We will carefully consider four books written by major scholars of international relations. All four scholars share the assumption that the varied interactions among states and nonstate actors in the global arena are vital elements of our world. But they differ greatly from each other in the conceptual perspectives which they employ to analyze global politics. The primary objective of the course is to develop an appreciation of the ways in which perspectives shape different understandings of "international relations."

The four books vary from one another not only in theoretical perspective but also in analytical style. Two of the analyses consist primarily of abstract reasoning about global politics, while the other two are empirical in their orientation. The secondary objective of the course is to familiarize you with some of the various ways in which social scientists establish their claims to "knowledge" of their subject matter.

Students are expected to attend all lectures and complete all the readings assigned. Grades will be based on three assignments: two midterm quizzes (15% each), and a final, take home, exam (70%).

The quizzes are scheduled for October 19th and November 16th. They will be held during the first 15 minutes of the class period, and will consist entirely of multiple choice questions. The final exam will be comprehensive, and it will consist of two essay questions. It will be handed out at the end of the last class session (December 1st), and will be due back no later than Friday, December 4th, at noon. Late exams will be penalized at a rate of 10 points (out of 70) per day.

Incompletes will be granted only under special circumstances, and only if arrangements have been made with the instructor before the final exam.

All four required books are available for purchase at the H.D. Smith (west bank) bookstore:

Kenneth Waltz, Man, the State, and War (Used, $15.00)

Robert Keohane, After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy (Used, $13.50; New, $18.10)

Bruce Russett, Grasping the Democratic Peace: Principles for a Post-Cold War World (Used, $11.25)

Roxanne L. Doty, Imperial Encounters: The Politics of Representation in North-South Relations (Used, $16.00)