The purpose of this seminar is to introduce graduate students to the wide variety of approaches to the scholarly study of international relations. It is meant both as a general overview of the field and as a first introduction to issues of analysis and interpretation that will re-emerge in the other more specialized graduate seminars offered in this department. In a very real sense this course is simply unworkable: the volume of scholarly material on international relations is far too massive to master in a few months, and this literature is extremely amorphous, frustrating all efforts (including mine and those of all the assigned authors) at neat categorization of works into a coherent organizational scheme. However, it is important for students to have some understanding of the overall structure of this discipline. Students should expect to do a considerable amount of additional reading on these topics beyond that covered in this seminar between now and the taking of their prelims and beyond, throughout their professional career.

Grades will be based on the following distribution: 40% participation in seminar discussion, 40% final exam, and 20% weekly memos.

As a seminar, the quantity and quality of each student's participation in class discussions is an essential indicator of his/her mastery of the course material. To meaningfully participate in class discussions you must first complete the reading assignments and then spend some time thinking about them.

In order to provide incentives for a careful examination of the extensive body of assigned readings, for each week of the term each student should submit a short 2-4 page memo based on that week's readings. In this memo students should ask questions and/or raise issues that s/he feels are worthy of further discussion in class. One likely area of concern would be connections between the assigned readings, which supposedly do have some relationship (at least in the instructor's cognitive map of the discipline) or else they would not have ended up being assigned together. Try not to identify trivial or superficial matters, and expect to defend the importance of your comments and to discuss the issues you raise during class. Memos are due by 9:00 AM on the day of class, in order to give me time to examine them. Please do not be late. I reserve the option of asking more specific questions for some of the week's readings, but generally students will be able to raise issues of most concern to them in these memos.

There is also a final exam at the end of the term to evaluate overall comprehension of this material. Questions will be distributed one week in advance, and answers are due at the beginning of the last scheduled class session. (We will not meet during finals week.) Students will be allowed to use any notes or books in responding to these questions, but not to consult other students. Since these questions will be similar to those used in prelims, albeit shorter and more manageable, this exercise should help serve as preparation for that ultimate step. Indeed, it is expected that students will do considerably more readings in the general area of IR theory before taking prelims; this course provides only a first, very preliminary introduction to these enduring controversies.

Assigned readings consist of selections from various books and journal articles, including "classic" works and some recent developments in various research traditions. All assigned readings should be available in the Political Science Research Collection, 200 Woodburn Hall. Multiple copies should be available. Books should also be available on open reserve in the Reserve Room in the Main Library. Please contact me immediately if any of you is unable to locate any of the readings. These books should be available for purchase:

Carr, Edward H. 1964. The Twenty Years' Crisis 1919-1939. New York: Harper Collins, paperback text edition, 0-06-131122-7

Doyle, Michael W. 1997. Ways of War and Peace, New York: Norton. ISBN 0-393-96947-9

Katzenstein, Peter J., ed. 1996. The Culture of National Security, New York: Columbia University Press, ISBN 0-231-104693-3

Keohane, Robert, ed., Neorealism and its Critics, 1986, New York: Columbia Univ. Press, ISBN 0-231-06349-0

Viotti, Paul, and Mark Kauppi, International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism, Globalism, 2nd edition, 1993, New York: MacMillan. ISBN 0-02-423021-9

A few comments about the extensive reading assignments. In general, it is important for you to comprehend the argument advanced in each reading, especially in relation to the other readings. However, you should avoid getting bogged down in the details of each reading (especially for those readings marked [skim]). Most of you will have an opportunity to further explore these and related readings in more detail in subsequent seminars and in your own research. For this seminar students are expected to be able to summarize and evaluate the major arguments made in any of the assigned readings upon request. A crucial survival skill in the world of academia is the ability to quickly cut to the heart of the argument presented in papers, articles, presentations, or books, and to place it within the context of the relevant scholarly literatures. This course provides an opportunity to develop and practice this skill.

For students seeking basic background in the literature on international relations, I highly recommend the textbook by Bruce Russett and Harvey Starr, World Politics: The Menu for Choice, any edition. Although designed for use in freshman level courses, it really provides quite a good survey of the literature. Another useful resource is James E. Dougherty and Robert C. Pfaltzgraff, Jr., Contending Theories of International Relations, any edition. This book summarizes many classic books that we will not be able to cover in this course, but it is a dreadfully boring read. Copies of these books should be available on reserve.

Week 2. (Sept. 9) Organizing Schema: Levels of Analysis, Images, and Paradigms

Viotti-Kauppi, IR Theory, chapter 1 and pp. 1-23 and

Rosenau, James N., "Thinking Theory Thoroughly" [Viotti-Kauppi, pp. 23-34]

Singer, J. David, "The Level-of-Analysis Problem in International Relations," ch. 3, pp. 20-29 in Rosenau, James N., ed., International Politics and Foreign Policy, revised edition

Rosenau, James, "Pre-theories and Theories of Foreign Policy," pp. 115-169 in The Scientific Study of Foreign Policy, revised edition, 1971. [read first half carefully; skim second half]

Waltz, Kenneth, "Explaining War" (Man, the State, and War excerpt in Viotti-Kauppi, 123-142)

Doyle, Ways of War and Peace, Introduction, pp. 15-37.

3. (Sept. 16) Traditional Realism

Viotti-Kauppi, chapter 2, pp. 35-83, and readings pp. 84-119 [skim selections]

Thucydides, "The Melian Dialogue"

Machiavelli, "On Princes and the Security of Their States"

Hobbes, "On the Natural Condition of Mankind"

Rousseau, "The State of War: Confederation as a Means to Peace in Europe"

Doyle, Part One, pp. 41-201.

4. (Sept. 23) Traditional Liberalism

Doyle, Part Two, pp. 205-311.

Viotti-Kauppi, chapter 3, pp. 228-261 and readings pp. 375-448:

Burton, John, "World Society"

Keohane, Robert and Joseph Nye, "International Interdependence and Integration"

Keohane and Nye, "Power and Interdependence"

Haas, Ernst, "Multilateralism, Knowledge, and Power" (skim)

Rosenau, James N. "Turbulent Change"


5. (Sept. 30) The Study of War: Power Politics and Social Science

Morgenthau, Hans, Politics Among Nations, revised 5th edition. New York: Knopf, "A Realist Theory of International Politics," "Political Power," "The Essence of National Power," "Elements of National Power," and "Evaluation of National Power," ch. 1, 3, 8-10, pp. 3-17, 31-52, 117-183. (other editions will be nearly identical)

Hart, Jeffrey, "Three Approaches to the Measurement of Power In International Relations," International Organization, Spring 1976, 30:289-305.

Knorr, Klaus, and J.N. Rosenau, eds., 1969. Contending Approaches to International Politics:

Bull, Hedley, "International Theory: The Case for a Classical Approach," pp. 20-38

Singer, J. David, "The Incompleat Theorist: Insight Without Evidence," pp. 62-86

Singer, J. David, and Melvin Small "The Correlates of War Project: Interim Report and Rationale," World Politics, Jan. 1972, 24:243-270

Levy, Jack. 1989. "The Causes of War: A Review of Theories and Evidence," pp. 209-333, in Philip E. Tetlock, et al., eds. Behavior, Society, and Nuclear War, Volume 1. Oxford U.

6. (Oct. 7) Decision-Making: Individuals and Organizations

Viotti-Kauppi, readings pp. 286-374:

Jervis, Robert, selection from Perception and Misperception in International Politics

Holsti, Ole "Theories of Crisis Decision Making"

Allison, Graham, "Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis"

George, Alexander, 1979, "Case Studies and Theoretical Development: The Method of Structured, Focused Comparison," pp. 43-68 in Paul Lauren, Diplomacy: New Approaches in History, Theory and Policy

Snyder, Richard C., H.W. Bruck, and Burton Sapin, "The Decision-Making Approach to the Study of International Relations," ch. 19, pp. 199-206 in Rosenau, James N., ed., International Politics and Foreign Policy, revised edition

Mefford, Dwain, "Analogical Reasoning and the Definition of the Situation: Back to Snyder for Concepts and Forward to Artificial Intelligence for Method," pp. 221-244 in C.F. Hermann, C.W. Kegley, Jr., and J.N. Rosenau, eds, New Directions in the Study of Foreign Policy

Ripley, Brian. 1993. "Psychology, Foreign Policy, and International Relations Theory," Political Psychology, 14: 403416.

7. (Oct. 14) Rationality in IR Theory: Neorealism and Neoliberalism

Snyder, Glenn H. 1971. "Prisoner's Dilemma and Chicken Models in International Politics," International Studies Quarterly, 15: 66-103.

Waltz, Kenneth. 1979. Theory of International Politics (four chapters reprinted in Keohane, Neorealism and its Critics: pp. 27-97)

Oye, Kenneth. "Explaining Cooperation Under Anarchy: Hypotheses and Strategies," pp. 1-24 in Oye, ed., Cooperation Under Anarchy (World Politics, Oct.1985)

Grieco, Joseph M. 1988. "Anarchy and the Limits of Cooperation: A Realist Critique of the Newest Liberal Internationalism," International Organization, 42: 485-507 [reprinted in Kegley, Controversies in International Relations Theory, pp. 151-171 and Baldwin, Neorealism and Neoliberalism, pp. 116-140)

Putnam, Robert D. 1988. "Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level Games," International Organization, 42, 427-460.


8. (Oct. 21) Structural Perspectives on Political Economy and Conflict

Doyle, Part Three, 315-380.

Viotti-Kauppi, chapter 4, 449-475 and readings pp. 476-512:

Hobson, "The Economic Taproot of Imperialism" [skim]

Lenin, selection from Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism [skim]

Wallerstein, I. "Patterns and Perspectives of the Capitalist World-Economy" [read carefully!]

Zolberg, Aristode, "Origins of the Modern World-System: A Missing Link," World Politics, 1981, 33:253-281

Chase-Dunn, Christopher, "Interstate System and Capitalist World Economy: One Logic or Two?", International Studies Quarterly, March 1981, 25:19-42

Modelski, George, "Is World Politics Evolutionary Learning?," International Organization, 1990, 44: 1- 24.

Galtung, Johan, "A Structural Theory of Imperialism," pp. 402-458 in Falk and Kim, eds., The War System. [originally published Journal of Peace Research, 1971, 8:81-117]

9. (Oct. 28) Challenging Neorealist Hegemony in IR Theory

Gilpin, Robert, excerpt from War and Change in World Politics in Viotti-Kauppi, 142-153.

Keohane, Robert, ed., Neorealism and its Critics, Columbia Univ. Press, 1986 [entire]

Keohane, "Realism, Neorealism, and the Study of World Politics"

-- review chapters from Waltz's Theory of International Politics --

Ruggie, John, "Continuity and Transformation in the World Polity"

Keohane, "Theory of World Politics: Structural Realism and Beyond"

Cox, Robert, "Social Forces, States, and World Orders"

Ashley, Richard, "The Poverty of Neorealism"

Gilpin, Robert, "The Richness of the Tradition of Political Realism"

Waltz, "Reflections on Theory of International Politics"

Ikenberry, G. John, and Charles A. Kupchan, "Socialization and Hegemonic Power," International Organization, 44 (Summer 1990), 283-315.

10. (Nov. 4) International Society and Other Normative Perspectives

Bull, Hedley. 1977. The Anarchical Society, chapters 2-3, pp. 23-76.

Buzan, Barry.1993. "From International System to International Society: Structural Realism and Regime Theory Meet the English School," International Organization, 47: 327-352.

Viotti-Kauppi, chapter 5, pp. 532-545

Doyle, Part Four, pp. 383-452.

Coate, Roger, and Craig Murphy, "A Critical Science of Global Relations," International Interactions, 1985, 12: 109-132.

Nadelmann, Ethan. 1990. "Global Prohibition Regimes," International Organization, 44:479-526


11. (Nov. 11) Power and Morality: Revisiting a Miscategorized Classic

Carr, E.H. 1964 [1939] The Twenty Years' Crisis 1919-1939 [entire, including 1964 Preface]

12. (Nov. 18) Constructing and Deconstructing International Politics

Wendt, Alexander. 1992. "Anarchy is What States Make of It: The Social Construction of Power Politics," International Organization, 46: 391-425.

Grant, Rebecca, "The Sources of Gender Bias in International Relations Theory," in Rebecca Grant and Kathleen Newland, eds., Gender and International Relations, 1991, pp. 8-26.

Sylvester, Christine. 1994. Feminist Theory and International Relations in a Postmodern Era, Introduction and chapters 2-4, pp. 1-19, 68-168.

Enloe, Cynthia, "A Feminist Perspective on Foreign Military Bases," in Joseph Gerson and Bruce Birchard, eds., The Sun Never Sets: Confronting the Network of U.S. Military Bases, 1991, pp. 95-106.

Jepperson, Ronald, Alexander Wendt, and Peter J. Katzenstein. 1996. "Norms, Identity and Culture in National Security," chapter 2, pp. 33-75 in Katzenstein, ed., The Culture of National Security

Week 13. (Nov. 25) A Digression: Pop Idealism

Mueller, John. Retreat From Doomsday: The Obsolescence of Major War, 1989, Introduction, chapters 1-2, 10, pp. 3-52, 217-244.

Samuel Huntington, "The Clash of Civilizations?" Foreign Affairs, Summer 1993, pp. 22-49 and responses in later issue

Optional reading (highly recommended but primarily of historical interest): Angell, Norman. 1913. The Great Illusion, 4th edition. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, pp. ix-xiii (Synopsis), 3-13, 28-81, 168-212, 353-67. [excerpts available on reserve in Woodburn 200]

Week 14. (Dec. 2) Applying the Constructivst Approach

Katzenstein, ed., The Culture of National Security, read chapters 1, 12, 13, pp. 1-32, 451-537.

Also read two or three of the empirical studies in chapters 4, 5, 8, 10, 11

Week 15. (Dec. 9) Some Final Thoughts on the Responsibilities of Scholars

*** final exam due at beginning of class***

Doyle, Part Five, pp. 455-502. [skim]

Ken Booth and Steve Smith, eds., International Relations Theory Today, 1995, chaps. 1, 15, pp. 1-37, 328-350:

Steve Smith, "The Self-Images of a Discipline: A Genealogy of International Relations Theory"

Ken Booth, "Dare Not to Know: International Relations Theory versus the Future,"

Singer, J. David, "The Responsibilities of Competence in the Global Village," International Studies Quarterly, Sept. 1985, 29:245-262.