Political Studies Fall
2005
GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
The term “globalization” has been used to describe a number of the political, economic, and social processes that were set in motion in the last years of the twentieth century and which will increasingly characterize the twenty-first century. Analysts, pundits, and the average citizen often express strong feelings about globalization. Some would argue that it ushers in an age of improved wealth, welfare, and quality of life for all of the world’s peoples. Others see it responsible for increasing the gap between rich and poor, destroying cultural distinctiveness, and ravaging the environment. However, all agree that globalization calls for new approaches to government and governing. Nation-states and international organizations, such as the many institutions that make up the United Nations, were the primary governing tools of the last half of the twentieth century. Most would agree that neither form of governing is up to many of the serious challenges posed by globalization and that new approaches to problem solving and conflict management are required.
This course examines a range of issues raised by globalization and explores alternative governance strategies for addressing those issues. We will examine war and the use of force in the post-Cold War world and strategies that are being employed to prevent and contain global conflicts that regularly result in loss of human life, the destruction of human communities, and the disruption of economic well-being. We will examine the explosion of international trade, the rapid movement of money across national borders, and the impact of technological changes in the communication and information industries, each of which is demanding new structures of governance. Finally, we will study some of the environmental consequences of globalization and efforts that are being made by individuals inside and outside of government to anticipate and manage these environmental effects.
Effective governance fosters cooperation and manages conflict among actors in the global community. It may be facilitated by formal institutions and structures which operate through formal laws or articulated rules known to or knowable by all participants. Nation-states and international organizations provide the best examples of such structures and rules. It also may work through informal negotiation, communication, and bargaining between and among public officials and private actors who craft resolutions to problems that are appropriate for specific circumstances and situations. A hypothesis that we will test during the course is that institutions and strategies of formal governance are increasingly giving way to informal governance approaches in the face of the consequences of globalization. If true, this hypothesis has important consequences for the changing face of power in contemporary life and the central political concept of sovereignty.
We focus first on some basic geographical components of global community—climate, topography, land use, population density and distribution, and the shape and range of political organization. Students will be asked to complete several assignments using maps and quantitative date to familiarize themselves with these basic components. Second, we look at the historical development of the concept of sovereignty and its relevance to changing notions of governance. Third, we examine the interplay of nation-states and international organizations as they evolved together through the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Fourth, we look at several evolving approaches to governance in the twenty-first century—regional integration, global NGO networks, collective action and public goods, multilateralism, and epistemic communities. Finally, class members will be asked to research and report on governance strategies to address a global issue or problem of their own choosing.
The following books have been ordered for the course: M.
Karns and K. Mingst, International Organizations: The Politics and Processes
of Global Governance; A. Moravscik, The Choice for Europe: Social
Purpose and State Power from Messina to Maastricht; M. Barnett and M.
Finnemore, Rules for the World: International Organizations and Global
Politics; A.-M. Slaughter, A
Students are strongly urged to read The New York Times either by ordering it at the reduced student rate or reading it on-line. The following periodicals and journals also frequently carry articles on global governance: The Economist, International Organization, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy. Materials about organizations addressing issues of global governance can also increasingly be found on line. See, for example: www.unwire.org ; www.europa.org ;
Evaluations of student performance will be based on completion of several brief weekly assignments (15%), 2 midterm exams (50%), a 10-15 page research paper, and a brief oral presentation (25%). Students are expected to attend class regularly and to complete the required reach in the week it is assigned. Class participation and preparation will comprise part of the final grade (10%).
Office Hours: T 2:30-4:00, W 1:00-2:30 and by appointment
in Bernard 216.
Telephone: Office: 909-607-3774
Home: 909-626-5800 (until 10:00PM)
Email: tilgen@pitzer.edu
FAX: 909-621-8481
Weeks 1 and 2. (August 30-Sepember 8) Introduction and Components of Global
Community
August 30—Introduction
September
1—Political Organization Assignment (2-4 pages) (What have been the major
forms of political organization over the past 2000 years? Which forms have
dominated at which times? The
nation-state dominates today. How many
nation-states are there currently? What
forms of government are to be found?
Which forms dominate? Where are
the points of conflict in the international political system? What alliances shape the patterns of
political conflict and cooperation? How many international organizations
exist? How many Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) exist? What nations
have the largest armies? What nations
have nuclear weapons? What nations spend
the largest percentages of their GNP on military expenditures?
September 6—Geographical Determinants Assignment (2-4 pages) Where are the world’s rain forests located? The world’s major deserts? The regions where climate is most suitable to agriculture? Where are the principal mountainous regions? The major rivers and river valleys? Where does one find the most manufacturing and commerce? The most commercial agriculture? The most productive fishing grounds? The most abundant forests and forestry? Where is population density the greatest? Where is it least concentrated? What are the world’s major religions and where are its followers concentrated? What are the world’s most spoken languages? Where are they spoken?
September 8—Global Economy and
Social Welfare Assignment (2-4 pages)
What are the five largest economies in the world? What nations (10) have the highest incomes/per capital? Which (10) have the lowest? What economies rely primarily on agricultural production? On manufacturing? On services? Which economies rely primarily on agricultural jobs? On manufacturing jobs? On service jobs? What economies rely primarily on exports of primary products? What economies are most dependent on trade for their economic welfare? What countries/regions depend most on energy imports? What countries have the fastest rates of population growth? The slowest? Where are national populations the oldest? The youngest? What countries have the highest infant mortality rates? The lowest? Where are illiteracy rates the highest? The lowest? Where is unemployment the highest? The lowest? Where do women have the most opportunities for education and employment? Where do they have the fewest?
Resources:
John Allen, A Student Atlas of World
Politics (5th or 6th edition)
CIA Factbook: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blindex.htm
http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/
http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/
http://www.uia.org/extlinks/pub.php
http://www.worldbank.org/data/
Week 3. (September 13, 15) The Evolution of Sovereignty and the
Components of Global Governance
Required: T. Ilgen, “Reconfigured Sovereignty” WebCT
M. Karns and K. Mingst, International Organizations, chs. 1,2.
S. Krasner, “Sovereignty,” WebCT
Week 4. (September
20, 22) The Emergence of International
Organizations
Required: M. Barnett and M. Finnemore, Rules for the World (Preface, chs.
1,2,6, skim Chs. 3,4,5)
Karns and Mingst,
Weeks 5 and 6. (September 27-October 6) The United Nations
Required: Karns and
Mingst,
L. Fasulo, The Insider’s Guide to the UN
Midterm: October 6
Weeks 7 and 8.
(October 11, 13, 20) Regionalism
Regionalism: Karns and
Mingst,
A. Moravcsik, The Choice for Europe, Intro, Chs. 1-3 first week;
chs 4-6 second week.
P. Katzenstein and T. Shiraishi, “Network Power” WebCT (Second week)
FALL BREAK: October 15-18
Week 9. (October 25, 27) States, Regimes, and Multilateralism
Required: S. Krasner, “International Regimes,” WebCT
J. Ruggie, “Multilateralism,” WebCT
Karns and Mingst,
Week 10. (November 1,
3) NGOs and International Civil Society
Required: Karns and Mingst,
M. Karns and K. Sikkink, Activists Beyond Borders, Preface, Chs. 1,
2,6, skim chs. 3-5.
R. Putnam, “Bowling Alone” WebCT
Week 11. (November 8,
10) Collective Action, Public Goods, and Epistemic Communities
Required:
G. Hardin, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” WebCT
P. Haas, “Saving the
Week 12. (November
15, 17) Government Networks
Required: A.-M. Slaughter, A
Midterm Exam: November 22
Thanksgiving Break:
November 24-27
Weeks 14 and 15
(November 29-December 8) Student Presentations
Research Paper
Due: December 8