International Relations
POLS-270

A course in contemporary international relations, with emphasis on the effect political cultures in different countries have on the international system. Concepts, theories, and rudimentary methods of comparison and analysis are surveyed. The relationship between international politics and U.S. foreign and domestic policy is explored. (F)

Contact Hours

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Describe and analyze the major theoretical and analytical perspective through which scholars and policymakers have interpreted International Relations.
2. Discuss the sources of images people in various countries have about international reality, how such images organize information about the world, and the processes through which they change.
3. Describe the attributes of bureaucratic behavior and the role of large-scale bureaucratic organizations in the foreign-policy making process in various countries.
4. Describe the basic historical events that led to the onset of World Wars I and II, as well as the Cold War and explain the major contending interpretations of the origins of these wars and their outcomes.
5. Distinguish between intergovernmental and nongovernmental international organizations and discuss how nations worldwide use these organizations to pursue their national interests.
6. Describe the ways in which the human condition can be assessed throughout the world.
7. Identify the major social, economic, and political problems that confront indigenous peoples, racial and ethnic groups, and women in various countries of the world.
8. Describe the conditions that drive individuals to become refugees.
9. Evaluate the costs and benefits associated with rapid, uneven globalization in the Global North and the Global South.
10. Articulate the difference between liberalism and mercantilism with specific emphasis on free trade.
11. Explain the reasons for the dramatic growth in world population since World War II and evaluate the impact of this trend on transnational migration, national security, economic development, and worldwide access to food.
12. Explain the concept of peacekeeping and the effectiveness of U.N. peacekeeping efforts in selected countries and the "democratic peace" hypothesis.
13. Discuss several plausible scenarios regarding the future of the international system based on the strength of the forces of change and continuity. 

Assigned readings determined by the instructor.

Scholarly journals useful for information and term paper research include:
World Politics
Foreign Affairs
America Political Science Review
Current History
Problems with Communism
Survey

Videos found in the LCC Video Library and instructors' personal libraries.

Student Electronic Access to Grades

Students will have access to their grades through D2L in order to receive feedback on their progress in the course at any time. These grades will align with the Evaluation Criteria listed in this syllabus.

Results for graded items should be posted electronically within 48 hours after the instructor has completed the grading process for the items, and final grades for the course should be entered no later than the specified grading day.

Extra credit may be available in this course. This information is provided by the section instructor.

For transfer information, please consult the LCC Transfer Center webpage.  In addition, the Michigan Transfer Network website allows students to search how courses transfer to colleges and universities statewide.

The Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) simplifies the transfer of students from one Michigan institution to another. For the most current information, see the LCC General Education webpage.

Students interested in transfer should contact the Transfer Center in the Gannon Building, Room 2204, or call (517) 483-9700.

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