Office hours:  Wednesday 2:00-3:00pm, SSPB 4271    

Sections:  Monday 3:00, Friday 2:00

Office Hours: Tuesday 1:30pm-2:30pm in SST 640A 

Contact: zaoyingj@uci.edu

Sections:  Monday 2:00pm, Wednesday 11:00am, Wednesday 2:00pm
Office Hours:  Monday 3-3:50pm in SST 638
Contact:  samejia1@uci.edu

Tuesday 1:00pm, Tuesday 3:00pm, Thursday 4:00pm

Office Hours: Thursdays from 2:30-3:30pm in SST 619

Contact:  atester@uci.edu

Introduction

This course explores international political, economic, cultural, and social changes that are currently transforming our world on a global scale.  Countries are increasingly interconnected by flows of information, trade, money, immigrants, technology, and culture.  Trans-national corporations and global political organizations (e.g., the United Nations) have grown in size and influence, as have the organized social movements that lobby or oppose them.  The goal of the course is clarify what globalization is and how it is affecting societies around the world.  We will discuss theories and research from sociology and related fields to help us make sense of important global changes.  Some issues we’ll examine:  How does international trade affect jobs and the economy?  What causes international financial crises, and can they be avoided?  How do international social movements and protesters affect government policies on issues such as the environment and climate change?  Does globalization increase or reduce the potential for international conflict and terrorism?

Readings & Video

Reading assignments are listed below.  Lectures and sections will make more sense if you’ve done the readings!

Readings can be accessed via the Canvas course page.  Most readings are in .pdf format.  A few readings may be in Microsoft Word format or can be accessed via links.

The course will be utilizing video material, including the PBS series “Commanding Heights:  The Battle for the World Economy.”  The full video is available online, so you can review video material as you prepare for the exams:

PBS Website: Commanding Heights, Episodes 1 & 3

Youtube:  Commanding Heights Episode 1 and Commanding Heights Episode 3.

Assignments and evaluation

Midterm exam.  There will be one closed-book midterm exam that will cover course material from lectures and readings.  I will provide a study guide to help you focus on key concepts and issues.  (45% of final grade)

Final exam.  There will be a closed-book final exam that will cover course material from lectures and readings.  The final exam will emphasize material covered in the later part of the quarter (weeks 5-10), but I will assume knowledge of key concepts and terms from the entire quarter.  I will provide a study guide to help you focus on key concepts and issues.  (45% of final grade)

NOTE:  Due to prior incidents of academic dishonesty, I do not routinely offer alternative midterms or finals.  Occasional exceptions are made, depending on the specific circumstances.  If you cannot attend the scheduled midterm or final exam times I suggest you enroll in a different course.

Discussion section assignments and participation.  This course has a required weekly discussion section.  Discussion sections offer the opportunity to discuss readings, ask questions, participate in group activities, and generally deepen your knowledge of course material.  Attendance of discussion sections is required and will contribute to your final grade.  Section instructors may distribute required assignments (which may include homework assignments, in-class writing activities, in-class or online quizzes, etc.) that will contribute to your final grade.  (10% of final grade).

Final grades.  Your final grade will be computed based on the percentage weightings indicated.  I apply a curve to the final combined score (midterm, final, short assignments) to adjust grades, if needed.  This typically increases people's grades (compared to a standard percentage scale where 90%+ are As, 80+ are B's, etc).  In the event of a borderline grade, I may use my discretion in adjusting grades based on course participation and effort.  Incompletes will not be given, except in unusual circumstance.

Assignment Policies:

Section Attendance/Assignments/Quizzes.  Unless otherwise indicated by your section instructor, missed in-class activities, in-class or online quizzes, or in-class assignments cannot be done later.  If you anticipate missing section, ask your TA if it is possible to attend a section at some other time during the week.  And, if you attend a different section, make sure to follow up with your TA so that your attendance or in-class quiz grade is properly recorded.

Missed Exams.  Typically, students who miss exams receive a zero.  DO NOT MAKE TRAVEL PLANS ON THE DATE OF THE MIDTERM OR FINAL EXAM.  You are welcome to inquire about alternative exam arrangements, but we may not be able to accommodate you, given the size of the class and the number of requests we typically receive.

Grade Corrections/Changes.  If you believe that you received an incorrect grade on an exam or assignment, make an appointment with your TA.  If you have spoken with your TA and you feel the issue is still not resolved, let me know.

Cheating, Plagiarism, etc.  Academic violations such as cheating and plagiarism will be dealt with very severely, based on the specifics of the case.  I may use software to detect text plagiarized from the web or other sources.  If requested, students in this course must provide computer copies of their written work for examination by plagiarism detection software.  Keep electronic copies (and backups) of all course work.

University Policies

Students in this course must abide by all relevant university policies, ranging from issues of general behavior to academic issues such as plagiarism.  It is your responsibility to be aware of university policies.

My Policies                                                                                                                           

Respect.  All participants in this course (including myself) should strive to treat others – and their ideas – with respect.  The course material and class discussion will cover sensitive topics ranging from immigration and welfare to racial and ethnic identity.  Disagreements may arise.  Try to be aware of and show respect for other people’s views and perspectives, even if you do not agree.  However, if you find yourself upset by class discussion or feel that students are behaving inappropriately, please raise the issue with your TA or with me – either in class, afterward, or anonymously – so the situation can be addressed.  Often, conflicts are rooted in simple misunderstandings, but sometimes they reflect more serious issues that can only be resolved if things are brought to my attention.

Support for inclusion and diversity.  UCI is an incredibly diverse institution with regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender identity, language, religion, etc.  I seek to provide a supportive and welcoming environment for all, and ask that you do your best to do the same.

Commitment to Learning.  There is no point in taking a course if you are not committed to learning.  That means doing the readings, showing up, concentrating, and participating in class discussion and group activities.  I strive to make the class interesting, but make no mistake:  this is not entertainment.  We will struggle through ideas and readings that are difficult and may seem boring if you do not yet understand them.  It is your responsibility to be committed.

Professionalism.  I expect you to conduct yourself professionally.  If you show up and do your work, you will most likely do well.  If you don’t show up and fail to do the work, expect a bad grade.  Take responsibility for your actions.  (I really dislike it when students come to me and say “I haven’t been coming to class and missed the exam.  But, I really need this course to graduate/keep my financial aid/get into law school/make my parents happy.  Can’t you give me a better grade?”  If success in this class is really so important to you, just plan ahead and do the work.  The course material isn't that hard!)

 

Schedule & reading assignments

NOTE:  I may occasionally make minor changes to the reading assignments.  Any changes will be small and made well in advance of their due date.

Jan 7-Mar 15, Holidays on Jan 21, Feb 18.  Meetings Jan 7/9, 14/16, X/23, 28/30, Feb 4/6,  11/13, X/20, 25/27, March 4/6, 11/13.

Week 1:  Background:  States, Markets, and the Global Economy  (Jan 7, 9)

• Required reading:  43 pages

Introduction

Ellwood, Wayne.  2006.  The No-Nonsense Guide to Globalization.  Chapter 1, “Globalization Then and Now.” Pp. 12-25 (14 pages)

Key issues:  How has globalization changed over time?  What form did globalization take in the past?  What form does it take now?

Friedman, Thomas L.  2005.  “The Untouchables.”  Chapter 6 in The World Is Flat:  A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century.  New York:  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. (12 pages)

Key issues:  What kinds of jobs are most (or least) vulnerable in a competitive global economy (what Friedman calls a "flat" world) where outsourcing is very common?

Kenworthy, Lane.  2015.  "America is Exceptional... and Ordinary." [excerpt]  The Good Society.  Also available online:  http://lanekenworthy.net/america-is-exceptional/ (12 pages)

Key issues:  In what ways is the United States similar to other rich countries?  In what ways is it unusual?  (Especially useful for those who grew up in the US and don't realize that the US is atypical in many ways.)

The benefits and problems of markets

J. Bradford DeLong.  2010.  “What Do Econ 1 Students Need to Remember Most?”  [excerpt] Blog post.  (2 pages)

Key issues:  Provides a very brief summary of economics and the economy.  Important background for understanding the global economy.

Mark Thoma.  2015.  "The Problem With Completely Free Markets."  The Fiscal Times, June 30, 2015.  (3 pages)

Key issues:  Describes some of the problems that commonly observed in market systems (aka "market failures").

OPTIONAL READING:  Quiggin, John.  2010.  Zombie Economics:  How Dead Ideas Still Walk Among Us.  Princeton, NJ:  Princeton University Press.  Chapter 7 “Privatization” [Excerpt].  P. 186-188; 195-197 ONLY.

Key issue:  Discusses conditions in which "private" economic markets work well, and when they do not (in the latter case, government provision of goods & services might work better).

 

Week 2:  States, Markets, and the Global Economy (Jan 14, 16)

• Required reading: 37 pages

The transformation of capitalism

Reich, Robert T.  2007.  Supercapitalism:  The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life.  New York, NY:  Alfred A. Knopf.  (29 pages total)

• Chapter 1, “The Not Quite Golden Age,” section 9 (pp. 46-49) (3 pages)
• Chapter 2, “The Road to Supercapitalism.”  sections 3-6, 9 (pp. 60-75, 86-87) (18 pages)
• Chapter 3, “Of Two Minds,” sections 1 (pp. 89-95) and 8 (pp. 122-3)  (8 pages)
• Other sections and chapters are OPTIONAL.

Key issues:  Provides an overview of the earlier (1960-1970) economic system where governments controlled markets and intentionally limited globalization.  Describes the shift toward extreme "free-market" capitalism and the rise of the global economy (what he calls "Supercapitalism").  Describes who benefits and who is worse off.

The rise of the global economy

Chirico, Joann.  2014.  "The Neo-Liberal Wave" [Excerpt].  Pp. 91-98(top) from Chapter 4 "Making the Global Economy" in  Globalization:  Prospects and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.  (8 pages)

Key issues:  Provides more information on the era of rapid globalization (characterized by "Neo-liberal" policies).

Video:  Commanding Heights Episode 1, Chapters 2-12, 14, 16, 18, 19.  (We may watch some selections in class, if time allows.)  Available here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/lo/story/index.html or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoWbm8zUG6Y

 

OPTIONAL READING:  Paul Knox, John Agnew, and Linda McCarthy.  2003.  “The Globalization of Production Systems.”  Chapter 6 in The Geography of the World Economy (4th Ed).  Pp. 193-5 (top); 198-204(top); 208-9 ONLY.  (12 pages)

Key issues:  Describes some specifics of how the global economy works.  

 

Week 3:  The Global Economy:  Multinational corporations; Growing inequality  (Jan 21, 23)

January 21:  Holiday.  No class meeting on Monday

• Required reading:  48 pages

Multinational corporations, outsourcing, and the limits of outsourcing:

Stiglitz, Joseph E.  2006.  “The Multinational Corporation.”  Chapter 7 in Making Globalization Work.  New York:  W. W. Norton and Co. P. 187-195 only.  (9 pages)

Key issues:  Discusses multinational corporations and some of the problems associated with them.

Chirico, Joann.  2014.  "Globalization as Outsourcing and Offshoring [Excerpt].  Pp. 100(bottom)-107 from Chapter 4 "Making the Global Economy" in  Globalization:  Prospects and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.  (8 pages)

Duhigg, Charles and Keith Bradsher.  2012.  "How the US Lost iPhone Work."  The New York Times, January 21, 2012.  (10 pages)

OPTIONAL:  Fishman, Charles.  2012.  "The Insourcing Boom."  The Atlantic Monthly.  December, 2012.  (10 pages)

Problems of Globalization

Yardley, Jim.  2013.  "Clothing Brands Sidestep Blame for Safety Lapses."  The New York Times, December 30, 2013.  [Skim to get general issue; don't read for detail.] (5 pages)

OPTIONAL READING:  Frankel, Todd C. and Peter Whoriskey.  "Tossed Aside in the 'White Gold' Rush."  The Washington Post, December 19, 2016.  [Skim to get general issue; don't read for detail.]

OPTIONAL READING:  *The Economist.  2017.  "Politicians Can't Bring Back Old-Fashioned Factory Jobs."  The Economist, January 14, 2017.  [Skim to get general issue; don't read for detail.]  (8 pages)

Global inequality

The Economist.  2014.  "Forget the 1%."  The Economist, November 8, 2014. (2 pages)

Key issues:  Describes the concentration of wealth among the very very richest in the world.

Cammack, Paul.  2014.  "Why are some people better off than others?"  [Excerpt:  Pp. 405-415 only] in Edkins and Zehfuss (eds) Global Politics:  A new introduction.  (10 pages)

Key issues:  Provides a general introduction to the issue of inequality.  

Zucman, Gabriel.  2015.  "Inequality is the great concern of our age. So why do we tolerate rapacious, unjust tax havens?"  The Guardian, October 10, 2015. (4 pages)

Key issues:  Describes how wealthy corporations and individuals take advantage of globalization to avoid paying taxes.

 

 Week 4:  The Global Economy:  Trade (Jan 28, 30)

• Required reading:  70 pages

International trade and development

Rodrik, Dani.  2011.  The Globalization Paradox:  Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.  New York, NY:  W. W. Norton and Co.

• Chapter 3, “Why Doesn’t Everyone Get the Case for Free Trade?” Pp. 47-60. (14 pages)
• Chapter 7, “Poor Countries in a Rich World.”  Pp. 135-158. (23 pages)

Key issues:  Discusses how trade works.  Describes some of the reasons that free trade can cause problems, causing people to oppose trade.  Describes some of the challenges that poor countries face when trying to become more wealthy.  Describes the debates about whether globalization is good for poor countries or not.  Describes historical examples of poor countries that became more prosperous -- usually involving a mix of government control and free-market policies.

Krugman, Paul R.  2007.  “The Trouble With Trade.”  The New York Times, Dec 28, 2007. (2 pages)  Also at:  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/opinion/28krugman.html

Discusses how trade with poor (low wage, cheap labor) countries caused problems for US workers (especially in 1990s & early 2000s).  

Stiglitz, Joseph E.  2006.  “Making Trade Fair.”  Chapter 3 in Making Globalization Work.  New York:  W. W. Norton and Co.  Pp. 61-74 only.  (14 pages)

Key issues:  Discusses trade agreements, and how they could be improved to cause less harm in poor countries.

Dani Rodrik.  2017.  "What Did NAFTA Really Do?".  Blog post:  http://rodrik.typepad.com/dani_rodriks_weblog/2017/01/what-did-nafta-really-do.html (3 pages)

Key issues:  Discusses the NAFTA trade agreement and its impact.

The End of Globalization? Trump and Brexit

New York Times.  2017.  "Building Trade Walls."  March 7, 2017.  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/business/trade-china-protectionism.html  (2 pages)

Key issues:  Describes Trump's efforts to restrict some forms of trade.

New York Times.  2019.  "Trump Has Promised to Bring Jobs Back. His Tariffs Threaten to Send Them Away."  January 6, 2019. (6 pages)

Key issues:  Describes some of the effects of Trump's trade policies.

BBC News.  2018.  "Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU". BBC News, December 17, 2018.  (5 pages)

Key issues:  Describes "Brexit".

 

Week 5:  Economic Globalization:  Economic Crises and Governance (Feb 4, 6)

• Required reading:   63 pages

Globalization and Economic Crises

Krugman, Paul.  2009.  The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008.

• Chapter 4, “Asia's Crash.” Pp. 77, 84-97. (14 pages)
• Chapter 6, “Masters of the Universe.”  Pp. 119-122(top), 134-138.  (8 pages)
• Chapter 8, “Banking in the Shadows.” Pp. 153-164. (12 pages)
• Chaper 9, “The Sum of All Fears.”  Pp. 165-180.  (15 pages)

Describes the Asian Financial Crisis in the 1990s and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.  Explores how free-market policies and globalization can create new kinds of economic problems, and how globalization allows economic crises to spread from country to country.

Video:  Commanding Heights Episode 3, Chapters 1-7, 11-15.  (We may watch key selections in class, if time allows.)  Available here:

PBS Website: Commanding Heights, Episodes 1 & 3

Youtube:  Commanding Heights Episode 3

Challenges of governing a globalized world

Stiglitz, Joseph E.  2006.  “Another World Is Possible.”  Chapter 1 in Making Globalization Work.  New York:  W. W. Norton and Co.  Pp. 7-10(top) only.  (3 pages)

Key issues:  Describes some of the problems arising from globalization, and suggests that the rules governing globalization could be improved to make things work better.

Rodrik, Dani.  2011.  The Globalization Paradox:  Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.  New York, NY:  W. W. Norton and Co.

• Chapter 9: “The Political Trilemma of the World Economy.”  Pp. 189-97 & 200 (mid)-205(top) (14 pages)
• OPTIONAL:  Chapter 11, “Designing Capitalism 3.0” Pp. 233-239(top). (6 pages)

Key issues:  Offers an analysis of the problems of globalization, and suggests a solution.

 

Week 6:  Environment and Social Movements  (Feb 11, 13)

February 11:  Midterm Exam

* In-class closed book exam.  Covers readings, class, & section from week 1 – 5

No Section Tuesday-Friday.  Monday section meets to make up for missed section due to MLK holiday.

• Required reading:  18 pages

Environmental Problems

Chirico, Joann.  2014.  "Threats to the Natural Environment [Excerpt].  Pp. 436(bottom)-443 from Chapter 14 "Transborder Threats to Human Well-Being" in  Globalization:  Prospects and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.  (8 pages)

LA Times.  2018.  "How mountains of U.S. plastic waste ended up in Malaysia, broken down by workers for $10 a day."  Los Angeles Times, December 29, 2018.

 

Social Movements

McAdam, Doug, John D. McCarthy, and Mayer N. Zald, eds. 1996. Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements: Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framings. Cambridge, UK; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.  Pp. 2-7 only (section "The Emerging Synthesis").  (5 pages)

Key issues:  A classic work by major sociologists describing why social movements (and revolutions) occur.  Discusses resource mobilization ("mobilizing structures"), political opportunities, and framing.

Meyer, David S.  2003.  "How Social Movements Matter."  Contexts, 4, 2:35-39.  (5 pages)

Key issues:  Describes how social movements affect the world.  In brief, they don't always have immediate effects, but they can ultimately influence policy, government institutions, and the activists themselves.

Week 7:  Theories of Globalization (Feb 18, 20)

February 18:  Holiday.  No class on Monday.

• Required reading:  53 pages

Theoretical perspectives

Serneau, Scott.  2006.  “Class:  A World of Rich and Poor.”  Pp. 7-32 (Chapter 1) in Global Problems:  The Search for Equity, Peace, and Sustainability.  Boston, MA:  Pearson. (36 pages)

Key issues:  Provides some general description of inequality in the contemporary world.  Provides an overview of important theoretical perspectives:  Adam Smith (benefits of markets); Karl Marx (a critic of markets and capitalism); Keynesianism ("Seeking a third way:  An optimal hybrid?); Modernization theory; Dependency theory (a variant of world-system theory).  

Chirico, Joann.  2014.  Sections on "World System Theory", "Global System Theory", and "World Society Theory."  Excerpt pp. 39-44 from Chapter 2 "Studying Globalization" in  Globalization:  Prospects and Problems.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.  (5 pages)

Key issues:  Provides summary of world system theory (plus a variant:  global system theory) and world society theory.

Schofer, Evan, Ann Hironaka, David Frank, and Wesley Longhofer.  2011.  “Sociological Institutionalism and World Society.”  ONLY pp. 58 bottom-60, sections entitled "World Culture and World Society" and  "The Content of World Culture."   In Nash, K, A. Scott, and E. Amenata (eds).  The New Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology.  Oxford, UK:  Blackwell Publishing Ltd. (2 pages)

Key issues:  Provides an overview of world society theory.

Week 8:  Theories of Globalization (Feb 25, 2 7)

• Required reading:  54 pages

Brawley, Mark R.  2003.  “Theoretical Lenses for Viewing Globalization”  Pp. 35-56 (Chapter 2) in The Politics of Globalization.  Toronto, Ontario:  Broadview.  (22 pages)

Key issues:  Another big overview of theoretical perspectives.  Reviews Adam Smith ("classical liberal view"), Keynes, Marx, Realism, and Liberalism ("cooperation and interdependence:  institutionalism").  The reading specifically focuses on how these perspectives think about globalization.  This reading goes into greater depth and nuance.  Some students find it very helpful; others a bit challenging.  Don't worry if you can't understand every detail.  

Nye, Joseph S.  2004.  “The Changing Nature of Power.”  Chapter 1 in Soft Power.  New York:  Public Affairs. (32 pages)

Key issues:  Describes the concept of soft power.

 

Week 9:  Globalization:  Identity, Culture, Conflict (Mar  4, 6)

• Required reading:  58 pages

Global culture and hybridity:

Martell, Luke.  2010.  “The Globalization of Culture:  Homogeneous or Hybrid?”  Pp. 89-104 (Chapter 4) in Sociology of Globalization.  Cambridge, UK:  Polity Press. (16 pages)

Key issues:  Summarizes key debates in anthropology about cultural globalization.  Is the world becoming more culturally similar (homogenous)?  Or something else?  Important anthropologists, like Ulf Hannerz, argue we are entering a new age of "hybridity".

*Boli, John and Frank Lechner.  2002.  “Globalization and World Culture.” In the International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, edited by Neil J. Smelser and Paul M. Baltes.  Oxford: Elsevier. (5 pages)

Identity:  primordial or socially constructed?

Huntington, Samuel.  1993.  “The Clash of Civilizations?”  Foreign Affairs, 1993, Vol. 72, No. 3 (Summer), pp. 3-22. (19 pages).

Key issues:  A classic (and often criticized) paper arguing that cultural/ethnic/religious differences will inevitably lead to major global conflict.

Bowen, John R.  1996.  “The Myth of Global Ethnic Conflict.”  Journal of Democracy, 7, 4:3-14. (12 pages).

Key issues:  A response to Huntington, arguing that ethnic conflict is often misunderstood.  Conflict and warfare mainly comes from greedy leaders and elites... cultural differences aren't the real cause.

International terrorism

Kurzman, Charles.  2002.  Bin Laden and Other Thoroughly Modern Muslims.  Contexts. Nov 2002, Vol. 1, No. 4: 13–20. (7 pages)

Key issues:  Describes different kinds of anti-global reactionary groups.  Argues that many kinds of terrorist groups are actually "modern" and media-savvy, despite claiming to be motivated by old religious traditions.

Telvick, Marlena.  2007.  “Al Qaeda Today:  The New Face of Global Jihad.”  Also at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/front/etc/today.html (4 pages)

Key issues:  Describes the evolution of terrorist organizations the years since the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Rattner, Steven.  2015.  "The Year in Charts." [excerpt on terrorism]  The New York Times, December 28, 2015. Excerpt is in webfiles.  For those interested, the full document is here:  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/28/opinion/rattner-2015-year-in-charts.html  (1 page)

Key issues:  Provides a brief overview of trends in terrorism (and where it occurs).  Shows that terrorism is very rare in rich Western countries, but very common in conflict-ridden countries.  

The New York Times.  2014. "How ISIS Works."  Available online: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/09/16/world/middleeast/how-isis-works.html

Key issues:  Provides a quick overview of one recent terrorist organization called ISIS.  Shows the importance of resource mobilization.

*  The New York Times.  2016.  "The Evolution of ISIS."  Video available online:  http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/middleeast/100000003240417/the-evolution-of-isis.html

* The Washington Post.  2016.  "The Economic War Against ISIS."  (Online version includes a video clip.)  https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/take-them-back-to-the-19th-century-inside-the-economic-war-against-the-islamic-state/2016/12/30/5f91f514-ceb7-11e6-a747-d03044780a02_story.html

 

Week 10:  War, Terrorism, and Global Politics (March 11, 13)

• Required reading:  47 pages

US foreign policy

Daalder, Ivo H. and James M. Lindsay.  “The Bush Revolution.”  Pp. 152-165 in Kreiger, Joel (ed).  2006.  Globalization and State Power:  A Reader.  New York, NY:  Pearson Education. (14 pages)

Key issues:  Describes 2 main approaches to foreign policy:  The Truman Doctrine and the Bush Doctrine.  Be able to briefly summarize each.

The US wars in Afghanistan & Iraq and the war on terrorism

Schaeffer, Robert K.  2009.  “Revolution and War in Afghanistan.”  Pp. 259-280 (chapter 11) in Understanding Globalization (4th ed).  (21 pages)

Key issues:  Describes the history of the US war in Afghanistan.  Provides an example to think about foreign policy and the limits of hard power.

Raghaven, Sudarsan.  2015.  "A Year of Taliban Gains."  Washington Post.  December 27, 2015.  (3 pages)

Key issues:  A news article that provides some description of the US war in Afghanistan.  It offers hints about what may happen as US troops leave.

Belasco, Amy.  2014.  "The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations since 9/11."  Congressional Research Service.  Read Summary & look at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, & 11 ONLY. (3 pages)

Key issues:  Makes a very simple point:  US military activity is INCREDIBLY expensive.

Afghanistan ISIS:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/25/world/asia/eastern-afghanistan-isis.html

OPTIONAL. Londono et al. 2013.  "Afghanistan gains will be lost quickly after drawdown, U.S. intelligence estimate warns."  Washington Post, December 28, 2013.  (3 pages)

Key issues:  US government estimate of what will happen in Afghanistan if US removes troops.

OPTIONAL.  The New York Times.  "How Much of Afghanistan Is Under Taliban
Control After 16 Years of War With the U.S.?"  The New York Times, August 23, 2017.  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/23/world/asia/afghanistan-us-taliban-isis-control.html

Key Issues:  This is optional, but take a quick look.  It is basically a map, showing the complex situation in Afghanistan.

OPTIONAL. The New York Times.  "Visiting Afghanistan, Pence Says U.S. Will ‘See This Through’", December 22, 2017.  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/world/asia/mike-pence-afghanistan.html

Key issues:  Provides a look at Trump's approach to the the US war in Afghanistan in late 2017.  Basically, Trump increased air strikes and troops.  

The New York Times.  "US and Taliban Agree in Principle to Peace Framework, Envoy Says."  The New York Times, January 28, 2019.  (5 pages)

Key issues:  Provides up-to-date information on the recent events in Afghanistan.  The US has shifted from trying to defeat the Taliban to negotiating a peace agreement.

Democracy in retreat

Diamond, Larry.  2015.  "Facing Up to the Democratic Recession."  Journal of Democracy, 26, 1:141-155.  Read pp. 141-147 only; optional: skim the rest.

Key issues:  Describes an important global trend:  after decades of increasing democracy around the world, a number of countries are shifting back toward authoritarianism (non-democratic rule).  

OPTIONAL. Friedman, Uri.  2017.  "Turkey's Referendum:  How Democracies Decline."  The Atlantic, April 17, 2017.  https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/04/turkey-referendum-democracy/523257/

Key issues:  Provides an example of a country shifting away from democracy.

OPTIONAL.  The New York Times.  "Poland Overhauls Courts, and Critics See Retreat From Democracy."  December 20, 2017.  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/20/world/europe/eu-poland-law.htm

Key issues:  Provides an example of a country shifting away from democracy.

 

Week 11:  Finals Week

Final Exam Time: Wed, Mar 20, 4:00-6:00pm