Issues in United States National Security Policy

Course number: JMMZ320; JTM252

Instructor: doc. PhDr. Francis D. Raška, PhD.

E-mail: francisraska@gmail.com

Office hours: Tuesdays from 3:30 PM until 4:30 PM on ZOOM

Wednesdays from 3:30 PM until 4:30 PM on ZOOM

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

This online seminar course (taught via ZOOM) aims to help students attain a knowledge of specific issues faced by United States national security in recent decades. As the events of 11 September 2001 have changed the political calculus of national security strategy, the readings deal with matters both before and after September 11. Please keep in mind that students will be expected to read the assigned materials in order to be in a position to contribute to online class discussions. All readings will be provided to students electronically. Finally, students should consider the continuities and discontinuities in United States national security policy and analyze the successes and failures of the approaches adopted by different American administrations.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION PROCEDURES

Each student will be awarded a final mark based upon the following criteria:

Class participation 30%

Term paper 50%

Oral examination 20%

Grading is based on the Dean's Measure no. 20/2019: https://fsv.cuni.cz/deans-measure-no-20/2019

91% and more => A
81-90% => B
71-80% => C
61-70% => D
51-60% => E
0-50% => F

Again, attendance and participation in online class discussions on Zoom are required and each student will be expected to write a paper containing 10 to 15 double-spaced pages. I will need to approve paper topics beforehand and I will expect students to let me know ahead of time by e-mail that they are unable to attend a particular class session. Unfortunately, I have not been happy with the number of unexcused absences by some students in the past as well as the repeated failure by some to read the assigned materials. I will be stricter in this course as well as my other courses from now on. During the first weeks of the course, we will agree as a group on the date by which the paper topics are to be submitted. If I am not satisfied with the progress of some students’ work, those involved may be asked to withdraw from the course. The papers themselves will be due at the end of the semester. The actual submission date for the papers will be set following a discussion by the group on the matter. Please note that students are expected to disclose all sources cited in the form of footnotes. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism will be punished by the disciplinary committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Unfortunately, circumstances no longer permit me to be as lenient as I was in the past with regard to papers submitted after the deadline. Papers submitted after the due date will be accepted only in the case of a documented medical, academic, or family emergency. In addition, I reserve the right not to accept papers from students who fail to attend class sessions and/or do not participate in class discussions. This translates into “No work, no credit.” I will insist that students let me know how they are getting on with their work throughout the course of the semester. I strongly recommend that students do the readings and prepare themselves for class discussions. Some time will be spent during the first session(s) discussing how to write papers. All students can expect to be examined orally on the topic of their essay at the end of the term. Questions asked during individual examination periods may involve the given topic as well as the research methods employed. Finally, I would like to stress that, in order for the course to be successful, we need to work together as a group of dedicated, mature scholars whose members communicate constructively with one another. Let the festival of learning begin! Good luck!

TEXTS

Fishel, John T., American National Security Policy: Authorities, Institutions, and Cases, Lanham, MD, 2017.

Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, Seventh Edition, Baltimore, MD, 2018.

ASSIGNED READINGS

U.S. Policy towards Different Regions of the World

Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, pp. 427-461.
Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, pp. 462-487.
Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, pp. 488-519.
Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, pp. 520-544.
Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, pp. 545-571.
Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, pp. 572-597.
Meese, Michael J., Nielsen, Suzanne C., and Sondheimer, Rachel M., American National Security, pp. 598-627.

Post-September 11 National Security Cases

Fishel, John T., American National Security Policy: Authorities, Institutions, and Cases, pp. 179-195.
Fishel, John T., American National Security Policy: Authorities, Institutions, and Cases, pp. 197-220.
Fishel, John T., American National Security Policy: Authorities, Institutions, and Cases, pp. 221-235.
Fishel, John T., American National Security Policy: Authorities, Institutions, and Cases, pp. 239-252.