教學大綱 Syllabus

週次

Week

課程主題

Topic

課程內容與指定閱讀

Content and Reading Assignment

教學活動與作業

Teaching Activities and Homework

學習投入時間

Student workload expectation

課堂講授

In-class Hours

課程前後

Outside-of-class Hours

1

Sep/12

Introduction of the Course   

1. Christian Reus-Smit and Duncan Snidal, “Between Utopia and Reality: The Practical Discourses of International Relations,” in The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, edited by Reus-Smit, Christian, and Duncan Snidal. : Oxford University Press, 2008-08-14.
2. Stephen McGlinchey, Foundation of International Relations, https://www.e-ir.info/publication/foundations-of-international-relations/

Introducing the structure of the course, the basic understanding of the IR theory, and the purpose of this course.

3

24

2

Sep/19

Realism and Its Critiques 

1. Donnelly, Jack, 2000, Realism and International Relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 1. The Realist Tradition
2. Donnelly, Realism and International Relations. Chapter 2. Human Nature and State Motivation
3. Donnelly, Realism and International Relations. Chapter 3. Anarchy, Hierarchy and Order

Discussing and debating Realism in IR.

In addition to the required readings, you might get ideas from the following reference readings:

William Wohlforth, “Realism” & Jack Donnelly, “The Ethics of Realism,” in The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, edited by Reus-Smit, Christian, and Duncan Snidal. Oxford University Press.

3

24

3

Sep/26

Reading Week

Reading week

Recommended Reading: Callahan, William. 2020. Sensible Politics: Visualizing International Relations (New York: Oxford University Press).

0

12

4

Oct/3

Liberalism and Neo-liberal Institutionalism

1. Burchill, S. et al.. 2005. Theories of International Relations. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Chapter 3. “Liberalism” by S. Burchill.
2. Robert O. Keohane and Lisa L. Martin, 1995. “The Promise of Institutionalist Theory.” International Security 20 (1): 39-51.
3. Tana Johnson and Andrew Heiss, "Liberal Institutionalism," chap. 8 in International Organization and Global Governance, 2nd ed., ed. Thomas G. Weiss and Rorden Wilkinson (London: Routledge, 2018), 123–34.

Discussing and debating Liberalism and Its Families in IR.

In addition to the required readings, you might get ideas from the following reference readings:

Arthur A. Stein, “Neoliberal Institutionalism,” James Richardson, “The Ethics of Neoliberal Institutionalism,” Andrew Moravcsik, “The New Liberalism,” and Gerry Simpson, “The Ethics of New Liberalism.” All in The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, edited by Reus-Smit, Christian, and Duncan Snidal. Oxford University Press.

3

24

5

Oct/10

National Holiday

National Holiday

0

0

6

Oct/17

Constructivism

1. Hoft, Ted. 1998. “The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations Theory.” International Security 23 (1): 171-200.
2. Burchill, S. et al.. 2005. Theories of International Relations. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Chapter 8. “Constructivism” by Christian Reus-Smit.
3. Copeland, Dale. 2000. “Review: The Constructivist Challenge to Structural Realism: A Review Essay.” International Security 25 (2): 187-212.

Discussing and debating the three Constructivist approach in IR.

In addition to the required readings, you might get ideas from the following reference readings:

Ian Hurd, “Constructivism” & Richard Price “The Ethics of Constructivism,” in The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, edited by Reus-Smit, Christian, and Duncan Snidal. Oxford University Press.

3

24

7

Oct/24

Reflections and Implications of the Mainstreams IRT

1. Burchill, S. et al.. 2005. Theories of International Relations. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Chapter 1. “Introduction” by Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater.

Discussion will be focused on the key issues mentioned in these articles and the relevance to today’s IR and its major concerns

3

24

8

October/31

Critical Theories, Post Modernism and Feminism in IR

1. Richard Shapcott, “Critical Theory” & Robyn Eckersley, “The Ethics of Critical Theory”
2. Anthony Burke, “Postmodernism” & Peter Lawler, “The Ethics of Postmodernism”
3. Sandra Whitworth, “Feminism” & Jacqui True, “The Ethics of Feminism”

All of above articles are in The Oxford Handbook of International Relations

Discussing and debating the three theoretical approaches in IR.

3

24

9

November/7

English School, Marxism, and Chinese School of IR (?)

1. Tim Dunne, “English School” & Molly Cochran, “The Ethics of English School,” in The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, edited by Reus-Smit, Christian, and Duncan Snidal. Oxford University Press.
2. Benno Teschk, “Marxism” & Nicholas Rengger, “The Ethics of Marxism,” in The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, edited by Reus-Smit, Christian, and Duncan Snidal. Oxford University Press.
3. Wang, Jiangli and Barry Buzan. 2014. “The English and Chinese Schools of International Relations: Comparisons and Lessons.” The Chinese Journal of International Politics, 7(1): 1-46.

All of above articles are in Sensible Politics: Visualizing International Relations

Discussing and debating the three theoretical approaches in IR.

3

24

10

November/14

Midterm Exam

Midterm Exam

Bad News: You shall not pass if you didn’t read the required readings.

0

24

11

November/21

Role Theory and Foreign Policy Analysis

1. 1) THIES, CAMERON G., AND BREUNING MARIJKE. (2012) Integrating Foreign Policy Analysis and International Relations through Role Theory. Foreign Policy Analysis 8 (1, January): 1-4.

2) THIES, CAMERON G.(2017) Role Theory and Foreign Policy Analysis in Latin America. Foreign

Policy Analysis, 13(3): 662-681.

2. HARNISCH, SEBASTIAN. (2012) Conceptualizing in the Minefield: Role Theory and Foreign Policy Learning. Foreign Policy Analysis 8 (1, January): 47-69.
3. CANTIR, CRISTIAN and JULIET KAARBO, ‘Unpacking Ego in Role Theory: Vertical and Horizontal Role Contestation and Foreign Policy,’ in Cristian Cantir and Juliet Kaarbo (ed.) Domestic Role Contestation, Foreign Policy, and International Relations (Oxford: Routledge, 2016): 1-22.

Role Theory in Foreign Policy Analysis has been the trend in the late 70s and 80s; yet after “disappearing” for decades, in early 2000s, a bunch of North American and European IR scholars returned to this approach and expanded its scope. This week of class focuses on introducing the basic ideas of role theory in FPA and its evolution since the 2000s.

3

24

12

November/28

Asymmetric Structure and the Small States in IR I Asymmetric Structure and the Small States in IR I

1. Long, Thomas S. 2017. “It’s Not the Size, It’s the Relationship: From ‘Small States’ to Asymmetry.” International Politics, 54 (2): 144-160.
2. Grøn, Caroline Howard and Anders Wivel. 2011. “Maximizing Influence in the European Union after the Lisbon Treaty: from Small State Policy to Smart State Strategy.” Journal of European Integration 33(5): 523-539.
3. Bailes, Alyson J. K., Bradley A. Thayer & Baldur Thorhallsson. 2016. ‘’Alliance Theory and Alliance ‘Shelter’: the complexities of small state alliance behavior.” Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal 1 (1): 9-26.

It is said that the IRT is designed for understanding the strong powers’ logics of behaviors. However, the real world of IR is composed mainly by smaller political entities. Scholars of IR began reflecting the unbalanced phenomena of the IR research and calling for more studies on small states’ foreign policy makings. This week’s task is to gain a little flavor of this newly emerged discipline.

3

24

13

December/5

Asymmetric Structure and the Small States in IR II

1. Womack, Brantley. 2016. Asymmetry and International Relationships. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Introduction.
2. Ibid. Ch.1.
3. Ibid. Ch.2

The theoretical approach of asymmetric structure provided by Womack helps further understanding the small state’s perceptions in the bilateral relationship with the great power and the psychological as well as physical discrepancy between the weak and the strong.

3

24

14

December/12

Emotions in IR

1. Hall, Todd. 2015. Emotional Diplomacy: Official Emotion on the International Stage. New York: Cornell University Press. Introduction & Ch. 1.
2. Sasley, Brent E. 2011. “Theorizing State’s Emotions,” International Studies Review 13: 452-476.
3. Clément Maéva and Eric Sangar. 2018. Researching Emotions in International Relations: Methodological Perspectives on the Emotional Turn. Cham: Palgrave Macmillam. Introduction, pp. 1-30.

Emotions have been proved to be a crucial component in human decision making process. States did not always follow the traditional ways of action and reaction as suggested by the mainstreams IR theories. Emotions as rhetoric and behaviors are often seen in states or their policy makers’ performances when managing foreign affairs. Emotions could be trigger that shapes and shifts states’ foreign policy making direction in critical moment. This week the focal point of discussion will be the Emotional Turn in IR.

3

24

15

December/19

Non-Western IR and Its Critiques

1. Chih-yu Shih et al. 2019. China and the International Theory: The Balance of Relationships (Oxon & New York: Routledge). Introduction & Ch. 1
2. Acharya, Amitav and Barry Buzan. (2017) Why is there no Non-Western International Relations Theory? Ten Years On. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, Volume 17, Issue 3: 341-370.
3. Aydınlı, Ersel and Gonca Biltekin. 2018. “Widening the World of IR: A Typology of Homegrown Theorizing.” All Azimuth, Vol. 7, Issue 1 (January): 45-68.

Could IRT be developed outside of the Western World? What kind of influences/contributions could or have the non-Western experiences possibly bring/brought to the development of IRT? How do we understand the diverse aspects of Global Politics through the lens of non-Western IRT?

3

24

16

December/26

Discussions and Debates of the current development of the IRT

Discussing the developments and contributions of IRT for the real world and humanity.

Key Question: Does IRT help to improve our understanding and ability of managing global affairs?

0

24

17

January/3

Break

Break before the Finale!

Please make the best preparation for the final exam and get rid of this course (and the instructor) forever!

0

0

18

January/10/2025

Final Exam

Final Exam

Final Exam

0

24