324 Muller Center
tel. 274-1103
e-mail:
Politics 310-12700. First Year Seminar, Fall 2002
Politics of the Global Community
MW 10-10:50, Rm.112 Smiddey
F 10-11:50, Rm.112 Smiddey
Prof. Chip Gagnon
324 Muller Center
tel. 274-1103
e-mail:
Office hours: MW 11-12; MWF 3-4
Communities and World Politics
Communities are a central part of our lives; they can be based on geographical, cultural, professional, or any number of other commonalities. As a first year seminar our goal is to create a small community of learning that is part of the larger IC community. As a learning community we'll be looking at the global community and relationships within that community, what is often called world politics or international relations.
Can we really speak of a global community? This depends on our definition of community. We'll discuss this at the beginning of the course and think about what it means to think of the globe as a community. Is it a community of nations? Of countries? Of individuals? How does the global community differ from national communities? Do we have ethical and moral responsibilities for other members of this community? Do citizens of the US have special ethical and moral responsibilities because of the power that is wielded in their names?
If we think about the world as a community, we also have to think about the meaning of the terms national and international. On a map of the world the entire habitable surface of the globe is divided up into countries. Each individual on earth in principle is a member of (has citizenship in) one of those countries. But the term community implies interconnectedness, dependence, and relationships. Clearly lines on the map don't tell the whole story.
If we think about global politics we immediately see that in fact they are marked by interconnectedness, integration and mutual influences. Borders are porous; they don't stop the flow of influences into or out of any country. Just think of the prevalence of US films or Japanese cars and electronics goods around the world, or the ways in which US military and economic power affect people throughout the world.
If we think about the other kinds of communities of which we are members we'll immediately see that communities are not bounded and separated from each other by concrete walls, but that people go in and out, are influenced by many communities, are members of many communities at the same time, and that communities are usually interdependent. Is this also true for the global community?
People who study world politics or international relations have many different and often contradictory ways of understanding this global community. Some, called Realists, see it as hardly a community at all, but rather a grouping of mutually hostile and suspicious states all of whom are afraid for their own security. Others, called Liberals, see it as very much a community, pointing to how countries are mutually interconnected and interdependent, and how their relations are basically cooperative. Marxists see countries as less important than economic power, and see states as merely the tools of those who own the economy. From this perspective the global community is marked by exploitation of the weak by the strong. Critical theorists, including feminists, question the whole dichotomy between national and international, and point out that the ways in which we think about "international" are intimately tied to and reflect the structures of power within states. From this perspective images of the international are really driven by power relations within national communities.
One of the goals of the seminar is to get us to think critically
about the "international," and to understand why there
are such different perspectives on a single event or phenomenon.
This goal includes examining our own beliefs and implicit theories,
and at a minimum openly laying out the various assumptions that
help determine how we understand the world around us.
International Relations at the start of the 21st century
As a way of trying to understand the global community, we'll also look at three broad issue areas of international politics: military, economic, and cultural. As we study each issue, we'll be asking ourselves about the notion of community, and especially about conflict and cooperation, which have been the central focus of much of international relations theory.
We'll start out by thinking about the use of force. Traditionally international relations has focused on questions of security, war and peace, including such questions as: is war inevitable? what are the causes of war? what are the causes of peace? We'll look at how different assumptions (about human nature, for example) lead to very different answers to these questions. As a way of thinking about these questions we'll consider nuclear weapons, as well as the small arms that dominate most contemporary wars. Do these weapons require a redefinition of the whole notion of security? We'll also consider the question of militarism, and in particular how notions of militarism are very much tied to notions of masculinity. Is the way we think of ourselves as men (and women) itself a cause of war or militarism?
Connected to this is the question of terrorism. What is terrorism? Why do terrorists do what they do? We will look at some different ways of understanding terrorism, and think about the future of warfare given these different perspectives.
Next we'll explore questions of international economic relations. The international economy is one where borders have become almost meaningless, as money and goods travel around the globe, driven by the laws of the capitalist economic system. These flows have come to challenge the traditional understandings of the nation-state and have direct impacts on local communities around the world, including in the US. We'll consider the effects of the global economy on the countries of the Third World, but also on countries of the developed First World. In particular we'll look at the impact of economic globalization on democracy and on the position of workers and local communities. We'll also look at how categories of gender are at work in questions of the global economy.
We'll also consider the question of culture and the global
community. Is the world divided into a number of mutually
hostile and irreconcilable cultural groupings? Does cultural
difference itself cause violent conflict? Looking at issues
such as Islamic fundamentalism and ethnic conflicts in Yugoslavia,
we'll try to understand the role of culture in the global community.
By the end of the course you should:
Transition to College Life
As a First Year Seminar we'll also be talking about academic and personal issues you're facing as you make the transition to life at Ithaca College.
The academic issues we'll discuss include how to read texts, write essays and other papers, take notes, and use the world wide web. The overall question to keep in mind is, what is the purpose of a college education? What do you hope to gain by spending four years here?
The personal issues we'll discuss are related to the global issues. The global community and relations within it are marked by differences and "otherness." Often college is a time when we face these same issues in our own lives. The differences we'll discuss will include cultural, economic, and gender.
Readings listed as "Required" are mandatory and serve as background for the class discussion. Readings listed as "Suggested" are not required, but provide further background and information on the topic under discussion.
The readings are of varying complexities; some are quite
difficult. If you have any questions on the readings, please
ask in class, stop by my office, e-mail me, or ask someone else
in the class. I would suggest that you take notes on the
readings as you do them, including questions about the reading
or things that are unclear. The amount of reading is generally
small enough that you should have time to carefully read and take
notes on the readings before each class. Please see the
section "Reading" below.
What does "doing the readings" mean?
It doesn't mean just sitting down and mechanically going through the articles; that's a sure way to make even an interesting article boring.
Reading is an active and interactive process between the reader and the text. If you're really reading a text you are also reacting to it. I've included a wide range of texts in order to provoke a wide range of responses from readers.
Reading should also be a reflective process. To really understand an article deeply it is usually necessary to read it and think about it, and then read it again, and think about it, and discuss it with others, write about it and read it yet again. I've found that even after many readings, when I read a text in order to explain it to someone else I get new perspectives on the author's arguments and assumptions, on the text's strengths and weaknesses.
So when I say "do the readings," I mean "engage yourself with the ideas of the text." I understand that some of the texts are quite complex and that not all of them are entertaining. But struggle is part of the reading experience. If something's not clear, if it's confusing, talk about it with others outside of class, and/or bring it up in class.
If it's a long or complex reading, don't try to do it all in one sitting; take breaks, come back to it, read it in small doses. As I mentioned above, taking notes on a text while you read it or re-read it is also a very good way to engage the text and to make sure you understand it.
If you do not understand the readings after we discuss them in class, please see me immediately. Some of the readings are very challenging, and I expect you to speak with me if anything is not clear.
NOTE: If you come to class consistently unprepared, I reserve
the right to unilaterally drop you from the course
Written Assignments will count for 80 percent of the grade: Please note that all essays are due in my office by 4pm on the due date. The grade is reduced each day an assignment is late.
You cannot pass the course unless you have handed in all written assignments.
Due Friday 11/15 (10% of final grade)
Using sources on the world wide web, I'll ask you to write an
essay on the World Trade Organization. I'd like you to
answer these questions: why was the institution established?
what are its goals? who are its members (please don't list them)?
what powers does the institution have? how are decisions
made? how are they enforced? what are some criticisms of the
institution? Also discuss briefly a recent decision or ruling.
You will probably want to use the official web sites of this
organization; but I also expect you to find web sites critical
of it. Sites on the World Trade Organization are accessible
at the linked
website. (http://www.ithaca.edu/gagnon/links.htm#economy)
You cannot pass the course unless you have handed in
all written assignments.
Meaning of grades:(1)
A = excellent: intense effort and remarkable achievement.
B = good: good effort and pretty good understanding
C = okay: barely adequate amount of effort or effort that
is somewhat misfocused or mistargeted
D = inadequate effort or mistargeted effort
F = little or no effort or complete misunderstanding of
expectations
If you get below a C, you should immediately come to see me so we can discuss your paper or exam.
If you have any questions about the class, the readings, the discussions, or anything else, I will be more than happy to meet with you either during office hours or at some other time. To schedule another time please see me after class, or contact me by or phone (274-1103).