International Law and International Politics (443-0-20)
Instructors
Karen Alter
847/491-4842
Scott Hall #318
Meeting Info
Scott Hall 201 Ripton Room: Tues 9:30AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
This seminar focuses on contemporary scholarship regarding international law as it intersects with international relations. The topic of international law is a place to study the interaction of material, power and normative forces, and a place where one can employ all of the newest methods and approaches in political science. The new international law scholarship is being built in an unusually interdisciplinary fashion. We will be reading work that builds on economic theories, sociological theories, and traditional international relations approaches. We will also be examining questions of broad interest within political science and sociology-- the social construction and influence of norms in international affairs, the importance of murky issues like legitimacy and fairness in shaping public perceptions and actor behavior, and how institutions of international law including international treaties and international courts implicitly and explicitly shape the international political process and state behavior.
Learning Objectives
How to put authors and literatures in conversation with each other.
Better understanding how different social science disciplines approach a similar topic, including the different methodologies and assumptions employed across various disciplines. Disciplines include political science, economics, sociology, anthropology and law.
Understanding the contested role of international law in international relations, and how international law (in often unacknowledged ways) structures international relations.
Student choice: Students can choose to work on review essay, research or comprehensive exam skills. The class will also choose the last 4 weeks of the seminar content.
Evaluation Method
Participation (30%) includes:
- Three short reflection papers on the weeks of your choice, submitted in Canvas. These papers should be 2-3 pages in length, engaging the group of readings with either the question of the day, or a subject that interests you. Papers will receive either a "√+", "√" or "√-" which will be calculated into the final participation grade. Please make sure to have completed at least one reflection paper by week 4. If papers are posted by 7pm Monday, I can read them before class.
- Regular in class participation. As with all graduate seminars, the expectation is that you to come to each class prepared to discuss the readings for the week. This does not mean that you read every word of every reading. Use your time strategically, figuring out the main points of all the readings as well as similarities and contrasts between the arguments made by different authors.
Review Essay OR Research paper 18-25 pages OR two short exam style papers (70%):
The review essay or research paper option will be due during finals week some time. The exam style short papers are due the Monday after the class session you are engaging. A Review Essay compare 3-5 books, using the books as data to probe a theoretical question. I will post on canvas some examples of review essays. This format is a good way to master a set of readings while thinking through a question that interests you. One can also publish review essays relatively easily. The review essay would be due during exam week.
Research paper: I want this paper to be useful to you, thus we will find a way to mix your interests with the general topic of the seminar. You are also welcome to team with another member of the course to submit a co-written paper, and if law is part of your dissertation, we can focus on a dissertation prospectus. Please talk with me about what makes the most sense for you.
Two exam style short papers on the literature: Due the Monday after the class session: Write a ten-page paper that addresses in greater depth the question of the day. The paper should explicitly engage the readings for the week. Make sure you answer the question by providing your own argument. The paper should also engage each author's answer to the question, critiquing or building upon the readings as you defend and develop your own argument. You can submit a short paper that elaborates on your reflection paper. If you select this option, you must complete two exam style papers over the term.
Class Materials (Required)
All readings are on Canvas. Required readings are the minimum essential to do well in the class and will form the basis of class discussions and the participation grade. Reading hard copies is generally a better way to absorb the material, thus I recommend that you print out hard copies while retaining an electronic copy on your computer. Supplementary readings are not mandatory, but they will enhance your understanding of the material and are recommended for the field exam in international relations
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for Graduate Students.