POLS 221 — Introduction to International Relations (3 Credits, Spring)
The goal of this course is to equip students with the concepts, ideas, and analytical tools necessary to understand state behavior and relationships among actors in the international system. In this class students will examine various theoretical explanations for state behaviors, such as realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Students will learn how to use these theories to analyze the forces that affect state behavior and address some of the most pressing questions in international relations. In order to understand connections among states, this course may explore such vital topics as war, cooperation, international law, political economy, terrorism, human rights, and the forms of conflict that characterize the international system. (This CWI course meets the institutional competency requirements in Global Perspectives.) . (3 lecture hours, 0 lab hours, 3 credits)