Poli 378 (Fall '96) Suresht R. Bald T.Th. 9:40-11:10 Office: Smul 332 Smullin 315 X 6261

Office hrs. M.10-11:30; T.11:20-12;

3:20-4:20; W.1:30-2:40; Th.11:20-12;

3:20-4; and by appointment.

NATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM

Course description and objectives:

For centuries, the business community has ignored national boundaries in its search for lucrative investment opportunities, cheap labor, or profitable markets. But it is only in the last couple of decades that the artificiality of neat lines separating one nation from another on the world map has become apparent. As we shop for a car which has been put together in two or three countries, watch unemployment rise because of "flight of jobs" to more "cost-effective environments", or watch our favorite TV show in Europe or Asia we become aware of the different ways in which our lives are connected to those of others on this planet. While globalization of American media and business poses challenges to national autonomy, the geography of "new nations" is being challenged by "ethnic nationalism", and the identity of "old nations" is made problematic by citizens of different skin colors, religions, languages, and ethnicities. The excesses of civil wars in Yugoslavia, Iraq, and Rwanda, and ethnic and racial violence in Germany and Britain remind us that nations are contested spaces. In this course we will study the genealogies of nation and nationalism, and examine how these concepts are being challenged. By focusing on the nation, third world, gender, human rights, ecology, and the international political economy we will try to gain an understanding of our world and explore the different ways in which distinctions between what we tend to think as "international" and "national" are eroding.

The objective of this course (seminar) is to prepare you for your senior year experience - your senior thesis. The readings, written assignments and discussions in this course are designed with that in mind. We will study the process and substance of comparative and international politics from a variety of perspectives, including political theory, history, political economy, ethics, third world, and gender. What we read will be subjected to carefully reasoned analysis, always bearing in mind that since the outcomes of politics affect the lives of people, human needs and concerns cannot be ignored in our evaluation of theory and practice.

Writing will be central to the course. You will use writing to learn the conventions and style of the discourse of Politics, enhance your abilities to think critically, assimilate knowledge, think through an argument, construct a thesis, formulate questions, and respond to and give feedback on your classmates' writing.

You will be expected to write drafts of your papers and work closely with your peers and the people at the Writing Center. In addition, you will maintain a class log (an exercise book) for recording reactions to reading assignments (insights gained and/or questions raised; how one author's stance might be regarded by another whose work may take a different approach etc.) and in-class writing. This log will not be "graded," but it will figure in the calculation of your participation grade. I will read it atleast twice during the course of the semester.

The success of a seminar depends upon thoughtful and well-informed interaction among its members. Therefore, it is crucial that you come to class well-prepared. This means completing the readings prior to the class, identifying the key issues in the readings, forming reasoned opinions on those issues, and being ready to explain and defend your opinions orally and in writing. At least once in the semester you will be expected to lead class discussions.

Grading:

3 short papers 8-10 pages (assignments attached) ..........300 pts.

Research proposal either for an Undergraduate Summer

Research Grant or your senior thesis.......................100 pts.

Participation..............................................100 pts.

Total .....................................................500 pts.

The grade for participation will be based on:

1. the rigor of your analyses;

2. the clarity of your presentations;

3. your willingness to contribute;

4. your contribution to your peers' learning;

5. the quality of your attentiveness in class; and 6. class-log.

Failure to meet deadlines will result in loss of points (grade reduction by 0.3 pts. for every two days, including holidays and week-ends). No assignments will be accepted if they are more than a week late.

Available for purchase:

Smith, Anthony D. & Hutchinson, J. eds. Nationalism

Juergensmeyer, M. The New Cold War? Religious Nationalism Confronts the Secular State

Peterson, S. ed. Gendered States: Feminist (Re)Visions of International Relations Theory

Galtung, J. Human Rights in Another Key

Cases will be available for purchase from me later in the course.

Additional required readings and a copy of Scott & Garrison, The Political Science Student Writer's Manual will be on reserve at the Library.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:

Sept. 3 T Introduction to the course and each other.

Melian Dialogue: a case

Nations and Nationalism: Differing Perspectives

5 Th Nationalism pp. 15-55

10 T Nationalism pp. 55-96; 103-131

Nations: Construction, Legitimation, Reproduction

12 Th Nationalism pp. 132-177

17 T Nationalism pp. 196-254

19 Th Nationalism pp. 254-286

The Falklands/Malvinas War: A case

Nations: A Contested Site

24 T Elshtain, Jean Bethke "Sovereignty, Identity, Sacrifice" in Peterson, Spike Gendered States

Nationalism pp. 177-195; 288-316.

26 Th Juergensmeyer The New Cold War? pp. 1-41

Monday 30: Please distribute drafts of paper #1 to your peers and me by 2pm today.

Oct. 1 T Peer review of drafts in class.

3 Th The New Cold War? either ch 3 or 4 or 5; or

Kennan, "The Balkan Crisis - 1913 & 1993" in The New York Review of Books (on reserve) and

Ivo Andric, "A letter from 1920" in The Damned Yard

(on reserve).

Monday 7 : Papers due by 4pm.

Nations: "New" formations and re-definitions

8 T S. Huntington, "The Clash of Civilizations?" in Foreign Affairs Summer 93 pp. 22-49 (on reserve)

Ajami et al "On 'the Clash of Civilizations'" in

Foreign Affairs Sept.-Oct.93 pp. 2-26 (on reserve)

S. Huntington, "If not Civilizations, What?"

Foreign Affairs Nov/Dec 93 pp. 186-194 (on reserve)

10 Th M. Lind, "In Defense of Liberal Nationalism" and

G. Gottlieb, "Nations without States" in Foreign Affairs May/June 94 pp. 87-112.

New Cold War? pp. 171-202

The International System: Re-thinking Security Politics

15 T Peterson, Spike "Security and States: What is at Stake in Taking Feminism Seriously?" in Peterson, Gendered States

Grant, Rebecca "The Quagmire of Gender and International Security" in Peterson, Gendered States

17 Th Altered States pp. 49-69; 83-93 (on reserve)

Nicole Ball, "Militarized States in the Third World" in Klare (Ed.) World Security (on reserve)

22 T Tetreault, Mary Ann "Women and Revolution: A Framework for Analysis" in Gendered States.

David Campbell, Writing Security pp. 195-215; 223- 240 (on reserve).

The Environment

24 Th J. Mathews, "The Environment and International Security" in Klare (on reserve)

Altered States pp. 95-104 (on reserve)

Pesticide case

29 T A. Sisson Runyan, "The 'State' of Nature: A Garden Unfit for Women and Other Living Things" in Peterson, pp. 123-140.

Vandana Shiva, Staying Alive pp. 1-53 (on reserve)

North-South Divide

31 Th J. Collins, "World Hunger: A Scarcity of Food or a Scarcity of Democracy?" in Klare (on reserve)

Altered States pp. 107-136 (on reserve)

Monday Nov 4: Drafts of paper #2 are to be distributed to peers.

Nov. 5 T Peer review of drafts in class.

7 Th Video: Hunger for profit.

SATURDAY NOV. 9: PAPERS DUE BY 6PM OUTSIDE MY OFFICE

Human Rights

12 T Galtung, Human Rights in another key pp 1-70.

14 Th Galtung, pp. 70-107.

19 T Galtung, pp. 108-156.

21 Th Bring summaries of 3 articles on an issue of International importance (Human Rights, Nuclear Proliferation, Environment, Immigration etc.) and be prepared to explain why you consider the issue important and what insights the articles provide regarding it.

Monday Nov. 25: Please distribute copies of your draft to your peers and leave one outside my door.

26 T Peer review of drafts of paper #3.

THANKSGIVING VACATION

Monday Dec. 2: Paper#3 due by 4pm.

Dec. 3 T Bring ideas for research proposals and summaries of 2-3 articles (a list of journals will be provided) pertaining to your proposal.

5 Th You will meet with me individually to discuss your library searches, your thesis etc. You should bring with you short summaries of at least 3 articles pertaining to your research proposal.

10 T First draft of your research proposal. The draft should include the hypothesis you intend to examine; explain why it is important (how it illuminates the study of International/Comparative Politics); indicate the theories you intend to employ in constructing your arguments; provide a summary of existing literature on the topic; outline the course your analysis might follow and how it might expand on someone else's argument or refute it. In addition, you should have short summaries of at least eight articles that speak to the subject you have chosen to write on.

Class discussion of your research.

12 Th Research proposals - eight pages plus an annotated bibliography due by 4pm Dec. 13.

PAPER ASSIGNMENTS

First drafts of papers will be reviewed by your peers. You are strongly urged to consult with faculty at the Writing Center, especially during the pre-writing stage.

Paper #1: First draft due in class for student review one week prior to the final deadline- September 30.

You are to write a well argued evaluative paper on the readings on Nationalism. You may do so in a variety of ways : you may write from the prespective of a reporter assigned to an area that is experiencing tensions related to nationalism; you may use your arguments to persuade a policy-maker; you may write "test" some of the thories we have read by focusing on a particular region to trace the different ways in which the nation has been conceived and why; or you may write it in the form of a "book review." What ever format you decide to use you will need to focus on the text: use the arguments of one theorist to critique the other/s; critique the main strands of thinking on nationalism and defend the position that nationalism and the nation state are the problem rather than the solution in the contemporary world; or argue that a world of nations would be a peaceful one for every group would have a "home." What ever direction you choose to take in the paper, it is important that you have a thesis, an argument that elaborates on the thesis and provides examples/references in support of what you say, and a conclusion that not merely summarizes but indicates what the argument can or cannot illuminate in the area of International and/or Comparative Politics.

Paper #2: First draft due in class for peer review/feedback 4 Nov.

In this paper you are to examine Security Politics using either feminist or environmetalist critiques. I'm more concerned with the argument you construct than with your politics. I will expect you to read and use outside sources in addition to the material covered in class.

Paper #3: First draft due in class for peer review/feedback 25 Nov.

Read 8 articles (covering at least two different perspectives) on an issue of international significance and write a paper which integrates these articles with the class readings (if applicable) and critically evaluates the arguments presented in them.

Paper #4: See class schedule.

This paper is to be written as a research proposal for your senior thesis or as an application for Carson Undergraduate Research Grant.