Tourism and International Relations Module 2, International Relations as a field of political science, Basic Principles that shape International Relations

Module Objectives
By the conclusion of the specified learning experiences, delegates will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the extent to which International Relations affects our daily lives;
Conceptualize International Relations as a field of political science that is concerned mainly
with explaining political outcomes in international security affairs and in international political economy.
Demonstrate the extent to which theories complement descriptive narratives in explaining international events and outcomes;
Exhibit an understanding of the persistent theoretical and methodological disagreement between scholars
Exhibit a heightened understanding of the notion that a few basic core principles shape the field of International Relations;
Demonstrate their understanding that International Relations is associated with the issue of collective versus individual interests;
Explain the three basic principles of International Relations- dominance, reciprocity, and identity
Justify the major sub disciplines of International Relations- international security and international political economy (IPE).
Demonstrate their understanding of the reasons why States are the most important actors in International Relations
Lead a discussion into the bases of International System is relation to the sovereignty of independent territorial states.
Exhibit an understanding of the variance of states, in relation to the size of population and economy or microstates to great powers;
Provide a rationale for the fact that non state actors such as multinational corporations (MNCs), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) exert an
increasing amount of influence on international relations;
Internalise the fact that the worldwide revolution in communication and communications technologies (ICTs) have a remarkable effect on the reshaping of the capabilities and preferences of actors in International Relations;
Name the four levels of International Relations analysis, notably individual, domestic,interstate, and global, explaining why they provide multiple explanations to, and simultaneously outcomes of, International Relations;
Explain the global level of International Relations analysis, particularly with respect to the effect of technological change and the global gap in wealth between the industrialized North and the poor South;
Be able to explain why World Wars I and II, provide a contradictory view of the utility of hardline or conciliatory foreign policies;
Exhibit a heightened understanding of why post-war policies revolved around the East-West rivalry of the Cold War;
Indicate how the ‘bipolar standoff’ created stability and averted wars between the ‘great powers’;
Provide a rationale for the general cooperation between great powers in the post Cold-War era, despite the appearance of new ethnic and regional conflicts;
Explain why the ‘war on terrorism’, although having broad international support, has an uncertain scope and duration
Indicate the extent to which The U.S. military campaign in Iraq has divided the great powers, heightening anti-US sentiments, internationally;
Demonstrate an awareness of China’s increasingly central role in world politics.

Module Contents,, Concepts and Issues
International Law
Theories of International Relations
The effect of International Relations on Daily lives
International Relations as a field of political science
Role and intended outcome of political science in international security affairs
Role of political science in international political economy
International Events and Consequence for International Relations
Basic Principles that shape International Relations
Three basic principles of International Relations- Dominance, Reciprocity, and Identity.
International Security and International Political Economy as sub-disciplines of International Relations
‘States’ as the most important actors International Relations
Sovereignty of independent territorial states
State Variance, in relation to size of population and economy - microstates to great powers
The influence of nonstate actors, such as multinational corporations (MNCs), nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs), and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
The effect of the worldwide revolution in Information and Communications Technologies
(ICTs) in reshaping the capabilities and preferences of actors in International Relations
Four levels of International Relations analysis - individual, domestic, interstate, and global
Multiple and simultaneous in International Relations
The ‘North-South Divide’, in wealth – industrialized vs. Poor
World Wars I and II as exemplars of the contradiction of the utility of hard-line or conciliatory foreign policies
Post War politics and the ‘bipolar standoff’ – aversion of wars
The post-Cold War era and the co-operations of former rivals
The ‘war on terrorism’: Certainty or Uncertainty of scope, duration and international
The U.S. military campaign in Iraq: Original objectives and worldwide consequences
China and its increasing involvement in world politics