International Relations

1. COURSE JUSTIFICATION:
International Relations (IR) is an academic discipline concerned with explaining and/or
interpreting phenomena of global political, social and economic life. As a social science,
IR is a dynamic undertaking concerned with the study of global political dynamics in terms,
for instance, of cause and effect, structure and process, explanation and critique. This
course should situate the student in a complex field where the role of diplomacy and the
foreign policy of each state constitute a reflection of global conditions comprised of
cultural, economic, historical, political, military, and other related phenomena.
The understanding of International Relations is an enormously useful tool in the business
world and in international negotiations, which is why this course goes beyond classical
perspectives on diplomatic and military relations and provides an up-to-date analysis of
economic and political relations in the global system.
This course serves as an introduction to the emphasis in the International Relations Area,
which is offered by the International Business Department.
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2. COURSE OBJECTIVES
• To enable students to analyze different types of international actors and structures and
the dynamics of their interactions.
• To identify main theoretical frameworks in the discipline of International Relations and
their respective views on global problems of our time.
• To analyze diplomatic, trade and security links within contemporary international
relations with academic rigor and from a historic and theoretical perspective.
• To apply theories of international relations to interactions within and among the
different geographical regions of the globe, with a specific emphasis on the role of
Colombia in those interactions.
3. ANALYTIC DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS:
First class: July 18
Topic: International Relations as a discipline
Readings:
(Compulsory) Drezner, D. (2014). Theories of International Politics and Zombies, pp. 1-
35.
(Suggested) Kurki, M. & Wight C. (2010). International Relations and Social Science. In:
International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity, pp. 14-35.
Second class: July 25
Topic: Realism in IR
Readings:
(Compulsory) Mearsheimer, J. (2010). Structural Realism. In: International Relations
Theories: Discipline and Diversity, pp. 77-94.
(Suggested) Drezner, D. (2014). The Realpolitik of the Living Dead. In: Theories of
International Politics and Zombies, pp. 37-50.
Third class: August 1
Topic: Liberalism in IR
Readings:
(Compulsory) Russett, B. (2010). Liberalism. In: International Relations Theories:
Discipline and Diversity, pp. 95-115.
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(Suggested) Drezner, D. (2014). Regulating the Undead in a Liberal World Order. In:
Theories of International Politics and Zombies, pp. 51-64.
(Suggested) Little, R. (2014): International regimes. In: Baylis J., Smith, S. & Owens, P.
(eds.) (2014). The Globalization of World Politics: An introduction to international relations,
pp. 289-303.
Fourth class: August 8
Topic: Marxism and Critical Theory in IR
Readings:
(Compulsory) Rupert, M. (2010). Marxism and critical theory. In: International Relations
Theories: Discipline and Diversity, pp. 157-176.
Fifth class: August 15
Topic: Constructivism in IR
Readings:
(Compulsory) Barnett, M. (2014). Social constructivism. In: Baylis J., Smith, S. & Owens,
P. (eds.) (2014). The Globalization of World Politics: An introduction to international
relations, pp. 155-168.
(Suggested) Drezner, D. (2014). The Social Construction of Zombies. In: Theories of
International Politics and Zombies, pp. 65-74.
Sixth class: August 22
MIDTERM EXAM – 30%
Seventh class: August 29
Topic: Colombian Foreign Policy
Readings:
(Suggested) Palacio, J. (2014): De la fragilidad al Respice Omnia: 20 años de política
exterior colombiana. LaREVISTA
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Eighth class: September 5
Topic: International law
Readings:
(Suggested) Reus-Smit, C. (2014). International law. In: Baylis J., Smith, S. & Owens, P.
(eds.) (2014). The Globalization of World Politics: An introduction to international relations,
pp. 274-288.
Ninth class: September 12
Topic: Transnational actors and international organizations
Readings:
(Compulsory) Taylor, P. & Curtis, D. (2014). The United Nations. In: Baylis J., Smith, S.
& Owens, P. (eds.) (2014). The Globalization of World Politics: An introduction to
international relations, pp. 304-319.
(Suggested) Willetts, P. (2014). Transnational actors and international organizations in
global politics. In: Baylis J., Smith, S. & Owens, P. (eds.) (2014). The Globalization of
World Politics: An introduction to international relations, pp. 320-336.
Tenth class: September 19
Topic: Multilateral diplomacy in practice
Reading:
(Suggested) Palacio, J. (2016). Chapter 4: The Stage. In Latin America in the WTO.
Participation and Influence in Multilateral Trade Diplomacy. University of St. Gallen.
Bamberg: Difodruck.
Eleventh class: September 26
Topic: International conflict and global security
Readings:
(Compulsory) Art, R. (2003). The Four Functions of Force. In: Art, R. & Jervis, R. (eds.)
(2003). International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, pp. 153-165.
(Suggested) Abrahms, M. (2008). What Terrorists Really Want: Terrorist Motives and
Counterterrorism Strategy. In: International Security, Vol. 32/4, pp. 78-105.
Twelfth class: October 3
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Topic: International Political Economy
Readings:
(Suggested) Gilpin, R. (2003). The Nature of Political Economy. In: Art, R. & Jervis, R.
(eds.) (2003).International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, pp.
281-297.
Thirteenth class: October 10
Topic: Regionalism and Blocs of Integration
Readings:
(Compulsory) Best, E. & Christiansen, T. (2014). Regionalism in international affairs. In:
Baylis J., Smith, S. & Owens, P. (eds.) (2014). The Globalization of World Politics: An
introduction to international relations, pp. 401-416.
(Suggested) Hurrell, A. (2014). Rising powers and the emerging global order. In: Baylis
J., Smith, S. & Owens, P. (eds.) (2014). The Globalization of World Politics: An
introduction to international relations, pp. 80-98.
(Suggested) Wohlforth, W. C. (2003). The Stability of a Unipolar World. In: Art, R. &
Jervis, R. (eds.) (2003). International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary
Issues, pp. 469-476.
Fourteenth class: October 17
Topic: IR and Concepts of Development
Readings:
(Compulsory) Evans, T. & Thomas, C. (2014). Poverty, development, and hunger. In:
Baylis J., Smith, S. & Owens, P. (eds.) (2014). The Globalization of World Politics: An
introduction to international relations, pp. 430-447.
Fifteenth class: October 24
‘World Outlook’ by the EAFIT IR emphasis professors.
Sixteenth class: October 31
Video presentations.
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4. EVALUATION
• Attendance to all lectures is strongly recommended and compulsory on those dates on
which evaluation activities have been scheduled. Class discussions will prepare for exams.
• All students should bring the assigned readings to all the lectures in order to have the support
for in-class discussions.
• The ability to read and discuss academic literature in English is necessary to succeed
in this class.
• The scheduled activities are the only evaluations that will take place.

Reading 5%

News reports 5%

Midterm 30%

Group videos 30%

Final exam 30%