PSCI 420(F) Senior Seminar in International Relations: The Future of World Politics

Both international relations theorists and policy makers completely failed to predict the revolutionary events of the last decade, such as the peaceful end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Was this failure to anticipate events due to the weaknesses of our leading theoretical frameworks or a result of the inherent unpredictability of international politics? This seminar will critically examine the ways in which scholars have attempted to apply their knowledge to the future of world politics in both Europe and Asia in the aftermath of the Cold War. The requirements for this course include a five to ten page paper critically examining the assumptions and the logic behind recent scholarly debates, and a twenty-page seminar paper on any policy relevant to the themes of the course, such as the merits of NATO expansion or the possible implications and consequences of China's emergence as a world power. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing. Enrollment limited to 15.

Hour:  MCALLISTER