700 Level Courses

Please note: The syllabi available for viewing on this website are intended for general informational purposes only. The actual syllabi used in class will change from semester to semester; additionally, professors often make minor changes to assignments over the course of the semester. Students should use the syllabi distributed in class as a guide for course assignments and book purchases and should not rely on the syllabi posted here, unless directed to do so by their instructor.

JUMP TO MIDDLE – - | – - JUMP TO END

GRS IR 701 Introduction to International Relations
Offers a rigorous introduction to the basic concepts of international relations, including analytical approaches, state system and non-state actors, international legal principles, diplomatic practice, and international ethics. Emphasizes history, case study, and practical application. Corgan

GRS IR 702 Research Methods for International Relations Practitioners
Provides tools for designing and implementing rigorous research and policy papers. Reviews formulation of research questions and choice of research methods. Introduces methodologies including case study, archival research, and basic quantitative analysis. Thacker

GRS IR 703 International Security
Introduces core concepts of international security, including deterrence, balance of power theory, alliance politics, arms races, asymmetric warfare, and non-traditional security concerns such as terrorism. Topics are considered from both a theoretical basis and in historical and contemporary context. Bacevich

GRS IR 704 Gobal Economic and Development Policy
Intermediate level survey of the contemporary politics, economics and policy questions in the international economy: theories of international political economy and international economics; politics of international economic institutions; analyses of industrial development, foreign investment, global and regional trade, and poverty alleviation. Gallagher

GRS IR 706 The Iranian Revolution and its Impact on the Middle East
This course examines the Islamic Revolution in Iran and its impact on the Middle East. The first third of the seminar focuses on Iran and, subsequently, the Iran/Iraq war. Lebanon, the Persian Gulf, and Israel will be studied as they are affected by Iran’s upheavals. Chehabi

GRS IR 707 (PO 750) Political Reform in the Middle East
Seminar analyzes and rethinks Middle East politics. Authoritarian governments rule most of the Middle East, but internal and external pressures for change are mounting. Given the tenuousness of the status quo, political reform will be hard to avoid. Norton / Rollman

GRS IR 711 (AN 711) Civil Society and the State
The relationship between civil society and democracy is a subject of major debate, and many scholars contest the notion that the existence of civil society is a sufficient condition for democracy. At best there seems to be a necessary relationship between civil society and democracy, but even this claim is challenged, especially when it is applied to the developing world. Norton

GRS IR 712 International State Systems
The pivotal issues in the development of the international state system will be explored: the presumed obsolescence of the national state through economic interdependence, democratic peace, and transnational demands; the rise and fall of great powers as states, hegemonies, and empires. Jackson

GRS IR 718 International Migration and Diaspora in World Politics
The movement of people across borders is reshaping world politics. This course explores three phenomenon with reference to the import on the economy, domestic politics, regional integration, national identity, and the institution of the sovereign nation state. Berger

GRS IR 721 War, Guilt, and World Politics
Explores questions regarding the politics of memory: how countries define their past; what lessons and moral consequences they draw from their history; and how representations of the past influence multilateral and bilateral relations. Case studies involving France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, and the United States. Berger

GRS IR 722 U.S. Foreign Policy since the End of the Cold War
This graduate seminar examines the formulation and conduct of U.S. foreign policy since 1989. It identifies the objectives and essential elements of American grand strategy and evaluates the extent to which U.S. policy is realistic, effective, and democratic. Bacevich

JUMP TO TOP – - | – - JUMP TO END

GRS IR 757 Transnational Shi’ism
Begins with the original split in Islam that generated Twelver Shi’ism, discusses key features of the religion, such as Muharram rituals and the existence of a quasi-clergy, and ends with a discussion of individual Shi’ite countries and relations between them. Chehabi.

GRS IR 758 (PO 785) Comparative Political Economy of China and India
Compares China and India’s economic reform, focusing on their reform policies and government-business relationships. Examines their political development (or lack thereof) during their economic reform. Discusses China and India’s rise and implications for the global system.

GRS IR 759 International Institutions for Finance, Development, and Trade
Intensive examination of the roles the IMF, World Bank, and WTO play in the postwar international economic order — addressing less the decision-making within these institutions and more the issues in which they are involved, including their policies and programs.

GRS IR 760 The Political Economy of the European Union
Investigates major issues of Western European economic integration, utilizing theories of political/classical economics. Since all previous schemes for economic/monetary integration have failed, identification of conditions, winners, and losers of the integration process is focal. Schmidt

CAS IR 762 Turkey and the European Union: The History and Contemporary Aspects of Turkey’s European Path
This course examines the relationship between Turkey and the European Union (EU) in terms of European integration. Interaction of two data sets is considered: key concepts, actors, concerns and issues of European integration; historical and contemporary hallmarks of Turkey’s political, economic, cultural, and military development. Prodromou

GRS IR 764 Seminar on China in the Contemporary World
Examines the various dimensions of China’s rise – economic, military, and in reputation – and its implications for Asia and the world. Special attention to the links between domestic and foreign policy and to the dynamic of Sino-U.S. relations. Fewsmith

GRS IR 765 (PO 759) Japanese Political Economy
Addresses various aspects of the Japanese political economy, ranging from the occupation to the roles of political parties and the bureaucracy. Considers state-society relations and the nature of the Japanese state from both theoretical and empirical angles. Grimes

GRS IR 767 (PO 767) Latin American Comparative Politics
Review of comparative politics literature, combined with country case studies, to assess to what degree Latin America is “the graveyard of development theories.” Particular attention on recent patterns of redemocratization and economic liberalization and their multiple challenges. (PO title is “Interpretations of Latin American Realities) Palmer

GRS IR 768 Reform of the State: Political and Institutional Reforms in Latin America
Examines political and institutional reforms that were developed in Latin America over the last two decades in order to improve democracy and advance state capacity to respond to social needs. Blanco

GRS IR 770 Public International Law and the Quest for Peace
Course outlines the history, development, and functions of public international law; examines the effectiveness of public international law in the quests for justice and and for order in international politics; and provides an overview of the structure, the rules, and the uses of public international law in the contemporary world. Fromkin

GRS IR 772 Classics of International Relations
A reading of major international relations classics of the twentieth century in the original texts, assessed both in their historical context and from a contemporary point of view. Fromkin

GRS IR 778 Problems of Strategic Intelligence
Explores major aspects of strategic intelligence; interrelationship of intelligence and other aspects of foreign policy; performance of U.S. intelligence community; and intelligence as a tool in the formulation of foreign policy. Hulnick

GRS IR 780 CIA’s National Clandestine Service
The National Clandestine Service spends 5% of the US Intelligence budget but receives 95% of public and private scrutiny. Examines the unique legal mandate of the clandestine service: espionage, covert operations, counterintelligence, and special operations. Wippl

GRS IR 788 (PO 789) International Relations of Asia-Pacific
Focuses on the international relations of the Asia-Pacific region. Analysis of issues that have defined regional relations: the impact of the Cold War and its aftermath, the impact of regional economic growth and dynamism; and the emergence of contention over regional identity and its relationship to global politics. Berger / Grimes

GRS IR 789 Globalization, Development, Governance
Prereq:  IR 704 or permission of instructor. Covers the latest theory and evidence related to international trade and development policy. Additional focus on how these issues are dealt with by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and international economic agreements. Gallagher

GRS IR 794 (GE 794) Current Issues in International Environmental Affairs
Seminar explores key concepts related to regimes and environmental diplomacy and focuses on a selected set of contemporary issues in international environmental affairs. Seeks to foster research and writing on the negotiation and implementation of environmental treaties. Najam / Selin

GRS IR 798 (EC 798, GE 798) Global Development Capstone
Grad Prereq: at least 12 credits toward the MA in Global Development Policy or the MA in Global Development Economics. Capstone course for MA students in Global Development Policy and Global Development Economics. Students, working in groups, design and carry out an interdisciplinary policy analysis comparable to those performed for a government or nonprofit agency.

GRS IR 799 Master’s Paper Workshop
Provides structure and support to IR MA students working on their capstone MA Paper. Goals include formulating researchable questions, creating viable research and writing strategies, and critiquing intermediate efforts. Focuses on creating an environment of peer feedback.

GRS IR 825 (SO 820) Graduate Study in Women and Social Change in the Developing World
Studies women in nonindustrial countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, stressing empirical research, theory, and methodology. Comparisons between regions and with industrial countries. Focus on sex segregation, female labor force participation, migration, fertility, family roles, and women and political power. Eckstein

JUMP TO TOP – - | – - JUMP TO MIDDLE