This course is primarily for undergraduates. It examines international relations from a historical and theoretical perspective. The course will address how balance of power politics, international institutions, and the domestic political process have influenced world affairs. These perspectives will be compared in analysis of important historical periods from classical Greece to the challenges leaders face today. Topics include the causes of war, establishment of postwar order, the pursuit of economic prosperity, cooperation for environmental protection, and questions about ethics and international relations. Fall 2009.
The number and scope of international organizations continues to expand so that there are few areas of international politics that are not regulated in some way by an international institution, whether informal norms or a formal organization. Why do states establish institutions and what determines their design and evolution? Do these institutions merely reflect underlying power and interests? These are some of the questions we will be asking in this course. It is an advanced research seminar that will introduce theories of international institutions, evaluate critical perspectives, and examine applications in security, economic, and environmental policy areas. Spring 2009.
This course examines the Japanese model that was long admired for creating a growth ``miracle'' but has been challenged by over a decade of economic stagnation. What were the political and economic conditions that allowed Japan to emerge as the first non-Western state to industrialize and become a major economic power? How has Japan responded to the constraints and opportunities of the world economy? Why did the model fail in the nineties and will recent reforms succeed? The course investigates policy lessons from Japan's experience. Focus will be on evaluating institutions that regulate government-society relations. Fall 2006.
This course is primarily for graduate students in the Woodrow Wilson School MPA program. It introduces theories of international relations and evaluates their explanation of foreign policy decisions and general patterns in international relations over the last century. Broadly covering security policy and international political economy, topics include the causes of war, the role of international organizations to promote cooperation, and the interaction between domestic actors and governments in negotiations on trade and the environment. Fall 2003.