Schedule of Classes and Assignments

NOTE: IGP refers to the text by Steven Lamy, Introduction to Global Politics.

Week #1

Monday, January 11: Introduction to the course.

Quiz: Ch 1 quiz activated at 12:00 pm (elearning).

Wednesday, January 13: Foundations of the study of international relations.

Reading: IGP ch 1: 2-28.

Saturday, January 16:

Quiz: Ch 2 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

Week #2

Monday, January 18: MLK Day.

No class.

Wednesday, January 20: History of international relations I ("Those who do not know the past are doomed to repeat it.").

Reading: IGP ch 2: 30-41.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Thursday, January 21:

Quiz: Ch 1 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Sunday, January 24:

Course policies quiz deadline.

Satellite view of North Korean missile launch facility, November 27, 2015.

Week #3

Monday, January 25: History of international relations II.

Reading: IGP ch 2: 41-53.

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, January 27: History of international relations III.

Reading: none.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: North Korea (video lecture on elearning, week #3 module). Also, read  "North Korea's nuclear programme: how advanced is it?" and watch Hyeonseo Lee, "My escape from North Korea." (12:15)

North Korea quiz deadlne: Sunday night, January 31 at 11:59 pm.

Saturday, January 30:

Quiz: Ch 3 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

Graffiti on Israeli wall separating Palestinean

and Israeli communities.

Week #4

Sunday, January 31:

Quiz: Ch 2 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Monday, February 1: History of international relations IV.

Reading: IGP ch 3: 53-71.

Watch: Joe Nye, "Global Power Shifts" (TEDTalk, 18:00).

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, February 3: How does the international system work? Realism and liberalism.

Reading: IGP ch 3: 74-102. 

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Week #5

Sunday, February 7:

Quiz: Ch 3 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Monday, February 8: How does the international system work? Other theories.

Reading: IGP ch 3: 102-116.

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, February 10: Catch-up.

Reading: none.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: Israel and Palestine (video lecture on elearning). Also, read "The occupation at fifty: a permanent state of ambiguity." <see elearning for week 5>

Israel and Palestine quiz deadlne: Sunday night, February 14 at 11:59 pm.

Saturday, February 13:

Quiz: Ch 4 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

Protests against the government of Jacob Zuma, September 27, 2017.

Week #6

Monday, February 15: Exam I.

Study guide (available on elearning under Week 6 by February 9).

Reading: None.

Wednesday, February 17: Foreign policy I.

Reading: IGP ch 4: 118-130.

Video: "How the US should use its superpower status." (available through elearning, week #6)

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: Russia: A New Cold War? (video lecture on elearning). Also read, "The origins of Russia’s new conflict with the West."

Russia quiz deadlne: Sunday night, February 21 at 11:59 pm.

Saturday, February 20:

Quiz: Ch 5 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

Sunday, February 21:

Quiz: Ch 4 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Shanghai's central business district.

Week #7

Monday, February 22: Foreign policy II.

Reading: IGP ch 4: 131-159.

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, February 24: Global governance I.

Reading: IGP ch 5: 162-178.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: China as a global power (video lecture on elearning). Also, read "Can the US and China coexist in Asia?" <see elearning for week 7>

China quiz deadlne: Sunday night, February 28 at 11:59 pm.

Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh, 2018.

Week #8

Monday, March 1: Global governance II.

Reading: IGP ch 5: 179-193.

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, March 3: Global governance III.

Reading: IGP ch 5: 193-210.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: Migration (video lecture on elearning). Also, read

"Why migration matters," <see elearning for week 8> and watch: "The real facts of the refugee crisis, and what we can do."

Migration quiz deadlne: Sunday night, March 7 at 11:59 pm.

Saturday, March 6:

Quiz: Ch 6 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

Week #9

Sunday, March 7:

Quiz: Ch 5 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Monday, March 8:  War.

Reading: IGP ch 6: 212-233.

Video, "The real harm of the global arms trade." (available through elearning, week #9)

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, March 10: Nuclear proliferation.

Reading: IGP ch 6: 233-240.

Article, "Nations rush ahead with hypersonic weapons amid arms race fear."  (available through elearning, week #9)

Video: "Russia’s new weapons, nuclear parity and arms race: What’s going on? (available through elearning, week #9)

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: Vietnam: from war to an emerging tiger (video lecture on elearning). Also, read "Fewer Vietnamese feeling the effects of war;" and "Is Vietnam on the verge of change?" <see elearning for week 9>

Vietnam quiz deadlne: Sunday night, March 14 at 11:59 pm.

Young Vietnamese professional buying street food from a traditional vendor in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), September 2016.

Week #10

Sunday, March 14:

Quiz: Ch 6 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Monday, March 15: Terrorism.

Reading: IGP ch 6, 240-258; United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.  <see elearning for week 10>

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, March 17: Catch-up.

Reading: None. 

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Saturday, March 20:

Quiz: Ch 7 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

Week #11

Monday, March 22: Exam II.

Study guide (to be activated approximately one week ahead).

Wednesday, March 24: Human rights and human security I.

Reading: IGP ch 7: 260-283; and "The Responsibility to Protect: dilemmas of a new norm." <see elearning for week 11>.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: South Africa and the struggle for racial equality (video lecture on elearning).

South Africa quiz deadlne: Sunday night, March 28 at 11:50 pm.

General Motors plant in Mexico.

Week #12

Spring break.

Week #13

Saturday, April 3:

Quiz: Ch 9 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

Monday, April 5: Human rights and human security II.

Reading: IGP ch 7: 283-296; and CNBC, "Richest 26 people now own same wealth as poorest half of the world, Oxfam claims." <see elearning for week 13>

Video: "Human security" <see elearning for week 13>

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, April 7: Poverty, development and hunger I.

Reading: IGP ch 9: 334-361.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Thursday, April 8:

Quiz: Ch 7 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Saturday, April 10:

Quiz: Ch 8 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

British citizens rally to support leaving the EU, June 2016.

Week #14

Sunday, April 11:

Quiz: Ch 9 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Monday, April 12: Poverty, development and hunger II. Global trade.

Reading: IGP ch 8: 298-321.

VIdeo: "Our century's greatest injustice."  <see elearning for week 14>

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, April 14: Global finance. Globalization.

Reading: IGP ch 8: 321-331.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Current IR challenges: Iran (video lecture on elearning). Also, "Reconsidering the Iranian Revolution, forty years later," and "With Iranian nuclear deal in limbo, some worry inspectors will lose access for good." <see elearning for week 14>

Iran quiz deadlne: Sunday night, April 18 at 11:59 pm.

Saturday, April 17:

Quiz: Ch 10 quiz activated at 8:00 am (elearning).

The last five years have been the five warmest years on record.

Week #15

Sunday, April 18:

Quiz: Ch 8 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Monday, April 19: Global environmental issues.

Reading: IGP ch 10: 364-388; and "The right way to build resilience to climate change," and "Vietnam’s urgent task: adapting to climate change." <see elearning for week 15> NOTE: read the latter as an example of the challenges faced by one country -- one we have studied -- by climate change.

After-class quiz deadline: Thursday night 11:59 pm.

Wednesday, April 21: Climate change and global policy.

Reading: IGP ch 10: 388-394.

After-class quiz deadline: Saturday night 11:59 pm.

Sunday, April 25:

Quiz: Ch 10 quiz deadline at 11:59 pm (elearning).

Week #16

Wednesday, April 28: Final exam.

Study guide (to be activated approximately one week ahead).