IR 6652:  Theory and Ideology in International Relations

Your exam will consist of three of the following: One required question and two from which you will choose one.

• What is ideology? Why should we, as students of international relations, study it? Use at least three examples from Baradat/the online readings to illustrate your position.

• How did Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke and Kant each contribute to international relations theory? Use the source material and secondary sources (e.g., Williams, Wendt, etc.) to answer the question.

• Why (and how) are issues of ontology and epistemology central to the arguments made by Williams and Wendt about IR theory? Relate your answer to Williams' willful realism and Wendt's constructivism.

• The Sterling-Folker text approaches the question of IR theory by examining a specific events from multiple perspectives. Why this approach? How useful it is it? In your response be sure to cite at least three specific examples from the text.

• In the Sterling-Folker text the chapters on realism and liberalism speak in terms of ''approaches'' (note the plural). Why does the book do this? Taking either realism or liberalism as discussed in Sterling-Folker and discuss why those schools of thought have to be approached in term of multiple realisms or liberalisms rather then just singular realism or liberalism.

• Using the readings from class, discuss the key components of liberalism, constructivism and Marxism as schools of international relations theory.