International relations theory takes multiple sovereignty to be the defining, indeed determining, feature of world politics. In this capstone seminar, we will examine whether the two main assumptions underlying this contention hold true: whether international boundaries decisively affect the way that global issues are conceived and solved, and whether such boundaries are an inescapable fact of political life. We will start by covering the origins and history of sovereignty and will then look at developments which have transferred power or decision-making authority away from the state: nuclear weapons, telecommunications, environmental interdependence, transnational religious movements, international organizations, the service/information economy, multinational corporations, transnational grassroots movements, exported American culture (e.g., Hollywood) or Western values (e.g., democracy). We will also consider foreign policies intended to counter this trend and to shore up state boundaries. Seminar format. Students are required to submit a weekly 2-page critique of the readings, to co-lead two weeks of class discussion, to submit two 5- to 7-page papers on common topics, and to produce a 10- to 15-page research paper on a unique topic.
Prerequisites: junior or senior standing and two classes in international relations. (International Relations concentrators can also take Political Science 440 as a capstone course)