GOVT316

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GOVT316

Decision-Making and International Security GOVT316 SP

Next Offered in 9899 SP

An analysis of responses to threats to security in international and domestic politics. The focus is on decisions to use military force or to respond to the use of force, often in crisis situations. The course employs a case approach, which involves intensive class discussion. The cases to be analyzed will probably include the PLO withdrawal from Lebanon in 1982, the British-Argentine conflict over the Falklands, Indian intervention in Sri Lanka in 1987, the Peruvian government's response to the Shining Path, the Mayaguez rescue, French intervention in the conflict between Libya and Chad, the Jordanian decision to expel the Palestinians, and U.S. intervention in Vietnam, as well as Grenada, Panama, or Iraq. We will discuss psychological factors (e.g. the role of misperceptions, belief systems, or cognitive structures) in decision-making, the effects of historical analogies, the impact of domestic politics (or internal interests) and of the international system, and in general the adequacy of rational-actor models. This course, however, differs from conventional approaches to foreign policy decision-making by including non-governmental actors, integrating domestic and foreign policy issues, and extending the scope of the analysis to governments other than the American.

MAJOR READINGS

Yuen Khong, ANALOGIES AT WAR
Allen S. Whiting, CHINA CROSSES THE YALU
Deborah Larson, ORIGINS OF CONTAINMENT
Jini Valenta, THE SOVIET INVASION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Class participation, several papers, final exam.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Students who have not taken the prerequisites may speak to the instructor about an over-ride. Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office. Students on the list of failed enrollments will be given priority if there are openings in the class at the first meeting.

COURSE FORMAT: Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UG Credit: 1.00 Gen Ed Area & Dept: SBS GOVT

Prerequisites: GOVT155 or GOVT311

Last Updated on MAR-03-1998

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