Course Plan

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COURSE CODE: KLB3133

COURSE TITLE: International Relations and Diplomacy

Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Public Administration and Services

Semester: September 2017

Course Leader: Jenny Maria Gryzelius
Office Location: 16.09

Consultation Hours: Tuesdays: 08.30 – 10.30 pm

Thursdays: 10.30 – 12.30

Telephone: 03-27307161
E-mail: jenny@unirazak.edu.my

Course Synopsis
This course is designed for students with no previous background in international relations. As such, the
course will introduce students to the institutional, structural and political mechanisms that condition
relationships between states and between states and non-state actors. The aim of the course is to provide
students with a broad overview of the frameworks of analysis, actors, institutions, issues and processes
responsible for international relations, the causes of war, inter-state economic competition, and the
structural configuration of power in the international system.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, student will be able to:-

1. Identify the major theoretical traditions that have informed approaches to the study and
understanding of international relations
2. Be able to identify the major actors and processes that constitute and define relationships in the
international system
3. Be conversant with the institutional architecture as it has evolved in the international system since
the end of the Second World War
4. Understand the evolution and points of contestation between the great powers in the international
system
5. Be able to identify the role that religious belief systems play in the international system and how
these impact relations between states
6. Understand the role of power and the use of force in terms of the strategic relationships between
states
7. Appreciate the role of diplomacy in constructing cooperative relationships between states
8. Identify the forces propelling change in the international system.

Recommended/Required Materials
1. Joshua S. Goldstein, John C. Pevehouse. (2014). International Relations (10th ed). London:
Pearsons
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2. J. Martin Rochester. (2010). The fundamental principles of international relations New York:
Westview Press

3. Additional key readings will be distributed for each week via Schoology

Optional/Additional Materials
1. Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964).
2. Paul R. Viotti, Mark V. Kauppi. (2012). International relations theory. Boston: Longman
3. / Geir Lundestad (2012). East, west, north, south: international relations since 1945. London:
Sage Publications
4. Cases, journals, and newspaper articles as needed through the course [will be made available
through Schoology]

Course Assessment

Assessment Breakdown allocation

Final examination 50%

Mid-term exam 10%

Structured essay 20%
Foreign Affairs Journal 20%

Course Requirements & Policies

E-learning: It is a requirement for students enrolled in this course to get an account on the
learning management system Schoology (https://app.schoology.com). Schoology can be used
both in a web browser (such as Firefox and Chrome), or downloaded as an app (from both Google
Play and the AppStore) for your smartphone/tablet. In this course all additional materials, on-line
discussions and virtual tutorials will be carried out using Schoology, no special arrangements will
be made for students who do not get an account. Make sure to sign up to Schoology using your
given names for the ‘first name’ and you UNIRAZAK matric number for ‘family name’.
 After getting an account with Schoology you can access this course by using the following
code: RNMMB-3ZS93

Attendance: Attendance in this course is compulsory. Students must attend at least 80% of the
classes or risk being barred from taking the final exam. Late coming and early leaving will not be
accepted, except for cases with valid and documented extenuating circumstances (oversleeping or
similar is not considered valid) communicated to me in advance.

Assessment: Your overall performance in this course will be measured across:

 1 mid-term exam

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10 MCQ and one essay question, in total worth 10% of your final grade (date Tuesday
27 March 2018).
 1 structured essay
2500 words, worth 20% of your final mark (to be completed individually). The essay
topics will be given with 2 weeks’ notice. The essay has to be submitted via the
Schoology assignment submission feature. (week 5, Friday 16 March at 5.30pm). No
late submissions will be accepted, except in cases of documented extenuated
circumstances which must be communicated to me before the deadline.
 Foreign Affairs Journal
Worth 20% of your final mark (to be completed individually.) You will be required to
monitor the developments of one international issue for the duration of the term. You
should up-date the journal at least bi-weekly. The journal should include an overview of
the issue at stake, detailed updates of ongoing events, and an analysis of the situation
from at least 1 IR related perspective. To be submitted week 12, Friday May 4 2018. No
late submissions will be accepted, except in cases of documented extenuated
circumstances which must be communicated to me before the deadline.
 Final examination
worth 50% of your final mark.

Reading: For this course students are required to do all the relevant readings. It is a difficult course,
that requires understanding complex issues from multiple theoretical perspectives. In order to do
well in this course reading is not optional, the information given in the lecture – while
comprehensive – cannot provide all the details needed to understand the intricacies of this course.
Additionally, reading will allow you to process the information at your own pace and will give you
the time to process and structure your own thoughts as you go along.

World history levelling-up: In addition to reading, you are expected to know basic modern world
history (roughly year 1500 to present day). That is, International Relations is a discipline which is
strictly rooted in historical events. Throughout this course both the lectures and readings will make
extensive references to historical events, the onus is on the individual student to ensure that you
know and understand the significance of these events. In order to help you level-up on world
history I have put together a YouTube history primary covering all major modern world history
events from the Columbian Exchange and European Reformation to 9/11 and War on Terror. You
can find it under Materials on Schoology. Please make sure that you cover these videos as you
cannot expect a good grade in this course without knowing and understanding key historical events.

Note taking: Students are expected to make notes during class and are therefore required to bring
along pen and note paper. Any student found without such equipment will be sent out of the room
to procure it and might be recorded as absent. Notes taken on electronic devices will not be
tolerated.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious academic offence which will not be tolerated in this course. Any
instance of suspected plagiarism will be investigated, if found guilty a mark 0 will be given.
Plagiarism is defined as the submission or presentation of work, in any form, which is not one’s
own, without acknowledgment of the source. Detailed information about citations and referencing
will be provided before the group assignment is due.

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Course Syllabus

Topic Learning Outcomes Level of

Competency
1 States and power  Define the concept of the nation C2, A2
state
 Explain the nature of power
relations
 Identify the level of analysis
problem in IR
 Contrast between structure and
agency

2 International Relations paradigms  Discuss the difference between 4 C2, A2

Realism major paradigms of International
Liberalism Relations
Constructivism
 Identify the key features of each of
Marxism
the 4 major IR paradigms
3 International Security  Discuss key historical triggers for C4, A3
 Causes of war and peace war
 International terrorism and  Explain the theories of democratic
crime peace and just war
 Identify major implications of
historical peace treaties
 Analyse the occurrence of war and
peace from each of the 4 major IR
paradigms
 Explain the nature of terrorism and
global crime
 Identify key initiatives for the
prevention of terrorism and global
crime
 Analyse the anti-terrorism
initiatives from 4 major
perspectives in IR
4 International cooperation  Identify the key actors in C4, A3
international cooperation and how
they relate to each other and nation
states
 Discuss the nature and importance
of key international treaties in
determining rights and obligations
of nation states
 Analyse the rationale and merits of
international cooperation from the
4 major IR perspectives

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Topic
5 International law and Human Rights
6 Humanitarian challenges and foreign
aid
7 Foreign policy and diplomacy in
Malaysia
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Learning Outcomes Level of
Competency
 Explain the nature and function of C4, A3
international human rights law
 Identify key international treaties,
covenants and declarations with
regards to human rights
 Analyse the importance, strengths
and weaknesses of international
human rights law from 4 major IR
perspectives
 Explain the function of foreign aid C4, A4
 Identify key responses to major
international challenges
 Analyse the use of foreign aid and
humanitarian interventions from
the perspective of 4 major IR
perspectives
 Define the key policy goals of C2, A2
Malaysian foreign policy
 Identify key foreign policy outcomes
 Explain the nature of Malaysian
diplomatic missions

Level of Competency:
Cognitive Domain Affective Domain Psychomotor Domain
C1 = Knowledge A1 = Receiving P1 = Perception
C2 = Comprehension A2 = Responding P2 = Set
C3 = Application A3 = Valuing P3 = Guided response
C4 = Analysis A4 = Organizing P4 = Mechanism
C5 = Evaluation A5 = Characterizing P5 = Complex overt reaction
C6 = Synthesis P6 = Adaptation
P7 = Origination

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Study Plan

Week Topic/Content Readings / Activities Remarks

1 Introduction Lecture/Discussion
- Definitions and
overview
2 Power, states, level of analysis, Lecture/Discussion
structure vs. agency
3 Theory 1: Realism Lecture/Discussion

4 Theory 2: Liberalism Lecture/Discussion

5 Theory 3: Constructivism Lecture/Discussion

6 Theory 4: Marxism Lecture/Discussion
7 International security 1 Lecture/Discussion
Peace and war Mid-term exam
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Midterm break

9 International security 2: Lecture/Discussion Essay Due

Terrorism and global crime
10 International cooperation Lecture/Discussion

11 International law and human Lecture/Discussion

rights
12 Humanitarian crisis and foreign Lecture/Discussion
aid
13 Malaysian foreign policy and Lecture/Discussion
diplomacy
14 Revision
15 Final Examination

End