Michael R. Anderson

IRG 301

Michael R. Anderson

Course Description:  

The principal objective of IRG 301 is to introduce students who have selected the IRG major to the four subject tracks of the program, among which students must choose one as their area of concentration: culture, media, and the arts (track one); international security (track two); science, technology, and the environment (track three); and international political economy (track four).

This course aims to introduce these various themes through an exploration of the global interconnections that have come to define the modern world. Course content includes not only an examination of the shifting balance of power from the perspective of geopolitics, but also an exploration of the nature of the modern global economy, the effect of human activity upon the natural world, and recent efforts to create a global cultural and social consciousness that transcends national identities. The course draws upon scholarly perspectives from history, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and economics, as well as insights from area studies, in recognition of the major program’s interdisciplinary nature.

By the end of this course students should have a broad familiarity with the four subject themes comprising the major and an awareness of some of the major global challenges confronting actors on the international stage today.

Class time will be divided between lecture material (Mondays and Wednesdays) and small-group discussion sections (Fridays).  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance on weekly reading responses and four exams.

Required:

• O’Brien and Williams, Global Political Economy (Palgrave Macmillan, 5^th)
• Neack, National, International, and Human Security (Rowman & Littlefield, 2^nd)
• Lule, Globalization and Media (Rowman and Littlefield, 3^rd)
• Kress and Stine, eds., Living in the Anthropocene (Smithsonian)

IRG 320F (FRA)

Course description and objectives

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in International Relations and Global Studies, providing a link between the introductory course (IRG 301) and capstone seminar (IRG 378) or honors thesis (IRG 678) for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course cross-cut the broad subject areas of the major’s four tracks: international security; international political economy; science, technology, and the environment; and culture, media, and the arts. 

There are two over-arching objectives of this course. The first is to examine in detail key controversies surrounding the contemporary era in international affairs. Using insights from history, political science, economics, geography, anthropology, and area studies, we will examine the nature of today’s international system, the possibility of political and economic global governance, as well as the state of international civil society.

A second, related objective is to help students conceive a project for their capstone seminar or honors thesis, normally taken soon after the completion of IRG 320F. Through the process of writing a research proposal and delivering an oral presentation to the class on their proposed subject, students in this course will lay the foundation for a successful capstone/thesis experience.

For the UT in Paris program, this course has been specially designed to take full advantage of the location. In many ways, Paris is an ideal setting in which to base a course centered on the broad themes of international relations and global studies. Through numerous excursions to Paris-based organizations and visits with relevant officials, students will see first-hand the work of diplomats, businesspeople, scholars, and activists engaged in constructing the basis of a still-emerging and hotly contested international order. 

Required text:

Haas, Peter M. and John A. Hird, eds., 2013 Controversies in Globalization: Contending Approaches in International Relations. 2^nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: CQ Press.

IRG 678HA

Course Description:

IRG 678HA is the first semester of a two-semester sequence designed for students admitted to the International Relations and Global Studies honors program. The class is designed to prepare selected IRG majors in their last year of study to undertake an honors thesis and to complete it within an academic year. The class format of IRG 678HA consists of a weekly workshop in which participants discuss relevant topics concerning the researching and writing of a substantial and original piece of work (50+ pages) related to one of the IRG major’s four subject tracks: International Security; International Political Economy; Science, Technology and the Environment; and Culture, Media, and the Arts. The incorporation of previous coursework in multiple disciplines, study-abroad experience, and foreign-language sources is strongly encouraged.   

As instructor of record in the IRG honors program tutorial sequence, Dr. Anderson has agreed to act as supervisor for all IRG honors theses. Students in IRG 678HA/HB, however, are strongly encouraged to find another faculty member at UT-Austin willing to serve as a second reader of the thesis.

Required: 

Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago, 9^th edition, 2018).

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

IRG 301

Course Description:  

The principal objective of IRG 301 is to introduce students who have selected the IRG major to the four subject tracks of the program, among which students must choose one as their area of concentration: culture, media, and the arts (track one); international security (track two); science, technology, and the environment (track three); and international political economy (track four).

This course aims to introduce these various themes through an exploration of the global interconnections that have come to define the modern world. Course content includes not only an examination of the shifting balance of power from the perspective of geopolitics, but also an exploration of the nature of the modern global economy, the effect of human activity upon the natural world, and recent efforts to create a global cultural and social consciousness that transcends national identities. The course draws upon scholarly perspectives from history, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and economics, as well as insights from area studies, in recognition of the major program’s interdisciplinary nature.

By the end of this course students should have a broad familiarity with the four subject themes comprising the major and an awareness of some of the major global challenges confronting actors on the international stage today.

Class time will be divided between lecture material (Mondays and Wednesdays) and small-group discussion sections (Fridays).  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance on weekly reading responses and four exams.

Required:

• Oliver Stuenkel, Post Western World (Polity, 2016).
• Andrew Brooks, The End of Development (Zed, 2017).
• Jack Lule, Globalization and Media (Rowman and Littlefield, 3^rd ed., 2017).
• Jeremy Davies, Birth of the Anthropocene (California, 2016).

IRG 678HA

Course Description:

IRG 678HA is the first semester of a two-semester sequence designed for students admitted to the International Relations and Global Studies honors program. The class is designed to prepare selected IRG majors in their last year of study to undertake an honors thesis and to complete it within an academic year. The class format of IRG 678HA consists of a weekly workshop in which participants discuss relevant topics concerning the researching and writing of a substantial and original piece of work (50+ pages) related to one of the IRG major’s four subject tracks: International Security; International Political Economy; Science, Technology and the Environment; and Culture, Media, and the Arts. The incorporation of previous coursework in multiple disciplines, study-abroad experience, and foreign-language sources is strongly encouraged.   

As instructor of record in the IRG honors program tutorial sequence, Dr. Anderson has agreed to act as supervisor for all IRG honors theses. Students in IRG 678HA/HB, however, are strongly encouraged to find another instructor at UT-Austin willing to serve as a second reader of the thesis.

Required: 

Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago, 9^th edition, 2018).

IRG 301 – Summer 2018

Course Description and Objectives:   

The principal objective of IRG 301 is to introduce students who have selected the IRG major to the four subject tracks of the program, among which students must choose one as their area of concentration: culture, media, and the arts (track one); international security (track two); science, technology, and the environment (track three); and international political economy (track four).

This course aims to introduce these various themes through an exploration of the global interconnections that have come to define the modern world. Course content includes not only an examination of the shifting balance of power from the perspective of geopolitics, but also an exploration of the nature of the modern global economy, the effect of human activity upon the natural world, and recent efforts to create a global cultural and social consciousness that transcends national identities. The course draws upon scholarly perspectives from history, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and economics, as well as insights from area studies, in recognition of the major program’s interdisciplinary nature.

By the end of this course students should have a broad familiarity with the four subject themes comprising the major and an awareness of the ideas and institutions that have shaped contemporary global history, and will thus be better prepared to assess some of the major global challenges confronting actors on the international stage today.

Grading will consist of attendance and participation (25 percent), take-home essays (45 percent), and a final exam (30 percent).

Required Books:

• Robert C. Allen, Global Economic History: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2011).
• Christopher S. Browning, International Security: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2013).
• J.R. McNeill and Peter Engelke, The Great Acceleration (Belknap, 2014).
• Jack Lule, Globalization and Media, 3^rd ed. (Rowman and Littlefield, 2018).

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

IRG 301 (40095 etc)

Course Description:  

The principal objective of IRG 301 is to introduce students who have selected the IRG major to the four subject tracks of the program, among which students must choose one as their area of concentration: culture, media, and the arts (track one); international security (track two); science, technology, and the environment (track three); and international political economy (track four).

This course aims to introduce these various themes through an exploration of the global interconnections that have come to define the modern world. Course content includes not only an examination of the shifting balance of power from the perspective of geopolitics, but also an exploration of the nature of the modern global economy, the effect of human activity upon the natural world, and recent efforts to create a global cultural and social consciousness that transcends national identities. The course draws upon scholarly perspectives from history, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and economics, as well as insights from area studies, in recognition of the major program’s interdisciplinary nature.

By the end of this course students should have a broad familiarity with the four subject themes comprising the major and an awareness of some of the major global challenges confronting actors on the international stage today.

Class time will be divided between lecture material (Mondays and Wednesdays) and small-group discussion sections (Fridays).  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance on weekly reading responses and three exams.

Required:

• Oliver Stuenkel, The Post-Western World (Polity, 2016).
• Gilbert Rist, The History of Development (Zed Books, 4^th ed., 2013).
• Ian Angus, Facing the Anthropocene (Monthly Review, 2016).
• Kwame Anthony Appiah, Cosmopolitanism (Norton, 2006).

IRG 320F—FRA (40125)

Course description

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in International Relations and Global Studies, providing a link between the introductory course and capstone seminar or honors thesis for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course cross-cut the broad subject areas of the major’s four tracks: international security; international political economy; science, technology, and the environment; and culture, media, and the arts.

There are two over-arching objectives of this course. The first is to examine in detail several key controversies in contemporary international affairs. The central perspective in all of these discussions will be that of globalization. How do modern nation-states, corporations, nongovernmental organizations and everyday citizens tackle the challenges of the contemporary era in which peoples, ideas, money, and goods regularly move across borders and in the process wholly transform economies and identities? A second, related objective is to help students conceive a project for their capstone seminar or honors thesis, normally taken soon after the completion of IRG 320F. Through the process of writing a research proposal and delivering an oral presentation to the class on their proposed subject, students in this course will lay the foundation for a successful capstone seminar or honors thesis experience.

For the UT in Paris program, this course has been specially designed to take full advantage of the location. Paris has earned a reputation as one of the most important international cities of the world. It houses the headquarters of several key intergovernmental as well as nongovernmental organizations; it serves as a critical node in the world of art and fashion; indeed, for many years the city’s cultural offerings represented the apex of what many considered to be “civilized” and “cosmopolitan.” Through numerous excursions to Paris-based organizations, students will see first-hand the work of diplomats, businesspeople, scholars, and activists, engaged in constructing the basis of a still-emerging and hotly contested international order.

Required:

Peter Haas and John Hird, Controversies in Globalization: Contending Approaches to International Relations, (Second ed.), CQ Press, 2013.

IRG 678HA (40155)

Course Description:

IRG 678HA is the first semester of a two-semester sequence designed for students admitted to the International Relations and Global Studies honors program. The class is designed to prepare selected IRG majors in their last year of study to undertake an honors thesis and to complete it within an academic year. The class format of IRG 678HA consists of a weekly workshop in which participants discuss relevant topics concerning the researching and writing of a substantial and original piece of work (50+ pages) related to one of the IRG major’s four subject tracks: International Security; International Political Economy; Science, Technology and the Environment; and Culture, Media, and the Arts. The incorporation of previous coursework in multiple disciplines, study-abroad experience, and foreign-language sources is strongly encouraged.   

As instructor of record in the IRG honors program tutorial sequence, Dr. Anderson has agreed to act as supervisor for all IRG honors theses. Students in IRG 678HA/HB, however, are strongly encouraged to find another instructor at UT-Austin willing to serve as a second reader of the thesis.

Required: 

Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago, 8^th edition, 2013).

IRG 301:

Course Description and Objectives:   

The principal objective of IRG 301 is to introduce students who have selected the IRG major to the four subject tracks of the program, among which students must choose one as their area of concentration: culture, media, and the arts (track one); international security (track two); science, technology, and the environment (track three); and international political economy (track four).

This course aims to introduce these various themes through an exploration of the global interconnections that have come to define the modern world. Course content includes not only an examination of the shifting balance of power from the perspective of geopolitics, but also an exploration of the nature of the modern global economy, the effect of human activity upon the natural world, and recent efforts to create a global cultural and social consciousness that transcends national identities. The course draws upon scholarly perspectives from history, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and economics, as well as insights from area studies, in recognition of the major program’s interdisciplinary nature.

By the end of this course students should have a broad familiarity with the four subject themes comprising the major and an awareness of the ideas and institutions that have shaped contemporary global history, and will thus be better prepared to assess some of the major global challenges confronting actors on the international stage today.

Class time will be divided between lecture material (Mondays and Wednesdays) and small-group discussion sections (Fridays).  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance on weekly reading responses and three exams.

Required Books:

• Joyce Appleby, Relentless Revolution: A History of Capitalism (Norton, 2011).
• Henry Kissinger, World Order (Penguin Press, 2014).
• Peter Jacques, Sustainability: The Basics (Taylor and Francis, 2014).
• Kwame Anthony Appiah, Cosmopolitanism (Norton, 2006).

IRG 678HB:

Prerequisites: IRG 678HA

Course Description and Objectives:

IRG 678HB is the second course of a two-semester sequence designed for students admitted to the International Relations and Global Studies honors program. The class is designed to facilitate the completion of an honors thesis of at least 50 pages by the end of the semester in one of four subject tracks: International Security; International Political Economy; Science, Technology and the Environment; or Culture, Media, and the Arts.

Although much of the work in this course will be based around individual research and writing, along with regular consultation with the honors supervisor, students also will meet as a group once a week in order to discuss common problems and troubleshoot solutions related to the honors thesis. Students also will be required to provide peer feedback on fellow classmates’ work. It is the goal of this course to create a supportive scholarly community in order to share ideas, to sharpen focus, and ultimately to enrich each student’s work through the active participation and encouragement of peers in the IRG honors program. 

Required Book: 

Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago, 8^th edition, 2013).

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

Introduction to International Relations and Global Studies

Course Description:

The principal objective of IRG 301 is to introduce students who have selected the IRG major to the four subject tracks of the program, among which students must choose one as their area of concentration: culture, media, and the arts (track one); international security (track two); science, technology, and the environment (track three); and international political economy (track four).

This course aims to introduce these various themes through an exploration of the global interconnections that have come to define the modern world. Course content includes not only an examination of the shifting balance of power from the perspective of geopolitics, but also an exploration of the nature of the modern global economy, the effect of human activity upon the natural world, and recent efforts to create a global cultural and social consciousness that transcends national identities. The course draws upon scholarly perspectives from history, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and economics, as well as insights from area studies, in recognition of the major program’s interdisciplinary nature.

By the end of this course students should have a broad familiarity with the four subject themes comprising the major and an awareness of the ideas and institutions that have shaped contemporary global history, and will thus be better prepared to assess some of the major global challenges confronting actors on the international stage today.

Grading:

Midterm (30%)

Final exam (50%)

Attendance/participation (20%)

Texts:

Christopher Browning, International Security

Robert Allen, Global Economic History

Peter Jacques, Sustainability

Kwame Appiah, Cosmopolitanism

Introduction to International Relations and Global Studies (IRG 301)

Course Description and Objectives:  

The principal objective of IRG 301 is to introduce students who have selected the IRG major to the four subject tracks of the program, among which students must choose one as their area of concentration: culture, media, and the arts (track one); international security (track two); science, technology, and the environment (track three); and international political economy (track four).

This course aims to introduce these various themes through an exploration of the global interconnections that have come to define the modern world. Course content includes not only an examination of the shifting balance of power from the perspective of geopolitics, but also an exploration of the nature of the modern global economy, the effect of human activity upon the natural world, and recent efforts to create a global cultural and social consciousness that transcends national identities. The course draws upon scholarly perspectives from history, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and economics, as well as insights from area studies, in recognition of the major program’s interdisciplinary nature.

By the end of this course students should have a broad familiarity with the four subject themes comprising the major and an awareness of some of the major global challenges confronting actors on the international stage today.

Class time will be divided between lecture material (Mondays and Wednesdays) and small-group discussion sections (Fridays).  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance on weekly reading responses and three exams.

Required Books:

• Henry Kissinger, World Order (Penguin Press, 2014).
• Joyce Appleby, Relentless Revolution: A History of Capitalism (Norton, 2011).
• Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich, The Dominant Animal (Island Press, 2010).

Grading Breakdown:

• Attendance at lectures (5 percent)
• Discussion sections (10 percent)
• Reading responses (10 percent)
• Miderm Tests (40 percent)
• Final Exam (35 percent)    

IRG 678HB: Honors Tutorial Course in

International Relations and Global Studies

Course Description:

IRG 678HB is the second course of a two-semester sequence designed for students admitted to the International Relations and Global Studies honors program. The class is designed to facilitate the completion of an honors thesis of at least 50 pages by the end of the semester in one of four subject tracks: International Security; International Political Economy; Science, Technology and the Environment; and Culture, Media, and the Arts.

Although much of the work in this course will be based around individual research and writing, along with regular consultation with the honors supervisor, students also will meet as a group once a week in order to discuss common problems and troubleshoot solutions related to the honors thesis. Students also will be required to provide peer feedback on fellow classmates’ work. It is the goal of this course to create a supportive scholarly community in order to share ideas, to sharpen focus, and ultimately to enrich each student’s work through the active participation and encouragement of peers in the IRG honors program. 

Required Text: 

Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago, 8th edition, 2013).

Grading Breakdown:

• Attendance and participation in weekly group meetings (7 percent)
• Individual consultation with supervisor -- min. 3 visits before Spring Break (3 percent)
• Submission of draft chapters in accordance with project schedule (5 percent)
• Peer review and feedback of fellow students’ work (5 percent)
• Submission of complete rough draft by April 3 (20 percent)
• Coordination of and attendance at meeting of supervisor and second reader (10 percent)
• Submission of complete final draft by May 1 (50 percent)

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in a particular subject area related to International Relations and Global Studies, providing a link between the introductory course (IRG 301) and capstone seminar (IRG 378) for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course cross-cut the broad subject areas of the major’s four tracks: international security; international political economy; science, technology, and the environment; and culture, media, and the arts. 

There are two over-arching objectives of this course. The first is to examine in detail some key ideological concepts underpinning the perspectives of those pursuing an IRG major, especially “internationalism,” “globalism,” and “regionalism.” Using insights from history, political science, economics, geography, anthropology, and area studies, we will ask how these “-isms” shape our view of contemporary global affairs. What they can tell us about the nature of today’s international system, the possibility of political and economic global governance, as well as international civil society? A second, related objective is to help students conceive a project for their capstone seminar, normally taken soon after the completion of IRG 320F. Through the process of writing a research proposal and delivering an oral presentation to the class on their proposed subject, students in this course will lay the foundation for a successful capstone seminar experience.

For the UT in Paris program, this course has been specially designed to take full advantage of the location. In many ways, Paris is an ideal setting in which to base a course centered on the broad themes of international relations and global studies. Over hundreds of years, Paris has earned a reputation as one of the most important international cities of the world. It houses the headquarters of several key intergovernmental as well as nongovernmental organizations; it serves as a critical node in the world of art and fashion; indeed, for many years the city’s cultural offerings represented the apex of what many considered to be “civilized” and “cosmopolitan.” Through numerous excursions to Paris-based organizations – the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Académie Diplomatique Internationale(ADI), among others – students will see first-hand the work of diplomats, businesspeople, scholars, and activists, engaged in constructing the basis of a still-emerging and hotly contested international order. 

Readings:

PDF articles will be posted on Blackboard. No required books.

Grading breakdown:

Assignment                                         Value (percent)

Attendance/participation                     10

Blackboard discussion                        15

Reading Response Essay 1                 20

Reading Response Essay 2                 20

Research Project Proposal                  25

Oral Presentation                              10

Course Description:

IRG 678HA is the first semester of a two-semester sequence designed for students admitted to the International Relations and Global Studies honors program. The class is designed to prepare selected senior IRG majors to undertake an honors thesis and to complete it within an academic year. The class format of IRG 678HA consists of a weekly workshop in which participants discuss relevant topics concerning the researching and writing of a substantial and original piece of work (i.e. 50-60 pages) related to one of the IRG major’s four subject tracks: International Security; International Political Economy; Science, Technology and the Environment; and Culture, Media, and the Arts. The incorporation of previous coursework in multiple disciplines, study-abroad experience, and foreign-language sources is strongly encouraged.   

As instructor of record in the IRG honors program tutorial sequence, Dr. Anderson has agreed to act as supervisor for all IRG honors theses. Students in IRG 678HA/HB, however, are strongly encouraged to find another instructor at the University of Texas willing to serve as a second reader of the thesis.

Required Text: 

Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago, 8th edition, 2013).

All other readings will be posted on Blackboard and announced in advance of class.

Grading Breakdown:

Student grades will be based on:

1)    Faithful attendance and participation at all class sessions (30 percent)

2)    Completion of weekly reading/writing assignments (30 percent)

3)    Completion of a working outline, literature review, and project schedule for Spring 2014 (40 percent)

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

IRG 320F (UT in Paris 2014) course description

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in a particular subject area related to International Relations and Global Studies, providing a link between the introductory course (IRG 301) and capstone seminar (IRG 378) for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course cross-cut the broad subject areas of the major’s four tracks: international security; international political economy; science, technology, and the environment; and culture, media, and the arts. 

There are two over-arching objectives of this course. The first is to examine in detail some key ideological concepts underpinning the perspectives of those pursuing an IRG major, especially “internationalism,” “globalism,” and “regionalism.” Using insights from history, political science, economics, geography, anthropology, and area studies, we will ask how these “-isms” shape our view of contemporary global affairs. What they can tell us about the nature of today’s international system, the possibility of political and economic global governance, as well as international civil society? A second, related objective is to help students conceive a project for their capstone seminar, normally taken soon after the completion of IRG 320F. Through the process of writing a research proposal and delivering an oral presentation to the class on their proposed subject, students in this course will lay the foundation for a successful capstone seminar experience.

For the UT in Paris program, this course has been specially designed to take full advantage of the location. In many ways, Paris is an ideal setting in which to base a course centered on the broad themes of international relations and global studies. Over hundreds of years, Paris has earned a reputation as one of the most important international cities of the world. It houses the headquarters of several key intergovernmental as well as nongovernmental organizations; it serves as a critical node in the world of art and fashion; indeed, for many years the city’s cultural offerings represented the apex of what many considered to be “civilized” and “cosmopolitan.” Through numerous excursions to Paris-based organizations – the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Académie Diplomatique Internationale (ADI), among others – students will see first-hand the work of diplomats, businesspeople, scholars, and activists, engaged in constructing the basis of a still-emerging and hotly contested international order. 

Readings:

PDF articles will be posted on Blackboard. No required books.

Grading breakdown:

Assignment                                         Value (percent)

Attendance/participation                     10

Blackboard discussion                        15

Reading Response Essay 1                 20

Reading Response Essay 2                 20

Research Project Proposal                  25

Oral Presentation                              10

IRG 678 HA – Fall 2014

Course Description:

IRG 678HA is the first semester of a two-semester sequence designed for students admitted to the International Relations and Global Studies honors program. The class is designed to prepare selected senior IRG majors to undertake an honors thesis and to complete it within an academic year. The class format of IRG 678HA consists of a weekly workshop in which participants discuss relevant topics concerning the researching and writing of a substantial and original piece of work (i.e. 50-60 pages) related to one of the IRG major’s four subject tracks: International Security; International Political Economy; Science, Technology and the Environment; and Culture, Media, and the Arts. The incorporation of previous coursework in multiple disciplines, study-abroad experience, and foreign-language sources is strongly encouraged.   

As instructor of record in the IRG honors program tutorial sequence, Dr. Anderson has agreed to act as supervisor for all IRG honors theses. Students in IRG 678HA/HB, however, are strongly encouraged to find another instructor at the University of Texas willing to serve as a second reader of the thesis.

Required Text: 

Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago, 8th edition, 2013).

All other readings will be posted on Blackboard and announced in advance of class.

Grading Breakdown:

Student grades will be based on:

1)    Faithful attendance and participation at all class sessions (30 percent)

2)    Completion of weekly reading/writing assignments (30 percent)

3)    Completion of a working outline, literature review, and project schedule for Spring 2014 (40 percent)

Course description and objectives

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in a particular subject area related to international relations and global studies, providing a link between the introductory course (IRG 301) and capstone seminar (IRG 378) for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course cross-cut the broad subject areas the major’s four tracks: international security; international political economy; science, technology, and the environment; and culture, media, and the arts. 

There are two over-arching objectives of this course. The first is to examine in some detail ideological concepts related to the IRG major, especially “internationalism,” “globalism,” and “regionalism.” Using insights from history, political science, economics, geography, anthropology, and area studies, we will ask how these “-isms” shape our view of contemporary global affairs. What they can tell us about the nature of today’s international system/systems, the possibility of political and economic global governance, as well as international civil society?

A second, related objective is to help students conceive a project for their capstone seminar, normally taken soon after the completion of IRG 320F. Students are required to select a topic of global or regional importance and write a literature review of scholarly articles related to that subject. Through this process, students are exposed to the contemporary academic debates surrounding that subject, and thus are better prepared to complete a capstone project in IRG 378.

Required:

• Mark Mazower, Governing the World: The History of an Idea (Penguin Press HC, 2012). ISBN 978-1594203497
• Kishore Mahbubani, The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World (PublicAffairs, 2013). ISBN 978-1610390330

Recommended:

• Sheldon Anderson et al., International Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Issues (Westview Press, 2nd ed., 2013). ISBN 978-0813345888

Grading breakdown

1. Attendance (5 percent)
2. Response papers (10 percent)
3. First exam (20 percent)
4. Second exam (20 percent)
5. Third exam (20 percent)
6. Literature review (25 percent)

This course is restricted to IRG majors. For IRG program information please contact Dr. Michael Anderson, Director.

The concluding, capstone seminar for the International Relations & Global Studies major is designed to give you an opportunity to draw on your program of studies to prepare a rigorous analysis of a specific aspect of contemporary world affairs.  You have the choice of two formats.  One is a tightly organized research paper; the other is structured as a policy paper directed at a senior decision-maker in a national government or international organization. 

It is profitable to all to set a number of themes for the seminar.  That enhances exchanges and allows for collaborative projects. Still, students will be given reasonable latitude in selecting topics that interest them and/or on which they have acquired specialized knowledge.  We will examine closely the nature of the policy paper and its organization as the semester progresses.  The seminar paper – in either format -  should be viewed as representative of your abilities at this stage in your career and, as such, an effective way of presenting yourself and your abilities.

 The following is a short list of possible themes: democracy promotion as an instrument of foreign policy; the strains among three standards to assess global economic interdependence: growth, equity and stability; the ethical dimensions of the use of force; the interplay of domestic politics and foreign policy process/substance.

Course Description 

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in a particular subject area related to international relations and global studies, providing a link between the introductory course (IRG 301) and capstone seminar (IRG 378) for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course cross-cut the broad subject areas the major’s four tracks: international security; international political economy; science, technology, and the environment; and culture, media, and the arts. 

There are two over-arching objectives of this course. The first is to examine in some detail ideological concepts related to the IRG major, especially “internationalism,” “globalism,” “cosmopolitanism,” and “regionalism.” Using insights from history, political science, geography, anthropology, and area studies, we will ask how these “isms” shape our view of contemporary global affairs. What they can tell us about the nature of today’s international system/systems, the possibility of political and economic global governance, as well as international civil society?

A second, related objective is to help students conceive a project for their capstone seminar, normally taken soon after the completion of IRG 320F. Students are required to select a topic of global or regional importance and write a literature review of scholarly articles related to that subject. Through this process, students are exposed to the contemporary academic debates surrounding that subject, and thus are better prepared to complete a capstone project in IRG 378.

Grading Policy 

1. Attendance (5 percent of term grade)
2. Response papers (10 percent)
3. First exam (25 percent)
4. Second exam (25 percent)
5. Literature review

1. Topic and list of articles (5 percent)
2. Critical summary of articles (10 percent)
3. Final draft (20 percent)

Texts

TBA

Prerequisites

IRG 301, 60 hours of coursework

Course Description

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge in a particular subject area related to international relations and global studies, providing a link between the introductory course (IRG 301) and capstone seminar (IRG 378) for IRG majors. The scope and the theme of the course will cross-cut the broad subject areas of international security; international political economy; science, technology, and the environment; and culture, media, and the arts. The format of this course is structured around background readings and lectures provided by the instructor, interspersed with numerous guest lectures from distinguished faculty around the UT campus.

Grading Policy

Attendance (5 percent of term grade); midterm exam (30 percent); final exam (40 percent), and one essay of 1500-1700 words (25 percent).

Prerequisites

IRG 301, 90 hours of coursework

Course description

This upper-level research seminar fulfills part of the requirement for the International Relations and Global Studies major, and is meant to be taken during one’s final year of study.  Through readings, weekly discussions and individual consultation, this seminar provides students the opportunity to produce a significant paper of original research on a topic dealing with a contemporary global issue relating to culture, media and the arts; or science, environment, and technology. Globalization will provide the overarching perspective into these related issues.

Grading Policy

Reading responses (25 percent); attendance and participation (10 percent); paper proposal (5 percent); rough draft (20 percent); oral presentation (10 percent); and final draft (30 percent).

This course introduces the history of American foreign relations from the First World War to the present.  During this period, the United States fully joined the ranks of the great powers and then, following a period of hesitation, surpassed all its rivals in exercising influence around the world.  We will explore the course and causes of this rise to power and seek to understand current dilemmas and debates within their historical context. 

The class aims for both breadth and depth.  Some lectures and readings are aimed at providing a wide view of the political, economic, and ideological currents that fed into the making of foreign policy.  Other lectures and readings focus on particular topics – the debate over the League of Nations, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Vietnam War, the American interventions in Central America during the 1980s, and the American response to the September 11 attacks, among others.

Required texts will likely include Emily Rosenberg, Spreading the American Dream; James Mann, Rise of the Vulcans; Melvin Leffler, The Specter of Communism; Mark Danner, Massacre at El Mozote; and Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler, Fail-Safe.

Students will be evaluated on the basis of a midterm (30 percent of term grade), paper (30 percent), and final (40 percent).

This course is designed to introduce IRG majors to the myriad ways of approaching contemporary global challenges.  During the semester, students will have the opportunity to study these global challenges through the diverse perspectives of various faculty members from around the university, who will provide their unique insights into these concerns. They will address such matters as: What is at the root of the most pressing global issues today? How do different scholarly disciplines shape the way in which we view these issues?  And last but not least, how might students best address themselves to meeting and overcoming such challenges?

Lectures and readings will vary week to week. Final grades will be determined through reading responses as well as a comprehensive essay. Although this course is primarily lecture-based, there will be significant opportunity for classroom discussion and debate.

Course Description

This course is designed to introduce students to the interdisciplinary major of International Relations and Global Studies. Drawing from the diverse scholarly perspectives of history, government, economics, sociology, geography, religious studies and anthropology, IRG 301 provides an overview of contemporary global issues, and offers students a window into the four thematic “tracks” they can follow as a major: 1) culture, media, and the arts; 2) international security; 3) science, technology, and the environment; and 4) international political economy.

Lectures and readings will center around a number of questions related to contemporary global concerns, such as: To what extent can the past several decades be described as an “American century,” and to what degree is this no longer the case? What were the fundamental pillars of the international economy after World War II, and how have they shifted since then? To what extent has economic and cultural globalization merely been a mask for Westernization? What are the consequences of the so-called “rise of the rest” – greater peace and prosperity among nations and peoples, or the greater likelihood of conflict and ecological catastrophe? 

This course is primarily lecture-based, but with significant opportunity for regular classroom discussion. 

This upper-level research seminar fulfills part of the requirement for the International Relations and Global Studies major.  Through readings, weekly discussions and individual consultation with the instructor, this seminar provides students the opportunity to produce a significant paper of original research on a topic dealing with a contemporary global issue.  International Security serves as an overarching theme for the semester.  Students will have the opportunity to explore topics concerning this subject, from the debates over nuclear weapons and terrorism to international institutions and the question of human and environmental security.

This upper-level research seminar fulfills part of the requirement for the International Relations and Global Studies major.  Through readings, weekly discussions and individual consultation with the instructor, this seminar provides students the opportunity to produce a significant paper of original research on a topic dealing with a contemporary global issue.  

Students following the tracks of Culture, Media, and the Arts; as well as Science, Technology, and the Environment, are encouraged to pursue this capstone seminar.  

see syllabus

see syllabus

see syllabus

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the West (and the United States in particular) dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry. 

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

Course Description:  

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry. 

Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:

1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors

2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”

3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

Required Books:

• Andrew J. Bacevich, American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U.S. Diplomacy (Harvard University Press, 2002). 
• Joseph E. Stiglitz, Making Globalization Work (Norton, 2007). 
• James L. Watson, ed., Golden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia (2^nd edition, Stanford University Press, 2007). 
• Michael Casey, Che’s Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image (Vintage, 2009). 
• Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World (Norton, 2008). 

All other readings will be posted online on the class blackboard site.

Grading Breakdown:

• Discussion (15 percent): At the beginning of the semester students will select one of the five major books for which they will serve as discussion leaders.  These students will be responsible for posting a discussion question each weekend on blackboard (by Sunday evening) to the reading set for Tuesday.  The rest of the class will be responsible for responding to one of the discussion questions by Monday evening.  Questions and responses do not need to be longer than 2-3 sentences.  They should attempt to open up avenues for further discussion during class that week.

 Students are expected to contribute to in-class discussion on a regular basis.  At the beginning of the semester students will select one day in which they will be responsible for bringing into class a news article about an event or issue relevant to the course.  In general, the discussion grade will be based on the consistency and quality of a student’s contributions during the semester.

• In-class responses (20 percent): Ten times (unannounced in advance) during the semester, the instructor will ask students to take out a sheet of paper and respond to a short question regarding a theme or concept from the reading assignment for that day.  These responses will take no more than 10-15 minutes and should consist of one substantial paragraph.  These responses will be graded with a check minus (0 points), a check (1 point) or check plus (2 points), based upon the clarity, cogency and coherence of the answer.

• Multiple choice quizzes (15 percent):  Three times during the semester (see course schedule), the instructor will have students take a 10-question multiple-choice quiz based on terms from lectures.  The instructor will provide the relevant terms at each class meeting. 

• Book review essay (15 percent):  Students will write a comparative book review essay of no more than 2000 words, using the books by Andrew Bacevich, Joseph Stiglitz, and James Watson.  The title of the book review essay should be: “Globalization: The Americanization of the World?”   

• Final essay (35 percent):  Students will choose a topic in international relations and global studies to explore in greater depth through a final essay.  Students will be required to submit a one-page proposal and bibliography (5 percent) before embarking on the essay itself (30 percent).  Final papers should consist of a review of the recent scholarly debate over the subject, and be 3500-4000 words in length.  A more thorough explanation of the criteria for evaluating these essays will be handed out to students by mid-semester.

• Overall semester averages will earn the following letter grades:

93-100: A            90-92: A-

87-89: B+            83-86: B            80-82: B-

77-79: C+            73-76: C            70-72: C-

67-69: D+            63-66: D            60-62: D-            0-59:   F

Course Description:  

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry. 

Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:

1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors

2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”

3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

Required Books:

• Andrew J. Bacevich, American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U.S. Diplomacy (Harvard University Press, 2002).
• Joseph E. Stiglitz, Making Globalization Work (Norton, 2007).
• James L. Watson, ed., Golden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia (2^nd edition, Stanford University Press, 2007).
• Michael Casey, Che’s Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image (Vintage, 2009).
• Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World (Norton, 2008).

All other readings will be posted online on the class blackboard site.

Grading Breakdown:

• Discussion (15 percent): At the beginning of the semester students will select one of the five major books for which they will serve as discussion leaders.  These students will be responsible for posting a discussion question each weekend on blackboard (by Sunday evening) to the reading set for Tuesday.  The rest of the class will be responsible for responding to one of the discussion questions by Monday evening.  Questions and responses do not need to be longer than 2-3 sentences.  They should attempt to open up avenues for further discussion during class that week.

Students are expected to contribute to in-class discussion on a regular basis.  At the beginning of the semester students will select one day in which they will be responsible for bringing into class a news article about an event or issue relevant to the course.  In general, the discussion grade will be based on the consistency and quality of a student’s contributions during the semester.

• In-class responses (20 percent): Ten times (unannounced in advance) during the semester, the instructor will ask students to take out a sheet of paper and respond to a short question regarding a theme or concept from the reading assignment for that day.  These responses will take no more than 10-15 minutes and should consist of one substantial paragraph.  These responses will be graded with a check minus (0 points), a check (1 point) or check plus (2 points), based upon the clarity, cogency and coherence of the answer.

• Multiple choice quizzes (15 percent):  Three times during the semester (see course schedule), the instructor will have students take a 10-question multiple-choice quiz based on terms from lectures.  The instructor will provide the relevant terms at each class meeting. 

• Book review essay (15 percent):  Students will write a comparative book review essay of no more than 2000 words, using the books by Andrew Bacevich, Joseph Stiglitz, and James Watson.  The title of the book review essay should be: “Globalization: The Americanization of the World?”   

• Final essay (35 percent):  Students will choose a topic in international relations and global studies to explore in greater depth through a final essay.  Students will be required to submit a one-page proposal and bibliography (5 percent) before embarking on the essay itself (30 percent).  Final papers should consist of a review of the recent scholarly debate over the subject, and be 3500-4000 words in length.  A more thorough explanation of the criteria for evaluating these essays will be handed out to students by mid-semester.

• Overall semester averages will earn the following letter grades:

93-100: A            90-92: A-

87-89: B+            83-86: B            80-82: B-

77-79: C+            73-76: C            70-72: C-

67-69: D+            63-66: D            60-62: D-            0-59:   F

HIS 315K: US History to 1865

Unique #39280

UTC 3.104, MWF 12—1 p.m.

Dr. Michael R. Anderson

Office: GAR 3.210

Office hours: MW 1-2, Th 11-12 and by appt.

E-mail: mra@mail.utexas.edu

Teaching Assistants:

TBA

Course Description:    This course provides an introduction to the history of the United States from 1492 to 1865.  Lectures and readings will focus particularly on the changing meaning of freedom from the first European contact with the “New World” through the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War.

Course Requirements:

• Class attendance (5% of grade)
• Weekly responses to reading assignments (10% of grade)
• First midterm examination on February 19 (25% of grade)
• Second midterm examination on April 2 (25% of grade)
• Final examination on TBA (35% of grade)

Required Books:

• Carnes and Garraty, American Destiny, Concise Edition, Vol. 1 (3^rd ed., 2008)
• John Demos, The Unredeemed Captive (Vintage, 1994)
• Robert A. Gross, The Minutemen and their World (Hill and Wang, 1976)
• Walter Johnson, Soul by Soul (Harvard, 1999)

Grade Breakdown:

• Class attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures.  On FIVE occasions during the semester, students will be asked to sign in on a class roster. Each time this is done, the student will earn one percentage point toward the overall semester grade.

• Weekly reading responses:  Students are expected to complete the weekly required reading by the class date marked “discussion” on the course schedule (most Fridays during the semester).  The instructor will post a reading question on Blackboard each Friday.  One week later, students will hand in a one-page reading response (roughly 300 words) to this question at the end of class to their respective TAs.  These responses will be kept by the TAs and marked satisfactory (check), unsatisfactory (check-minus) or excellent (check-plus).  The submission of TEN weekly responses marked at least satisfactory (out of 12 possible) is required to earn the maximum 10 percentage points.  Excellent submissions may enable the student to earn extra credit toward their final averages.  Note: these responses must be typed and submitted on paper, in person, on the appropriate day. Email submissions will not be accepted.

• Examinations: The course is divided into three units, each of which concludes with an exam covering that distinct period.   The midterm exams consist of 20 multiple-choice questions (40 percent of exam) as well as a single essay (60 percent).  Multiple-choice questions test a student’s mastery of specific material covered in lectures and readings.  The essay will be a response to a thematic question from that unit.  The instructor will provide three possible essay questions the week before exams.  Only one essay choice will appear on the exam itself.  The final exam will consist of a third unit exam in the same format as the first two midterm exams, plus a broad essay question covering the entire course , and will be graded as follows: multiple-choice questions (20 percent of the exam), third-unit essay (30 percent) and broad essay (50 percent).

• Make-up policy: Make-ups will be granted only in the case of medical illness or university-related conflict.  Such conflicts will require signed documentation from a doctor, advisor or coach explaining the reason for absence.

• Overall semester averages will earn the following letter grades:

94-100: A            90-93: A-

87-89: B+            84-86: B            80-83: B-

77-79: C+            74-76: C            70-73: C-

67-69: D+            64-66: D            60-63: D-            0-59:   F

University of Texas Honor Code: The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.  Any student found guilty of scholastic dishonesty may receive an “F” in the course and be remanded to the appropriate University of Texas authorities for disciplinary action.  For more information, view Student Judicial Services at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs.

Use of Class Materials: The instructor will not provide lecture notes under any circumstances.  No material presented in lecture may be directly or indirectly published, posted to the Internet, or rewritten for publication or distribution in any medium.  Neither these materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use.

Student Privacy:  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that student privacy be preserved.  Thus the posting of grades, even by the last four digits of the social security number, is forbidden.  All communication will remain between the instructor and the student, and the instructor will not be able to share details of the student’s performance with parents, spouses, or any others.

Documented Disability Statement: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 232-2937 (video phone).

SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS

UNIT ONE: The Colonial Era

Jan. 20                                    Introduction

Jan. 22                                    Lecture: A New World?

Jan. 25-27                        Lecture: European Imperialism

Jan. 29                                    Discussion: Hakluyt document on Blackboard; AD, Ch. 1 (17-30)

Feb. 1-3                        Lecture: American Beginnings, 1607-1650

Feb. 5            Discussion: The Unredeemed Captive, xi-76 (Preface-Ch. 3); AD, Ch. 1 (30-51) and Ch. 2 (52-68)

Feb. 8-10                        Lecture: North American Colonies, 1650-1750

Feb. 12            Discussion: The Unredeemed Captive, 77-166 (Chs. 4-7); AD, Ch. 2 (68-85)

Feb. 15-17                        Lecture: Slavery, Freedom and Empire to 1763

Suggested: The Unredeemed Captive, 167-252 (Ch. 8-Epilogue); AD, Ch. 3 (86-106)

Feb. 19                        UNIT ONE EXAM                       

UNIT TWO: The Revolutionary Era

Feb. 22-24                        Lecture: Origins of the American Revolution

Feb. 26            Discussion: Minutemen, ix-108 (Foreword-Ch. 4); AD, Ch. 3 (107-124)

March 1-3                        Lecture: The American Revolution, 1763-1783           

March 5                        Discussion: Minutemen, 109-204 (Ch. 5-Afterword); AD, Ch. 4

March 8-10                        Lecture: Founding a Nation, 1783-1789

March 12                        Discussion: Constitution documents (MyHistoryLab); AD, Ch. 5

March 15-19                        SPRING BREAK

March 22-24                        Lecture: Securing the Republic, 1790-1815

March 26            Discussion: Louisiana Purchase documents (MyHistoryLab); AD, Ch. 6

March 29-31                        Lecture: The Market Revolution

                                    Suggested: AD, Ch. 8

April 2                        UNIT TWO EXAM

UNIT THREE: The Antebellum Era 

April 5-7                        Lecture: Democracy in America, 1815-1840           

April 9            Discussion: American System documents (MyHistoryLab); AD, Ch. 9

April 12-14                        Lecture: An Age of Reform, 1820-1840

April 16            Discussion: Utopian community documents (MyHistoryLab); AD, Ch. 10

April 19-21                        Lecture: Slavery and Westward Expansion

April 23                        Discussion: Soul by Soul, 1-77 (Intro-Ch. 2); AD, Ch. 11

April 26-28                        Lecture: A House Divided, 1850-1861

April 30                        Discussion: Soul by Soul, 78-161 (Chs. 3-4); AD, Ch. 13

May 3-5                        Lecture: The Civil War, 1861-1865

May 7                                    Discussion: Soul by Soul, 162-220 (Ch. 6-Epilogue); AD, Ch. 14

TBA                                    FINAL EXAM– end of course.

This course serves as an introduction to the College of Liberal Arts’ new interdisciplinary major, International Relations and Global Studies.  Students will engage with many broad questions relating to the contemporary world, including:  How has the modern international system come into being?  What are the major opportunities and challenges related to the world-wide movement of capital, goods and ideas we have come to define as globalization?  To what extent does the United States dominate the geopolitical, economic and cultural landscape today?  Finally, are we entering a “post-American world,” and if so, what global repercussions might this entail?  This course will attempt to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of social sciences—whether political science, economics, or anthropology—and instead ask students to take a more holistic view of global issues, rooted in historical inquiry.
Class time will be divided evenly between lecture material and discussion.  Students will be evaluated based upon their performance in weekly online discussions, periodic in-class short-answer responses and multiple-choice quizzes, a mid-term paper and a final essay.

Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will have the ability to:
1)    describe a broad array of global issues confronting international actors
2)    evaluate the role of the United States in the contemporary era of “globalization”
3)    identify and analyze in some detail the scholarly debate surrounding a particular global challenge or crisis

HIS 315K: US History to 1865
Unique #39645
UTC 2.102A, MWF 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Dr. Michael R. Anderson
Office: GAR 3.210, ph. 475-7250
Office hours: MW 12-1 p.m., Th 2-3 p.m. and by appt.
E-mail: mra@mail.utexas.edu

Teaching Assistants:

Tosin Abiodun         tosinabiodun@mail.utexas.edu      BUR 308, MW 1-2 p.m.
Brian Jones            jonesbp@me.com                         WAG 401E, F 9-11a.m.
Daniel Ponce          danielponce@mail.utexas.edu        BUR 306, M 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Kyle Shelton           kylekshelton@gmail.com               BUR 308, T 1-3 p.m.

Course Description:  This course provides an introduction to the history of the United
States from 1492 to 1865.  Lectures and readings will focus particularly on the changing
meaning of freedom from the first European contact with the ?New World? through the
conclusion of the U.S. Civil War.

Course Requirements:
        Class attendance (5% of grade)
        Weekly responses to reading assignments (10% of grade)
        First midterm examination on  Sept. 28 (25% of grade)
        Second midterm examination on Oct. 30 (25% of grade)
        Final examination on Dec. 9 (35% of grade)

Required Books:
        John Demos, The Unredeemed Captive (Vintage, 1994)
        Robert A. Gross, The Minutemen and their World (Hill and Wang, 1976)
        Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, A Midwife?s Tale (Knopf, 1990)
        Newell Bringhurst, Brigham Young (Longman, 1986)
        Walter Johnson, Soul by Soul (Harvard, 1999)

Suggested Textbook:

        Davidson et al, Nation of Nations, Vol. 1: To 1865 (6th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2007)

Grade Breakdown:

Class attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures.  On FIVE occasions
during the semester, the instructor will pass around a class roster for students to
initial. Each time this is done, the student earns one percentage point toward the
overall semester grade.

Weekly reading responses:  Students are expected to complete the weekly required
reading by the class date marked ?discussion? on the course schedule (most Fridays during
semester).  The instructor will post a reading question, usually at the beginning of the
week. On Fridays, students will hand in a one-page reading response (roughly 300 words)
to this question at the end of class to their respective TAs.  These responses will be
kept by the TAs and marked satisfactory or unsatisfactory.  The satisfactory submission
of TEN weekly responses (out of 12 possible) will earn a student the maximum 10
percentage points.  Note: these responses must be typed and submitted on paper, in
person, on the appropriate day. Email submissions will not be accepted.

Examinations: The course is divided into three units, each of which concludes with an
exam covering that distinct period.   The midterm exams consist of 20 multiple-choice
questions (40 percent of exam) as well as a single essay (60 percent).  Multiple-choice
questions test a student?s mastery of specific material covered in lectures and readings.
 The essay will be a response to a thematic question from that unit.  The instructor will
provide four possible essay questions the week before exams.  Only one essay choice will
appear on the exam itself.  The final exam will consist of a third unit exam in the same
format as the first two midterm exams, plus a broad essay question covering the entire
course , and will be graded as follows: multiple-choice questions (20 percent of the
exam), third-unit essay (30 percent) and broad essay (50 percent).

Make-up policy: Make-ups will be granted only in the case of medical illness or
university-related conflict.  Such conflicts will require signed documentation from a
doctor, advisor or coach explaining the reason for absence.

Overall semester averages will earn the following letter grades:
94-100: A        90-93: A-
87-89: B+        84-86: B        80-83: B-
77-79: C+        74-76: C        70-73: C-
67-69: D+        64-66: D        60-63: D-        0-59:   F

University of Texas Honor Code: The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are
learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility.
Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity,
honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.  Any student found
guilty of scholastic dishonesty may receive an F in the course and be remanded to the
appropriate University of Texas authorities for disciplinary action.  For more
information, view Student Judicial Services at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs.

Use of Class Materials: The instructor will not provide lecture notes under any
circumstances.  No material presented in lecture may be directly or indirectly published,
posted to the Internet, or rewritten for publication or distribution in any medium. 
Neither these materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for
personal and non-commercial use.

Student Privacy:  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that
student privacy be preserved.  Thus the posting of grades, even by the last four digits
of the social security number, is forbidden.  All communication will remain between the
instructor and the student, and the instructor will not be able to share details of the
student's performance with parents, spouses, or any others.

Documented Disability Statement: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request
appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more
information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or
232-2937 (video phone).



SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS

UNIT ONE: The Colonial Era

Aug. 26                Introduction
Aug. 28-31           Lecture: A New World, 1492-1607
Sept. 2                 Discussion: ?A Discourse of Western Planting? (blackboard)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Chs. 1 and 2

Sept. 7                 LABOR DAY
Sept. 4-9              Lecture: American Beginnings, 1607-1650
Sept. 11               Discussion: The Unredeemed Captive, xi-76 (Preface-Ch. 3)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Chs. 3 and 4

Sept. 14-16          Lecture: North American Colonies, 1650-1750
Sept. 18               Discussion: The Unredeemed Captive, 77-166 (Chs. 4-7)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 5

Sept. 21-23          Lecture: Slavery, Freedom and Empire to 1763
Sept. 25               Discussion: The Unredeemed Captive, 167-252 (Ch. 8-Epilogue)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 6

Sept. 28               UNIT ONE EXAM



UNIT TWO: The Revolutionary Era

Sept. 30               Lecture: Origins of the American Revolution
Oct. 2                  Discussion: Minutemen, ix-108 (Foreword-Ch. 4)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 7 (162-174)


Oct. 5-7                Lecture: The American Revolution, 1763-1783
Oct. 9                   Discussion: Minutemen, 109-204 (Ch. 5-Afterword)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 7 (174-182)

Oct. 12-14            Lecture: Founding a Nation, 1783-1789
Oct. 16                 Discussion: A Midwife?s Tale, 3-133 (Intro-Oct. 1789)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 8

Oct. 19-21            Lecture: Securing the Republic, 1790-1815
Oct. 23                 Discussion: A Midwife?s Tale, 134-261 (Nov. 1792-Feb. 1801)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 9

Oct. 26-28            Lecture: The Market Revolution
SUGGESTED:        N of N, Ch. 10; A Midwife?s Tale, 262-352 (Mar. 1804-Epilogue)

Oct. 30                UNIT TWO EXAM

UNIT THREE: The Antebellum Era

Nov. 2-4                Lecture: Democracy in America, 1815-1840
Nov. 6                   Discussion: Brigham Young, 1-96 (Chs. 1-4)
SUGGESTED:         Nation of Nations, Ch. 11

Nov. 9-11              Lecture: An Age of Reform, 1820-1840
Nov. 13                 Discussion: Brigham Young, 97-219 (Chs. 5-8)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 12

Nov. 16-18            Lecture: The Peculiar Institution
Nov. 20                 Discussion: Soul by Soul, 1-77 (Intro-Ch. 2)
SUGGESTED:         Nation of Nations, Ch. 13

Nov. 23-25            Lecture: A House Divided, 1840-1861
Nov. 27                THANKSGIVING WEEKEND ? no class.
REQUIRED:           Soul by Soul, 78-161 (Chs. 3-4)
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Chs. 14 and 15

Nov. 30-Dec. 2        Lecture: The Civil War, 1861-1865
Dec. 4                    Discussion: Soul by Soul, 162-220 (Ch. 6-Epilogue)
SUGGESTED:          Nation of Nations, Ch. 16

Dec. 9, 7-10 pm        FINAL EXAM, end of course.

HIS 315L: US History Since 1865
Unique #39775
JGB 2.324, TTh 12:30--2 p.m.

Dr. Michael R. Anderson
Office: GAR 3.210, ph. 475-7250
Office hours: MW 12-1 p.m., Th 2-3 p.m. and by appt.
E-mail: mra@mail.utexas.edu

Supplemental Instructor:
William Morgan                morganwa@mail.utexas.edu

Teaching Assistant:
Matt Tribbe                        tribbe@mail.utexas.edu

Course Description:  This course provides a basic survey of the history of the United
States from the end of the Civil War to the present day.  Lectures and readings cover
relations with other countries, domestic political developments, as well as important
social and cultural movements, paying special attention to the struggles of marginalized
groups.  Course material will review not only the important events of each period, but
also consider different historical perspectives and assess ongoing scholarly debates.

Course Requirements:
        Class attendance (5% of grade)
        Weekly responses to reading assignments (10% of grade)
        First midterm examination on Oct. 1 (25% of grade)
        Second midterm examination on Oct. 29 (25% of grade)
        Final examination on Dec. 10 (35% of grade)

Required Books:
        Thomas Bell, Out of this Furnace (Pittsburgh, 1976)
        James Weldon Johnson, Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (Dover, 1995)
        Kathy Peiss, Cheap Amusements (Temple, 1986)
        Elaine Tyler May, Homeward Bound (Basic Books, 1988)
        New York Times, Class Matters (Times Books, 2005)

Suggested Textbook:
        Davidson, Nation of Nations, Vol. 2: Since 1865 (6th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2007)

Grade Breakdown:
        Class attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures.  On FIVE occasions
during the semester, the instructor will pass around a class roster for students to
initial.  Each time this is done, the student earns one percentage point toward the
overall semester grade.

        Weekly reading responses:  Students are expected to complete the weekly required
reading by the day of the class marked ?discussion,? usually on Thursdays.  The
instructor will announce a reading question at the beginning of the week and post it on
blackboard. During the Thursday class, students will hand in a one-page reading response
(roughly 300 words) to their appropriate TA.  These responses will be kept by the TAs and
marked satisfactory or unsatisfactory.  The satisfactory submission of EIGHT (of 11
possible) weekly responses will earn a student a maximum of 10 percentage points.  Note:
these responses must be typed and submitted on paper, in person, during the discussion
class period. Email submissions will not be accepted.

        Examinations: The course is divided into three units, each of which concludes with an
exam covering that distinct period.   The midterm exams consist of 20 multiple-choice
questions (40 percent of exam) as well as a single essay (60 percent).  Multiple-choice
questions test a student?s mastery of specific material covered in lectures and readings.
 The essay will be a response to a thematic question from that unit.  The instructor will
provide four possible essay questions the week before exams.  Only one essay choice will
appear on the exam itself.  The final exam will consist of a third unit exam in the same
format as the first two midterm exams, plus a broad essay question covering the entire
course, and will be graded as follows: multiple-choice questions (20 percent of exam),
third-unit essay (30 percent) and broad essay (50 percent).

       Make-up policy: Make-ups will be granted only in the case of medical illness or
university-related conflict.  Such conflicts will require signed documentation from a
doctor, advisor or coach explaining the reason for absence.

        Overall semester averages will earn the following letter grades:
94-100: A        90-93: A-
87-89: B+        84-86: B        80-83: B-
77-79: C+        74-76: C        70-73: C-
67-69: D+        64-66: D        60-63: D-        0-59:   F

University of Texas Honor Code: The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are
learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility.
Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity,
honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.  Any student found
guilty of scholastic dishonesty may receive an ?F? in the course and be remanded to the
appropriate University of Texas authorities for disciplinary action.  For more
information, view Student Judicial Services at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/.

Use of Class Materials: The instructor will not provide lecture notes under any
circumstances. No material presented in lecture may be directly or indirectly published,
posted to the Internet, or rewritten for publication or distribution in any medium. 
Neither these materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for
personal and non-commercial use.

Student Privacy:  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that
student privacy be preserved.  Thus the posting of grades, even by the last four digits
of the social security number, is forbidden.  All communication will remain between the
instructor and the student, and the instructor will not be able to share details of the
student's performance with parents, spouses, or any others.

Documented Disability Statement: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request
appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more
information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or
232-2937 (video phone).


SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS

UNIT ONE: The Gilded Age, 1865-1898

Aug. 27                Introduction
Sept. 1                 Lecture: Reconstruction
Sept. 3                 Lecture and Discussion: Reconstruction documents (blackboard).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 17.

Sept. 8                 Lecture: The American West
Sept. 10               Lecture and Discussion: Out of This Furnace (Chapter: Kracha).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 18.

Sept. 15               Lecture: The Advent of Industrialization
Sept. 17               Lecture and Discussion: Out of This Furnace (Chapter: Mike).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 19 (536-556).

Sept. 22               Lecture: The Rise of Labor
Sept. 24               Lecture and Discussion: Out of This Furnace (Chapter: Mary).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 19 (556-567), Ch. 21 (602-611).

Sept. 29               Lecture: The Age of Empire
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 21 (611-627); Out of This Furnace (Chapter: Dobie).

Oct. 1                        UNIT ONE EXAM


UNIT TWO: Reform and War, 1898-1945

Oct. 6                  Lecture: The Progressive Era
Oct. 8                  Lecture and Discussion: Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.
SUGGESTED:       Nation of Nations, Chs. 20, 22.

Oct. 13                Lecture: The Roaring Twenties
Oct. 15                Lecture and Discussion: Cheap Amusements, 1-55, 88-114 (Intro-Ch. 2, Ch. 4).
SUGGESTED:       Nation of Nations, Ch. 23 (673-689), Ch. 24 (691-712).

Oct. 20                Lecture: The Great Depression
Oct. 22                Lecture and Discussion: Homeward Bound, ix-79 (Intro-Ch. 3).
SUGGESTED:       Nation of Nations, Ch. 24 (712-721), Ch. 25.

Oct. 27                Lecture: World War II
SUGGESTED:       Nation of Nations, Ch. 26.

Oct. 29                UNIT TWO EXAM


UNIT THREE:  Rise and Fall of Post-war Liberalism, 1945-present

Nov. 3                  Lecture: The Origins of the Cold War
Nov. 5                  Lecture and Discussion: Homeward Bound, 80-142 (Chs. 4-6).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 27.

Nov. 10                Lecture: Containing Communism
Nov. 12                Lecture and Discussion: Homeward Bound, 143-203 (Chs. 7-9).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 28.

Nov. 17                Lecture: The Liberal Center
Nov. 19                Lecture and Discussion: Port Huron Statement (blackboard).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 29.

Nov. 24                Movie: The Fog of War
Nov. 26                THANKSGIVING WEEKEND ? no class.
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 30.

Dec. 1                  Lecture: The New Right
Dec. 3                  Lecture and Discussion: Class Matters 1-72, 111-133 (Chs. 1-4, 8).
SUGGESTED:        Nation of Nations, Ch. 31.

Dec. 10, 2-5 pm        FINAL EXAM, end of course.