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Course Offerings

Course Details

Spring 2011-2012
WWS 337 / POL 398 (SA)   na, npdf

International Institutions and Law

Robert O. Keohane

ENROLLMENT BY APPLICATION OR INTERVIEW. DEPARTMENTAL PERMISSION REQUIRED.

This course will focus on the continual tension between international law and international politics. It will examine the impact of this tension on issues of intervention and also on other issues of substantive importance, including environmental protection, trade, human rights, laws of war applicable to the "war on terror," and crimes of state. It will discuss recent developments affecting international institutions and recent changes in international law, such as the changing conception of "sovereignty."

Sample reading list:
Stephen D. Krasner, Sovereignty: Organized Hypocrisy
Gary Jonathan Bass, Stay the Hand of Vengeance: The Politics of War Crimes
Beth Simmons, Mobilizing for Human Rights
Page Fortna, Does Peacekeeping Work?
Walter Mattli and Ngaire Woods, The Politics of Global Regulation

Reading/Writing assignments:
Each student will be part of a four-to-five person group that will be responsible for preparing thematic papers for the seminar and commenting on the thematic papers of other groups. Each student will also write a term paper of not more that 5,000 words. Professor Keohane will give some lectures, especially early in the term and will lead discussions. He will also read all student papers.

Requirements/Grading:
Term Paper(s) - 50%
Class/Precept Participation - 50%

Other Requirements:
Not Open to Freshmen.

Prerequisites and Restrictions:
Students wishing to enroll in the course must write a three-paragraph application of not more than 500 words. One paragraph should discuss the student's background educational and otherwise relevant information to the issue of international institutions and law. The second paragraph should indicate what the student hopes to learn from the course, and the third paragraph should discuss any career aspirations relevant to the topic..

Other information:
Applications should be submitted to the Undergraduate Program Office no later than 4:00 PM on November 18. Class/Precept Participation grade includes group projects.

Schedule/Classroom assignment:

Class numberSectionTimeDaysRoomEnrollmentStatus
40002 S01 1:30 pm - 4:20 pm T   Robertson Hall   014   Enrolled:15 Limit:15 Closed