POL 30820 Richard
Robyn
Fall 2009 Political
Science
3 credits 302
Bowman Hall, x. 2060
MW 2:15-3:30 pm Email: rrobyn@kent.edu
BOW 221 Website: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rrobyn/
Office hours: MW 3:30-4:30 p.m.
TTH
3:00-4:30 p.m.
Course Syllabus
International
Organization and Law
In the latter half of the twentieth century
international organizations (IOs) proliferated and became more prominent actors
on the world stage. And yet, throughout that time and into the twenty-first
century and our post-9/11era especially, they have shared power and influence
uneasily with nation-states, arguably still the most powerful actors in world
affairs. Who would doubt now the importance of America as a powerful nation-state
making self-interested decisions, or the difficulties this may cause with the
United Nations, for example? And yet, daily headlines from places such as Iraq and Afghanistan attest to the
importance IOs have in peoples’ lives.
The
overall objective of this course is to provide a solid grounding for both a
theoretical and practical understanding of international organizations: their
relationship to international law, their raison d'etre, their formation,
growth, place in the contemporary world and impact on world politics. To that
end, we will first examine IOs in the broad context of international relations
theory, and then look more closely at several IOs in particular: the United
Nations (and especially its International Court of Justice, International War
Crimes Tribunals and International Criminal Court), the European Union, NATO,
and others, although we will not necessarily limit ourselves to those
organizations.
The
International Organization and Law course has a prerequisite: either World
Politics (POL 10500) or Public Policy (POL 10300).
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS:
Assigned
Readings: Readings
listed in the syllabus are required and should be read before the class in
which they are assigned. Class
discussions will be based on and add to these readings.
¨ International Organizations. 2004. Margaret P. Karns and
Karen Mingst. Boulder CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers (in the
bookstore) (NOTE: if this book is not in
the bookstore and/or if you want to do some comparison shopping, you can try
<http://www.varsitybooks.com>.)
¨ International
Organization and Law (2000) Foreign Affairs Custom Anthology (NY:
Council on Foreign Relations). (on reserve in the library)
¨ Assorted articles (on
reserve in the library, or handed out in class).
Two
very good sources of current news on the United Nations are U.N. Wire www.unwire.org and the Security Council Report www.securitycouncilreport.org.
Please go on-line and subscribe to or bookmark these. They are both free.
Since
this course is built around investigations of international organizations, many
of which are in the daily news, it is expected that you will keep up with
current events. Most classes will begin
or end with a brief discussion of what is happening in the world. Fairly regular reading of newspapers such as The
New York Times or watching CNN or The Lehrer Hour on PBS is highly
recommended.
NOTE: All students (and especially Poli Sci
majors) should subscribe to POLSCI-UG,
the political science listserve. It is a forum to receive information on
classes, scholarships, internship opportunities and jobs in the field of
political science. To subscribe, send an
email to listserv@listserv.kent.edu:
with the subject line POLSCI-UG
firstname lastname. You must subscribe yourself. And while you are on-line:
consider bookmarking The Hunger Site http://www.thehungersite.com/
and going to it every day or so. It is a quick and easy way to learn about the
problem of hunger in the world, and to contribute to its relief … without
paying anything! (It’s done by donors who follow your lead.)
Attendance: You are required to attend class and I will
note absences. You are permitted 3
excused absences--after that, your grade will suffer from non-attendance. (Please note that attendance is 5% of your
final grade.)
Exams
and Papers:
There will be two exams during the semester and a final exam for this course,
made up from material from readings and lectures (which do not always
coincide). Exams are usually a mix of
multiple choice/identification/short answer/essay type, and may require that
you bring a #2 lead pencil and perhaps purchase and bring a blue book. These
are on sale in the bookstore or in the Political Science Department (3rd
floor Bowman), or distributed (often free) by the Undergraduate Student Senate.
There may on occasion be a small quiz or two, particularly if participation in
class seems to be flagging due to inattention to readings.
There
is a certain amount of other written work required, parts of which are due at
different points during the semester.
Please note these dates carefully.
This work consists of the following assignments:
Reaction Paper. In class we will
discuss a number of issues with which the UN is involved. In addition, I have
asked that you subscribe to the UN Wire <www.unwire.org>, the UN Foundation’s email news that covers the
UN and world news. For this reaction paper, pick one of the issues or
controversies from the UN Wire that interests you and write
a 3-page (double spaced, 1” margins) paper that reacts to it. Give a brief
run-down of the topic (basic facts, current situation and why this is important
as an issue). Then carry it forward into your own personal analysis: how should
the issue be treated or solved? Should the UN deal with it? Or is it better
handled by another IO, a state or no institution? Why/not? If you believe
another IO or state should handle it, clearly name which one(s). Give your
assessment of the future direction of this issue. Be sure and note which
article(s) you reference from UN Wire.
Finally, evaluate UN Wire itself: the
quality of its coverage, what you have learned in the time you have been
reading it; its strengths and weaknesses (if any). Your reaction paper will be
evaluated on the basis of content, clarity of argument, and writing style
(including grammar, spelling, and punctuation). DUE: in class Monday,
September 21. Please note: One full grade will be deducted for every day
(including Saturday and Sunday) that the paper is late. Do not send the paper
electronically; hand in a paper copy on the date due.
IO Profile:
The IO profile will offer you the opportunity to integrate in a more
formal way the information learned in the course about international
organizations. The paper should be approximately
5-7 pages (double spaced, 1” margins) in length, and will be (a) a substantive
analysis of one IO (not the UN), including its evolution, current structure and
functions; and (b) a critical analysis of the IO's past behavior and current
role in world politics, culminating in your own independent assessment of its conduct.
The paper will be evaluated on the basis of content, clarity of argument, and
writing style (including grammar, spelling, and punctuation). DUE: in class Wednesday, December 9.
Please note: One full grade will be deducted for every day (including Saturday
and Sunday) that the paper is late. Do not send the paper electronically; hand in
a paper copy on the date due.
The process of writing the paper will not be
accomplished in one step but (as with all good writing) should be done in
stages: picking an IO for your focus (to be discussed in class), exploring the
IO with a variety of sources, outlining your approach, and then finally
writing. One critical component of this process includes an Annotated Bibliography. You are to hand
in a short, annotated bibliography containing both internet and other sources
for your paper. (Details to be discussed in class.) This assignment is to be
submitted in class on Wednesday,
November 4. It will not be graded, but 2 points will be deducted from the final
paper for every day it is late.
Grading: Grades for the course will be based on the
following criteria:
Reaction Paper: UN
Wire
5% ( 5 points)
Exam 1 20% (20 points)
Exam 2 20% (20 points)
Final Exam 20% (20 points)
In-class
Security Council Simulation 10% (10 points)
IO
Profile 20% (20 points)
Attendance 5% (5
points)
TOTAL 100% (100 points)
The only extra-credit
points I award are for class presentations of an IO profile (to be discussed in
class).
The
grading scale I use is:
A 93-100 C
73-76
A- 90-92 C-
70-72
B+ 87-89 D+
67-69
B 83-86 D
60-66
B- 80-82 F Below 60
C+ 77-79
Students with Disabilities. University policy 3342-3-18 requires that
students requiring accessibility be provided reasonable accommodations to
ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented
accessibility limitation and require accommodations, please contact the
instructor at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary
classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your
eligibility for these through the Office of Student Accessibility Services
(Ground Floor, DeWeese
Health Center,
330-672-3391, or visit www.registrars.kent.edu/disability/default.htm for more
information on registration procedures).
_____________________________
Schedule of Events and
Assignments
DATE ACTIVITIES
& ASSIGNMENTS
Week
1. 8/31-9/2 Orientation to
course. Megatrends: The Context for
International Organizations. The Pieces of Global Governance.
Assignment:
K&M:
Chapter 1; Key IR Concepts (Robyn website, IO course: “IR Terms”).
Weeks
2-3. Theoretical Foundations: IO and ILaw. Historical
Development: IOs
9/9, 9/14-16 Assignment: K&M,
Chapters 2 & 3.
The UN: Origins, Principles,
Evolution and Structure. “What has the UN done?” September 11 discussion.
Assignment:
K&M, Chapter 4. UN www.un.org and Security
Council Report www.securitycouncilreport.org
websites.
NOTE:
NO CLASS September 7 - LABOR DAY
Week
4. 9/21-23 The UN: Basic
Issues. Persons
of Note in IOs: Ban Ki-moon.
Assignment:
UN website www.un.org for Ban bio.
DISCUSS IO PROFILE PAPER.
Week
5. 9/28-30 The UN: Major Functions
I. Peace and Security.
Assignment: K&M, Chapter 8. Map: "On-Going U.N.
Peacekeeping Missions".
NOTE: Monday,
September 21 DUE: Reaction
Paper: UN Issue (UN Wire)
The
UN: Major Functions II. Economic Development. Persons of Note in IOs: Bono.
Mohamed Younis.
Assignment:
K&M, Chapter 9. Website for DATA: www.data.org.
Week 6. 10/5-7 The
UN: Other Functions. Current Issues. The UN and its Critics. Discussion and
Review
Assignment:
no additional readings.
Week 7. 10/12-10/14 Examination 1.
After
Exam: IOs on the Web. Discuss IO Profile
Paper, writing the IO profile and doing the presentations. Handouts: research paper writing.
Assignment:
Robyn website, IO course: "Some Possible Websites"; UN on the Web
"Search Questions" (HANDOUT).
Week
8. 10/19-21 International Law:
Overview, history. The International Court of Justice.
Assignment:
K&M: throughout text (see index “International Law”).
International
Law and Human Rights: the International War Crimes Tribunals.
Assignment:
K&M, Chapter 10 (pp. 413-419). Rosenberg,
"Tipping the Scales of Justice"; Debate: "Should the U.S. Support a
Strong and Independent International Criminal Court?" (both in IOL).
New
Developments in International Law: the International Criminal Court, etc.
Assignment:
various readings TBA.
Week 9. 10/26-28 What
Exactly is the New World Order? Globalization. The U.S. and the World.
Assignment:
K&M, Chapter 7. Mathews, "Power Shift"; Slaughter, "The Real
New World Order" (both in IOL).
U.N.
Security Council Simulation preparation: The Iraq Situation.
Assignment: no additional
readings.
Week 10. 11/2-4 Security
Council Simulation.
Assignment:
prepare for simulation. Read background materials and prepare for Security
Council debate. Simulation packet (HANDOUTS).
Simulation
(continued). Simulation debriefing.
Assignment:
no additional readings.
Þ Wednesday, November 4 -- ANNOTATED
BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE
Week 11. 11/9 Regional IOs. The European Union: Historical Development
and Structure.
Assignment: K&M, Chapter 5.
The
EU: Integration Theory. The EU and its Critics.
Assignment: Garrett, et.al., "The European
Court of Justice, National Governments, and Legal Integration in the European
Union" (IOL).
NOTE:
NO CLASS Wednesday, November 11. VETERAN’S
DAY
Week 12. 11/16-18 The EU: Current Status and Future
Prospects. Handout: Study Guide.
Discussion and Review.
Assignment: no additional
readings.
Week 13. 11/23
Examination 2.
NOTE:
NO CLASS Wednesday, November 25
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!. 
Weeks
14-15
11/30 and
12/2-9 Nonstate Actors: NGOs,
etc. IO Profiles: Human Rights and Environmental IOs.
Assignment: K&M, Chapter 6.
Nonstate Actors: NGOs, etc.
(continued). Working in an International Organization. IO Profiles: Human Rights and Environmental
IOs. Person of Note in IO: Ken Saro-Wiwa.
Global
Concerns: Environment. IO Profiles: Environmental IOs.
Assignment: K&M, Chapter 11. Chapter 10 (pp. 419-457).
IO
Profiles Presentations. Responsibility.
Building a Global Community. Persons of Note in IOs: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Discussion and Review.
Assignment: K & M: Chapter 12.
Þ Wednesday, December
9 --
IO PROFILE PAPER DUE
M
12/14 Final Exam Time (12:45 pm -
3:00 pm).
