Description
Purposes: 1. To deepen students’ understanding of international politics by exploring key analytical concepts. 2. To deepen students’ understanding of international politics by experiencing the pressures, choices and constraints faced by the politicians and diplomats who “do” international politics.
Content: This course builds upon the introduction to theories of international relations offered in Internationale Politiek I: Theorieën en Benaderingen. Like most social science courses, the course is organized around assigned readings on topics covered in lectures and werkcollege discussions. However, the topics of these readings, lectures and discussions will be synchronized with students’ participation in an interactive, web-based, 6-week simulation of international relations and diplomacy known as “Statecraft.” By attending lectures and completing the assigned readings, students will be better prepared to understand and succeed in the simulation; by participating in the simulation, students will gain a deeper understanding of the concepts introduced in lectures and readings.
In addition to discussions of assigned readings, each werkcollege will become a simulated “world” divided into five “countries.” Individual students will be assigned to a particular country and will hold distinct roles in its government (president, UN ambassador, etc.) throughout the simulation. These countries will have different types of government, different amounts of economic and military resources, and different attitudes toward conflict and cooperation. Over the course of the simulation, each government will face realistic choices about how to invest its resources, whether and how to challenge or cooperate with other governments, and how to respond to international crises. Depending upon each government’s choices, the simulation could result in war or peace, poverty or prosperity, environmental protection or disaster for the individual governments and for the world they share.
Blackboard: The best way to know what’s happening in this course, including critical information on the simulation, is to enroll on the course’s Blackboard site before the start of block 2. Instructions on how to register for Statecraft (a required part of the course) will be distributed via Blackboard in mid-October.
Methods of Instruction
All lectures and assigned readings will be in English. Werkcolleges will be in Dutch. Writing assignments and the final exam will generally be in Dutch, though students may choose to write in English if they prefer.
In work groups, students will discuss lecture material in more depth and participate in group exercises related to the simulation. This is an important part of the learning experience in this course, so all students are expected to attend and participate.
Readings and Simulation (“Statecraft”)
All readings must be completed during the week for which they are assigned. Readings will be drawn from Karen A. Mingst and Jack L. Snyder, eds. ESSENTIAL READINGS IN WORLD POLITICS, 4th edition, (W.W. Norton, 2010), plus a selection of articles available online or in the library’s electronic collection. All students should purchase a copy of the text. SPIL will sell new copies of the book at a special discounted price offered by the publisher. Please note that this is the 4th edition (2010), not the earlier 3rd edition or the soon-to-be-published 5th edition.
All students are also required to register for Statecraft before the first lecture on 1 November. Registration costs $30.00 and requires a Paypal account (your own or somebody else’s). Instructions on how to register will be distributed via Blackboard in mid-October. Students who register for Statecraft before 1 November will receive bonus resource points for their ”country.”
Examination
The final grade will be based on a final exam (80%), individual participation in the simulation via quizzes and short weekly memos (10%), and group performance in the simulation (10%). There will not be a bonus point.
First opportunity for a written exam
Tuesday 17 December 2013, 9.00-12.00 hrs, USC
Second opportunity for a written exam
Thursday 16 January 2014, 9.00-12.00 hrs, USC
Voor de tentamens kunt u zich tot uiterlijk 10 dagen voor de tentamendatum via USIS aanmelden
Schedule
Lectures
Wednesday 6 November until 11 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs in Gorlaeus 4/5
Friday 1 November until 13 December, 9.00-11.00 hrs in Gorlaeus 4/5 (no class on 22 November)
Workgroups
Workgroup 1: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 11.00-13.00 hrs in SA31
Workgroup 2: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 11.00-13.00 hrs in 5B14
Workgroup 3: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs in 1A24
Workgroup 4: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs in 5B14
Workgroup 5: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 11.00-13.00 hrs in SA21
Workgroup 6: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 11.00-13.00 hrs in 5B16
Workgroup 7: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 11.00-13.00 hrs in SA23
Workgroup 8: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 11.00-13.00 hrs in SA37
Workgroup 9: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs in SA21
Workgroup 10: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs in 5B16
Workgroup 11: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs in SA23
Workgroup 12: Friday 1 November until 13 December, 13.00-15.00 hrs in SA29
Workgroup 13: Friday 1 november until 13 december, 15.00-17.00 hrs in SA21
Workgroup 14: Friday 1 november until 13 december, 15.00-17.00 hrs in 5B16 (not open for registration)