Spring Courses: PO 383/IR 360 A Suitable Alternative to PO 171 and IR 271 for Major Requirements
Professor Cappella to offer PO 383/IR 360 in Spring 2015. This course is a suitable alternative to both PO 171 and IR 271 toward major requirements. This course will cover: Why do wars start? Why do states trade? Is conflict endemic or can a peaceful world be created? This course will introduce you to the study of International Relations while simultaneously exploring the big questions that permeate the approaches to the study of International Relations. I.e., are humans fundamentally bad? The class has two main objectives. First, as it focuses on big questions, it provides a more interactive format to examine the fundamental structures and problems that permeate global politics. Second, it will use the concepts learned to shed light on contemporary issues. For example, we will explore the potential for a US war with China, the Iranian nuclear weapons program, and the Civil War in Syria. In short, the course outlines the biggest issues in international politics and how different actors tend to interpret and approach these issues.