Political Science 750: International Relations I

Mark J.C. Crescenzi

Class Meeting Time:Thursdays 2:00-4:45, 100 Howell Hall

Office:364 Hamilton Hall, University of North Carolina

Phone: 919-962-0401; Email: crescenzi@unc.edu

Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:00-4:00

Objectives of the Seminar

The objectives of this course are: (1) to understand the scope and breadth of the theoretical literature that has defined the study of international relations; (2) to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical paradigms represented in that literature; (3) to define specific research questions and issues that must be addressed by future research; and (4) to prepare students for preliminary examinations in international relations.

It is, of course, impossible to provide a comprehensive review of the entire field of international relations in a single semester. The readings and discussions in this course seek to strike a balance between traditional works that define the evolution of the field and contemporary works that highlight the development of our knowledge and possible directions for future research. Some of the materials in this course rely on technical tools (such as econometrics or formal theory). Students are not expected to be familiar with these tools prior to enrolling in the course, but will become familiar with them during the semester.

Course Requirements

Response Papers (25% of final grade) In order to encourage active thinking about the readings and discussion in class, students will write five brief commentaries (3-4 pages, single-spaced) on the readings for a particular week. Students should seek in these notes to engage one or more themes in the works, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and suggest future research questions facing that area of the literature. Students will sign up for their weeks at the first class meeting of the seminar. The papers will be circulated electronically to the entire class, and will be due at 9:00 a.m. on the relevant class day. You can email the entire class through the blackboard website.

Class Participation (20% of the final grade): Students will be expected to come to class fully prepared to engage in a robust, informed discussion of the readings and the problems for the field of international relations raised by the readings.

Literature or Book Review (25% of the final grade): The readings on this syllabus can only serve as a starting point from which students will engage additional important literature. Students will therefore write a literature or book review on a topic of interest to them that relates to one of the subjects addressed by this course. A book review will generally focus intensively on one or two related books; a literature review will examine the development of a theme or problem through time and a larger number of readings. Either type of analysis should be 4,000-5,000 words. Students should consult with me before selecting a review topic.

Written Final Examination (30% of the final grade): Students will take a one-day examination that will be patterned on the preliminary examinations that graduate students must pass before they may advance to the dissertation stage of the PhD program.

Papers and Citations: It is important that students cite the material that they have relied upon in writing these papers. If you have questions about when you need to provide citation for a source, please see the UNC guide on avoiding plagiarism. If you have questions about how to provide citation on your sources, please see the UNC Libraries' guide on citation formats. Use any citation format that you prefer, what is important is that you give credit to the sources you used.

Required Books

The following books are required. They are available for purchase through various online sources, including ebook formats in some cases.

All other readings are available online through the UNC Library. Students can obtain the readings by clicking on the links below.

Topics and Schedule

Janurary 12: No Class (M-C Interviews)

January 19: The Core Problem in IR—The Causes of War and the Conditions for Peace

January 26: (Neo)Realist Perspective

Febrary 2: Neo-Liberal Institutionalist Perspective

Febrary 9: Constructivist Perspectives

February 16: Rationalist Perspectives

February 23: Bargaining and War

March 1: Trust, Reputation, and Learning

March 15: Democratic Peace Theory

March 22: Economic Interdependence and the Prospects for Peace

March 29: Integrating Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, James Morrow, Alistair Smith, and Randolph Siverson. 2003. The Logic of Political Survival

April 5: Civil War and Intervention

April 12: Intervention and Peacekeeping

April 19: Terrorism and Insurgency


April 28 (flexible) Final Exam