 -- NO CLASS MEETING TODAY: Research Design DUE at 2:30pm on 10/15 WEEK NINEOct. 20 -- NO CLASS MEETING TODAY: individual meetings re: research
project Oct. 22 -- The Six-Day War WEEK TENOct. 27 -- The First Intifada Oct. 29 -- The Search for Peace WEEK ELEVENNov. 3 -- ACTION PLAN: Toward a Resolution of the Israel/Palestine
Conflict Nov. 5 -- The World Bank & the IMF: A Primer on the Premiere IFIs WEEK TWELVENov. 10 -- Coping with Financial Crises in Mexico & Russia Nov. 12 -- IFIs in Africa WEEK THIRTEENNov. 17 -- ACTION PLAN: Reforming IFIs & Fighting Poverty Nov. 19 -- International Affairs Beyond JMU: Career Paths & Citizenship Paths WEEK FOURTEENNov. 24-28 -- THANKSGIVING BREAK: no classes this week... WEEK FIFTEENDec. 1 -- NO CLASS MEETING TODAY: optional meetings re: research project Dec. 3 -- NO CLASS MEETING TODAY: optional meetings re: research project Dec. 5 -- Research Project DUE at 2:30pm on 12/5 **Final ESSAY DUE: Wednesday 12/10/08 at 2:30pm** |
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Dr. Blake's Home Page | INTA 489 Home | Syllabus | Assignments | Course Policies | Other Resources | Bulletin BoardThis page was last updated on:
9/29/08
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