Introduction to International Relations - Introduction to International Relations: Why Study IR?

Michael Rossi Rutgers University Department of Political Science September 2, 2015 Chapter markers: 1. Introduction and Course Overview: 0:31 2. What is IR? 4:51 3. Why Study IR? The World in 2015: 16:03 4. So Where do we Start? 26:37 5. Points of Westphalia: 34:53 6. Anarchy in the International System: 38:00 7. What is the State? 40:16 8. What does the State Do? 44:51 9. What the Rest of Class Involves: 51:16 Music: Immediate Music, "The Adventure Begins", Themes for Orchestra and Choir (2014) https://youtu.be/J6epQip1AEA *** UPDATE *** As many have asked for a reading list for this class, here are the sources I assigned: Primary texts: Robert Jackson and Goerg Sørensen: Introduction to International Relations Theories and Approaches, 5th ed. (New York: Oxford University Press) 2013 (most current edition is 6th edition, 2017) Joseph S. Nye, Jr. Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation, 9th edition (New York: Longman Press, 2012) -- updated to 10th edition, 2016 Specific readings: • John Mearscheimer – “Back to the Future: Instability in Europe After the Cold War”, International Security, vol. 15, no. 1 (1990), pp. 5 – 56 • Michael Doyle – “Liberalism and World Politics”, American Political Science Review, vol. 80, no. 4 (1986), pp. 1151 – 1169 • Ted Hopf – “The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations Theory”, International Security, vol. 23, no. 1 (1998), pp. 171 – 200 • Alexander Wendt – “Constructing International Politics”, International Security, vol. 20, no. 1 (1995), pp. 71 – 81 • E.H. Carr, The Twenty Years’ Crisis – 1919 – 1939 • Christopher Layne – “The Unipolar Illusion: Why New Great Powers Will Rise” International Security, vol. 17, no. 4 (1993), pp. 5 – 51 • 9/11 Commission Report