Introduction to World Politics

Course Calendar (PLS 105: Introduction to World Politics)

January 7 – May 10
Introduction to World Politics
8:30 – 9:20 MWF in Administration 331
Calendar last updated on March 25
January 7 (Monday)
* Note: No Classes Today
January 9 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Course Syllabus
* Discussion Topic: Introduction to the Course
January 11 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Hypotheses and Theories
* Discussion Topic: The Nature of Scientific Inquiry
* Read for today: "What is Science?" Forsberg
* Read for today: "Cargo Cult Science," Feynman
January 14 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: How to Use Wikipedia
* Discussion Topic: Sources and Sourcing
* Discussion Topic: The Three Levels of Sources
* Read for today: "Primary Source," Wikipedia
* Read for today: "Secondary Source," Wikipedia
* Read for today: "Tertiary Source," Wikipedia
* Major assignment due today:
Assignment One: Causal Hypotheses
January 16 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Scientific Reading
* Discussion Topic: The Dangers of Bias
* Read for today: "Wikipedia:Neutral point of view," Wikipedia
* Read for today: "Wikipedia:Verifiability," Wikipedia
January 18 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Scientific Writing
* Read for today: "Citation and Reference List Style Manual," Forsberg
* Read for today: "Weasel word," Wikipedia
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
* Assignment due today: Email your destination to the professor by class today.
January 21 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: Democracy and Freedom Levels
* Read for today: "Map of Freedom in the World," Freedom House
* Read for today: "Polity IV Country Reports," CIDCM
* Holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 23 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Bicameral and Unicameral Legislatures
* Discussion Topic: Parliamentary and Presidential Systems
* Discussion Topic: Unitary, Confederal, and Federal Systems
* Read for today: "The World Factbook," CIA
January 25 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Effective Number of Electoral Parties
* Discussion Topic: Electoral Systems
* Read for today: "Codebook: Democratic Electoral Systems Around the World" page 4 (ENEP), Golder
* Read for today: "Electoral System Design," IDEA
* Read for today: "Table of Electoral Systems Worldwide," IDEA
* Major assignment due today:
Assignment Two: Electoral System
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
January 28 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: Development
* Discussion Topic: Infant Mortality Rate, Death Rate, Birth Rate, Life Expectancy
* Read for today: "The World Factbook," CIA
January 30 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Natural Resources
* Read for today: Atlas
* Quiz: Africa (Map Quiz)
February 1 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Colonialism
* Read for today: "The Scramble for Africa," Wikipedia
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
February 4 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: Gross Domestic Product
* Read for today: "List of countries by GDP (PPP)," Wikipedia
February 6 (Wednesday)
* Presentations: Travel Activity Presentation
* Major assignment due today:
Assignment Three: Travel Activity
* Holiday: Ash Wednesday
February 8 (Friday)
* Presentations: Travel Activity Presentation
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
February 11 (Monday)
* Quiz: Southern and Southeastern Asia (Map Quiz)
* Discussion Topic: The Tuna Wars Activity
* Read for today: Tuna Wars Manual
* Assignment due today: Tuna Wars Starts tonight!
* Holiday: Founder's Week Mass
February 13 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: International Relations, Actions, and Influences
* Read for today: Text: 1--19
February 15 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: International Relations, Actions, and Influences
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
February 18 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: Realism and Power Calculations
* Read for today: Text: 35--40
February 20 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: The International System and Alliances
* Read for today: Text: 41--57
February 22 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Strategy in an Anarchical System
* Read for today: Text: 57--65
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
February 25 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: Liberal Theories of International Relations
* Read for today: Text: 66--74
* Quiz: Latin America (Map Quiz)
February 27 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Social Theories of International Relations
* Read for today: Text: 91--98
February 29 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Gender Theories of International Relations
* Read for today: Text: 99--108
March 3 (Monday)
* Note: Spring Break: No Classes
* Note: Mid-Semester's grade reports due
March 5 (Wednesday)
* Note: Spring Break: No Classes
March 7 (Friday)
* Note: Spring Break: No Classes
March 10 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: The Wars of the World
* Read for today: Text: 112--118
* Read for today: Atlas: 19
March 12 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Conflicts of Ideas and of Interests
* Read for today: Text: 118--142
March 14 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: The Converntional Military
* Read for today: Text: 142--150; 162--167
* Read for today: "Eisenhower's Farewell Address to the Nation"
* Read for today: Atlas: 27a, 28
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
* Holiday: Pi Day
* Holiday: Albert Einstein's Birthday
March 17 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: WMDs and CBRNs
* Read for today: Text: 152--161
* Holiday: St. Patrick's Day
March 19 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Trade and Trade Regimes
* Read for today: Text: 168--188
* Read for today: Atlas: 24, 25, 29
* Quiz: Middle East (Map Quiz)
March 21 (Friday)
* Holiday: Purim
* Holiday: Holy Friday recess
March 24 (Monday)
* Note: Last day to withdraw with a 'W'
* Holiday: Easter Monday recess
March 26 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Globalization
* Read for today: Text: 188--195
* Major assignment due today:
Tuna Wars: Journal
March 28 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: The Currency System
* Read for today: Text: 195--204
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
March 31 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: States and MNCs
* Read for today: Text: 204--216
April 2 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: Supranationalism: The EU, the US, and the UN
* Read for today: Text: 216--236
* Quiz: Eastern Europe (Map Quiz)
April 4 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Supranationalism: The EU, the US, and the UN
* Read for today: The Bluefin in Peril (Ellis 2008)
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
April 7 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: International Law, Human Rights,and Violations of Sovereignty
* Read for today: Text: 249--268
April 9 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: The State of the South and the Post-Colonial Experience
* Read for today: Text: 268--280; 285--291
April 11 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Theories of Accumulation and Development
* Read for today: Text: 280--285; 291--306
* Read for today: Atlas: 18
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
April 14 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: Capital Flows and Foreign Assistance
* Read for today: Text: 306--325
April 16 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: The Environment and Global Interdependence
* Read for today: Text: 325--328
* Quiz: World (Map Quiz)
April 18 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Managing Natural Resources
* Read for today: Text: 328--346
* Read for today: Atlas: 18, 20--23
* Assignment due today: Foreign News Happenings brief
April 21 (Monday)
* Discussion Topic: The Effects of Population
* Read for today: Text: 346--354
* Read for today: Atlas: 10--13, 34--35
April 23 (Wednesday)
* Discussion Topic: The Power of Information
* Read for today: Text: 354--366
* Read for today: Atlas: 30--31
April 25 (Friday)
* Discussion Topic: Class Summary
* Major assignment due today:
Tuna Wars: Debriefing Paper
April 28 (Monday)
* Note: Semester Exams begin
April 29 (Tuesday)
* Examination:: Final Examination (8:00–9:40)
April 30 (Wednesday)
* Holiday: Koninginnedag (Queen’s Birthday, Netherlands)
May 2 (Friday)
* Holiday: Vesak
May 5 (Monday)
* Holiday: Cinco de Mayo
May 7 (Wednesday)
* Nothing for today.
May 9 (Friday)
* Note: Baccalaureate Mass
One Week Two Weeks Month All
Today:
March 31, 2025
Major Assignments:
i*Assignment One: Causal Hypotheses
i*Assignment Two: Electoral System
i*Assignment Three: Travel Activity
i*Tuna Wars: Journal
i*Tuna Wars: Debriefing Paper
Quizzes and Exams:
*Africa (Map Quiz)
*Southern and Southeastern Asia (Map Quiz)
*Latin America (Map Quiz)
*Middle East (Map Quiz)
*Eastern Europe (Map Quiz)
*World (Map Quiz)
*Final Examination (8:00–9:40)