Fall 2020 - POL 141 J100

War, International Cooperation and Development (3)

Class Number: 7144

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Wed, 5:30–6:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 19, 2020
    Sat, 7:00–10:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Explores causes and consequences of international political conflict, including war, terrorism, protectionism, nationalism, economic disparity, migration, and humanitarian crises. Evaluates how states and non-state actors navigate and influence these conflicts and the role of international law, diplomacy, and organizational cooperation. Analyzes worldviews on war, peace, human rights, and world order. Students who have taken POL 241 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.

COURSE DETAILS:

The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the basic concepts and methods that are vital for understanding various topics in international politics. We will be looking at why some states go to war, why conflicts escalate and spread, the conditions under which we preserve international cooperation and promote peaceful resolutions to conflict. This course will also focus on the key role leaders play in shaping these events as well as the implications for development in a state.

The approach to this course is not descriptive, but rather analytical. As such, we will also be learning key analytical tools – such as game theory – that help us to better understand the strategic interactions between states, leaders, international organizations, and other non-state actors. There is also a strong empirical component to this course. In particular, we will look at historical and current events to assess the applicability of the theories and models we learn.

Course Format:

There is one weekly three-hour lecture for this course. The first hour of the course will be synchronous (on Zoom) and the last two hours will be asynchronous.

Grading

  • Exam#1 25%
  • Final Exam 35%
  • Class Exercises/Homework 20%
  • Quizzes 20%

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

There are two types of readings in this class: textbooks and journal articles. The primary text for the course is:

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair SmithRandolph M. Siverson and James D. Morrow, The Logic of Political Survival, MIT Press, 2004, ISBN-13: 978-0262524407, ISBN-10: 9780262524407

The reading list also includes a number of scholarly articles written by some of the most influential academics in international politics. These articles are include to not only get a “textbook” style of learning for international relations but also to get an introduction to how these concepts are applied in current or resent research in the field.

REQUIRED READING:

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair SmithRandolph M. Siverson and James D. Morrow, The Logic of Political Survival, MIT Press, 2004, ISBN-13: 978-0262524407, ISBN-10: 9780262524407


Department Undergraduate Notes:

The Department of Political Science strictly enforces a policy on plagiarism.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).