Government 180E
University Seminar: Social Science
Problems in American Foreign Policy
Spring, 2001
Instructor: Peter Moody
Office: 446 Decio; MW
Requirements:
1. Completion of assigned readings, participation in class discussion. The readings should all be found in the course packet available at LaFortune.
2. During the course of the semester, each student will submit four brief essays on one assigned topic, along with an oral report on that assignment.
3. A “final writing assignment” due at the end of the semester.
Tentative schedule of readings and assignments.
January 18. American culture and foreign policy.
Michael Lind, “Civil War by Other Means,” Foreign Affairs, September, 1999. Course packet, pp. 1-17
January 23. American culture and foreign policy: ethnicity
Yossi Shain, “Multicultural Foreign Policy,” Foreign Policy, Fall, 1995. Course packet, pp. 18-34.
January 25. The Realist model.
John Mearsheimer, “The False Promise of International Institutions,” International Security, Winter, 1994/1995. Course packet, pp. 35-79
January 30. Library research orientation (may be moved to a different day).
February 1. The liberal tradition.
Emerson Niou, Peter Ordeshook, “’Less Filling, Tastes Great,’” World Politics, January, 1994. Course packet, pp. 80-93
February 6. “Constructivism”
Alexander Wendt, “Constructing International Politics,” International Secuirity, Summer, 1995. Course packet, pp. 94-104
February 8. First writing assignment: You will be given a news report concerning a current problem in American foreign policy. Look up additional information concerning that problem, and analyze the issue in terms of whether it is best understood under a realist, liberal, or constructivist perspective: or a combination of perspectives, or none of the above. The paper is due the class period after you make an oral report Today and over the next three class days, about a third of the class will report each time.
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February 13. First writing assignment. See February 8.
February 15. First writing assignment. See February 8
February 20. The direction of foreign policy.
Michael Haas, “Paradigm Lost,” Foreign Affairs, January, 1995. Course packet, pp. 105-114
February 22. Democracy and foreign policy.
John L. Harper, “The Dream of Democratic Peace,” Foreign Affairs, May, 1997. Course packet, pp. 115-119
February 27. Testing the democratic peace.
Randall Schweller, “Domestic Structure and Preventive War,” World Politics, January, 1992. Course packet, pp. 120-127
March 1. Second writing assignment. Study the Democratic and Republican platforms for the 2000 election; analyze the differences, if any, on the approach to foreign policy taken in them; from this analysis discuss what you think the future trend in American foreign policy will be. Or, possibly, do the party platforms not make any difference at all?
March 6. Policy- making.
George Kennan, “Diplomacy Without Diplomats,” Foreign Affairs, September, 1997. Course packet, pp. 138-147
March 8. Private consultation. Discussion of writing problems, possible research interests, so forth.
March 20. Security problems.
John Hillen, ‘Defense’s Death Spiral,” Foreign Affairs, July, 1999. Course packet, pp. 148-155
March 22. Third writing assignment. This period and the next the class will divide into “teams” and engage in a disputation over whether the United States should concern itself with whether other countries are democratic or respect human rights. To what extent, if any, should American policy concern itself with such things. In the disputation, do not simply argue off the top of your head, but come prepared with facts and examples to back up the position you are assigned. A written essay on the topic is due April 3.
March 27. Third writing assignment: disputation: See March 22.
March 29. Third writing assignment: disputation. See March 22.
April 3. Globalization.
David Earnest, James Rosenau, “The Spy Who Loved Globalization,” Foreign Policy, 1997. Course packet, pp. 156-159
Bowman Cutter and
others, “
April 5. Private consultations.
Be thinking about a research paper describing, analyzing, and making recommendations on American policy toward some particular region of the world: Latin America, China, the Balkans, the Middle East, Russia, East Asia, South Asia, Europe, possibly some other area. The paper is due the class period after you give your oral report on it.
April 10. Technology.
Walter Wriston, “Bits, Bytes, and Diplomacy,” Foreign Affairs, September, 1997; Course packet, pp. 177-185
April 12. Student reports on regional research paper.
April 17. Student reports on regional research paper.
April 19. Student reports on regional research paper.
April 23. Student reports on regional research paper.
April 26. Private consultations on writing problems, anything else of interest.
May 1. Review and conclusions. Final written assignment: What is the major issue facing American foreign policy today and how should it be handled? Paper due on day and at time the final examination for this class period is scheduled.