POLI754:FormalModelsofInternationalRelations
Prof.StephenGentŸ[email protected]
ClassMeets: Thursdays3:30-6:30pm,NewEast305
OfficeHours:Thursdays9:30-11:30am,2:00-3:00pmHamilton352
SakaiWebsite:https://sakai.unc.edu/portal/site/poli754-sp17
Spring2017
CourseDescription
Thiscourseisintendedforgraduatestudentswhoareinterestedintheformalanalysisof
internationalrelations.Thegoalofthecourseistofamiliarizestudentswiththeuseofgame
theoretictechniquestodeveloptheoriestoexplainpoliticalphenomenaintheinternational
arena.Inthiscourse,studentswill(1)deriveorproveresultspresentedbythevariousauthors,
(2)identifywaystoimproveuponpreviousresearch,and(3)developtheskillsnecessaryto
developtheirowngametheoreticmodels.Thiscourseisnotmeanttobeasurveyoftheformal
literatureininternationalrelations.Instead,wewilllookatalimitednumberofrepresentative
readingsthatwillallowyoutolearnabouthowformalmodelsareusedtoconstructtheoriesof
internationalrelations.
ThiscourseconcentratesonformalIRresearch,andwewillspendmuchofourtimeworking
throughgametheoreticmodels.Whilewewillspendthefirstsessionreviewingthebasic
conceptsofgametheory,itwouldbebeneficialifstudentshavealreadytakenacourseingame
theory(e.g.,POLI789).
Requirements
Participation(10%):Studentsareexpectedtocompletetheassignedreadingeachweek
accordingtothetopiccovered.Discussionofthereadingsandmodelswilloccurinclass.
Presentations(30%):Formostclasssessions,onestudentwillberesponsibleforpresentingand
critiquingtheassignedarticle.Thepresentershouldprepareashorthandout(~3pages)thatwill
bedistributedtotheclass.Thishandoutshouldconsistof(i)asummaryofthearticle'smain
points,(ii)anexplanationofthemainproofsandtheintuitionbehindthem,(iii)anevaluationof
thesubstantiveimportanceofthecontribution,and(iv)acritiqueofthepaper.Thepresenter
shouldpostthehandoutontheSakaiwebsitebyWednesdaynightbeforeclass.Everyonewill
beexpectedtohavereadthearticleandthesummarybeforecomingtoclass.Presentersmust
bepreparedtoleadanin-classdiscussionofthearticle.
RefereeReport(20%):Studentswillwriteaformalrefereereportonapublishedarticlein
internationalrelationsthatincludesagametheoreticmodel.Iwillprovidemoreinformationon
therequirementsforthisassignmentlater.TherefereereportwillbedueMarch2.
ResearchPaper(40%):Studentswillalsobeexpectedtocompletearesearchpaperinwhich
theydeveloptheirownoriginalgametheoreticmodeltoexamineaquestionofinterestin
internationalrelations.Wewillhaveanin-classworkshoponApril6forstudentstoget
feedbackontheirmodels.Iwillprovidemoreinformationontherequirementsoftheresearch
paper(andworkshoppresentations)atalaterdate.TheresearchpaperwillbedueonMay4.
ScheduleofReadings
INTRODUCTION
January12–IntroductionandOverviewofGameTheory
RecommendedReadingsontheUseofFormalModelsinIR
• Lake,DavidA.,andRobertPowell.1999.“InternationalRelations:AStrategicChoice
Approach.”(StrategicChoiceandInternationalRelations,Ch.1)
•
Walt,Stephen.1999.“RigororRigorMortis?RationalChoiceandSecurityStudies.”
InternationalSecurity23(4):5-48.
•
Powell,Robert.1999.“TheModelingEnterpriseandSecurityStudies.”International
Security24(2):97-106.
•
Goemans,Hein,andWilliamSpaniel.2016.“MultimethodResearch:ACaseforFormal
Theory.”SecurityStudies,25(1):25-33.
INTERSTATECONFLICT
January19
•
Slantchev,BranislavL.2011.MilitaryThreats.Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,
Ch.1-2.
January26
•
Carter,David.2010.“TheStrategyofTerritorialConflict.”AmericanJournalofPolitical
Science54(4):969-897.
February2
•
Schultz,KennethA.1999.“DoDemocraticInstitutionsConstrainorInform?”
InternationalOrganization53(2):233-266.
February9
•
Spaniel,William,andBradleyK.Smith.2015.“Sanctions,Uncertainty,andLeader
Tenure.”InternationalStudiesQuarterly59(4):735–749
THIRDPARTYDYNAMICS
February16
•
Yuen,Amy.2009.“TargetConcessionsintheShadowofIntervention.”Journalof
ConflictResolution53(5):745-773.
February23–ISA(NoClass)
March2
•
Fang,Songying.2010.“TheStrategicUseofInternationalInstitutionsinDispute
Settlement.”QuarterlyJournalofPoliticalScience5(2):107-131.
RefereeReportsDue
•
March9
Favretto,Katja.2009.“ShouldPeacemakersTakeSides?MajorPowerMediation,
Coercion,andBias.”AmericanPoliticalScienceReview103(2):248-263.
March16–SpringBreak(Noclass)
•
March23
Bapat,NavinA.2012.“UnderstandingStateSponsorshipofMilitantGroups.”British
JournalofPoliticalScience42(1):1-29.
March30
• Gent,StephenE.2008.“GoinginWhenitCounts:MilitaryInterventionandthe
OutcomeofCivilConflicts.”InternationalStudiesQuarterly52(4):713-735.
April6
•
• In-ClassWorkshop:StudentModels
INTRASTATECONFLICT
April13
•
Kydd,Andrew,andBarbaraF.Walter.2002.“SabotagingthePeace:ThePoliticsof
ExtremistViolence”InternationalOrganization56(2):263-296.
April20
Zhukov,YuriM.2015.“PopulationResettlementinWar:TheoryandEvidencefrom
SovietArchives.”JournalofConflictResolution 59(7)1155-1185.
April27
•
•
Paine,Jack.2016.”RethinkingtheConflict‘ResourceCurse’:HowOilWealthPrevents
Center-SeekingCivilWars.”InternationalOrganization70(4):727–761.
May4
•
ResearchPapersDue