Political Science 101-04
Fall 2007
Dr. Bilocerkowycz
Office: St. Joe's # 205
Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 4:30-5:30
(or by appointment at a mutually convenient time)
E‑mail: Jaro.Bilocerkowycz@notes.udayton.edu
Homepage address: http://academic.udayton.edu/JaroBilocerkowycz/
(note posted webpage syllabus is NOT current)
This course examines major problems and trends in world politics such as ethnic and religious conflict, economic integration and inequality, environmental decay and population growth, and democratization and human rights. Significant attention will be paid to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Iraq war and various US policy options for the future, and the Bosnian conflict and the Dayton Peace Accord. In addition, we will study political geography; various theories and concepts of international relations; and various actors in world politics including international, regional, and non‑governmental organizations.
Your course grade will be based on the following components:
Midterm exam 27% October 5 (Friday)
Final exam 27% Dec. 11, 10:10-12:00 (Tuesday)
Political Geography Quiz 5%
Class Participation 14% (includes steady attendance; active participation in class discussions; and timely completion of any other assignments—including READING ASSIGNMENTS.)
The midterm and final exams will consist of essay and shorter answer questions (identification, true/false). The political geography quiz will involve identifying select countries on a map and knowing relevant factors that make them significant for their region or the world (relative size, population, resources, conflicts, leaders). Documented instances of serious illness from a physician or a family emergency are the only types of acceptable excuses for missing a scheduled exam, and in such cases the instructor should be notified BEFORE the exam.
The research paper requirement will be discussed in class at a later point. The body of the paper should be about 7-8 pages in length.
You are responsible for any announcements or assignments made in class whether or not you were in attendance that day. For any classes missed, you are encouraged to borrow a fellow classmate's notes and check with fellow classmates for any other missed announcements or assignments.
TEXTBOOKS:
John Rourke and Mark Boyer, International Politics on the World Stage Brief, 7th edition, 2007.
Iraq Study Group, Iraq Study Group Report, 2006.
RESERVE articles are available at the Library on Electronic and Hard-Copy Reserve under Dr. Bilocerkowycz, POL. 101.
* Asterisk in syllabus denotes items found on reserve
Note all students are strongly encouraged to keep up with current international developments via newspapers, the internet, and television. See the course website for some useful information sources.
Among the student outcomes‑‑skills and abilities‑‑this course seeks to promote are the following:
1. understanding and analysis of global problems and trends
2. evaluation of opposing viewpoints on global issues and controversies
3. development of conceptual knowledge and geographic literacy
4. understanding the role of international, regional, and non‑governmental
organizations in trying to manage and resolve global problems
The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus when deemed advisable.
1. INTRODUCTION
Rourke & Boyer, International Politics On the World Stage, Brief, Chpt. 1
(pp. 1-14).
2. POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY
Hand‑out.
3. EVOLUTION OF WORLD POLITICS AND THEORIES
Rourke & Boyer, Chpt. 6 (pp. 122-135; 146-162); Chpt. 2 (pp. 25-40).
Rourke & Boyer, Chpt. 1 (pp. 14-24).
* Fukuyuma/Caprioli, "Would World Affairs Be More Peaceful If Women
Dominated Politics?” 232-251.
4. GLOBALIZATION AND THE RISE OF NON‑GOVERNMENTAL,
REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS
Rourke & Boyer, Chpt. 5 (pp. 93-100; 107-114; 117-121); Chpt. 10 (p.
285); Chpt. 9 (pp. 240-247); Chpt. 7 (pp. 163-181); Chpt. 11 (pp. 321-
325); Chpt. 7 (pp. 181-198).
* Rosenblatt & Thompson/Hillen, "Should the U.N. Be Given Stronger
Peacekeeping Capabilities?” 254-273.
5. ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS CONFLICT: ARAB-ISRAELI
CONFLICT; THE IRAQ WAR; AND BOSNIAN WAR
Rourke & Boyer, Chpt. 5 (pp. 114-117).
* Diamond, “What Went Wrong in Iraq?” Foreign Affairs, Sept. /Oct. 2004,
34-56.
Iraq Study Group, Iraq Study Group Report, Letters from Co-Chairs;
Group Members 124-141; Assessment 1-40; The Way Forward, 41-96;
Executive Summary, Appendices 99-105.
6. NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE, POPULATION GROWTH,
AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Rourke & Boyer, Chpt. 2 (pp. 40-43); Chpt. 10 (pp. 286-296);
Chpt. 2 (pp. 44-45); and Chpt. 12.
7. DEMOCRATIZATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Rourke & Boyer, Chpt. 8 (pp. 215-228)
8. CONCLUSION
Rourke & Boyer, An Epilogue, pp. 367-368.