Introduction to International Studies: International Codes of Conduct

INTL 114, Spring 2008

Instructor: James von Geldern
Time: TTh 1:00-2:30
Room: Carnegie 404
Office: H207
Phone: x6568
Office hours: Tuesday, 2:30-3:15, Thursday 12-1, or by arrangement

email: vongeldern@macalester.edu

Cardinal Richelieu: The weakest are always wrong in matters of state.

Course Description

In this, the age of globalization, can nation-states agree to a common code of conduct? Can we all live by a single set of rules? The contested process of globalization has bared long quiescent issues concerning the role of law in the global order. Why should borders divide the world; what do they signify? Why should diverse societies develop common codes of conduct? Where should these codes come from, and who should enforce them? Why would states surrender their sovereignty to the global order; and what consequences do we as individuals face in a world governed by international laws? Course readings will be drawn from a range of sources including international law, case studies, personal accounts, literary treatments and other texts that describe the confrontation of cultures, societies and individuals within the global order. Through them students will achieve a greater understanding of what it means to be a global citizen. Open to first- and second-year students.

Texts

Readings are assigned for each unit of the syllabus. There is no textbook for the course, and most of the readings will be available in PDF format from the course Moodle site. The Moodle enrollment key is "conduct". Many of the pdf files are lengthy; look closely before you print them off. The schedule on Moodle is the authoritative reading list for the course, and students should go to the site for all assignments. Attached to this syllabus is a paper copy of the reading list.

Research Resources

There is a great deal of information concerning international law on the web. The primary source of informatiion on the present state of international law is the Electronic Information System for International Law. United Nations documents can be accessed at the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS). For many other questions, the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library is an excellent source. As you begin to look into new issues, you might also look at Nathaniel Burney, International Law. A Brief Primer.

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