INTL 500 Fundamentals of International Relations

The course offers a critical knowledge foundation of various perspectives, issues, and controversies that comprise contemporary international relations and policy today. Students will engage relevant topics like the structure and actors of the international system; the theory and practice of conflict and cooperation; political economy and international trade; international organizations and human rights; global governance and development; and international security and terrorism. They will be strongly encouraged to reflect upon how each of these topics may be informed by, integrated with, or deviate from a biblically informed world view.

Not since the last 30-year war from 1914–1945 has the world experienced such cataclysmic destruction costing 60–80 million lives or more. Yet, historians, diplomats, foreign policy analysts, and scholars among others, believe the ingredients exist for another possible round of violence between great powers. Each of these with unimaginably more powerful weapons at their disposal than ever before. If knowledge, expertise, and analytical skill can help us avoid stumbling blindly into this fate once again, it will be in part because citizens, statesmen, soldiers, scholars, policymakers, and people of faith began their training with courses like Fundamentals of International Relations.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations Course Requirements Checklist

Discussions (3)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete 4 Discussions in this course. For each Discussion, the student will post 1 thread of at least 400-500 words. Then, the student must then post 2 replies of at least 200-250 words each. For each thread, students must support their assertions with at least 2 scholarly citations in APA format. Each reply must incorporate at least 1 scholarly citation in APA format. Any sources cited must have been published within the last 5 years. Acceptable sources include the textbook, the Bible, and other books and articles.

Essay Assignments (3)

For each essay assignment, the student will write a 5–7-page research-based paper in current APA format that focuses on the assigned topic relevant to the course readings for the Module in which it is located and all previous learning. Each essay must include at least 7 references including the course textbooks, presentations, and the Bible.

Midterm Exam Assignment

This exam will cover the Learn material from the assigned Modules: Weeks. The student will complete this exam by composing a 5–7 page research-based essay response to the prompt below dealing mainly with the assigned Mingst and McKibben chapters and encompassing other issues written about and discussed in the first half of the course. The exam is open-book/open-note/open-research and focuses on the Learn items, the Discussions, and other research related to the course content. The assignment must be in current APA format. 

Research Paper: Ghosts of Rwanda Assignment

The student will view the film Ghosts of Rwanda and reflect on how genocide still happens even in the wake of ‘never again’ promises after the Holocaust of WWII in a research paper. The paper must be 5-7 double spaced pages, not including additional pages for title and references, integrate at least 7 sources (including the course textbook, Bible, and scholarly articles), and use current APA format.