COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course introduces the
major focus and factors influencing world affairs, with emphasis
on the role of the United States in the global community and the
impact of growing interdependence of daily living.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Introduction to
International Relations is an introduction to the problems of
conflict and cooperation among sovereign states and the search for
peace in a changing world. This is an introductory course: it
assumes no previous study of international (or domestic) politics.
The primary goal of the course is to acquaint you with major modes
of analysis in the scholarly study of international relations.
This is a course conceived for the purpose of
introducing students to the political world at large - the members
of the international state system, the relationships among them,
and the international political, economic, and military
organizations and institutions that influence the state system.
This course is also designed to introduce students to the concepts
and ideas that are used in social science efforts to understand
politics in an international setting.
Upon successful completion of this course, the
student should be able to:
1)
Understand and apply core concepts of
international theory to specific national and global issues.
2) Describe the role of nation, state,
nationalism, and self-determination in international affairs.
3) Describe the interactions of international
political motivations and interests of states in global affairs.
3) Identify ways to exercise the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship in an era of globalization.
4) Describe the causes of international
conflict and war and the competing ideas of ethics and morality in
foreign and military policy in the international system.
5) Demonstrate the ability to establish goals,
set priorities and meet deadlines.
