Winter recess
Course Description:
Backlash against globalization has brought isolationist forces to power in key western countries.
Asian governments, though for different reasons, have largely turned their backs
on the major Western financial institution – the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – disillusioned by how the organization managed the East Asian Financial Crisis.
Asia and the West join governments from throughout Latin America and Africa,
which have, for generations, viewed the institution, as well as the World Bank, with skepticism.
It is not the first time the world has witnessed a retreat from global cooperation.
Just as President Donald Trump declared an “America first” foreign policy at his 2017 inauguration,
President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced at his first inauguration
“Our international trade relations, though vastly important, are secondary...
to the establishment of a sound national economy.
I favor as a practical policy the putting of first things first.”
But Roosevelt also vowed in that speech to “spare no effort to restore world trade by international economic readjustment.” Some years later, a new set of institutions embodied Roosevelt’s promised effort. In 1944, the world founded the IMF and the World Bank – to prevent the beggar-thy-neighbor policies that preceded the Great Depression. The following year, the United Nations was established – to provide a forum to prevent a repetition of the atrocities of World War II.
What are the root causes of international conflict? Are governments willing to sacrifice sovereignty to international institutions to prevent war? What role does global economic integration play in preventing war and promoting cooperation? Do domestic politics matter for international affairs?
This introduction to international politics examines theories and empirical evidence about (1) the causes of wars, (2) the international institutions designed to prevent them, and (3) underlying international economic forces that have provoked some of the world's worst crises.
Learning goals and pedagogy:
The objective of this course is to teach students to think systematically about international politics,
applying various theoretical lenses to guide our expectations about international affairs.
The course also encourages students to think critically about different theories of international relations,
evaluating their logical rigor and relying on empirical evidence to test them.
Recognizing the broad scope of the course goals, we will rely on multiple learning methods
to reinforce the various take-away messages.
