Political Science 596E Research
Seminar
Fall, 2009 Professor
Volgy
Tuesday
3:30-5:50 Social
Sciences 332
Syllabus
This
research seminar has a series of objectives:
1)
To
explore a substantive issue of some theoretical salience in international
politics: in this case, it is the theoretical, conceptual and methodological
issues raised by the idea of major global and regional powers and their status
differences in international politics. We want to know what are they, and why
and how do they matter for political dynamics ranging from conflict processes
to regional and global governance.
2)
As
a research seminar, the course is also designed to give the participants
hands-on experience with research processes, including moving from theoretical
development through concept formation and operationalization; the testing of
hypotheses and thus grappling with issues about alternative research designs, data
generation and data analysis, and the myriad problems that result in conducting
research.
3)
Hopefully
the course succeeds by providing us with learning experiences about the
research process, Additionally, however, it is also an opportunity to create:
to add to our ongoing understanding of international politics and the
literature surrounding it, and if well done, to share our findings with the
academic community by publishing the fruits of our individual and collective
labors. The previous research seminar has, to date, yielded seven papers that
were presented at national and international conferences; two articles in
prestigious journals of the field, a co-authored book, and a chapter in another
book. Hopefully, this seminar will yield similar results. Those who took on the
challenge of creativity and hard work required to publish were able to
accomplish another objective after our last seminar: they now have a
significant advantage in moving on to the job market as a result of their
efforts.
4)
There
is another objective that I have in mind for the course: learning the costs,
benefits, and trade-offs of teamwork in the field. If you peruse most of the
recently published literature you should notice that the overwhelming
percentage of published, quality work is not single-authored. This is
not an accident. Given the growing complexity of our field, much scholarship is
accomplished by two or more people working together, sharing ideas and testing
alternative approaches against each other. This is not an easy process and at
times its costs are substantial, but so are the potential payoffs. I hope to
have us experience both in this seminar.
About how we conduct the course:
1)
The
first part of the course contains some common readings (through Week 5)
focusing on literature pertinent to global and regional powers (and the nature
of regions). We will look at these carefully to assess what common knowledge
exists in the literature and where the major holes (and mines) are located;
2)
The
second part of the course contains our research exercises. Each participant
will be engaged in two projects. One is to help create a common database that
will be available to all of us for our research. The second one will be to
focus on a region that will explore the role of regional and global powers in
that region. We will try to create a common methodology for a) identifying what
is a region; and b) creating thresholds for identifying major regional powers.
Your individual responsibility will be to develop an explanation of regional
power behavior; create a significant hypothesis to test; a research design
through which to conduct the test; and an analysis of the outcome and its
consequences for international politics (or our understanding of it).
3)
The
final part of the course consists of a) presenting our results; b) comparing
them across regions; and c) discussing next steps.
Schedule
Week 1 Introduction
to course: objectives and requirements
(August
25)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Week 2 Major
Global Powers: Who Belongs in the Club
and Who Cares? (Volgy)
(September
1)
READINGS: Levy, 1983. War in the Modern Great Power System, 1495-1975. Ch. 2.
Morton and Starr, 2001. “Uncertainty, Change,
and War: Power Fluctuations and War in the Modern Elite Power System.” Journal of Peace Research.
Neumann, 2008. “Russia
as a great power.” Journal of International
Relations and Development.
Rasler and
Thompson, 1994. The Great Powers and
Global Struggle, 1490-1990, Chapter
2
Optional: Corbetta, 2006. “Status and Capabilities: The
Power of Major Power States.” Presented at the annual meeting of APSA.
Fordham, 2006, “What Makes a Major Power?”
Presented at the annual meeting of ISA.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Week 3 Theories of Global, Major Powers
(September
8)
READINGS: Measheimer, 2001. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, Chapter 2 (offensive realism)
Tammen et.
al., 2000. Power Transitions: Strategies
for the 21st Century, Chapter 1 (power transition theory).
Rasler
and Thompson, 1994, The Great Powers…,
Chapter 3 (long cycle theory).
Hymans,
2002. “Applying Social Identity Theory to
the Study of International Politics: A Caution and an Agenda,” presented at
ISA annual convention (social identity
theory).
Wohlforth,
2009. “Unipolarity, Status Competition, and Great Power War.” World
Politics (constructivism and status).
Suzuki,
2008, “Seeking Legitimate Great Power Status in Post Cold War International
Society…” International Relations (English school)
Optional: Volgy and Mayhall. 1995. “Status
Inconsistency and International War: Exploring the Effects of Systemic Change.”
International Studies Quarterly
39:67-84.
Mercer, 1995. “Anarchy and
Identity.” International Organization 49:229-252.
Wallace, 1971. “Power, Status, and International
War.” Journal of Peace Research 1(1):23–35; and Wallace, 1973 “Status, Formal
Organization and Arms Levels as Factors Leading to the Onset of War,
1820-1964,”
in Bruce M. Russett (ed), Peace, War, and Numbers. Beverly Hills:
Sage.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Week
4 Before
You Can Have Regional Powers, You Need Regions: What’s a Region?
(September
15)
READINGS:
Lake, 1997. “Regional Security Complexes: A Systems Approach,” in
Lake and Morgan, Regional Orders:
Building Security in a New World (chapter 3).
Lemke, 2002. “Identifying local hierarchies
and measuring key variables.” Lemke, Regions
of War and Peace (chapter 2).
Look at the Correlates of War classification
of regions in the COW code book.
Buzan and Waever, 2003. “Levels:
distinguishing the regional from the global.” Buzan and Waever, Regions and Powers: The Structure of
International Security (chapter 2).
Goertz, 2009. “[title
not yet available]“ Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American
Political Science Association (Toronto).
Solengen,
2007, “Pax
Asiatica versus Bella Levantina: The Foundations of War and Peace in East Asia
and the Middle East.” APSR
Sbragia, 2008. “Review Article:
Comparative Regionalism: What Might It Be?” Journal of Common Market Studies
46:29-49.
Acharya, 2007.
“The Emerging Regional Architecture of World Politics.” World Politics 59.
Optional: Buzan and Waever, 2003. “Theories and histories about the structure of contemporary
security.” Buzan and Weaver, Regions and
Powers (chapter 1).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Week 5 Conceptualizing
and Identifying Regional Powers
(September
22)
READINGS: Lemke,
2008. “Dimensions of Hard Power: Regional Leadership and Material Capabilities.”
Paper prepared for the Regional Powers Network Conference of GIGA.
Ross, 1999.
“The Geography of the Peace: East Asia in the Twenty First Century.”
International Security 23: 81-118.
Destradi,
2008. “Empire, Hegemony and Leadership…” GIGA working papers #79
Optional: J. Vasquez, M.T. Henehan, 2001. “
Territorial Disputes and the Probability of War, 1816-1992.” Journal of
Peace Research, Volume 38, Number 2 (March 1, 2001), pp. 123-138
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Week 6 The Diplomatic Contacts Database
(September
29)
READINGS: COW The codebook: http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/Diplomatic/Diplomatic_Exchange_2006v1_codebook.pdf
The rest of the data:
http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/Diplomatic/Diplomatic.html
The alternative source:
http://www.europaworld.com/welcome?authstatuscode=202 (under directory: Government and Politics –Diplomatic Representation)
Volgy
and Mayhall, 1995. “Status Consistency and International War: Exploring the
Effects of Systemic Change.”
International Studies Quarterly 39:67-84.
Week 7 Research Designs: What are you doing in your regions?
(October
6)
Week 8 The
Common Database
(October
13)
Week 9 Research Projects
(October
20)
Week 10 Research Projects (continued)
(October
27)
Week 11 Research Projects (continued)
(November
3)
Week 12
(November
10) (November 11: Veteran’s day/no
classes)
Week 13 Research Projects (continued)
(November
17)
Week 14 Research Projects (continued)
(November
24)
Week 15 Presentations
and Findings
(December
1)
Week 16 Presentations and Findings
Where do we go from here?
(December
8)
APPENDIX A: Some Salient Readings on Regions and
Powers
Comparative:
Buzan,
Barry and Ole Waever. 2004. Regions and
Powers: The Structures of International
Security. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Katsenstein,
Peter J. 2005. A World of Regions: Asia and Europe in the American Imperium. Ithaca:
Cornell University Press.
Soderbaum,
Fredrik. 2003. Theories of New
Regionalism. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Solingen,
Etel. 1988. Regional Orders at Century’s
Dawn: Global and Domestic Influences on Grand Strategy. Princeton:
Princeton University Press.
Lemke,
Douglas. 2002. Regions of War and Peace.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
German
Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), http://www.giga-hamburg.de/english/index.php?file=research.html&folder=research
Latin America:
Burges, 2008. “Consensual Hegemony:
Theorizing Brazilian Foreign Policy after the Cold War.” International
Relations 22.
Garriga 2008. “Proving Existence:
Inter-Latin American Relations as International Subsystem.” Paper prepared for
the annual meeting of ISA.
Cason
and Power 2009 “Presidentialization,
Pluralization….Explaining Change in Brazilian Foreign Policy Making… “ International Political Science Review
Genna, Gaspare M., and Taeko
Hiroi. 2004. “Power Preponderance and Domestic
Politics: Explaining Regional Economic Integration in Latin America and the
Caribbean, 1960-1997.” International Interactions 30: 143-164.
Thies,
Cameron. 2008. “The Construction of a Latin American Interstate Culture of
Rivalry.” International Interactions
34: 231-257.
Asia:
Zhang,
Li, and Shi, 2009. “Handling the Global Financial Crisis: Chinese Strategy and
Policy Response.” SSRC publication.
Nabers, 2009. “China, Japan, and the Quest for Leadership in East Asia.”
German Institute of Global and Regional
Areas Studies: Working Papers (67, February), http://www.giga-hamburg.de.
Benjamin
E. Goldsmith, 2007. “A Liberal Peace in
Asia?” Journal of Peace Research 2007, 44: 5
Robert Ross. 1999 “The Geography of the Peace: East
Asia in the Twenty First Century.” International Security 23: 81-118.
Woosang Kim, 2002. “ Power Parity, Alliance,
Dissatisfaction, and Wars in East Asia, 1860-1993.” Journal of Conflict
Resolution, Volume 46, Number 5 (October 1, 2002), pp. 654-671
Q. Sun, Q. Yu, 1999. “ Determinants of China's Military Expenditures: 1965--93.” Journal of Peace Research, Volume 36, Number 1 (January 1, 1999), pp. 23-33.
Hemmer,
J. Katzenstein. 2002. “Why is There No NATO in Asia? Collective Identity, Regionalism, and the
Origins of Multilateralism.” International
Organization 56: 575-607.
Acharya, Amitav. 2004. “Will Asia's Past Be Its Future?”
International Security 28.
Shambaugh, David L. 2004/05. “China Engages Asia: Reshaping the Regional Order.” International Security 29.
Middle East:
Mirjam E. Sørli, Nils
Petter Gleditsch and Håvard Strand, 2005. “ Why Is There So Much Conflict in the Middle East?”
Journal of Conflict Resolution 2005; 49; 141
James H. Lebovic, 2004. “
Unity in Action: Explaining Alignment Behavior in the Middle East.” Journal of Peace Research, Volume 41,
Number 2 (March 01, 2004), pp. 167-189,
B. Miller, 2001. “The Global Sources of Regional
Transitions from War to Peace.” Journal
of Peace Research, Volume 38, Number 2 (March 1, 2001), pp. 199-225
J.S. Goldstein, J.C. Pevehouse, D.J. Gerner, and S.
Telhami, 2001. “Reciprocity, Triangularity, and Cooperation in the Middle East,
1979-97.” Journal of Conflict Resolution, Volume 45, Number 5 (October 1,
2001), pp. 594-620.
Africa:
Soderbaum,
Fredrik. 2004. “Modes of Regional Governance in Africa: Neoliberalism,
Sovereignty Boosting, and Shadow Networks.” Global
Governance 10:419-36.
Collier,
Paul and Anke Hoeffler. 2002. “On the
Incidence of Civil War in Africa.” Journal
of Conflict Resolution 46: 3-12.
Young,
Crawford. 2002. “Deciphering Disorder in Africa: Is Identity the Key?” World Politics 54:532-537.
Beeson,
Mark. 2006. “American Hegemony and Regionalism: The Rise of East Africa and the
end of the Asia-Pacific.” Geopolitics
11:541-560
Lemke, 2003. “African Lessons For International
Relations Research.” World Politics
56: 114-138.
APPENDIX B: Commonly Used Databases in IR
Research
COW and COW related Databases:
State System membership: http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/SystemMembership/2008/System2008.html
Militarized Interstate Disputes:
http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/MIDs/MID310.html
Maoz’s dyadic version: http://psfaculty.ucdavis.edu/zmaoz/dyadmid.html
National Material Capabilities:
http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/Capabilities/nmc3-02.htm
Direct Contiguity:
http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/DirectContiguity/DCV3desc.htm
Intergovernmental Organizations:
http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/IGOs/IGOv2-1.htm
FIGO version of IGO’s: (see Liz Fausett)
Diplomatic Exchange:
http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/Diplomatic/Diplomatic.html
Bilateral Trade:
http://www.correlatesofwar.org/COW2%20Data/Trade/Trade.html
The ISSUE Correlates
of War Project:
http://www.paulhensel.org/icow.html
Water Disputes (transboundary) Database:
http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/
Alliance Treaty
Obligations and Provisions Data (ATOP):
International Crisis
Behavior Project:
Events Data:
KEDS: http://web.ku.edu/~keds/
IDEA: (1990 to present) (Keith Grant has our department’s copy)
COPDAB: (1948-78) http://www.icpsr.org/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07767.xml
WEIS: (1968-1978) http://webapp.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR-STUDY/05211.xml (Keith Grant has copy updated to 1990)
Militarized Interventions by Strong Powers: http://tsulli.myweb.uga.edu/data.html
Minorities at Risk
Project:
Regime Databases:
Polity IV: http://www.systemicpeace.org/polity/polity4.htm
Gleditsch modifications: http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~ksg/polity.html
Freedom House: http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=1
Polyarchy data base: http://www.prio.no/CSCW/Datasets/Governance/Vanhanens-index-of-democracy/
Quality of Governance indicators (World Bank): http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/WBI/EXTWBIGOVANTCOR/0,,contentMDK:20771165~menuPK:1866365~pagePK:64168445~piPK:64168309~theSitePK:1740530,00.html
Transparency and corruption index: http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi
Sustainable Governance index: http://www.sgi-network.org/
PRIO Armed Conflicts
Data:
http://www.prio.no/CSCW/Datasets/Armed-Conflict/
Military Expenditures
Databases:
SIPRI: http://www.sipri.org/databases
ACDA: available from COW; also from ICPSR at http://search.icpsr.umich.edu/ICPSR/query.html?col=abstract&col=series&rq=0&nh=50&op0=&rf=3&fl0=subject:&ty0=p&tx0=ICPSR+XI.D.&fl1=availability:&ty1=w&op1=-&tx1=restricted
Multilateral Peace Operations: http://www.sipri.org/databases/pko
Economic Data: (GDP, GDP/capita, GDP growth)
Penn World Tables: http://pwt.econ.upenn.edu/
World Development Indicators (World Bank): http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,menuPK:232599~pagePK:64133170~piPK:64133498~theSitePK:239419,00.html
Gleditsch Trade and GDP data: http://www.correlatesofwar.org/
Globalization Indicators: http://globalization.kof.ethz.ch/
Human Rights
Database:
UN: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf
Rohn’s World Treaty index: http://depts.washington.edu/hrights/Treaty/trindex.html
State Centrality Measures:
http://psfaculty.ucdavis.edu/zmaoz/datasets.htm
Geographic and Resources databases:
http://www.prio.no/CSCW/Datasets/Geographical-and-Resource/
==============
EUGene Software and variables: http://www.eugenesoftware.org/
Appendix D: Working the Common Database
The purpose of this project is to generate a common database
on diplomatic contacts, allowing us to assess one possible dimension through
which status is granted to major regional and/or global powers by those in the
neighborhood, or globally.
The appropriate database will then generate a profile for
each country of the number of embassies sent and appropriately staffed (by an
ambassador or High Commissioner) by other countries, across time.
COW has such a database, but the manner in which it has been
constructed changed over time (making longitudinal comparisons very difficult)
and observations are only recorded at five year intervals.
There are a number of data sources available for this effort,
but the most comprehensive, longitudinal one appears to be Europa World Yearbook and its on-line version www.Europaworld.com. This is the source we will be
using. Bad news: unless they’ve made it
available just now, the online version is only available for 2008 and 2005. The
other versions are in hardback in the library.
We’ve created a common spreadsheet for each of us, to be used
for the annual observations. Your job
will be a) to take one year and fill in all the needed data:
Year Person
Coding
1980 _______________________________
1985 _______________________________
1990 _______________________________
1995 _______________________________
2000 _______________________________
2005 _______________________________
and
b) Then, we need to do an intercoder reliability
check: where you will take another person’s year, and redo 10 percent of the
entries to determine the level of reliability in coding.
Appendix D: Research Assignments: Searching for Regional Powers and Their
Effects
Sub-Saharan Africa (possible candidates: ___________________________________________
R of South Africa; Nigeria)
____________________________________________
Middle East (possible candidates: ____________________________________________
Egypt, Syria, Iran,
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Turkey)
____________________________________________
Asia (possible candidates: ____________________________________________
China, Japan, India, Pakistan)
____________________________________________
South America (possible candidates: ____________________________________________
Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela)
____________________________________________
Some salient questions you may want
to answer:
1) What’s a regional power and what is regional power status?
2) How many/if any regional powers are there in your region? Do they have varying degrees of status?
3) How has the answer to 2) changed over time (between 1960 to the near present), and why? What difference does it appear to make to the region?
4) How are the answers to the first three questions impacted by the presence or absence of global major power intrusion into the region?
5) How
do your answers complement/contradict the findings of others working in the
other regions?