Gov 40: International Conflict and Cooperation

This course is an introduction to the analysis of the causes and character of international conflict and cooperation. The course covers core theoretical models for why and how countries bargain, fight, and cooperate. The first half of the course focuses on conflict and international security. The second half focuses on international political economy and international organizations. Professor: Stephen Chaudoin.

Class Materials:

Section 10

Human rights and review

Additional resources

• Eleanor Roosevelt, "The Promise of Human Rights," Foreign Affairs (4/1948)
• H-Diplo Roundtable XIX, 28 on Evidence for Hope: Making Human Rights Work in the 21st Century (4/2/2018)

Section 9

International institutions!

Additional resources

• Sheilagh Ogilvie, "Medieval Champagne fairs: Lessons for development," VoxEU (12/23/15)
• Ellen Ioanes, "Here’s what the ICC can actually do about Putin’s war crimes," Vox (4/9/22)
• Khan Academy video of derivation of sum of infinite geometric series (the r in this video is the "delta")

Section 8

Networks

Additional resources

• Farrell and Newman, "The U.S. Is the Only Sanctions Superpower. It Must Use That Power Wisely," New York Times  (3/16/22)
• Anne-Marie Slaughter, "How to Succeed in the Networked World," Foreign Affairs (Nov/Dec 2016)

Section 7

International Trade

Additional resources

• CNBC International, "How do tariffs work" YouTube (2018)
• Remarks of Ambassador Katherine Tai Outlining the Biden-Harris Administration's "Worker-Centered Trade Policy" (2021)
• Andrew Van Dam, Youjin Shin, and Alyssa Fowers, "How Russia will feel the sting of sanctions," Washington Post (3/18/2022)

Section 6

Counterterrorism, leaders, and gender

Additional resources

• Erica Chenoweth and Zoe Marks, "Revenge of the Patriarchs: Why Autocrats Fear Women," Foreign Affairs (March/April 2022)
• Errin Haines, "Kamala Harris bridges the fights for democracy at home and abroad," The 19th (3/11/2022)
• Vera Miranova, "Is the Future of ISIS Female?" New York Times (2/20/2019)
• Abigail S. Post, "Obama said that if women ran the world, there’d be less war. Here’s the research," Washington Post Monkey Cage (12/22/2019)

Section 6

Counterterrorism, leaders, and gender

Additional resources

• Erica Chenoweth and Zoe Marks, "Revenge of the Patriarchs: Why Autocrats Fear Women," Foreign Affairs (March/April 2022)
• Errin Haines, "Kamala Harris bridges the fights for democracy at home and abroad," The 19th (3/11/2022)
• Vera Miranova, "Is the Future of ISIS Female?" New York Times (2/20/2019)
• Abigail S. Post, "Obama said that if women ran the world, there’d be less war. Here’s the research," Washington Post Monkey Cage (12/22/2019)

Section 5

Civil war

Additional resources

• Declan Walsh and Abdi Latif Dahir, "Why is Ethiopia at War with Itself" New York Times (1/12/22).
• James Fearon, "Civil War and the Current International System" Daedalus (2017) 146 (4): 18–32.
• James Fearon Congressional testimony on sectarian violence in Iraq (2006).
• Christiane Amanpour, Dr. Barbara F. Walter, and Fintan O'Toole, "Civil War in America: Can it happen again?" CNN.

Section 4

Additional resources

• Andrew Kydd, "The U.S. and Europe didn’t get what they wanted from Putin. But Putin didn’t get what he wanted from them," The Washington Post (2/22/22)
• Yascha Mounk, "Dictators aren't pretending anymore," The Atlantic (2/24/22)
• "Ukrainians' Choice: Fight or Flee?​​​​​​​" The New York Times The Daily (2/25/22)

Section 3

Domestic politics and interstate conflict

Additional resources

• Max Fisher, "On Ukraine, U.S. and Russia Wage Signaling War to Avert Actual War," NYT (2/15/2022)
• Polina Beliakova, "How Does the Kremlin Kick When It's Down?" WOTR (8/13/2019)
• Michael McFaul, "Putin, Putinism, and the Domestic Determinants of Russian Foreign Policy," International Security 45 (2) (2020): 95–139.

Section 2

Bargaining model of war

Additional resources:

• Helene Cooper, "U.S. Considers Backing an Insurgency if Russia Invades Ukraine," NYT (Jan. 14, 2022).
• Andrew Kramer, "For Ukrainian Soldiers, a Nervous Guessing Game on the Front," NYT (Jan. 27, 2022).
• Jen Kirby and Jonathan Guyer, "The Russia-Ukraine crisis, explained," Vox (Feb. 9, 2022).
• William Spaniel, "War's Bargaining Range," Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeNg1k0y8OA&t=280s. 

Section 1

Intro to IR theory