In this seminar we will read and evaluate a variety of literatures that have been central to the study of international relations over the past 50 years. Greatest emphasis will be given to literature on broad theoretical paradigms that have formed the framework for intellectual debates in international relations. Some attention will also be given to the extent of empirical support for these various paradigms. The primary objectives of this course are: 1) to understand the scope and breadth of the theoretical literature that has defined the study of international relations over the past half-century; 2) to identify the strengths and weaknesses of those theoretical paradigms, 3) to define specific research questions and issues that must be addressed by future research, and 4) to prepare students for preliminary examinations in international relations.

Course Requirements:

Response Papers (Not Graded): In order to encourage active thinking about the readings and discussion in class, students will write two brief commentaries (2 pages maximum, single-spaced) on the readings for a particular week. Students should seek to engage one or more themes in the works, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and suggest future research questions facing that area of the literature. Students will sign up for their weeks at the first class meeting of the seminar. The papers will be circulated electronically to the entire class, and will be due at 9:00 a.m. on the relevant class day. These commentaries will not be graded. You can email the entire class by clicking on the link below.

Email to PS 309

Class Participation (20% of the final grade) : Students will be expected to come to class fully prepared to engage in a robust discussion of the readings and the problems for the field of international relations raised by the readings.

Literature Review (30% of the final grade): The readings on this syllabus can only serve as a foundation from which students can engage the literatures that interest them more intensively. Thus students will write a literature review paper on a topic of interest to them that relates to one of the subjects addressed by this course. Students must identify 4-6 works in the area beyond those listed on the course syllabus and develop a critical evaluation of that literature. Once again, students should identify prominent themes in the research, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of existing work, and develop research questions for future investigation. The literature reviews should be 4,000-5,000 words. Students should consult with the instructor before selecting a literature review topic.

Take-home Final (30% of the final grade): Students will take a one-day take-home examination that will be patterned on the preliminary exams that graduate students must pass before they may advance to the dissertation stage of the PhD program. Exams will be made electronically available at 9:00 AM on April 27 and must be returned by 5:00 PM on that day via email.

Oral Exam Final (20% of the final grade): As with the preliminary exam process, students will be given a brief oral exam with the course instructor. The oral exam may focus on issues raised in the written exam, but any material on the syllabus may be covered during the exam.

It is important that students cite the material that they have relied upon in writing these papers. If you have questions about when you need to provide citation for a source, please see the Duke Libraries' guide on avoiding plagaiarism. If you have questions about how to provide citation on your sources, please see the Duke Libraries' guide on citation formats. Use any citation format that you prefer, what is important is that you give credit to the sources you used.

Required Books:

The following books are available for purchase at the Duke University Bookstore and are also available for purchase through various online sources.

• Graham Allison and Phillip Zelikow, The Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis, 2nd. Edition, Longman, New York, (1999).
• E. H. Carr, The Twenty Years Crisis: 1919-1939, Harper Torchbooks, New York,
• Robert Jervis, Perception and Misperception in International Politics, Princeton University Press, Princeton (1976).
• Robert Keohane, After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Poltical Economy, Princeton University Press, Princeton, (1984).
• Gary King, Robert Keohane, and Sidney Verba, Designing Social Inquiry, Princeton University Press, Princeton: NJ, (1994).
• David Lake and Robert Powell, eds. Strategic Choice and International Relations, Princeton University Press, Princeton, (1999).
• Bruce Russett and John Oneal, Triangulating Peace: Democracy, Interdependence and International Organizations, Norton Publishers, New York (2001).
• Kenneth Waltz, Man, the State and War, Columbia University Press, New York, (1954).
• Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Politics, Addison-Wesley Press, Reading MA, (1979).
• Alexander Wendt, Social Theory of International Politics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, (1999).

All other readings are available online through Duke's full-text databases or on e-reserves. Students can obtain the readings by clicking on the links below. Students must be connected to the Duke network or through the Duke VPN client to download and print the readings.

Schedule of Readings - All listed readings are required

January 19 - Organization and Introductions

January 26 - Theory Building in International Relations

Gary King, Robert Keohane, and Sidney Verba, Designing Social Inquiry, Princeton University Press, Princeton: NJ, (1994).  Chapters 1-3.

Arthur Stinchcombe, Constructing Social Theories, Harcourt and Brace, New York, (1968). pp.15-56. (E-reserves)

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, "Toward a Scientific Understanding of International Conflict: A Personal View (in Symposium: Methodological Foundations of the Study of International Conflict) International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 29, No. 2. (Jun., 1985), pp. 121-136.

Stephen Krasner, "Toward Understanding in International Relations," (in Symposium: Methodological Foundations of the Study of International Conflict) International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 29, No. 2. (Jun., 1985), pp. 137-144.

Robert Jervis, "Pluralistic Rigor: A Comment on Bueno de Mesquita ," (in Symposium: Methodological Foundations of the Study of International Conflict) International Studies Quarterly Vol. 29, No.3 (Jun, 1985). pp. 145-149.

February 2 - Levels of Analysis

Discussion Paper: Nazli Avdan

Kenneth Waltz, Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis, Columbia University Press, New York (1954).

J. David Singer. "The Level of Analysis Problem in International Politics," World Politics , Vol. 14, No. 1, The International System: Theoretical Essays. (Oct., 1961), pp. 77-92.

Robert Jervis, Perception and Misperception in International Politics, Princeton University Press, Princeton, (1976). pp.58-113

February 9 - Classical Realism

Discussion Papers: Mark Dubois, Joel Schlosser, Chris Whytock

E.H Carr, The Twenty Years Crisis: 1919-1939, Harper Torchbooks, pp.1-94 (skim the rest)

Hans J. Morgenthau. Politics Among Nations, Chapter 1. (E-reserves)

Robert Gilpin, "No One Loves a Political Realist" Security Studies, (1996). (E-reserves)

Randall Schweller, "Neorealism's Status Quo Bias: What Security Dilemma," Security Studies, (1996). (E-reserves)

February 16 - Neorealism and System Structure

Discussion Papers: Anoop Sadanandan, Shlomo Griner, Joel Schlosser, Amber Diaz, Chris Whytock, Damon Palmer

Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Politics, Addison-Wesley Publishers, Reading: MA, (1979).

John A. Vasquez, "The Realist Paradigm and Degenerative versus Progressive Research Programs: An Appraisal of Neotraditional Research on Waltz's Balancing Proposition" The American Political Science Review , Vol. 91, No. 4. (Dec., 1997), pp. 899-912.

Kenneth Waltz, "Evaluating Theories," The American Political Science Review , Vol. 91, No. 4. (Dec., 1997), pp. 913-917

February 23 - The Institutionalist Debate

Discussion Papers: Nazli Avdan, Kristin Thompson, Damon Palmer

Robert Keohane, After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy, Princeton University Press, Princeton (1984). chapters 4-7 & 10.

Joseph Grieco, "Anarchy and the Limits of Cooperation: A Realist Critique of the Newest Liberal Institutionalism," International Organization , Vol. 42, No. 3. (Summer, 1988), pp. 485-507.

Emerson Niou and Peter Ordeshook, “Less Filling, Tastes Great: the Realist-Neoliberal Debate,” World Politics 46 (January 1994), pp. 209-34.

Beth Simmons, “International Law and State Behavior: Commitment and Compliance in International Monetary Affairs,” American Political Science Review 94, 4 (2000). pp. 819-35.

Lisa Martin and Beth Simmons, "Theories and Empirical Studies of International Institutions," International Organization, 52, 4, (1998).

March 2 - Constructivism

Discussion Papers: Victoria Frolova, Christine Lee

Alexander Wendt. Social Theory of International Politics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1999).

John Gerard Ruggie, "What Makes the World Hang Together? Neo-Utilitarianism and the Social Constructivist Challenge," International Organization , 52, 4(1998), pp. 855-886.

March 9 - Strategic Choice and the Study of International Relations

Discussion Papers: Patricia Wruuck, Shlomo Griner

David Lake and Robert Powell, eds. Strategic Choice and International Relations, Princeton University Press, Princeton (1999). Chapters 1-3 & 7.

James Fearon, "Rationalist Explanations for War," International Organization, 49, 3 (1995).

Bruce Bueno De Mesquita; David Lalman, "Reason and War," The American Political Science Review , Vol. 80, No. 4. (Dec., 1986), pp. 1113-1129

Curtis Signorino, "Strategic Interaction and the Statistical Analysis of International Conflict" The American Political Science Review , Vol. 93, No. 2. (Jun., 1999), pp. 279-297

March 23 - Deterrence, Crisis Bargaining and War

Discussion Papers: Jie Lu, Nick Troester, April Young

Thomas Schelling, Arms and Influence, Yale University Press, New Haven:CT, (1966).  Chapter 1 and chapter2.

Paul Huth, “Extended Deterrence and the Outbreak of War,” American Political Science Review, 82, (1988).

Richard Ned Lebow and Janice Stein, "Deterrence: The Elusive Dependent Variable" World Politics , Vol. 42, No. 3. (Apr., 1990), pp. 336-369.

Paul Huth and Bruce Russett, " Testing Deterrence Theory: Rigor Makes a Difference," World Politics , Vol. 42, No. 4. (Jul., 1990), pp. 466-501.

James D. Fearon, "Signaling versus the Balance of Power and Interests: An Empirical Test of a Crisis Bargaining Model," The Journal of Conflict Resolution , Vol. 38, No. 2, Arms, Alliances, and Cooperation: Formal Models and Empirical Tests. (1994), pp. 236-269.

March 30 - Liberalism and International Conflict

Discussion Papers: Jie Lu, Victoria Frolova, Patricia Wruuck, Anoop Sadanandan, Mary Biggerstaff

Bruce Russett and John Oneal. 2001. Triangulating Peace: Democracy, Interdependence and International Organizations, Norton Publishers, New York (2001).

Andrew Moravscik, "Taking Preferences Seriously: A Liberal Theory of International Politics," International Organization, 51, 4, (1997).

April 6 - Bureaucratic Politics and Foreign Policy

Discussion Papers: Mark Dubois, Mary Biggerstaff, Kristin Thompson

Graham Allison and Phillip Zelikow, Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis, 2nd Edition, Longman, New York, (1999).

Edward Rhodes, "Do Bureaucratic Politics Matter?: Some Disconfirming Findings from the Case of the U.S. Navy," World Politics , Vol. 47, No. 1. (Oct., 1994), pp. 1-41

April 13 - Public Opinion and Foreign Policy

Discussion Paper: April Young

Ole R. Holsti; James N. Rosenau, "The Structure of Foreign Policy Attitudes among American Leaders," The Journal of Politics , Vol. 52, No. 1. (Feb., 1990), pp. 94-125.

Jon Hurwitz; Mark Peffley, " How Are Foreign Policy Attitudes Structured? A Hierarchical Model," The American Political Science Review , Vol. 81, No. 4. (Dec., 1987), pp. 1099-1120.

Robert Shapiro and Benjamin Page, "Foreign Policy and the Rational Public,"The Journal of Conflict Resolution , Vol. 32, No. 2. (Jun., 1988), pp. 211-247

John Mueller. 1971. "Trends in Popular Support for the Wars in Korea and Vietnam." American Political Science Review. Vol. 65, No. 2. (Jun., 1971), pp. 358-375

Timothy J. McKeown, "The Cuban Missile Crisis and Politics as Usual," The Journal of Politics , Vol. 62, No. 1. (Feb., 2000), pp. 70-87

John H. Aldrich; John L. Sullivan; Eugene Borgida, " Foreign Affairs and Issue Voting: Do Presidential Candidates "Waltz Before A Blind Audience?" The American Political Science Review , Vol. 83, No. 1. (Mar., 1989), pp. 123-141

Christopher Gelpi, Peter Feaver, and Jason Reifler. "Iraq the Vote: Interactive effects of retrospective and prospective foreign policy judgments on candidate choice and casualty tolerance."

April 20 - Misperception and International Politics

Discussion Papers: Christine Lee, Amber Diaz, Nick Troester

Robert Jervis, Perception and Misperception in International Politics, Princeton University Press, Princeton, (1976). pp.117-202

Richard Ned Lebow, Between Peace and War, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, (1981). Chapter 5 & Chapter 6.(part 1, part2)

Deborah Larson, The Origins of Containment: A Psychological Explanation, Princeton University Press, Princeton (1985). pp.3-65. (E-reserves)

Chaim Kaufmann, "Out of the Labs and Into the Archives: A Method for Testing Psychological Explanations of Political Decision Making," International Studies Quarterly, 38, 4, (1994).

Jack Levy, "Prospect Theory, Rational Choice, and International Relations," International Studies Quarterly, 41, 1, (1997).

April 27 - TAKE HOME FINAL EXAM.

Exam will be distributed electronically at 9 AM and will be due at 5:00 PM. Exams should be submitted by email to gelpi@duke.edu

Oral examinations will follow grading of the written exams. They will be scheduled during the week of May 2.