Prof. Michael Marks
Office: Smullin 332
Office Tel. 503–370–6932 Administrative Assistant Tel. 503–370–6060
E-mail: mmarks@willamette.edu
Home Page: http://www.willamette.edu/~mmarks
Office Hours: MWF: 8:00–9:00, 10:15–11:15, and by
appointment
Course Description
This course provides an opportunity for students to critically
interrogate orthodox theories of international relations by shifting
the focus of analysis away from large-scale “structures” and
institutions to everyday acts and everyday people. Traditional theories
of international relations analyze world affairs in terms of entities
such as international organizations, military alliances, states, and
governments. Often missing from these analyses are individual human
beings, who through their actions both affect and are affected by the
actions of other individuals throughout the world. Through readings,
in-class discussion, and extended writing students will investigate how
everyday international relations constitutes an important aspect of
global relations. An integral element of the course will involve
regular opportunities during class sessions to discuss the everyday
acts of people as they take place in the contemporary world.
This class fulfils in part the writing-centered component of
Willamette’s undergraduate general education requirements. The main
writing project is an analytical essay that will be developed over
multiple drafts. Therefore, this course provides an excellent
opportunity for International Studies majors and majors in
related disciplines to prepare for their senior theses in these majors.
Student Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course students should be able to:
1. Identify the nature of everyday international relations.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between everyday
international relations and and other aspects of world affairs.
3. Explain the effects of everyday acts on international relations.
4. Write a research paper that is well written, well organized, states
a clear and cogent thesis, and that is supported by logical arguments
and relevant evidence.
Time Commitment for This Course
Willamette’s Credit Hour Policy holds that for every hour of class time
there is an expectation of 2–3 hours work outside of class. Thus, for a
class meeting three hours a week such as this one you should anticipate
spending 6–9 hours outside of class engaged in course-related
activities. For this course you should allocate your time among the
following three activities: Reading the assigned texts, reading
newspapers and/or online news resources on topics relevant to the
class, researching and writing the multiple drafts of the research
paper.
Course Organization
Classroom format will consist of a combination of instructor-led
lessons and student discussions. Class attendance is mandatory. Given
the collaborative nature of the research paper process, students are
expected to participate in offering guidance and feedback to their
peers. Peer editing is a requirement of this writing-centered class. In
addition, attendance at other students’ oral presentations is
mandatory. The instructor thus reserve the right to raise final grades
for superior classroom participation, and lower final grades for
unpreparedness, disruptiveness, and deficient classroom attendance.
Electronic Devices in the Classroom
Laptop computers can assist in note taking and wireless Internet access
on campus can aid in organized classroom exercises. However, electronic
devices can also be a classroom distraction. Laptop computers are
permitted in class for note taking purposes. Additionally, there may be
occasions when the class as a whole may want to use the campus wireless
network to look things up online. However, please refrain from checking
e-mail, online chatting, websurfing, game playing, etc. during class.
If you are observed doing so during class time, you will asked to no
longer bring your laptop to class. Additionally, cell phones should be
turned off prior to class.
Accommodations
Students requiring accommodation should contact the Office of
Accessible Education Services (Student Success Hub in Matthews Hall,
Phone: 503–370–6737) for consultation and to make the necessary
arrangements.
Commitment to Positive Sexual Ethics
Willamette is a community committed to fostering safe,
productive learning environments which values ethical sexual behaviors
and standards. Title IX and school policy prohibit discrimination on
the basis of sex, which regards sexual misconduct—including
discrimination, harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual
assault, and stalking. University community members understand that
sexual violence can undermine students’ academic success. Students
affected by sexual misconduct are encouraged to talk to someone about
their experiences and get the support they need. Please be aware that
all faculty members are mandatory reporters and therefore are required
to report any instances disclosed to them by students to Willamette’s
Title IX Coordinator. If you would rather share information with
a confidential employee who does not have this responsibility, please
contact the university’s confidential advocate at confidential-advocate@willamette.edu.
Confidential support also can be found with SARAs and at the GRAC
(503–851–4245); and at WUTalk, a 24-hour telephone crisis counseling
support line (503–375–5353). If you are in immediate danger, please
call campus safety at 503–370–6911. For more resources, visit https://willamette.edu/notalone/index.html
Written and Oral Assignments
The main written assignment for this course is an iterated analytical
essay utilizing course readings, additional theoretical literature as
necessary, and empirical evidence in the form of historical or current
events involving everyday international relations specifically focusing
on the acts of individual human beings. Empirical evidence for the
paper can be acquired simply by reading daily news accounts of politics
and policy. Additionally, students can find ample information about
everyday international relations through books and articles readily
available in the Hatfield Library and online as well as newspaper and
other news organization archives also readily available via library and
online resources.
The theme of the paper should elaborate on how everyday acts by
individual human beings affect and are affected by other people around
the world as well as larger processes of world affairs. Students will
choose a specific instance of individual human beings acting globally
from history or current events. Students will then show how these acts
affect and are affected by other individuals around the world. More
information on how to craft a thesis for the analytical paper can be
found in a separate hand-out provided by the instructor (also available
online).
There is no required minimum or maximum length for each draft of the
paper. There is an old adage (variously attributed to Abraham Lincoln
or J. D. Salinger) that, in answer to the question “how long should a
man’s legs be?,” the answer is “long enough to reach the ground.” In
other words, your paper should be long enough to accomplish its task
(no longer, and no shorter). Having said that, it is most likely that a
good first draft will range between 2000 and 4000 words (7 to 13
pages), a good second draft probably will fall into the 3000 to 5000
word range (10 to 17 pages), and a good final draft most will most
likely run between 4000 to 6000 words (13 to 20 pages), all give or
take. Each draft of the paper should include a title (on a title page),
an abstract, and a bibliography.
Students will also be required to make an oral presentation of their paper to the rest of the class.
Additional information about the paper and oral presentation will be made available on a separate hand-out provided by the instructor.
Grading and Policy on Academic Honesty
Incompletes will only be given under exceptional circumstances such as
serious illness. You may appeal any of your grades during office hours
only after you have handed in a typed, reasoned memorandum detailing
the specific reasons why you think the grade you received is not
justified.
Late writing assignments will be assessed a one-third grade penalty per
day (e.g., a B+ paper handed in a day late receives a B). Early
submissions of assignments are gladly accepted. Notice that some
of the essays are due on a Monday.
The final grade will be determined as follows: First draft 25%; Second draft 30%; Final draft 35%; Oral presentation 10%.
Everything you turn in must be your own written work. You may not copy,
borrow, or appropriate other authors’ work. Reference to other people’s
ideas must include attribution. All references to other authors’ work
must be fully documented in the form of citations and/or footnotes, and
direct quotes must be indicated as such with quotation marks. Suspected
cases of plagiarism will be pursued vigorously and appropriate
penalties (including an “F” for the course) will be applied.
1. Cynthia Enloe. Bananas, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics (second edition). Berkeley: University of California Press, 2014.
Additional readings are available as electronic journal articles which
students can access through the Hatfield Library online subscription
services.
Course Schedule and Weekly Reading Assignments
August 30: Introduction
No Readings
September 1–10: Review of Traditional Theories of International Relations
Handouts provided by the instructor.
September 13–17:Starting the Dialogue: Feminist Challenges to Traditional Theories of International Relations
ENLOE, Bananas, Beaches and Bases:
Required reading: Prefaces, plus Chapter 1 and Conclusion. In addition,
students should read at least two other chapters of their choosing from
the book and be prepared to talk about them in class.
September 20–24: Critical Reflections
Required readings:
Xavier Guillaume. “The International as an Everyday Practice.” International Political Sociology (Vol. 5, No. 4, December 2011), page 446.
Cynthia Enloe. “The Mundane Matters.” International Political Sociology (Vol 5, No. 4, December 2011), pages 447–450.
Jesse Crane-Seeber. “Everyday Counterinsurgency.” International Political Sociology (Vol 5, No. 4, December 2011), pages 450–453.
Mark B. Salter. “Gaming World Politics: Meaning of Play and World Structure.” International Political Sociology (Vol 5, No. 4, December 2011), pages 453–456.
Leonard Seabrooke. “Everyday Politics and Generational Conflicts in the World Economy.” International Political Sociology (Vol 5, No. 4, December 2011), pages 456–459.
Xavier Guillaume. “Resistance and the International: The Challenge of the Everyday.” International Political Sociology (Vol 5, No. 4, December 2011), pages 459–462.
September 27–October 1: Applications
Required Readings:
Oliver Kessler and Xavier Guillaume. “Everyday Practices of International Relations: People in Organizations.” Journal of International Relations and Development (Vol. 15, No. 1, January 2012), pages 110–120.
Shirin M. Rai. “One Everyday Step at a Time.” International Studies Review (Vol. 18, No. 1, March 2016), pages 164–165.
David Shim. “Between the International and the Everyday: Geopolitics and Imaginaries of Home.” International Studies Review (Vol. 18, No. 4, December 2016), pages 597–613.
OCTOBER 4: FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE
October 4–8: Issues in Everyday International Relations
Required reading:
Lee Jarvis. “Toward a Vernacular Security Studies: Origins, Interlocutors, Contributions, and Challenges.” International Studies Review (Vol. 21, No. 1, March 2019), pages 107–126.
In addition, students should bring to class for each class session this
week at least one news article (from a newspaper, news magazine, or
online news source) about a recent or current issue involving everyday
international relations.
October 11–15: Informal Short In-Class Writing Reflections
Upon submission of the first draft of their research papers
students will use class time this week for short writing reflections on
their topics to discuss with others and practice for their oral
presentations at the end of the semester. Class time also can be used
for beginning work on the visual slide show that will accompany their
oral presentations (students are free to bring laptop computers to
class for this purpose).
October 18–22: Deepening the Analysis I
First five articles from the special issue on Everyday International Relations in the journal Cooperation and Conflict, Vol. 54, No. 2, June 2019:
Annika Björkdahl, Martin Hall, and Ted Svensson, “Everyday International Relations: Editors’ Introduction,” pages 123–130.
Johanna Mannergren Selimovic, “Everyday Agency and Transformation: Place, Body and Story in the Divided City,” pages 131–148.
Linda Åhäll, “Feeling Everyday IR: Embodied, Affective, Militarising Movement as Choreography of War,” pages 149–166.
Gëzim Visoka, “Metis Diplomacy: The Everyday Politics of Becoming a Sovereign State,” pages 167–190.
Ioannis Tellidis, with Anna Glomm, “Street Art as Everyday
Counterterrorism? The Norwegian Art Community’s Reaction to the 22 July
2011 Attacks,” pages 191–210.
October 25–29: Deepening the Analysis II
Second group of five articles from the special issue on Everyday International Relations in the journal Cooperation and Conflict, Vol. 54, No. 2, June 2019:
Astrid Hedin, “Illiberal Deliberation: Communist Regime Travel Controls
as State Capacity in Everyday World Politics,” pages 211–233.
Roger Mac Ginty, “Circuits, the Everyday and International Relations:
Connecting the Home to the International and Transnational,” pages
234–253.
Kirsten Campbell, Elma Demir, and Maria O’Reilly, “Understanding
Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and the ‘Everyday’ Experience Through
Witness Testimonies,” pages 254–277.
Xavier Guillaume and Jef Huysmans, “The Concept of ‘The Everyday’: Ephemeral Politics and the Abundance of Life,” pages 278–296.
Brent J. Steele, “Review of Everyday International Relations Cooperation and Conflict Special Issue,” pages 297–309.
NOVEMBER 1: PEER-EDITING DRAFT OF PAPER DUE
November 1–5: Peer Editing
Peer editing activities.
NOVEMBER 8: SECOND DRAFT OF PAPER DUE
November 8–12: Issues in Everyday International Relations
Students should bring to class for each class session this week
at least one news article (from a newspaper, news magazine, or online
news source) about a recent or current issue involving everyday
international relations.
November 15–19: Issues in Everyday International Relations/Student Oral Presentations
See instructions from last week.
November 25–29: Fall Break
No classes
November 29–December 3: Student Oral Presentations
No readings
December 6–10: Student Oral Presentations
No readings
DECEMBER 8: FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE (including abstract)