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  GINT 491 –SPECIAL TOPICS:
THE EVOLUTION OF THE U.S. AT HOME & ABROAD SINCE

WWII, VIETNAM, THE COLD WAR AND SEPT 11

 
Spring 2004

MWF 1:25PM- 2:15PM

 

Jerel Rosati

Department of Political Scinece

Gambrell Hall 420

777-2981

Rosati@sc.edu

 

 

 

                Please read the entire syllabus carefully for I have given great thought and time to the development of this course, and it lays out the objectives, the requirements and the expectations. 

                                                                                                                                               

 

OVERVIEW

 

               

                The focus is on describing and explaining the evolution of modern America and the reality of American politics at home and abroad to the present day (and why this is the case).   Hope to attract a small but high-quality class. The readings are really lively and informative.

 

                If you love to lean, and would like to learn more about the U.S. in general as well as the politics of U.S. foreign policy, you should like the class.  If you took me for GINT 340, there will be some overlap, but there will be a lot more interesting history and a broader breadth of focus.

 

 

OBJECTIVES

 

 

                To better understand the society we live in and its implications for the future, the course is designed to increase your information, knowledge, and understanding of the complex "politics" of the United States and its foreign policy; to make you aware of the "realities" of politics and the policymaking process; to become aware, consider, and evaluate "alternative" explanations and interpretations of the nature of the process, and to help you improve your ability "to learn," to reason, and to communicate. 

 

                This course provides you with the tools and knowledge to better understand the politics of the U.S. and the making of foreign policy.  The focus is on how diverse factors--the government policymaking process, society and domestic politics, and the global environment--influence the making of American foreign policy.  Considerable context about the U.S. since World War II will be provided.  As you learn about the American policymaking "game", you will be better able to evaluate past, present, and future foreign policy decisions.  Moreover, you should be able to see how foreign policymaking directly affects your life.  Hopefully, this course will illustrate how important it is to remain aware of what is happening in the nation's capital and encourage you to be a more vigilant and active participant of American politics.   It is hoped that by the end of the semester you will find the course to be informative, interesting and enjoyable.

               

 

REQUIREMENTS

 

 

                Students will be evaluated through class participation and exercises, three exams, and a final examination.  The intent behind these requirements is to have you study and think about the course material throughout the semester--to provide you with numerous opportunities to demonstrate the knowledge you have acquired and to get feedback--in order to maximize your ability to learn and grow as a student.

 

                THERE IS LOTS OF READING SINCE THIS IS A UNIVERSITY AND SPECIAL TOPICS CLASS.  I EXPECT YOU TO DO ALL THE READING IN A TIMELY FASHION.

 

                1. Class Attendance/Participation/Exercises (100 points).  In order to get the most out of class, you must come to class and be prepared.  Students are required to complete the readings prior to class meetings and to come to class ready to discuss them.  You are also expected to keep abreast of current issues and be prepared to discuss them.  I expect everyone to participate actively in the discussion of the day.  Attendance affects your participation grade; excessive absences will result in a lower or failing grade.

                You may also be asked to complete short exercises, usually written, in class and out-of-class revolving around communicating and understanding of the readings.  

                SHOULD YOU MISS A CLASS, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LEARNING WHAT WENT ON IN CLASS FROM YOUR CLASSMATES.

                Please come to class on time, and should you be late please sit in the rear and do not disturb your classmates and the class.

 

                2. Three mid-term exams (300 points per exam; 600 points total).  There will be 3 exams.  You get to drop your lowest grade from the first 3 exams.  There are no make-ups.

 

                3. Final Comprehensive Examination (300 points).  The final exam must be taken.

 

                Each exam will be cumulative and consist of a variety of questions about the readings and current issues.  Your responses should demonstrate your mastery of the information and concepts provided in the assigned readings as well as the ideas generated in class discussions. 

 

                Missing an assignment or examination.  DO NOT MISS AN EXAM or an assignment.  THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS.  A GRADE OF F AND 0 POINTS WILL BE GIVEN.

 

                I am treating each of you as a  RESPONSIBLE YOUNG ADULT now that you are in college.  Therefore, I expect you to act responsibly and with simple courtesy.

                                                                                                                                               

 

GRADES

 

 

                Your grade will be based, not on how well you do compared to others in the class, but on my assessment of your quality of substantive knowledge, quality of analysis, and effective communication demonstrated--in other words, the level of understanding demonstrated.  That is, an  A (average of 90-100) represents "excellent" understanding, a B+ (87-89) represent "very good" understanding, a B (80-86) represents "good" understanding, a C+ (77-79) represents "satisfactory yet promising" understanding, a C (70-76) represents "satisfactory" understanding, a D+ (67-69) represents "poor" understanding; a D (60-66) represents "very poor" understanding, and an F (below 60) represents an "appalling" level of understanding.  Therefore, you should work together and help each other out.

 

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

 

 

                The University of South Carolina, like all institutions of higher education, is fundamentally dependent upon the maintenance of proper standards of honesty.  Maintenance of those standards is the responsibility of every member of this academic community--students, instructors, and staff alike.  I will not spend our time trying to find cheaters, but when confronted with clear evidence of academic dishonesty, I will respond vigorously.  Such impropriety in this class will result in an F for the course.

 

 

REQUIRED READINGS                                                               

 

 

                Jerel A. Rosati, The Politics of United States Foreign Policy (Wadsworth, 2004)

                Godfrey Hodgson, America in Our Time (Vintage, 1976) [out-of-print; copies are available at Universal Copies]

                Charles R. Morris, A Time of Passion: America 1960-1980 (Penguin, 1986) [out-of-print; can purchase on line at www.amazon.com; www.barnesandnoble.com; www.abe.com]

                David Halberstam, War in a Time of Peace: Bush, Clinton and the Generals (Scribner, 2002)

                Joe Conason, Big Lies: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine and How It Distorts the Truth (St. Martin’s Press, 2003)

                Emailed articles.  Additional required readings will be emailed to you and/or available on my website, focusing on contemporary affairs and the Bush Administration.  PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL REGULARLY FOR I WILL BE SENDING YOU ARTICLES, REMINDERS, AND UPDATES FOR THE CLASS.

                                                                                                                                                               

                The books should be available at the University Russell House bookstore, as well as the two off-campus bookstores on Main Street.  If no books are at the stores, you can purchase them online. 

 

                The readings are intended to be accessible and diverse so as to improve your ability to acquire an understanding of the dynamics of politics and its real-world relevance.  The required readings for each week are specified under Course Topics and Readings below.

 

                Contemporary Affairs.  It is also expected that you will follow contemporary affairs through the media during this semester more than you might normally be accustomed.  The national news--on network television or on National Public Radio--is strongly encouraged as well. You should also try to familiarize yourself with the litany of magazines and journals which present a host of intellectual, opinion, and policy positions.  Such journals can be found in the Thomas Cooper Library, the Richland County Public Library on Assembly Street, and bookstores like Barnes and Noble. 

 

                Media sources for following contemporary affairs are listed at the end of the syllabus.

 

 

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY AND STRATEGY

 

 

                THERE IS LOTS OF READING SINCE THIS IS A UNIVERSITY AND SPECIAL TOPICS CLASS.  I EXPECT YOU TO DO ALL THE READING IN A TIMELY FASHION.

 

                The class will be structured around what I call a class dialogue in which information, knowledge, and thought will be generated through lecture/background, discussion, and, in particular, the Socratic method.  I will often play the role of provocateur and advocate to stimulate participation.  The class dialogue emphasizes the importance of student participation and active learning as a means to improve one's skills, interest, information, knowledge, and, ultimately, understanding.  In essence, class discussions will consist of an active exchange between the student and professor.  When deemed necessary, background will be provided for some of the more difficult material and to provide appropriate context.

 

                The class is organized around the required readings.  I expect every student to come to class prepared and participate.  Every student should be able to summarize and analyze each assigned reading and place it in perspective relative to the rest of the course material.  Students also are encouraged to offer comments or questions which contribute to class discussions on a regular basis.

 

                Again, please come to class on time and be courteous at all times. 

 

 

NATURE OF THE COURSE

 

 

                One ultimate purpose of higher education and the offering of this course is to broaden your knowledge and understanding about the world around you--to learn about things that you probably don't know much about and to think about things that you haven't given much thought to.  At the same time, I recognize that many individuals hold strong beliefs and feelings about things that involve the world and, in particular, the United States--often based more on faith and emotion rather than substantive knowledge.  Therefore, some of the material in this course may be controversial and will challenge you to think about many beliefs and assumptions you hold (and have rarely examined).

 

                Your role is to act as student, social scientist, or policy analyst, not policymaker, activist, or true believer.  The purpose of the class is to better understand the history and contemporary practice of U.S. foreign policy, regardless of what your feelings and opinions are about that reality.  Learning and understanding are to be accomplished through the accumulation of information and knowledge and reliance on an open and critical mind.

 

                Hopefully, this course will increase your knowledge by having you acquire:

                   i) lots of information,

                   ii) appreciate the complexity and contradictions of political reality,

                   iii) recognize patterns and make generalizations supported by evidence, and

                   iv) recognize and think about different views (including my view which I will provide).

These are the building blocks to knowledge and understanding.

 

 

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR (should you be interested)

 

 

                Jerel Rosati is a Professor of political science and international studies and has been a member of the Department of Political Science (formerly Department Government & International Studies) at Carolina since 1982.  He has a great love of knowledge and learning about the world and human affairs.  His intellectual interests range from American politics and history, United States foreign policy, the Vietnam War and the sixties to the dynamics of world politics and global change, the nature of human interaction, and political psychology.  His area of specialization is the theory and practice of foreign policy, focusing on the United States policymaking process, decision-making theory, and the political psychological study of human cognition.  He has been awarded the Outstanding Professor of the Year in the Humanities and Social Sciences by the South Carolina (Honors) College, the Outstanding Teacher in International Studies in the Department of Government & International Studies, Excellence in Teaching by the University of South Carolina Alpha Chapter of the Mortar Board Honor Society, and Outstanding Teacher in Political Science by the American Political Science Association and Pi Sigma Alpha (The National Political Science Honor Society).  In addition to the usual undergraduate and graduate students, he has also been awarded, and participated in, a number of instructional grants at the state and federal level (usually through the U.S. Department of State) as Academic Director, Field Director, and/or Project Director where he has taught students and scholars from all over the world, including Bulgarians, Chinese, Israelis and Palestinians, Somalis, Master’s of International Business students, and high school teachers. In 2002 he was the Program Director and Academic Director of a U.S. Department of State Fulbright American Studies Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy for 18 scholars-practitioners from all over the world (the program was renewed in 2003).  He has been a Visiting Professor at Somalia National University in Mogadishu and Visiting Scholar at China’s Foreign Affairs College in Beijing. He is the author of over forty articles and chapters, as well as five books including The Carter Administration's Quest for Global Community: Beliefs and Their Impact on Behavior, The Politics of United States Foreign Policy (3rd edition and translated in Mandarin Chinese), The Power of Human Needs in World Society, Foreign Policy Restructuring: How Governments Respond to Global Change, and Readings in the Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy.  He also has been a Research Associate in the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division of the Library of Congress's Congressional Research Service, President of the International Studies Association's Foreign Policy Analysis Section, and President of the Southern region of the International Studies Association.  He is happily married and the father of three children (and a fourth step-daughter, one cat, and one dog) and enjoys travel, athletics, music, reading, good company, and relaxing.  He came of age during the early seventies as an undergraduate at U.C.L.A when the events surrounding the Vietnam War and Watergate reached a crescendo, which had a profound impact on his intellectual and personal development to the present day.

 

 

CONTACTING ME AND INTERACTING

 

 

                Please feel free to come see me during my office hours or any other time I am free.  Late mornings and afternoons on Monday, Wednesday and Friday are the best times this semester.  If you have any questions or complications that I should be aware, feel free to contact me.

 

                The best way to contact me is probably through class and email.  My email address is:  rosati@sc.edu.  I am good about checking my email and responding throughout the workweek.  I am much less likely to check my email during the weekend.

 

                Please check your emails, for I will send you articles and updates on the class.

 

               

                                                                                                  *    *    *

 

                THIS SYLLUBUS REFLECTS THE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS YOU MUST FULFILL.  I EXPECT YOU TO TAKE THE COURSE SERIOUSLY AND WORK AS HARD AS I DO--WHICH IS, AFTERALL, THE KEY TO LEARNING AND INTELLECTUAL GROWTH.

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND KEY THEMES

 

 

                The United States has experienced important continuities and changes over time. By the twentieth century the United States had become increasingly a global power. Following World War II and with the rise of the cold war, United States foreign policy during the fifties and sixties revolved around the containment of Soviet and communist expansion throughout the world. The cold war years were also a time when the power of the presidency was preeminent in the making of U.S. foreign policy. Yet, over the last thirty years numerous developments have occurred throughout the world and American society that have affected the U.S. and the conduct of its foreign policy. Events such as the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the collapse of the Bretton Woods system challenged America’s postwar containment policy and presidential power. The end of the cold war and increasing global security threats have opened up new opportunities and constraints for both the U.S. at home and abroad. 

                More specifically, students will examine, discuss, debate, and gain practical insights into the history and contemporary evolution of the United States and its foreign policy. Five central themes or questions are addressed throughout the class:

                1) To what extent is the President able to govern and run U.S. foreign policy, especially relative to national security and economic affairs?

2) What have been the dominant patterns of continuity and change in the evolution of the U.S. and making of foreign policy over time, including the role of the government and domestic institutions? In other words, how is U.S. foreign policy really made?

3) How have the tensions between the demands of national security and democracy evolved?

4) What are the implications of the end of the cold war and the September 11th bombing for the future politics of U.S. foreign policy into the twenty-first century?

5) What are the major interpretations or perspectives, as well as different sources of information and scholarship, that exist within the United States?

 

 

                                                                           COURSE TOPICS AND OUTLINE

 

 

                                           [If you miss a class, you are responsible for contacting a classmate

                                                             to find out the reading and class assignments.]

 

                                       [Please bring the required readings with you to class for each session.]

 

                HELPFUL INFORMATION:

                – Each numerical topic below refers to one class session and lists the required (and recommended, if any) readings for that session

                – Read and be able to summarize the required readings

                – Bibliographic Essays of recommended readings for additional information and knowledge are included at the end of each chapter in Jerel Rosati, The Politics of United States Foreign Policy

– We will often begin the class or integrate within the class contemporary issues and the contemporary articles I email you.  Remember: you are responsible for staying abreast of contemporary affairs [SEE END OF SYLLABUS FOR SOURCES]

                – For articles sent by email or available on my website, print them out, read, and save.

                – PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR ARTICLES AND UPDATES ON THE CLASS

 

 

PART I -- COURSE INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

 

1. Course Introduction and Overview (January 13th)

Read over syllabus closely; come to next class with any questions.

 

                FIRST MANDATORY EMAIL/INFORMATION ASSIGNMENT.  Due by Monday, January 19.  Email me the following information as a list in the following numerical order(you cannot get a passing grade unless you fulfill this assignment):

                Put as your subject heading : GINT 491 email assignment.

                   1)  name (as registered)

                   2)  social security #

                   3)  phone numbers (home; work; cell; other)

   4)  email address [I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AVOIDING HOTMAIL GIVEN ALL ITS PROBLEM]

                   5)  major

                   6)  class (e.g., freshman)

                   7)  have you taken or are you enrolled in university 101?

                   8)  do you work during school?  hours per week? what do you do?

                   9)  describe involvement in university or community extra-curricular activities on a regular basis?

                  10)  career goal?

                  11) home town (raised most of life)?

                  12) where have you traveled to outside the U.S.?  If not outside the U.S., then outside the southeast?

                  13) have you taken me for a course before?  if yes, what and when?

                  14) name three good/favorite movies you have seen this year?

                  15) name a novel that you voluntarily read this year (and preferably liked)?

                  16) name a non-fiction book that you voluntarily read this year (and preferably liked)?

                  17) name one or two of your greatest passions (or favorite hobbies) in life?

 

2. Rosati text, “The Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy,” preface and chapter 1

 

PART II -- THE HISTORICAL AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT

 

3. Rosati text, “History of United States Foreign Relations,” chapter 2

 

4. Rosati text, “The Global Context and American Power, chapter 3

 

PART III -- PART II — PRESIDENTIAL, BUREAUCRATIC AND GOVERNMENTAL POLITICS

 

5. Rosati text, “The Paradox of Presidential Power,” chapter 4

 

6. Rosati text, “Presidential Management and the NSC, chapter 5

 

                                LAST DAY DROP WITHOUT GRADE OF WF, Monday, February 23

 

7. Rosati text, “The State Department at Home and Abroad,” chapter 6

 

8. Rosati text, “The Military Establishment,” chapter 7

 

9. Rosati text, “The Intelligence Community,” chapter 8

 

10. Rosati text, “Foreign Economics and the Rest of the Bureaucracy,” chapter 9

 

11. Rosati text, “Decision-Making Theory and Executive Branch Policymaking,” chapter 10

 

                 FIRST EXAM

 

12. Rosati text, “Congress and Legislative-Executive Relations,” chapter 11

 

13. Rosati text, “The Rest of Government,” chapter 12

 

PART IV – THE NATURE AND IMPACT OF THE 60s AND VIETNAM

 

14. Hodgson, preface and part I

 

15. Hodgson, part II

 

16. Morris, forward, chapters 1-5

 

17, Hodgson, part III

 

18. Hodgson, part IV

 

19. Morris, chapters 6-11

 

                SECOND EXAM

 

PART IV -- CONTEMPORARY DOMESTIC POLITICS

 

20. Rosati text, “The Public and Their Beliefs,” chapter 13

 

21. Rosati text, “National Security Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties,” chapter 14

 

22. Rosati text, “Political Participation and Electoral Politics,” chapter 15

 

23. Rosati text, “Group Politics,” chapter 16

 

24. Rosati text, “The Media and the Communications Process,” chapter 17

 

PART V – POLITICS AFTER THE END OF THE COLD WAR

 

25. Rosati text, “State-Society Relations, Making Foreign Policy, and Foreign Policy Change,” chapter 18

 

                THIRD EXAM

 

26. Halberstam, chapters 1-11

 

27. Halberstam, chapters 12-22

 

28. Halberstam, chapters 23-32

 

29. Halberstam, chapters 33-44, plus “Author’s Note”

 

30. Conason, introduction, chapters 1-3; and articles emailed on Bush Administration

 

31. Conason, chapters 4-7; and articles emailed on Bush Administration

 

32. Conason, chapters 8-10; and articles emailed on Bush Administration

 

 

[42 MWF classes total.  The other class days will be used for discussing class topics and contemporary world affairs.]

               

                FINAL EXAM  

                Do not make any travel plans to leave Columbia before you complete the exam.  Thank you.

 

 

Suggested media sources, predominantly American, for following contemporary affairs

 

[pp. 524-527 in Rosati’s The Politics of United States Foreign Policy has a list of websites]

 

                All the sources below can also be found on the web.  Remember, this is just a recommended sampling of media sources.  There are plenty more American media sources, and lots of quality sources beyond the United States–which is particularly important for becoming informed about world politics. 

 

                *    = best sources for American and international news

                **  = best sources for international news in general

                *** = best sources for alternative and diverse news and sources

 

                TV:                         

                  National News (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN)

                  The News with Brian Williams (MSNBC, CNBC), M-F, 9:00-10:00 and 10:00-11:00 pm

                  Nightline (ABC), M-F 11:30-12:00 pm

                 *The News Hour with Jim Lehrer  (PBS), M-F 6:00-7:00 pm

                  This Week with Sam Donaldson & Cokie Roberts (ABC), Sunday 10:30-11:30 am

                  Face the Nation (CBS), Sunday 12:00-12:30 pm

                  Meet the Press (NBC), Sunday 9:00-10:00 am

                 *60 Minutes and 60 Minutes II (CBS), Sunday 7:00-8:00 pm and Wednesday 9:00-10:00pm

                 *Frontline (PBS), Tuesday 10:00-11:00 pm

                  CSPAN

                  MSNBC and CNBC (at night)

                 

                Radio:                   

                 *Morning Edition (NPR), M-F 6:00-8:00 am

                 *All Things Considered (NPR), M-F 4:00-6:00 pm

                  Weekend Edition (NPR), Sat 8:00-10:00 am; Sun 9:00-11:00 am

                **The World (NPR), M-F 3:00-4:00 pm

                **BBC News

 

                Newspapers:

                 *New York Times (www.nytimes.com)

                 *Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com)

                **Christian Science Monitor (www.csmonitor.com)

                **International Herald Tribune (www.int.com)

                  Wall Street Journal

                               

                Newsweeklies:

                  In These Times

                  Newsweek

                  Time

                  U.S. News and World Report

                **The Economist (www.economist.com)

                **World Press Review  (www.worldpress.org )

 

                Intellectual/Opinion journals:           

                  American Prospect

                  Atlantic Monthly

                  Commentary

                  Chronicles

                  Dissent

                  Nation

                  National Review

                 *New Republic

                 *New York Review of Books

                  Progressive

                  Reason

                  Utne Reader

                  Z Magazine

 

                Policy journals:

                **Foreign Policy (www.foreignpolicy.com)

                 *Foreign Affairs (www.foreignaffairs.org)

                  International Security

                 *National Interest

                  Orbis

                 *World Policy Journal (www.worldpolicy.org/journal)

                  Department of State Bulletin

 

                Scholarly journals:

                  International Organization

                  International Social Science Journal

                  International Studies Quarterly

                  International Studies Perspectives

                  Journal of Conflict Resolution

                  International Studies Review

                  Political Psychology

                  Political Science Quarterly

                  Presidential Studies Quarterly

                  World Politics

***SELECTIVE RECOMMENDED WEBSITES.   

 

In addition to perusing the New York Times, Washington Post, The Economist, BBC News, Newsweek, The New Republic, Foreign Policy magazine, and more, these are my favorite sites that uniquely SYNTHESIZE NEWS  information, and opinion from a variety of mainstream and alternative sources: 

 

asheville global report     www.agrnews.org

 

alternet.org     http://www.alternet.org/

 

democracy now     http://www.democracynow.org/

moving ideas     http://www.movingideas.org

buzzflash     http://www.buzzflash.com/

 

common dreams news center     http://www.commondreams.org/

 


Good cites for lots of LINKS from a variety of organizational and ideological perspectives (in addition to some of the above):

 

The new york times politics navigator    http://www.nytimes.com/library/politics/polpoints.html

 

the progressive review     http://prorev.com/links.htm

 

people for the american way     http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/

turn left: the home of liberalism     http://www.cjnetworks.com/~cubsfan/liberal.html

 

 

Good sites for links to mainstream and alternative MEDIA AND NEWS SOURCES (OR ORGANIZATIONS) from around the United States and throughout the world::

 

newslink     http://newslink.org

american journalism review     http://www.ajr.org/

 

 

                Other programs, magazines, and literature are available, as well as fictional accounts (e.g., novels, movies and television shows (such as The West Wing and American Dreams) with important political messages.