Current Courses
I currently teach three courses at Duke University. Course descriptions are below and past syllabi are available upon request.
Duke University
POLSCI 362: INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
The various causes, processes and impacts of international conflict in contemporary international affairs. Topics include: causes of war; factors that make international conflict more or less likely; domestic politics of international security; impacts of scientific and technological developments; ethical arguments and beliefs associated with the use of violence; contemporary and non-traditional security threats. No formal prerequisite, but Political Science 160 recommended.
POLSCI 590S-3 / POLSCI 763: FOUNDATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Seminar producing firm grounding for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in several key research programs in the field of International Relations. Examination of foundational books and articles focusing on different traditions of thought in international relations, the impact of domestic institutions on conflict and cooperation, and the role of individual and group psychology in foreign policy. Emphasizes how IR theory can be applied to historical and contemporary cases. Students will write literature review essays on a topic of their choosing with the goal of identifying plausible questions they could pursue in larger research projects.
POLSCI 668S: THEORY AND PRACTICE OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Analysis and criticism of the recent theoretical, empirical, statistical, and case study literature on international security. This course examines promising areas of current and future political science research in security studies. Topics include: dynamics of international conflict; alternatives to the use of force; and domestic politics of international security. Aimed at graduate students but open to undergraduates.