Teaching
Office hours for Fall 2025 are through email or drop-in.
Office hours for Fall 2025 are through email or drop-in.
Syllabus here.
This course introduces the major questions, theories, and topics in the study of international relations. The course is divided in three parts. The first part focuses on the main schools of international relations theory and how they understand the effects of anarchy on the international system. The second part covers major topics in the study of international relations in two issues areas. We will first examine topics in international security pertaining to the causes, conduct, and mitigators of violence among state and non-state actors. We will then focus on topics in international political economy, domestic politics, and the role of leaders. The last part of the course centers on the future of world order. We will study how key stakeholders of the international system define and articulate their interests in a world where power is increasingly diffused. By the end of this course, students will be able to: (1) Evaluate critically the readings by examining the logic, data, and conclusions presented by the author(s). (2) Understand the assumptions and conclusions of the main schools of international relations theory regarding the effects of anarchy in the international system. (3) Isolate the main sources of peace and conflict in international politics. (4) Identify which international actors, institutions, and processes shape world politics.
Syllabus here.