Instructor: Dr. Long S. Le

E-mail: lsle@mail.uh.edu

Office Hours: MWF 1-3pm

Office Room: Farish Hall 454

Course Description

This course will provide students with theoretical tools and frameworks of analysis in order to understand the international politics, power, the nation-states and nationalism, diplomacy, causes of conflicts, and sources of interdependence.

Two exams, a research paper, and in-class homework assignments are required for this course.

Required Text Books

1) Art & Jervis' International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues (7th ed., 2003, New York: Longman)

2) Nye's Understanding International Conflicts (5th, ed., 2003, New York: Longman)

3) Selected readings provided by the instructor.

The assigned readings are to be completed prior to attending class lectures. Assigned reading materials should be brought to class.

Course Learning Objectives

Students completing the course should be able to understand and participate intelligently in ongoing public debates about the major issues of global politics and foreign policy. To do this, students should consider the implications of different theoretical models as well as historical experiences for the understanding of concepts, like the nation-states and nationalism, but also current events such as terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and issues of the day.

The primary assessment of students’ accomplishment of the course learning objectives is based on performance on essay exams. See Course Requirements.

To further facilitate the course learning objectives, the concept of critical thinking and active learning are introduced to provide the tools necessary for students to do well in the course and beyond.

· Critical Thinking entails effective communication and problem solving abilities. In a paper, a class activity, a reading assignment, etc, students are encouraged to ask the purpose, the relevant information, the inferences and conclusions, and the implications and consequences. See: WWW.CRITICALTHINKING.ORG.

· “Learning is not a spectator sport.” Active Learning is learning by doing. Students learn better when they are involved with their learning. The course’s work assignments and activities are designed to acknowledge that students learn in different ways. See: HTTP://CTE.UMDNJ.EDU/ACTIVE_GENERAL.CFM.

Course Instructional Objectives

In addition, students completing the course should be able to do “good analysis” in apply theoretical tools and framework of analysis to current issues of the students’ choosing. See Course Requirements.

The primary assessment of students’ accomplishment of the course instructional objectives is based on performance on a research paper (see Course Requirements).

To further facilitate the course learning objectives, how to do “good analysis” is introduced to provide the tools necessary for students to do well in the course and beyond.

Good Analysis requires the student to ask the “right” questions and then creatively but logically go about in answering them. See: Weimer & Vining’s Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice (Prentice Hall, 2005).

Course Requirements

2 ESSAY EXAMS: 50 percent of the final grade.

First: 25 %

Final: 25 %

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS: 15 percent of the final grade.

RESEARCH PAPER: 35 percent of the final grade.

Outline of the Paper: 5

Final Paper: 30

A RESEARCH PAPER: 35 percent of the final grade. First, your research paper should consider how different theoretical models affect the understanding of your chosen topic (i.e. what would the anarchic model, realist model, or the interdependence model say about the impacts of terrorism on the nation-states, the Iraq War, nuclear weapons in the age of terrorism, etc). You then need to collect and analyze data relevant to your chosen topic. From this process, how do they info your theoretical models? Do they support/refine a particular model(s)?

Outline: 5 percent. An outline of your paper is required and due anytime before October 12^th.

Final Paper: 30 percent. Your final research paper (a minimum of 12 pages). This is due anytime before the final exam. Students are highly encouraged to discuss and get advice for their paper with the instructor before the noted deadlines.

EXTRA CREDIT: Throughout the course, I will offer extra credit assignments (up to 3 points added to the final grade) to further assess and reinforce both the course learning objectives and instructional objectives. These extra assignments must be done in a timely manner, as specified by me. Please take advantage of this opportunity. Other requests to do extra work to improve your grade will be denied, please do not ask.

UH Statement for Students with Disabilities

The University of Houston is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for eligible students with disabilities, including students who have learning disabilities, health impairments, psychiatric disabilities, and/or other disabilities. Vissit WWW.UH.EDU/CSD for further info or call 713-749-1527.

UH Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as “representing as one’s own work the work of another without appropriately acknowledging the source.”

The university does not institutionalize plagiarism by acknowledging, excusing or condoning ignorance under the rubric of “unintentional plagiarism.”

See Academic Honesty Policy for more information: WWW.UH.EDU/DOS/HDBK/ACAD/ACHONPOL.HTML