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Power in World Politics

Vak
2015-2016

Tags

WP

Admissions requirements

Introduction to International Relations and Diplomacy

Description

What is the nature of power in contemporary world politics? Who or what counts as ‘powerful’ in global affairs? Is the United States the sole superpower in the international system? If so, what are the sources of its power: its military might, economic prowess, or cultural allure? If not, what other actors can be considered powerful? Or has globalization changed the nature of power fundamentally, weakening traditional actors in world politics (e.g. nation-states and international organizations) and strengthening non-traditional ones (e.g. social movements, diasporas, terrorist networks)?

As these important questions illustrate, power is a key – some would argue, the key – concept in world politics. This certainly applies to the academic study of world politics, especially in the discipline of International Relations (IR) where power has always been a fundamental category. Underlying many – though, by no means all – academic debates in IR is a rather simple view of power. Power is conceptualized as a possession or resource that states can mobilize to advance their interests. Often power is measured purely in terms of military resources and, ultimately, as the ability to wield military power to coerce and control others. This view comes close to Mao’s famous slogan: ‘Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun’.

Other schools of thought challenge such a mono-dimensional view of power, highlighting its shortcomings. For example, why is it that the militarily mighty often fail to get their way? During the Cold War, both superpowers suffered defeat at the hands of nominally weak opponents: the United States lost in Vietnam while the Soviet Union lost in Afghanistan. More recently, Western powers have failed to win the peace in Iraq or Libya or the ‘war on terrorism’.

This course introduces, surveys and critically examines the most important philosophies, theories and conceptions of power in world politics. As mentioned, different schools of thought disagree sharply on the nature of power in world politics, including on the sources of power, its effects on inter-state and transnational relations and its consequences for peace and security. Yet all of these schools offer valuable, thought-provoking perspectives on power and the relationship between power and connected phenomena, such as authority, influence, hegemony, leadership and coercion. Therefore, we will carefully explore their philosophical and theoretical foundations, analytical utility and normative implications. We will cross disciplinary boundaries, linking political science, sociology and political philosophy. Whenever possible, we will use concrete examples drawn from world politics past and present to illustrate the ways in which the complex phenomenon called power operates in global affairs.

Course objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Analyze and critically assess competing conceptions of power in world politics.

  • Apply these conceptions to rigorously examine key aspects of world politics, including the sources, effects and durability of power hierarchies past and present.

  • Connect conceptions of power across disciplinary boundaries, thereby linking political science, sociology, and political philosophy.

Timetable

Once available, timetables will be published here.

Mode of instruction

The course is taught through two-hour seminars, using a mix of short lectures, group discussions and student presentations. During the course of the seminar, students are expected to take part in seminar discussion by presenting and defending their ideas and by delivering an individual presentation. The role of the course instructor is to ensure the efficient running of the discussion.

Assessment

15% class participation
15% individual or group presentation
30% mid-term essay
40% final essay

Blackboard

There will be a Blackboard site available for this course. Students will be enrolled at least one week before the start of classes.

Reading list

While not mandatory, students are encouraged to purchase Hannah Arendt’s seminal essay On Violence.

Registration

This course is open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Registration is coordinated by the Curriculum Coordinator. Interested non-LUC students should contact course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.

Contact

Dr. Kai Hebel, kai.hebel@gmail.com

Remarks

For the first session, students are required to read the following article, which they should be prepared to summarise in class: Barry R. Posen, ‘Command of the Commons: The Military Foundation of U.S. Hegemony’, International Security, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Summer 2003), pp. 5-46. It is recommended, though not required, that students also read Hannah Arendt’s essay, On Violence in advance of the start of the term.