GOVT 85.01 Diplomacy

This course explores diplomacy, the essential instrument of foreign policy. We will begin with elemental questions:  What is diplomacy? Who uses it and how?  The course will examine both the daily work of diplomats -- how they obtain and use information on the politics, economics and society of their host nations – and the way in which negotiations are conducted at the highest levels.  The course will take up a number of case studies (possibilities include Bosnia, the Gulf War, Kirkuk, North Korea, and Iran) in order to answer the following questions: What makes for successful negotiations?   Is the threat of force essential to effective diplomacy?  When is multilateral diplomacy more effective than unilateral action?  What is the role of the United Nations?   The class will engage in debates and other in-class exercises that utilize critical diplomatic skills.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:INT or SOC

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.