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Why study International Relations?

Why study International Relations?. help understand our role in the world & how we can change it understand how the world affect us help understand & evaluate policy decisions Understanding the international system gives us a better chance of solving important global problems.

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Why study International Relations?

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  1. Why study International Relations? • help understand our role in the world & how we can change it • understand how the world affect us • help understand & evaluatepolicy decisions • Understanding the international system gives us a better chance of solving important global problems

  2. This class will help you better understand how we affect and are affected by the world • Is global warming a threat to the US? • Daily Show: Global Warming debate • http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-december-14-2009/world-of-warmcraft (start at 3:15) • Why did Bin Laden attack the US? • Who are our “enemies?” & how do we prevent another attack? • Daily Show clip:_difference_between Sunnis & Shiites.wmv

  3. How else does the world affect us? • Financially • Goods, jobs, capital • Environment • Population growth • Global warming • Diseases

  4. What is politics? • Harold Lasswell: • Politics is the study of who gets what, when & how • International Relations is the interaction of forces in the international arena

  5. Why take Political Science? • Politics affects everything • Should we send more troops to Afghanistan? • Should we set a timetable for troop withdrawal? • Should we give “amnesty” to illegal immigrants? • Why did Barak Obama win the Nobel Peace Prize? • Politics is serious, but can be fun if we don’t take it too seriously (Daily Show clip)

  6. WHO • States • Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) • United Nations • NATO • Transnational organizations • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) • Multinational Corporations (MNCs) • Individual leaders

  7. What • Power • Hard versus Soft • Security • terrorism • Economic growth • trade • Resources • Water • Energy • Environment • Health • Note: if you add in “supplemental” spending for the wars, the US share is MORE than the rest of the world combined

  8. How • Military force • Diplomacy • Pressure • International Law

  9. Issues facing the US & the world • How best to stop international terrorists (Al Qaeda) • What should we do about global climate change? • How to balance economic growth with the environment? • How should we handle nationalist separatist movements? • Is a united Europe good or bad for the US? • The answers to these questions often depend on your world view (“paradigm” – see next lecture)

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