POLS 1600 - International Politics

Credit Hours: 3.00

Objectives:

• List the major participants of both domestic and world politics and recall their goals and objectives
• Explain what power is
• Describe the attributes of a political actor that contribute to its power
• Prepare a table that illustrates the power rankings of major actors

Outcome 2: Upon completion of this course students will be able to explain the relationship between social science and the study of world politics.

Objectives:

• Identify the purposes and goals of science
• Outline the scientific method
• Explain what the levels of analysis are
• Evaluate a published article as to its scientific merit

Outcome 3: Upon completion of this course students will be able to relate the major theoretical explanations for international conflict and economic growth on the systemic level of analysis.

Objectives:

• Point out the effect of geography on international conflict and economic growth
• Analyze the role of globalization on international conflict and economic growth
• Ascertain if there are ant patterns in international conflict and economic growth

Outcome 4: Upon completion of this course students will be able to relate the major theoretical explanations for international conflict and economic growth on the on the national

Objectives:

• Point out the effect of culture on the potential for international conflict and economic growth
• Examine the role of a nation’s political system and its use of violence to resolve international conflict and its potential economic growth
• Compare the role of a nation’s political system and its use of violence to resolve international conflict and its potential economic growth.

Outcome 5: Upon completion of the course the student will be able to relate the major theoretical explanations for international conflict and economic growth on the sub-nation state level of analysis.

Objectives:

• Formulate the rational decision-making process
• Assess the impact of domestic social institutions and groups on ability of main decision maker to construct a rational foreign policy.
• Model the role of bureaucracies and governmental groups in the formulation of foreign policy.
• Outline the standard intellectual and psychological limitations of rational decision-making and how they affect the potential for international conflict.