POLS 270 - International Relations and Organizations

1 - 3 variable Credit Hours

This course is designed for two purposes and is divided into two parts. The first part, covering the first month of the class, is to prepare students for participation in Model United Nations, a nationwide collegiate program, that involves students in a mock session of the UN, with them representing delegates from different countries and participating in debates about that country and international affairs generally. Friends University will send a delegation of students to the Midwest Model United Nations conference. The preparation for this event will consist of discussing assigned topics, preparing position papers and draft resolutions, and giving presentations. Some of these will be graded assignments, and there will be a short midterm/reflection assignment on the MMUN experience that participants will be expected to complete as well. (Those who are unable to attend will be able to make up missed points through comparable assignments.)

In the second part of the course, beginning the last week of February will turn to the academic study of international relations and organizations more broadly. The United Nations itself will, of course, form a large part of this topic, but our discussions and assignments will also go beyond the UN to look at other international organizations, the question of international law, basic theories of international politics, and more. The overall aim is to give students some exposure to the sort of practical arguing and deal-making that goes into international relations today, as well as to increase students’ knowledge of the wider implications of those international discussions.

Students who are taking POLS 270, International Relations and Organizations, as an elective within the History & Politics, International Business, or the History, Government, Social Studies Education majors are required to take the course for the full 3 credit hours. The 1 credit hour option exists for students who wish to participate in the Model UN program and need to earn some credit for doing so, but otherwise are not completing the second half of the course.