PSCI 420(F) Senior Seminar in International Relations: Sovereignty

International relations theory takes multiple sovereignty to be the defining feature of world politics. In this capstone seminar, we will throw into question the two main assumptions underlying this contention, that international boundaries decisively affect the way that global issues are conceived and solved, and that such boundaries are a permanent, or natural, fact of life. We will start by covering the origins and history of sovereignty. We will then look at processes that many have argued are about to undermine the state and to lead to a new, globalized, post-sovereign international system-nuclear weapons, telecommunications, environmental interdependence, transnational religious movements, the service/information economy, multinational corporations, transnational grassroots movements, exported American culture (e.g. Hollywood, TV, McDonalds) or Western values (e.g. electoral democracy, human rights). Finally, we will consider contrary processes, such as immigration restriction or economic protection, that governments and people make to secure those boundaries. Requirements: Students are required to submit a weekly two-page critique of the readings, and have the choice in addition of either completing two 5- to 7-page papers on common topics or submitting a 10- to 15-page research paper on a unique topic. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing; two classes in international relations or one class in international relations and another on citizenship or nationalism.
Enrollment limited to 15.

Hour: SHANKS