Course Syllabus

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INR 3081: Contemporary International Problems; Section RVD 1211

Instructor Information Table

Pro headshot.jpg Dr. Tamanna Ashraf

Instructor Information

  • Email: tashraf@fiu.edu
  • Office Hours: by appointment (email)

Course Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time (EST). Course due dates are according to this time zone.



Course Description and Purpose

Contemporary International Problems is a course designed to introduce the students to current security issues in international relations. This course pays close attention to the evolution of key theoretical concepts in security studies and their application to contemporary global challenges. Traditional security issues such as great power relations and territorial disputes will be covered in addition to non-traditional security issues such as non-state actors, human rights, and the environment. As a result, the student and practitioner will have a greater grasp on the interdependent nature of traditional and non-traditional security issues, but more importantly, the implications of this interdependency.

The course will push you to think critically about the material being presented and encourage you to ask questions. Although it is an online class, the assignments will require you to ask questions on the readings to ensure proper understanding of the material as well as motivating further interest in the subject.

Since there will be a lot of information discussed during lectures, each student is expected to have read the assigned material before listening to the lectures. In addition, since the lecture will cover information not presented in the assigned readings, students are expected to take notes during the lectures.

Course Objectives

Upon completing this course, students will be able:

  • To familiarize the students to the various theoretical understandings of the concept of security
  • To introduce the debate within security studies between traditionalists and broadeners-deepeners
  • To highlight the complex nature of security and how different levels of analyses in International Relations approach the topic
  • To introduce contemporary international security issues that impact interstate relations
  • To explore how globalization is adding nuance and another layer of complexity to security
  • To deduce new approaches to security that are not limited to the traditional emphasis on the state and the military


Course Prerequisites

Before starting this course, please review the following pages:

Course Policy: 

  • Attendance: Attendance is not mandatory. This class is registered as an asynchronous online class without a fixed meeting time. However, to create a sense of predictability, the Zoom lectures will be recorded and posted every Tuesday at 1:00 pm. You are encouraged to attend the lectures during these recording sessions, but it is not mandatory. Your grade will not be penalized if you do not attend the recording sessions. However, listening to the lectures within a week of posting is strongly recommended.
  • Email etiquette: I am available to answer your course-related questions via email. I usually respond within 24 hours (excluding weekends). In your email, please mention who you are, the course name, and include your Panther ID. Then, proceed with your queries.
  • Late submission: there is no late submission for the two exams and the video responses. Late submission of reading quiz and weekly current event analysis will lose 2 points per day.
  • Sickness/Covid-19: if you become ill during the semester, please reach out to me immediately. Email medical proof. In the case of a positive Covid-19 diagnosis, a one-week extension will be given to each assignment. I also expect that you will maintain regular communication with me so that we understand each other’s expectations.

Canvas

This course will rely on Canvas to assign readings and collect course works. You will also see your grade here. Please make sure that you are familiar with the platform.

Require Textbook and Course Materials

Textbook Table
Textbook Image
  • Sean Kay, Global Security in the Twenty-First Century: The Quest for Power and the Search for Peace 3rd ed. (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015) ISBN-13: 978-1442248021. Required
  • Alan Collins (editor). Contemporary Security Studies. Fourth Edition. Oxford University Press (2016). ISBN Number: 978-0-19-870831-5. Required
  • Articles posted on Canvas Module tab under Week Ouline
You may purchase your textbook online at the FIU Bookstore.

Expectations of this Course

This is an online course, which means most (if not all) of the course work will be conducted online. Expectations for performance in an online course are the same for a traditional course. In fact, online courses require a degree of self-motivation, self-discipline, and technology skills which can make these courses more demanding for some students.

Students are expected to:

  • review the getting started page located in the course modules;
  • introduce yourself to the class during the first week by posting a self-introduction in the appropriate discussion;
  • take the practice quiz to ensure that your computer is compatible with the learning management system, Canvas;
  • interact online with instructor and peers;
  • review and follow the course calendar and weekly outlines;
  • log in to the course 6 times per week;
  • respond to discussions by the due date specified. No late work will be accepted;
  • respond to emails within 1 day;
  • submit assignments by the corresponding deadline.

The instructor will:

  • log in to the course 6 days week;
  • respond to discussion postings within 2 days of the deadline;
  • respond to emails within 24 hours;
  • grade assignments within 7 days of the assignment deadline.


Discussion Forums

Keep in mind that your discussion forum postings will likely be seen by other members of the course. Care should be taken when determining what to post.

Quizzes

In order to mitigate any issues with your computer and online assessments, it is very important that you take the Practice Quiz from each computer you will be using to take your graded quizzes and exams. Assessments in this course are not compatible with mobile devices and should not be taken through a mobile phone or a tablet.

For more information, please review the important information about quizzes page.

Assignments

Reading quiz ------------------------------------------ 15%

Video response --------------------------------------- 15%

Weekly current event news analysis -------------- 10%

IR Problem Analysis -------------------------------- 15%

Midterm Exam --------------------------------------- 20%

Final Exam ------------------------------------------- 25%

Total--------------------------------------------------- 100%

Assignment Description

  • Reading quiz (15%): every week on Monday, a reading quiz will open on Canvas covering that week’s assigned readings. There will be 10 multiple-choice questions worth 1 point each. These quizzes are open book and are designed to hold you accountable for the readings. You will have 1 hour to submit the quiz. The reading quizzes are due every Sunday at 11:59 pm. The two lowest reading quiz scores will be dropped at the end of the semester.
  • Video response (15%): every week, you will be required to watch to video that corresponds to the assigned readings. After watching the video, you will submit a response to the Canvas discussion board addressing the questions in the prompt. Each response will be worth 10 points and should be around 150-200 words. The video responses are due Sunday at 11:59 pm. One lowest response score will be dropped at the end of the semester.
  • Weekly current event news analysis (10%): The weekly news analysis will open every other Monday. The weekly current event news analysis prompt will ask you to focus on a current event and analyze the event using the readings/theories covered in that week. The analysis should be 100-150 words long (no more). The event itself should be international in nature (2+ countries involved). You will first provide a brief neutral summary of the event. Then, you will analyze the event using a theoretical framework based on the weekly readings. Your analysis can:
    • Support the arguments raised in the weekly readings and use the current event as supporting evidence. OR
    • Criticize the arguments raised in the weekly readings by using the current event as supporting evidence. OR

You need to provide at least 1 source in the end. The source should be properly cited (MLA or APA)

  • IR problem analysis paper (15%): in this research paper, you will pick a contemporary IR problem that you think defined the first quarter of 2021. Then, you will provide an in-depth analysis/criticism of a current international political event using 2 IR theories. This assignment should be 4-5 pages long (double-spaced) and must include a minimum of 8 sources (4 sources should come from weekly readings). Due on April 4th
  • Mid-term Exam (20%): the exam will cover the readings and class lectures from week 1 to week 8. On Sunday, March 7th. Requires Respondus Lockdown.
  • Final exam (25%): the exam will cover the readings and lectures from week 9 to week 14. Closes on April 23rd. Requires Respondus Lockdown.

 

Extra credit: there is no extra credit given in this course. So please do not ask for it.

Zoom Lectures

The lectures for the course will be recorded on Zoom. This class is registered as an asynchronous online class without a fixed meeting time. However, to create a sense of predictability, the Zoom lectures will be recorded and posted every Tuesday at 1:00 pm. You are encouraged to attend the lectures during these recording sessions, but it is not mandatory. 

Zoom Meetings will be held on the following dates/time: Tuesdays at 1 pm

Zoom meetings can be accessed via the Zoom link in the course navigation menu. Once you click on the Zoom link, it will route you to join the meeting for the respective class session. You will also be able to view upcoming meetings, previous meetings that you have already joined, and meeting recordings. Before joining an actual class session:

If you encounter any technical difficulties, please contact the FIU Canvas Help Team. Please ensure you contact support immediately upon the issue occurring.

Grading

Letter Grade Distribution Table

Letter

Range%

Letter

Range%

Letter

Range%
A 100-94 B 83 - 86 C 70 - 76
A- 90 - 93 B- 80 - 82 D 60 - 69
B+ 87 - 89 C+ 77 - 79 F 59 or less

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due