Poli Sci 124c Syllabus
Poli Sci 124c Syllabus
Poli Sci 124c Syllabus
A. Gurowitz
[email protected]
Office Hours: 10-11 T and TH 780 Barrows
Course Description:
Should nations intervene in other countries to prevent human rights abuses or famine? Is
there an international obligation to try perpetrators of massive human rights abuses? On
what principles should immigration be based? Should wealthy states aid poorer states,
and if so, how much?
Answers to these moral questions depend to a great degree on who we believe we have an
obligation to: Ourselves? Nationals of our country? Residents of our country? Everyone
in the world equally? We will examine different traditions of moral thought including
skeptics, communitarians, and cosmopolitans, and use these traditions as tools to make
reasoned judgements about difficult moral problems in world politics.
Grade Disputes:
All grade disputes must be made in writing, in not less than a paragraph, not more than a
page. The dispute should outline very specifically why you feel that you received a grade
in error and should not contain information about what kinds of grades you usually get, or
how long you studied. You must wait at least 24 hours after receiving your grade to raise
the issue of a dispute with either the instructor or GSI, but you must turn in your written
dispute within a week of getting the grade. Grade disputes go first to your GSI, and if
you are still not satisfied, can then go the instructor, again in writing, within a week of
getting your GSIs response. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Late Policy:
Late assignments during the semester will only be accepted within one week of their
original due date. During that week, late assignments will be docked 3% per day. Final
research papers cannot be turned in late as we have to turn in grades. Extensions or
incompletes are given only to students with a documented emergency or illness. We
know that you have other exams/papers/lives. We were undergraduates once too.
Juggling and scheduling your assignments is part of your job as students. You know your
due dates in advance. Prepare and study ahead of time.
Communication by e-mail:
E-mail is an ideal form of communication for brief, usually administrative matters. For
example, to schedule an appointment outside of office hours. Unless otherwise arranged,
do not email me in lieu of meeting me in my office. Discussions about paper topics or
substantive issues should occur in person.
The following books are available for purchase and are on reserve in Moffitt:
Course Schedule:
1/22 Introduction and overview
Theoretical Approaches
1/24 and 1/29 The Skeptical/Realist Tradition in International Relations
* Forde, "Classical Realism"
Review Luban and Walzer readings on intervention from theory section of course
Intervention
3/7 Intervention after the Cold War
*Destexhe, The Shortcomings of the 'New Humanitarianism
3/14 Rwanda and the failure to intervene Paper topics due in class
*Powers, Bystanders to Genocide
Economic Justice
4/16 Distributive justice: Aid, individuals and governments
*Jones, Global Justice, pgs. 1-8
*Walzer, "Membership
Final papers are due Wed. 5/16 between 2-3:00 in 780 Barrows