Day

Week 1 Monday

Topic
Introduction, informal talk with students, discussion on major issues in international relations. How do international relations scholars look at the world? Who are the major actors (NGOs, IGOs, states, etc)? Discuss levels of analysis, cults of personality, etc. International theory: realism, idealism, neo-liberalism, constructivism. What do these concepts tell us about the world? Introduce students to polarity and alliance formation. How have international systems changed since 1815? Read Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War, Steve Walt on alliances, and others. How to write an Op-Ed and do research, introduce class blog. Decide on presentations. Russia and the near abroad: What can we conclude from the recent presidential election? Discussion of Vladimir Putins background, his worldview, Gazprom as a tool of foreign policy, and the human rights situation in the CIS. Film: Czar Putin Color revolutions: Read on color revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia, and the unsuccessful revolution in Azerbaijan. Are more revolutions on the way? Discuss the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko and politics in post-revolutionary Georgia. Might see film How to start a revolution Hyper-nationalism, part 1: discussion of Huntingtons Clash of Civilizations thesis. Discussion of case studies where nationalist and religious identity is leading to conflict (Tibet, Kurdistan, Chechnya). Presentation 1 on Russia and the near abroad Nationalism, part 2: testing the real world against Huntington. Discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh war and Chechnya. What would Huntington predict? What do his critics say? Possible film: Greetings from Grozny Presentation 2 on hyper-nationalism The Middle East, part 1: what is the situation in Israel? Discuss Israel, UN 242, 181. What is the one-state solution and the two-state solution? Is peace possible between Hamas and Israel? Will Israel attack Iran? Op-Ed first draft due. The Middle East and the Arab Spring Examination of the Arab Spring. What are the implications for the region? For Israel? What does democracy mean in countries such as Egypt? What will post-revolutionary Egypt and Libya look like?.What about Syria? Read Annual Editions articles and other material. Presentation 3 on middle east. Afghanistan, Terrorism: Discuss the situation in Afghanistan in the context of state building and the 2014 NATO withdrawal. Also begin examination of terrorism. What is terrorism? How has it changed in the past 20 years? How is suicide terrorism unique? Read Bob Pape, Brian Jenkins and others. Weapons of Mass Destruction: Chemical, Biological, Nuclear proliferation. A look at Irans program and deterrence theory.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Week 2 Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday