Prof. Michael Marks
Office: Smullin 319
Office Tel. 503-370-6932
E-mail: mmarks@willamette.edu
Home Page: http://www.willamette.edu/~mmarks
Office Hours: MWF, 9:00-10:00; TTh, 11:15-12:15

Course Description

This course is designed to introduce students to important theoretical approaches to the study of international security and cooperation. It also applies these approaches to empirical cases and concrete issues of international harmony and discord. Special emphasis is placed on security and cooperation in a post-Cold War world. The purpose of the course is to help students make sense out of the changes sweeping the nature of war and peace by understanding these changes in historical perspective. Through lectures and discussions, students will explore different ways that conflict and accord are conceptualized by both academic observers and political decision makers.

Among the theories of security and cooperation examined in this class are classical conceptions of human conflict, deterrence, "game theory," international regimes, feminist perspectives, and the "constructivist" approach. Many of the readings represent attempts by scholars to understand the nature of human conflict and reconciliation over the ages. Among the empirical cases explored are the ancient world of classical security, nuclear deterrence during the Cold War, "ethnic" conflict, terrorism, cooperation to counter post-Cold War threats to security, and human rights monitoring. We shall ask to what degree security and cooperation reflects the nature of perceived threats.

Course Organization

This is an upper-division seminar course. Class will meet three times a week. Classroom format will consist of a combination of teacher-led lessons and student discussions. Opportunities will also be made available for student presentations and debates. Class attendance is mandatory.

Writing Assignments

There will be two types of writing assignments assigned in the course:

1) Essays with instructor-chosen themes: Students will write two ten-page essays based on the reading assignments and classroom discussions. The essays are designed to allow students to analyze the course material and the theoretical approaches presented in the readings. No research is required for these take-home writing assignments.

2) Essay and newspaper clipping journal: Students will also be required to maintain a journal of current events including newspaper and magazine clippings on issues of international security and cooperation. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to take out their own subscriptions to the New York Times. The journals are to be handed in twice during the course. In addition to collecting clippings, students may make appropriate comments about each clipping, and must prepare an essay of around ten pages in length to be submitted along with the clippings journal. Students should plan on clipping no fewer than three articles every week.

Grading

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, two days late a B-, etc.).

The composition of the final grade will consist of three components: Two essays with instructor-chosen themes: 30% each; Essay and newspaper clippings journal: 40%. In addition, the instructor reserves the right to raise final grades for superior classroom participation, and lower final grades for deficient classroom attendance.

About Class Participation

The large size of this class is not particularly suited to classroom discussion. However, people tend to learn better when they verbalize new material. Therefore, students should be prepared to discuss the readings the weeks they are assigned. Shyness will be respected, but silence will not be allowed. I also 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, laptop computers 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.

Readings

Students should purchase the following four books at the University Bookstore:

Michael E. BROWN, et.al. (eds.), Theories of War and Peace. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1998.

Cindy C. COMBS, Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century (third edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2003.

Lawrence FREEDMAN (ed.), War. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994.

Friedrich KRATOCHWIL and Edward D. MANSFIELD (eds.), International Organization: A Reader. New York: Harper Collins, 1994.

Course Schedule and Weekly Reading Assignments

September 4-6: Course Introduction

No readings

September 9-13: The Experience of War

1. FREEDMAN: All readings from Section A

September 16-20: The Causes of War

1. FREEDMAN: All readings from Section B

September 23-27: Strategies of War

1. FREEDMAN: All readings from Section E

September 30-October 4: Terrorism I

1. COMBS: Chapters 1-3, 14-15

October 7-11: Terrorism II

1. COMBS: Chapters 4-9

October 14-18: Terrorism III

1. COMBS: Chapters 10-13

October 21-23: Regime Theory

1. KRATOCHWIL & MANSFIELD: All readings from Chapter 3

October 28-November 1: Constructivist Theories

1. KRATOCHWIL & MANSFIELD: Articles by Wendt (pp.77-94), Dessler (pp.328-343), and Ernst Haas (pp.364-384)

November 4-8: Theories of the Democratic Peace

1. BROWN: Chapters by Owen, Layne, and Mansfield & Snyder

November 11-15: International Institutions

1. BROWN: Chapters by Mearsheimer (pp.329-383), Keohane & Martin, Kupchan & Kupchan, Ruggie, and Wendt

November 18-22: Nationalism and Regional Conflict

1. BROWN: Chapters by Van Evera, and Lake & Rothchild
2. FREEDMAN: Readings 83, 84, 86, 87, 89, 91

November 25-27: (Thanksgiving Week)

Shortened week because of Thanksgiving. Class activities to be determined.

December 2-6: War and Peace in a Changing International System

1. BROWN: Chapters by Copeland, Homer-Dixon, and Orme

December 9-13: Dire Predictions

1. FREEDMAN: Readings 95, 96, 97
2. BROWN: Chapter by Mearsheimer (pp.3-54)