PS 533--Global Problems and Policies
Fall 2002

MEETS: Tuesdays, 6-8:50 p.m., Winston 004
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. C.E. Griffin, 1911 Building Room 205, Phone 515-5048
OFFICE HOURS: TR, 10-11:00 a.m.; Wed 1:30-3:00 p.m.; and by appointment
Website:http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/~griffin/
E-mail: Clifford_Griffin@ncsu.edu

Course Objective:

The international architecture of the Cold War that was characterized by a political and military rivalry between the US and the former USSR has given way to a new edifice. This new edifice is characterized by a range of issues and actors that heretofore played a subordinate role in world politics. The goal of this course is explore and expose students to a sample of this range of topical issues and actors that characterize contemporary world politics. First, we will explore the notion of GLOBAL GOVERNANCE by focusing on international governmental actors (IGOs) such as the United Nations Organization (UN), the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO); international nongovernmental actors (INGOs), and regional actors such as the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Our exploration continues by attempting to determine whether there exist economic agendas or imperatives behind civil wars. Next, we interrogate the relationship between global communication and world politics by focusing on the issues domination, development and discourse. Following this we will examine the rationale and consequences of the imposition of sanctions on so-called pariah states. And finally, we will focus on the issue of women, culture and international relations.

Sample research questions:

1. Is Islamic Fundamentalism a threat to political stability?
2. Is free trade a desirable international goal?
   
3. Is self-determination a right of all nationalities?
   
4. Is there a global environmental crisis?
   
5. Are U.S. efforts to promote human rights culturally biased and self-serving?
   
6. Does the World Have To have nuclear weapons at all?
   
7. Does the US have a duty to help the underdeveloped world?
   
8. Should the developed North increase aid to the underdeveloped South?
   
9. Should morality and human rights strongly influence foreign policy?
   
10. Should the United Nations take on greater military roles and capabilities?
    
11. Has the world become a more dangerous place since the end of the Cold War?

Techniques for Conducting Research

Course Requirements:

1. Each student must present at the beginning of designated class meeting, a 2-page, typewritten/computer generated analysis of the assigned chapter(s) of the day. Along with your analysis, the paper must contain a cover page with the title of the article plus your name and ss#.
2. Assignments must be completed prior to each class meeting.
3. Each student must participate fully in all class meetings.
4. Each student must make a 15-20 minute presentation of his/her research project, identifying the research question, explaining why that is an important international issue, the thesis, the theoretical approach to be used in answering the question, and the variables that will help to answer the question. Each student must also submit a 5-page outline of this research project, with three of those pages containing an annotated bibliography relating to the subject of your research project.
5. Each student will submit a 20 page research (term) paper on an agreed upon topic. Please see hotlink to techniques for conducting research.

Grading:

See Also: Written and Oral Evaluation

Short Paper Assignment Schedule, including attendance and class participation--30%. No Participation, NO Grade.

Mid Term Exam, 30%.

Research paper, including outline and presentation, 40%; excluding outline and presentation, 15%.

Instructions Regarding Short Papers

Required Texts:

1. The Politics of Global Governance: International Oganizations in an Interdependent World, 2nd edition. Paul F. Diehl, ed., Lynne Reinner Publishers, C 2001.
2. Greed and Grievance: Economic Agendas in Civil Wars, Mats Berdal and David M. Malone, eds., Lynne Reinner Publishers, C 2000.
3. Global Communication and World Politics: Domination, Development, and Discourse, Majid Tehranian, Lynne Reinner Publishers, C1999.
4. Women, Culture, and International Relations, Vivienne Jabri & Eleanor O'Gorman, eds., Lynne Reinner Publishers, C 1999.
5. Pariah States and Sanctions in the Middle East: Iraq, Libya, Sudan , Tim Nibloc, Lynne Reinner Publishers, C2001.

Estimated Schedule of Classes