MVZn5009 The Politics of Decision-making: American Presidents, Israeli Prime Ministers, and crisis

Fakulta sociálních studií
podzim 2022
Rozsah
1/1/0. 4 kr. Ukončení: zk.
Vyučující
Aaron Walter, MBA, Ph.D. (přednášející), PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D. (zástupce)
Garance
PhDr. Petr Suchý, 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 12:00–13:40 P24a
Předpoklady
None, though it is suggested that students have a working knowledge of IR theory and either American or Israeli foreign policy.
Omezení zápisu do předmětu
Předmět je určen pouze studentům mateřských oborů.

Předmět si smí zapsat nejvýše 24 stud.
Momentální stav registrace a zápisu: zapsáno: 1/24, pouze zareg.: 0/24
Mateřské obory/plány
Cíle předmětu
Leaders make decisions based on a complex interplay of political, psychological, cultural, social, and organizational factors that often determine the effectiveness of the policies and the actions that may result from them. Domestic and international crisis also affect the decisions in ways that may assist or constrain leaders. This course will focus on the connections between the dynamics of foreign policy decisions and the substance of specific foreign policy crisis. In this course, students will learn the relationships among the various decision types, how they are and how they were chosen, the constraints that work for or against effective decisions, the environmental influences affecting said decisions, and the substance of actual, historical foreign policy decisions. There will be case studies. Each case study is a crisis. Those that have been chosen have been done either for their decision type and how the leader with or without other policymakers concluded the crisis. While some case studies are well known others may not be. This course aims to provide the student with an understanding of decision types and how political, psychological, cultural, social, and organizational factors influence said decision during crisis. Therefore, providing comprehension on various themes, historical events, and personalities of American and Israeli leaders. The course is intended to provide students with the tools needed to follow with a critical eye historical and present events that prove to be a crisis. The structure of the course is simple and concise. An initial overview of a topic will be followed by interesting case studies, focused on a key decision-making type. Many of these studies center upon crisis situations, which tested the leaders and often defined them or the relationship between the two nations. After these case studies, discussion on some controversial contemporary aspects of the subject will occur. Finally, as students you will upon completion: 1. Analyze selected case studies using knowledge of theory, history and the political process. 2. Demonstrate research, analytical, writing, and presentation skills.
Výstupy z učení
By the end of the course, you should be able to: • Describe the development of both the American presidency and Israeli premiership to evaluate the consequences and outcomes of the decision making process during crisis; • Explain the formal and informal mechanisms that leaders can use to achieve objectives in a crisis when interacting with other branches of government, the bureaucracy, and the public; • Identify institutional and political constraints that limit the leaders ability to achieve decision making; • Analyze the major factors affecting the successful outcome of crisis; Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different decision making type approaches.
Osnova
  • Requirements The following course requires: (1) assigned readings; (2) class attendance and appropriate contributions to section discussions; (3) two short-essay analysis papers; and (4) a final examination or research paper. Online Classroom Code of Conduct To pass this course, a student must attend all class sessions, do all assigned readings, actively listen to and focus on lecture material, take notes, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or participate in discussions. I use “cold calling”, i.e. calling on students regardless of whether they have raised their hands or not, in order to encourage class discussion, so be attentive and familiar with the reading materials. *Mobile phones are NOT allowed in class. Laptops and tablets should ONLY be used for academic purposes, and not for emails, browsing the internet, social media and other non‐course related activities. I will occasionally walk around during class. Any violation of this request will result in the complete prohibition of the use of laptops and tablets. Lastly, be courteous and respect the opinions of your classmates. Plagiarism Statement Plagiarism means the use of the thoughts ideas words, phrases or research of another person or source as oneʹs own without explicit acknowledgment. In keeping with this definition, all work, whether written or oral, submitted or presented by students as part of course assignments must be the original work of the student unless otherwise specified by the instructor. Cheating on examinations of any kind (midterms and finals) includes copying another student’s answers, exchanging information, using notes or books unless expressly permitted to do so by the instructor, or gaining access to examinations prior to the actual taking of such examinations. Other examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, copying or preparing another person’s work; buying prepared papers. Helping anyone to engage in any of the violations described above qualifies as academic dishonesty. Late Submission Policy I prefer that students submit their assignments on time unless they have a concrete and relevant reason (illness, family crisis etc.) that was brought to my attention as early as possible. To avoid different types of plagiarism discussed in the previous section, I will accept late submissions. Yet papers submitted after due date will result in 1 full grade penalty, every day it late.
Výukové metody
Books and PDF Yehuda Avner. 2014. The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership. Toby. Ivo Daalder and I.M. Destler. 2009. In the Shadow of the Oval Office. Simon & Schuster. Alexander L. George. 1980. Presidential Decision-making in Foreign Policy. Westview Press, ch 2, "Psychological Aspects of Decision-making,” Irving L. Janis. 1989. Crucial Decisions: Leadership in Policymaking and Crisis Management The Free Press. Alex Mintz. 2010. Understanding Foreign Policy Decision Making. Cambridge University Press. Richard E. Neustadt. 1990. Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents, The Free Press. Nadav Safran. 1979. Israel: The Embattled Ally. Harvard University Press. Israel Decision-Making (PDF): http://www.alzaytouna.net/english/books/Israeli_Decision_Making.pdf Israeli Decision-Making in 1967 and 1973 (PDF): http://www.e-ir.info/2014/03/16/pre-emption-and-israeli-decision-making-in-1967-and-1973/ Israel and Crisis (PDF): http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/freilich_mej_autumn_2006.pdf Themes The Nature of Executive Power James Fallows, “Obama, Explained,” The Atlantic, March 2012. Fathom. Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin (PDF): http://fathomjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Rabin-ebook-edited.pdf The Federalist Papers #47 and #70. Dan Korn (2010). The Presidentialization of Politics: The Power and Constraints of the Israeli Prime Minister (PDF): http://israelstudies.umd.edu/articles/research-paper-2.pdf Ezra Klein (2012), “The Unpersuaded,” The New Yorker, March 19, 2012 Ryan Lizza (2012), “The Obama Memos,” The New Yorker, January 30, 2012 John E. Owens, Riccardo Pelizz. The War on Terror and the Growth of Executive Power?: A Comparative Analysis. Chapter 7. [Google Book]   Rhetorical Power Interpreting Israeli decision-making (PDF): http://www.wikistrat.com/interpreting-israeli-decision-making/ Decision Making Approaches and Models Christopher Bolan. 2009. “Risk In American Foreign Military Interventions” [PhD Thesis] chapters 1, 5, 7 (PDF): https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/bitstream/handle/10822/553074/bolanChristopher.pdf?sequence=1 Irving L. Janis, Crucial Decisions: Leadership in Policymaking and Crisis Management (New York: The Free Press, 1989), chs. 2 & 3. pp. 27-63. Israeli decision making (PDF): http://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1304694112ICSR_AtkinPaperSeries_GilMurciano.pdf Isreaeli Studies. https://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/israel_studies/v003/3.2schulze.html Richard E. Neustadt, Presidential Power, chapter 7, pp. 128-151. [notes] Caitlin Smith. “Personality in Foreign Policy Decision Making”. http://www.e-ir.info/2012/10/16/personality-in-foreign-policy-decision-making/ The Psychology of Israeli Decision Making (PDF): http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/02/08/benjamin-netanyahu-v-yair-lapid-and-the-psychology-of-israeli-decision-making/ National Security Policy Edwards and Wayne, “Foreign and Defense Policy Making,” Presidential Leadership, chapter 13, pp. 461-486. [notes] William G. Howell and Jon C. Rogowski (2013), “War, the Presidency, and Legislative Voting Behavior,” American Journal of Political Science (PDF): http://home.uchicago.edu/~whowell/papers/AJPS_2013 Benny Morris. “Camp David and After” New York Times Review of Books. James Pfiffner, “Presidential Leadership and Advice About Going to War,” pp. 135-157 in Terry L. Price and J. Thomas Wren eds., The Values of Presidential Leadership, 2007. (PDF): http://pfiffner.gmu.edu/files/pdfs/Book_Chapters/Pres%20DM%20&%20War,%20Jepson%20Ch.pdf The Price Israel Pays (PDF): http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/06/the-price-israel-pays-for-its-poor-national-security-decision-making/276706/
Metody hodnocení
20 percent on participation. 40 percent for each of the two short papers. 40 percent on the final examination.
Vyučovací jazyk
Angličtina
Informace učitele
aaronwalter@gmail.com
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