MVZ481 Technology and International Relations

Fakulta sociálních studií
podzim 2013
Rozsah
1/1/0. 6 kr. Doporučované ukončení: zk. Jiná možná ukončení: z.
Vyučující
Eszter Simon, Ph.D. (přednášející)
Mgr. et Mgr. Veronika Velička Zapletalová, Ph.D. (pomocník)
Garance
prof. PhDr. Petr Kaniok, Ph.D.
Katedra mezinárodních vztahů a evropských studií – Fakulta sociálních studií
Kontaktní osoba: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Dodavatelské pracoviště: Katedra mezinárodních vztahů a evropských studií – Fakulta sociálních studií
Rozvrh
Čt 8:00–9:40 U53
Omezení zápisu do předmětu
Předmět je určen pouze studentům mateřských oborů.

Předmět si smí zapsat nejvýše 20 stud.
Momentální stav registrace a zápisu: zapsáno: 0/20, pouze zareg.: 0/20
Mateřské obory/plány
Cíle předmětu
Course Description The aim of this course is to introduce students to different aspects of the relationship of technology and international politics. The course will start discussing what international relations theories have said so far about the role of technology and then proceed to discuss the role of technology built around two thematic blocs: security and crisis management. Topics will include the colonization of space, the Washington- Moscow hotline, terrorism, cyber wars, and nuclear wars. Learning out comes By the end of the course students will be able to: *read research articles effectively *identify and describe approaches to the analysis of technology *concisely summarize ideas *critically assess research articles Required readings There are no textbooks for this course. Students will read original research papers provided by the instructor.
Osnova
  • Class schedule: IR THEORY AND TECHNOLOGY Week 1. Introduction Discussing expectations. Course Requirements Homework to be completed by next class: write a 500-word (about a page) summary of the basic ideas of realism. Please note this assignment should not focus on technology. You may use any sources, but you must summarize with your own words and name your sources. Week 2. Realism William E Scheuerman. 2009. “Realism and the critique of technology.” Cambridge Review of International Affairs 22 (4): 564-584. Homework to be completed by next class: write a 500-word (about a page) summary of the basic ideas of neorealism. Please note this assignment should not focus on technology. You may use any sources, but you must summarize with your own words and name your sources. Week 3. Liberalism 2 James P. Lester. 1977. “Technology, Politics, and World Order: Predicting Technology-Related International Outcomes.” World Affairs 140 (2): 127-151. Week 4. Critical Theory Colomba Peoples. 2009. “Haunted Dreams: critical theory, technology, and the militarization of outer space.” In Securing Outer Space: International Relations Theory and the Politics of Space. Edited by Natalie Bormann and Michael Sheehan. New York: Routledge, 91-107. Week 5. Feminism Penny Griffin. 2009. “The spaces between us: the gendered politics of outer space.” In Securing Outer Space: International Relations Theory and the Politics of Space. Edited by Natalie Bormann and Michael Sheehan. New York: Routledge, 59-75. SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY Week 6.Cyberwar Ralf Bendrath, Lohan Eriksson and Giampiero Giacomello. 2007. “From 'cyberterrorism' to 'cyberwar', back and forth: how the United States securitized cyberspace securitized cyberspace.” In In International Relations and Security in the Digital Age. Edited by Johan Eriksson and Giampiero Giacomello. London and New York: Routledge, 57-82. Week 7. Terrorism Magnus Ranstorp. 2007 . “The virtual sanctuary of al-Qaeda and terrorism in an age of globalization. In International Relations and Security in the Digital Age. Edited by Johan Eriksson and Giampiero Giacomello. London and New York: Routledge, 31-56. Week 8. Nuclear weapons Ivo Daalder and Jan Lodal. 2008. “The Logic of Zero: Toward a World Without Nuclear Weapons.” Foreign Affairs (December). Bruno Tertrais. 2010. “The Illogic of Zero.” The Washington Quarterly 33 (2): 125-138. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY Week 9. Diplomatic functions Janice Gross Stein. 2011. “Diplomacy in The Digital Age.” In Diplomacy in The Digital Age. Essays In Honour of Ambassador Allan Gotlieb. Edited By Janice Gross Stein And Colin Robertson, 1- 12. Wilson Dizard Jr. 2001. “Restructuring Diplomatic Communications.” In Digital Diplomacy: US Foreign Policy in the Information Age. New York: Praeger, 99-112. Homework to be completed by next class: write a 500-word (about a page) summary of the Six-Day war. What was it about? What role did the superpowers play? You may use any sources (except the compulsory readings for next week), but you must summarize with your own words and name your sources. Week 10. Communication Technology and Crisis Resolution 3 “The Liberty Incident and the Cold War Hot Line.” 2013. Cold War Museum. Available At: http://www.coldwar.org/articles/60s/uss_liberty2.asp Isabella Ginor and Gideon Remez. 2006. “Un-Finished Business: Archival Evidence Exposes the Diplomatic Aspect of the USSR’s Pre-planning for the Six Day War.” Cold War History 6(3): 377-395. Week 11. Technology as a foreign policy tool 1. Ronald E. Doel and Kristine C. Harper. 2006. “Prometheus Unleashed: Science as a Diplomatic Weapon in the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration.” In Global Power Knowledge. Science and Technology in International Affairs. Edited by John Krige and Kai-Henrik Barth. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago University Press, 66-85. Week 12. Technology as a foreign policy tool 2. Tim Flink and Ulrich Schreiterer. 2010. “Science diplomacy at the intersection of S&T policies and foreign affairs: toward a typology of national approaches.” Science and Public Policy 37(9): 665-677.
Metody hodnocení
Requirements: The final grade is going to be made up of the following components and weights: Participation: 20% Quizzes: 25% Summaries: 15% Critical position papers (10% each): 20% Take-home paper 20% Detailed Requirements: • Attendance Students may only miss two classes during the term. A student who missed more will automatically fail the course. Additional absences maybe excused if the student is able to show adequate documentation of a valid reason (doctors’ note, funeral note etc.). In this case, the instructor will discuss with the student the extra work students need to do to make up for the missed classes. • Active Participation: Since this course is based on the seminar format, its success heavily depends on the active contribution of each student. Therefore, students are expected to actively participate in class by asking and answering questions, working with each other, and offering comments on the readings and related issues. Students will not be evaluated on the basis of the correctness of their contributions. To foster in-class participation, students must bring a copy of the required readings to class. Although the most helpful is to bring a printed and marked-up copy to class, students are allowed to work with electronic versions in class (please note that use of smart phones are not allowed in the classroom). • Summaries during the term During the term students will write three 500-word summaries. The aim of these summaries is to help students prepare for class and understand the weekly topics better. Summaries will be submitted through the information system. • Quizzes Except on weeks 1 and 13 students will write a quiz at the beginning of each class. The aim of quizzes is to make sure that students prepared adequately for the class, i.e. have done the readings. The quiz will not test deep understanding, only the general ideas in the article. Each quiz will have 5 questions worth of 20 points (Total of 100). When students miss the class, their quiz grade will be zero. The worst two quizzes will be dropped and will not count toward the final grade. The best way to prepare for these quizzes is to read the texts, underline important parts, take notes, and revise notes prior to class. • Critical position papers: Students will write two critical position papers of weekly readings during the term. At least one of these position papers should be written before week 9. Students should hand in the position papers by class time of the week that their position papers address. The aim of this paper is that students critically evaluate the content of the chosen readings. Critical evaluation means of noting the logical and other problems of the readings as well as finding the most positive and ingenious aspect of the articles. Students should back up their claims with solid argument (examples, reasoning, etc.) Position papers should be between 900 and 1000 words. Critical position papers shall be submitted through the information system • Take-home paper During the last week of the term – week 13 (December 10) – students will complete a take-home paper. The take-home paper will be completed individually. It will ask students to demonstrate skills that they have acquired during the course (see learning outcomes). There will be an intentional time limit on this exercise – 24 hours. The class will not meet during the last week, but students will choose collectively the day they wish the take-home paper to be distributed. Take-home papers shall be submitted through the information system.
Vyučovací jazyk
Angličtina
Informace učitele
General guidelines: • Deadlines are mandatory. • Exercises and tasks cannot be resubmitted. If the task is unclear or the student has questions regarding their execution, they should ask the instructor in person or via email prior to the deadline. • Unless the instructor directs students otherwise, assignments should be solved on an individual basis. • In general, assignments given will not require the consultation of any external materials. However, students must properly reference – according to the Department guidelines – any sources they may use. This will not influence their grade negatively. • Plagiarism is unacceptable academic practice and will result in serious punishment. The uncredited quotation of work by someone else, including the work of fellow students, exhausts the definition of plagiarism. • Assignments handed in without containing the names of their authors will not be graded. (Special attention should be paid to electronically submitted material: student work should be identifiable even after printing. In other words, students should include their name in the file name and inside the file). • Laptops and tablets maybe used in class for course-related work. Any other technical equipment, including smart phones, phones, mp3 players – are not allowed in the classrooms. Phones should be turned off or muted. Should students use laptops, tablets, or other technical equipment for purposes not related to the class – such as emailing, social networking, browsing –, the instructor will instruct the student to turn off the equipment. A second request to the same student will result in lack of attendance for the given class.

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