Indeed, many of the conventional tools used to analyze contemporary international issues were conceived of during the Cold War and are of questionable utility in today s world. This class is designed to serve as an introduction to the theory and practice of international politics. It is intended that students who successfully complete this course will have gained more useful theoretical and conceptual tools through which they can analyze current and future international issues. Late papers will receive one lower grade for each day the paper is late . The success of this course will be due in good part to the involvement and enthusiasm of the students and for this reason robust student participation is assumed.
Participation is a combination of attendance and discussion participation.
Students are expected to come to class prepared. When determining your participation grade, the quality of the comments made in class are more important than the quantity. When or if I curve tests or final grades, I reserve the right to withhold the curve from students who excessively miss class. Finally, your performance at the end of the semester is more important than your performance at the beginning. If you show dramatic improvement, your final grade will reflect how you ended the course rather than how you started it.