Crisis Diplomacy

1.5 Credits · Level: Graduate

The end of the Cold War that dominated the second half of the twentieth century tore apart longstanding patterns of global politics. Some former objects of the great powers became players on the global stage, sometimes important, sometimes bit actors, but always aspiring for a role in shaping events. Many great powers of the 19th and early 20th centuries became less consequential. Long-suppressed grievances arose among those on the rise and those in decline. The rise of China, the Arab Spring and Winter, and the financial crises in Europe, Japan, and the United States reinforce these tendencies. Now Putin’s Russia is reasserting itself and the refugee flow from the Middle East and the rise of populist rightest parties threaten European stability. This course will explore some of these momentous changes through selected international crises, related events, and looming future threats, and how America may deal with them. Attention will focus on Cold War and post-Cold War Europe, on Iran and the Middle East, on East Asia and globalization, and their historical contexts. We will explore and discuss the implications of these changes for United States interests and for American foreign policy. Each class will consist of a lecture covering the subject of the week to be followed by class discussion and Socratic questioning designed to deepen students' understanding of the trade-offs inherent in the issues and skill in analyzing them. Students will be expected to attend classes and to participate actively, and thoughtfully, in these discussions.