FALL 2021 SYLLABUS: Online English Academic Reading & Writing for International Politics (for 2019班)
Meeting Time & Location: Wednesdays & Fridays 10-11:30 AM, on DingTalk. (The instructor awaits the reopening of China's borders but does not know if he will be able to get to Changchun this semester.)
Instructor: Mr. Julian Lee 李立安 Course Website: http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/IRR&WOnline.html
Office: None. The instructor will be located in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Thailand, at least until late Sept.
Email: omniscientfool@tom.com
Email is the instructor's preferred mode of formal contact. Since teaching online, DingTalk is acceptable for most correspondence.
Jump to: Exams Class Schedule Midterm Chalkboard File
OVERVIEW: This course aims to improve students' English skills, specifically academic reading and basic writing. We will cover some topics that we did not get to finish last semester, read at least one academic article, and then shift the focus to writing after the National Week holiday. 讲课的语言是英语。 听/看不懂英语的学生千万要提前安排助学办法。
ONLINE DELIVERY ADJUSTMENTS: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, this course will be offered online for the Fall 2021 semester, though the instructor hopes to return to China and give some sessions in person. There are unfortunate disadvantages for an online course in foreign language learning, but with greater student effort, they can be overcome. For work in pairs and small groups, we will establish early on whether you would like to keep the same partner(s) or alternate over the duration of the semester. Information such as new vocabulary which would normally be written on the blackboard in the classroom will instead be compiled in a word processing document on a daily basis for students' reference. As this will be the instructor's third semester teaching online, many course activities should still be considered experimental, and we should all try to be mindful and forgiving of technical difficulties. All students should print a copy of the glossary on videoconferencingto handle inevitable technical problems in English. Internet connections are notoriously unstable, after all.
ATTENDANCE: With the course online, your attendance in every session will be easily confirmed and considered as part of your daily grade. Students who wish to attend other courses (i.e. the Political Science section or Reading courses for juniors) may do so, provided they mute their microphones and allow those taking the course for a grade to participate first. Contact the instructor ahead of time if you would like to audit another section regularly or attend one or more sessions.
IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: Pending student interest, each session of class will begin with a brief discussion of the news. This course will require at least one small-group presentation, possibly more if students vote to have presentations as part of the course grades. Students who are absent should be sure to get copies of class content for missed sessions. Once or twice in the semester, students will meet with the instructor in "small conversation groups" for 15-30 minutes in lieu of a regular class session. There will be plenty of homework in this course.
GUEST LECTURERS: To supplement course materials and make up for the disadvantages of teaching online, the instructor hopes to invite his former classmates and colleagues teaching at U.S. universities to give special guest lectures on topics of their interest and expertise. We will want to be sure that students' English listening skills are firstly raised to the level where they can understand the majority of a 30-45 minute academic talk in their field, so the instructor will try to schedule guest lectures in the second half of the semester, mostly in Dec. and Jan. while the U.S. semester has ended. If some guests are only available on certain days, this may require us to meet according to their schedule, outside of normal class days and times. Guest lecturers will be told to expect questions from you, the audience, and asking particularly good questions will improve your daily grades. Readings for guest lectures will be posted here and in the course schedule before the lecture date. Prof. Tom Le will talk about his 2021 book, "Japan's Aging Peace", based upon this chapter on history. You should also read his interview with his university, here as a pdf. Also invited are Prof. Josh Gellers & Ms. Sahar Khan, whose readings will be available later.
EXAMS: By students' vote, we will have a midterm exam similar to previous semesters, consisting of an oral and written exam. We will also review as usual beforehand. There will not be a final exam.
GRADING: One essay at the end of the course will be a major determinant of your grade in this course. If there are actually three guest speakers, the essay prompt will likely ask you to comment in detail on the reading(s) and one lecture topic in detail. There will be two presentations on topics to be announced, described in the next section. In sum, the course grade will be comprised of a daily grade (10%) the midterm exam (50%), two presentations (10% each), and the final essay (20%).
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS: Each presentation will be made in a small group of 2-3 students. Each student will be required to speak in the presentation. A visual aid such as a Powerpoint presentation (PPT) or handout is recommended but not required. The presentation should take about 10 minutes, and presenters should allow time for the instructor and classmates to ask questions. The topic of the first presentation, either before or after National Week, is likely to be related to terrorism. The second presentation's topic should be an academic article, unless students think that's too difficult. You can find your own article, or the instructor can recommend one on a topic you choose. As mentioned previously, each presentation will be worth 10% of the final grade for the course. Grading criteria for the presentations will be described in advance but may be holistic rather than in minute detail.
Covid-19 will remain in the news indefinitely, but we may not cover it in this course. If you want to bring it up in the news discussion at the beginning of class, perhaps the glossary of public health and welfare and a handout on health & medicine may be helpful.
Care to see what Julian's other classes are doing? Visit the NENU landing page for his current and previous reading, writing, public administration, and IR theory courses. All classes should have received a copy of EFL student guides to Western music and Western movies. Feel free to share and distribute them.
Every effort will be made to present class materials in a fair manner which does not unconciously or excessively privilege Western thought and theories over Chinese and other approaches. However, given the instructor's training in a U.S. university, the majority of the material will be presented as closely as possible to an "Intro to IR" class in the USA. Anyone wishing to object officially, of course, has the option of reporting the instructor to the hotline reported below:
http://jlrbszb.chinajilin.com.cn/html/2015-11/01/content_176708.htm
It is hoped that will not be necessary, and we can use this class to learn and discuss collegially how China and the U.S. view international politics!
WEEK 1 (9-1, 9-3): WED. COURSE INTRODUCTION: Share something from vacation, grading survey. READINGS: articles consider whether the USA is a benevolent or malevolent influence in the world. FRI. In the context of big ideas like imperialism and terrorism, evaluate whether the article by McFarland or Chomsky is more accurate. READINGS: Handout on terrorism, Prof. Matthew Nelson in The Mandarin on whether neighboring Muslim countries will recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. More articles are likely to follow.
WEEK 2 (9-8, 9-10): WED. In the context of 20th anniversary of the 9/11 incident, discuss the concept of terrorism and whether the "Global War on Terror" begun by George W. Bush has ended with the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. FRI. Talk about Nelson's article and how it relates to terrorism. READINGS: Articles on the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan army, neocons wanting to "stay forever," and criticism of Pres. Trump's deal w/ the Taliban.
WEEK 3 (9-15, 9-17): WED. FRI. Debriefing on Afghanistan mini-presentations, begin discussion of the U.S.-led "Global War on Terrorism" & its preferred counter-terror tactic of drone strikes.
WEEK 4 (9-22, 9-24): WED. Describe topics & requirements for Presentation 1, students sign up in pairs for topics. Discuss article on humanitarian concerns about using armed drones. READINGS: Operators' psychology & AI FRI. Discuss the two articles from the NY Times on drone operators & AI. Assign article by Schweller & Pu about how China will relate to the liberal world order "After Unipolarity."
WEEK 5 (9-26, 9-29): SUN. Advantages & disadvantages of drone strikes as a counter-terror tactic. The remainder of the session was be provided for groups to prepare their presentation and ask the instructor questions about their topics. WED. Presentation 1 on various topics in terrorism, according to the sign-up sheet on DingTalk NATIONAL WEEK...NO CLASS Fri. READINGS: Handout on academic articles & an academic article by Allan, Vucetic, & Hopf from International Organization, one of the most prestigious IR journals.
WEEK 6 (10-6, 10-8): WED. Presentation 1, Q&A for those presenting live. FRI. Discuss academic articles in general using the >handout & the assigned academic article.
WEEK 7 (10-13, 10-15): WED. Introduce requirements for Presentation 2, on an academic article of students' choosing. FRI. "After Unipolarity" by Schweller & Pu.
WEEK 8 (10-20, 10-22): WED. Finish "After Unipolarity" with a consideration of whether the liberal world order can maintain/sustain itself or whether it requires a (liberal, "benevolent" hegemon to lead it). FRI. HST & PTT
WEEK 9 (10-27, 10-29): WED. Introduce article by Allan, Vucetic, & Hopf in terms of global hegemonies of material factors versus ideas. Assign article from Brookings Institution by Hass on U.S.interdependence. FRI. Finish discussion of the academic article by Allan, Vucetic, & Hopf. .
WEEK 10 (11-3, 11-5): WED. Keohane & Nye's concept of "complex interdependence" & introduce Hass article on interdependence. FRI. Begin IPE: Economic Development Strategies presentation. Assign article by Gruber.
WEEK 11 (11-10, 11-12): WED. Continue presentation FRI. Continue presentation. Discuss whether China's economic development followed the East Asian Model or if it has been unique.
WEEK 12 (11-17, 11-19): WED. Presentation on globalization based on questions in Gruber's article. FRI. Present & future prospects for globalization
WEEK 13 (11-24, 11-26): WED. Finish presentation. FRI. Review USFP & preview texts on Realism for guest lecture.
WEEK 14 (12-1, 12-3): WED. Article by Osborne on Chomsky & book chapter by Lieven FRI. Combined session with Politics & PA class for Prof. Beattie's guest lecture, 11:45-1:15 in the NENU-Guest Lecture group.
WEEK 15 (12-8, 12-10): WED. Small conversation groups FRI. Vocabulary Game.
WEEK 16 (12-15, 12-17): WED. Oral exam questions & answers FRI. Written "midterm" exam
WEEK 17 (12-20, 12-22, 12-24): MON. Guest lecture by Prof. Joshua Gellers of the Univ. of North Florida, based on his book, "Rights for Robots?", 9-10:30pm in the NENU-Guest Lecture group. WED. Oral exams FRI. Guest speaker debriefing, Presentation 2 live presentation, introduce requirements for final writing assignment.