POLS+2401+Syllabus+Spring+2018 +Section+nonadaptive+003 PDF

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GLOBAL ISSUES - 21905 - POLS 2401 - 003 Dr. Jelena Subotic Email: [email protected] (use YOUR GSU email for all correspondence) Class TA: Anastasia Vishnevskaya ([email protected]) Office Hours: by appointment

Class Time: ONLINE Class Location: ONLINE Office: Langdale 1018

Class Communication For questions about course content (concepts, theories, arguments) – email me at [email protected] For ALL OTHER QUESTIONS about the course – email the class TA Anastasia Vishnevskaya ([email protected]) This is an extremely large class. Be patient if we cannot immediately respond. For technical issues with the software, see below for the 1-800 number. Course Description This online course introduces you to contemporary issues in international politics and is designed for those who do not have significant prior knowledge of international affairs. We examine some of the most pressing political, security, economic, and social challenges facing the United States and the international community, such as weapons proliferation, the rise of China, global climate change, and turmoil across the Middle East. The course incorporates adaptive learning courseware developed with “Realizeit” (see below). This courseware embeds the course text (Snarr and Snarr, “Introducing Global Issues”, 6th ed.), the Robinson Country Intelligence Index (RCII; a dynamic tool which reinforces key course concepts and centers students on how data fits into the analysis), and other learning materials. At the end of this course, each student should be able to:  Identify key structural features of the contemporary international system (actors, processes, institutions)  Identify the UN and its main organs, recognize other major IGOs, and be able to illustrate with examples the difference between IGOs, NGOs, and MNCs  Outline major security challenges (weapons proliferation, terrorism, war, etc.) and be able to assess different ways in which these challenges are being addressed  Outline other major global challenges, such as those tied to human rights, economic development, and environmental sustainability, and articulate the different positions and perspectives surrounding these topics (what are they?, what solutions do they offer?, etc.)  Identify, explain, and visualize data, and apply key indicators to global issues and challenges You are responsible for being aware of all the policies and other information on this syllabus. Please read them carefully and direct any questions to me. You are responsible for keeping up with all announcements and activities in iCollege. This syllabus is a general plan for the course. Deviations and changes may be necessary and adjustments will be made over the course of the semester. Required materials: 1. Realizeit Adaptive Learning Courseware—this courseware embeds a text (Snarr and Snarr, “Introducing Global Issues”), the RCII, and other learning materials. Realizeit subscription information: a. If you are enrolled in the course in iCollege, you are automatically enrolled into Realizeit, which is integrated into iCollege. b. You have two weeks from the start of the course to purchase access from Realizeit. Go to https://squareup.com/store/realizeit to purchase access (your access in iCollege will automatically continue, but keep the confirmation email for your records). c. If you fail to purchase the access code within two weeks, your Realizeit access will be disabled. The system will retain your work. Once you complete the purchase, your access will be reenabled within 8 business hours. Please contact Realizeit if you drop the course, prior to January 29. There will be no refunds for the courseware after January 29.

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Gl o balI s s ue s d. Questions concerning the Realizeit courseware should be directed to: 888-210-6097 and

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[email protected]. This is 24/7 support. e. Questions specific to the RCII should be directed to [email protected] and 404-413-7129. 2. Readings/materials posted on iCollege. 3. Students are also expected to follow international news through such sources as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Current History, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy. Note, for this course students must have adequate online access to complete the adaptive learning lessons in Realizeit as well as other coursework. Technical excuses for being unable to successfully do the coursework will not be accepted. You must complete all coursework between the specified times/dates listed in the weekly course outline below. Evaluation Student performance will be evaluated as follows:  Test 1 (20%) ON-CAMPUS  Test 2 (25%, part. cumulative) ON-CAMPUS  Test 3 (25%, part. cumulative) ON-CAMPUS  All Realizeit Modules and Map Quizzes (25%)

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End of Semester Course Survey (3 extra credit points) End of Semester Standardized Assessment (5%) Extra credit op-ed assignment (5 extra points)

Proctored Tests The three proctored, on-campus tests in this course cover all materials assigned through the Realizeit courseware, with the exception of the map quizzes, for that section of the course. Test 2 and Test 3 are also partially cumulative, as they will address some of the key concepts carried throughout the course to that point. Tests are administered on computers and you will login to iCollege/Realizeit. Study guides will be distributed prior to the tests, which must be taken on campus. Each test will be roughly 50-60 questions. The week of each exam will be a designated six-day “exam period,” and you will take each exam on campus during a onehour time slot. The exam periods are indicated on the course schedule at the end of this syllabus, and are also listed here: Test 1 dates, 2/5 – 2/9; Test 2 dates, 3/5 - 3/9; Test 3 dates, 4/16 – 4/20. You will need to reserve a 90-minute time slot prior to exam week. Time slots are 90 minutes because you have 60 minutes to take the exam, are expected to arrive 15 minutes before it starts, and are allowed a 15-minute grace period at the end in case of unforeseen circumstances. At the beginning of the semester, you will be able to reserve exam time slots at the following link: https://www2.registerblast.com/gsucii/Exam/List. After clicking on that link, select the link to your course section (you are in “GLOBAL ISSUES - 21905 - POLS 2401 - 003” make sure you know the right section), and then click on the exam you want to schedule and select the desired date/time on the associated calendar. After registering, you will receive a “confirmation code of registration.” You will also periodically receive email reminders of your registration. There are a lot of students seeking to use the testing lab, and space is limited, so I strongly advise you to register as early as possible. Doing so will increase the probability that you will get the testing time that works best with your schedule. On the day of your exam, please remember the following:  You will need your Panther ID card to verify your identity.  You will be asked the course name, number, and section number when checking in. Make sure you know these things (see the top of this syllabus for this information).  You need to arrive at the testing center in Student Center East – Room 315 at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled testing time.  You will have 60 minutes to complete the exam.  No technology of any sort is allowed during exams.  You will NOT be allowed to use a book or notes of any kind during exams.  Completion of examinations prior to the end of each six-day exam period is mandatory. Failure to complete an exam within the allotted testing window will result in a “0” unless accompanied by credible documentation (see below). Do not wait until the last minute to take the exam.

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Realizeit Modules (including map quizzes) (25%) A quarter of your final grade will be determined by your completion of 12 modules (11 content modules and 3 map quizzes counted as a separate module). You will work on these modules through the Realizeit courseware (accessible through iCollege by going through the various “sections”). The purpose of providing you with this courseware is to provide an integrated system through which you will be encouraged to do the readings and test your knowledge and understanding of the various content chapters. The set-up of the courseware is as follows:  Readings: through iCollege, you will click on the relevant section and it will immediately take you to the Realizeit site where you can access the various chapters assigned for your reading material (see full schedule below); read the text carefully; take notes, make annotations, underline important parts; jot down any questions you may have and ask them in class; you should spend on average 1 ½ to 2 hours per week going through the readings; these readings are the foundation for the reading quizzes (see below) as well as for the exams  Reading Quizzes: There is a specific schedule listed below telling you when quizzes become available and by when you must have completed them. For each quiz, you will have a 1-week window within which the quiz must be completed. Each quiz will deal with questions related to specific chapters in the text so make sure you have done the reading, then enter the assessment through iCollege (you may want to have two tabs open now, one for the reading and one for the assessment BUT you will not have enough time to check for answers in the reading if you have not actually yet done the reading); for each reading quiz, you will have 12 minutes within which to answer 12 multiple choice, matching or multi-select questions. You will have two attempts for each reading quiz and the highest score will be counted (but note that the questions are randomly chosen so your second quiz can have different questions from the first one.  RCII Quizzes: the Robinson Country Intelligence Index (RCII) is designed to help you become more familiar with data and to this end, the courseware integrates the RCII and specific quizzes designed to test your familiarity with the index. You will click on the relevant RCII assessment in iCollege and it will open up a quiz in Realizeit that will ask you specific questions the answer of which you can only find by going through the RCI index (this tool will open in a separate window and you will have to finish specific steps in order to be able to answer RCII quiz questions). You will have one-week windows within which to complete the quizzes (see schedule below) but unlike the reading quizzes, we want to see you use the index so the there is no time limit on the RCII quizzes AS LONG AS you complete them within specific dates (typically one week). Make sure you read all the introductions to questions carefully as this will give you the exact instructions to follow on the index to be able to answer the questions. The very first two RCII quizzes are actually based on tutorials on how to use the index so these are simple but necessary starting points to learn how to navigate the RCII.  Map quizzes. There will be three map quizzes that will open in week three and have to be completed by April 23. The three short map quizzes (10-minute limit, 2 attempts) each cover two regions of the world: A) Middle East/Former Soviet Union B) Asia/Latin America C) Africa/Europe. Knowing the basic geography of the places we’re covering is central to getting the most out of this course. The map quizzes count as 1/12 of the 25% of the Realizeit grade). The map quizzes open the third week of the course (1/22/18) and all three must be completed by the last day of the semester (4/23). You will have two attempts per map quiz and you should make sure that you prepare yourself for the map quizzes by utilizing e.g. the map function in the RCII and/or consult an atlas. You will get more details on what each region covers as we get to week three. Note, for this course students must have adequate online access to complete the adaptive learning lessons in Realizeit as well as other coursework. Technical excuses for being unable to successfully do the coursework will not be accepted. You must complete all coursework between the specified times/dates listed in the weekly course outline below.

End-of-Semester Standardized Assessment (iCollege) During the final week of the semester, you will be given a general assessment of your learning consisting of some multiple-choice content/basic knowledge questions as well as a number of multiple choice questions about short text

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passages. These short texts will describe global issues scenarios and the questions test your ability to understand and analyze those scenarios. While this assessment is only 5% of your overall course grade it provides important insight into your overall learning and your ability to not just memorize concepts but apply them to real world scenarios. The assessment will be available through iCollege in the last week of the semester. Extra Credit Exit-Survey Completion (3 added percentage points) During the last week of the semester, you will be given an opportunity to add 3 percentage points to your final grade by completing a roughly 15-minute online survey on iCollege. The purpose of this survey is for me to discover ways to improve the course and course materials in the future. More information will be provided later in the semester. Extra credit op-ed paper (5 extra points) Description: An op-ed is an opinion piece of writing, written in response to a news article or story. The writer discusses the issue, states an opinion, and backs it up with supportive facts or reasons, designed to persuade his or her target audience. Choose from one of the following topics. You may argue positions in favor or against a particular viewpoint, but make your argument clear and concise. 1. The UN as a Promoter of World Peace: Success or Failure? 2. The Economic Power of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) vs. States 3. Modern Threats to Human Rights 4. The Role of NGOs in Conflict Zones 5.The War on Terrorism Answer the following questions about your topic:    

What are the root problems or challenges inside your topic area? (2 points) What political or economic solutions have been tried to correct this problem? (2 points) How do states and non-state actors interact inside this issue? (2 points) Who has come out better (or worse) as a result of the responses to this issue? (2 points)

Grading Finally, a general point about all grades in this course. Any request to change a grade must be made in writing and must give specific reasons. Once a request is made, I will give it consideration, but I reserve the right to lower your grade as well if I think that you were originally given too many points. Policy on Attendance, Missed Assignments, and Emergencies: This is an online course. As such, there is no attendance policy, EXCEPT for tests, which are on campus at the testing center (see above). There are no makeup tests (see discussion of emergencies below); if you miss an exam, you will receive a 0. If you are late to a test, you must take it in the time that remains when you arrive. If there is a real emergency, you must submit a signed note from the university, a doctor, or another appropriate source. In such a rare case, recourse may be given if the case is legitimate, compelling, and documented, and still will often accrue a penalty. Note, given that you have six days to take an exam, this bar is very high. Written excuses must be presented as quickly as possible after a missed assignment or exam, and the work must be made up within one week. Policy on Disruptive Behavior: This is a large class and it is imperative that certain rules be followed to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to learn. The university policy on disruptive behavior will be strictly enforced. Below is an extract from the university handbook on disruptive behavior. Please pay special attention to the underlined sections.

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“Disruptive student behavior is student behavior in a classroom or other learning environment (to include both on and off-campus locations), which disrupts the educational process. Disruptive behavior for this purpose is defined by the instructor.” Policy on Academic Dishonesty: In the interests of fairness and academic integrity university policies will be strictly enforced. Please pay special attention to the underlined sections in this extract from the university policy on academic dishonesty. “The university assumes as a basic and minimum standard of conduct in academic matters that students be honest and that they submit for credit only the products of their own efforts. Both the ideals of scholarship and the need for fairness require that all dishonest work be rejected as a basis for academic credit. They also require that students refrain from any and all forms of dishonorable or unethical conduct related to their academic work. …. The policy represents a core value of the university and all members of the university community are responsible for abiding by its tenets. Lack of knowledge of this policy is not an acceptable defense to any charge of academic dishonesty.” Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to A. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work as one’s own. Plagiarism includes any paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another person without acknowledgment, including the submitting of another student's work as one’s own…. B. Cheating on Examinations: Cheating on examinations involves giving or receiving unauthorized help before, during, or after an examination…. Violations of the academic dishonesty rules are grounds for receiving an “F” in the course or assignment. See the University Policy on Academic Honesty (Section 409). Title IX/Clery Act Notification Sexual misconduct (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, and any other nonconsensual behavior of a sexual nature) and sex or gender discrimination violate University policies. Students experiencing such behavior may obtain confidential support from GSU’s Student Victim Assistance services. Student Victim Assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 404-413-1965. Disclosures made to Student Victim Assistance staff will be held in strict confidence and will not serve as notice to the university requiring initiation of a review of the disclosed conduct. Disclosure to University faculty or instructors is not confidential under federal law. If you disclose sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence, or sex or gender discrimination occurring on campus, in a University-sponsored program, or involving a campus visitor or University student or employee (whether current or former) to me, I am required by federal law to forward such reports, including names and circumstances, to the University’s Title IX officer. You can learn more about Title IX and reporting instances of sexual misconduct here: http://deanofstudents.gsu.edu/title-ix/ Policies on Disabilities, Incompletes, and Withdrawals Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Office of Disability Services. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which an accommodation is sought. For GSU policy on incompletes please see: http://registrar.gsu.edu/files/2013/05/incomplete_policy_and_form.pdf For GSU Policy on hardship withdrawals please see: http://deanofstudents.gsu.edu/files/2013/03/2012_updatedHSWInfoSheet.pdf

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Withdrawal by midpoint: please note, the semester’s midpoint is February 27, 2018. By this date, students can withdraw from the class and receive a W for the class. However, there is a limited number of W’s a student can receive over their academic career. If yo...