POSC113L - International Relations

3 Credit(s)

Liberal Arts
This course provides a general introduction to the study of international relations. The goals of the course are to provide students with the intellectual tools necessary to analyze developments in international relations critically and creatively, and generally to expand students’ factual knowledge of major world events past and present. The first part of this course will focus on the history and nature of the international system, international relations theories, conceptual frameworks and major events of the Cold War and the post-Cold War era. The second part will explore some of the major issues in international relations including: nationalism, arms control, nuclear nonproliferation, transnational crime, terrorism, ethnic conflict, international political economy, development (political, social and economic), population and migration, resource issues, international law and organization, human rights and global ethics-a true survey. Although the focus of this course is on concepts and frameworks of analysis, an important component of each lecture will be application of these concepts to current world events.

Offered When: Annually.