DIPLOMACY – INR 3030 Fall 2009 Department of International Relations Hilarion “Lari” Martinez, Diplomat in Residence, U.S. Department of State Course objectives: The objective of this course is to explore various aspects of diplomacy, especially as practiced by the United States Government. Students will read about the history of diplomacy, as well as the dynamics involved in diplomatic engagement. Students will examine (through a broad overview of American foreign policy from World War II to the Gulf War) certain world events in the second half of the 20th century in terms of the role of diplomacy and some of the challenges to U.S. diplomacy in the 21st century. Students will be asked to make oral presentations on some of these events (either individually or in groups). Students will learn about the structure of the Department of State and missions overseas through lectures, guest speakers, role playing, and team exercises. Several sessions will be devoted to the actual functioning of, and the roles played by, the various offices within an embassy. We will consider the roles and responsibilities of diplomats and the skills and qualities that they need to be effective. Through readings, discussions, presentations by guest speakers, and case studies, we will learn about the principal types of work done by Foreign Service Officers – public diplomacy, consular, political, economic, and management, as well as international development. We will examine at least one issue typical of those faced by officers of each Foreign Service career track. The concept of embassies and their usefulness in the era of modern communications will be discussed. Several sessions at the end of the course will be dedicated to the presentation and discussion of diplomatic policy reviews prepared by students. The course will make use of guest lecturers, to be scheduled at the discretion of the professor as well as student presentations. There will be no final exam although on the final day of class there will be a final quiz. Required readings: Periodicals: It is recommended that students monitor world news, either online or in hard copy, in either the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the Miami Herald in terms of examining the role of diplomacy in current world events. Required Books (all): Modern Diplomacy (3rd Edition) (Paperback) by R. Barston (Author) Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the U.S. Foreign Service (Paperback) by Harry W. Kopp (Author), Charles A. Gillespie (Author) Rise to Globalism, by Stephen Ambrose, 8th edition (Paperback)
The American Foreign Service Association: Inside a U.S. Embassy: How the Foreign Service Works for America (Paperback) The instructor will assign supplemental readings as necessary, using whenever possible online resources. Course Dynamics, Grading, and Other Requirements: 1. Each student is expected to participate actively in class discussions. Participation will count for 20% of the final grade for this class. Students will be expected to participate fully in class exercises, both written and oral, and to arrive at class well prepared. Students will be asked to lead a discussion of some the assigned reading during class sessions. Students are encouraged to volunteer but will be drafted if necessary. 2. Absences will affect final grade. There will be a one grade deduction for each class absence, excused or not, after three. The three permitted absences may be used due to illness, for example. Arrival after 15 minutes from the start of class will be considered an absence. 3. During the semester each student of diplomacy will draft, in class, three onepage essays on assigned topics on designated days. The three essays will count for 20% of the final grade for this class. You will have 30 minutes to write an essay on an assigned topic. The ability to write concise, wellorganized, grammatically correct, effective and persuasive English in a limited amount of time is required for successful performance as a diplomat. The essays will be evaluated on the quality of writing, including development of ideas, structure, clear language and the standard use of conventions—not on opinions expressed. When composing your essays, you should present your point of view clearly and support it. A successful essay should have an obvious structure and clear thesis supported by relevant substantiating details. It should show your ability to analyze a topic in a way that is appropriate for the intended audience. The writing should be coherent; occasional lapses should not impede flow or readers’ comprehension. Language should be concise with clear and appropriate word choice. The language should also be free of errors in grammar and syntax, with no more than minor errors in spelling and punctuation. 3. (This may change – it may be a different subject). If you enjoy the Olympics, and monitored the President's and Chinese leaders' comments, you realized that the development of USChina diplomacy and foreign policy was, is, and will continue to be extremely important. As a result, we may use China as a classroom exercise in diplomacy to illustrate the interagency process. Each group of students, will be assigned the role of a particular government agency and/or official. You will then play that role at a mock meeting of the National Security Council to determine "next steps" in the region in terms of American diplomacy. Remember many of these officials have made public statements on China. The purpose of this
exercise is to explore the complexities of decisionmaking and development of a diplomatic strategy in the interagency arena. At stake are US interests in human rights, commerce, regional security including control of nuclear arms, the fate of Taiwan, espionage. And don’t forget you may also have a political agenda. This assignment should not take a great deal of time. Most of the information you will need is available on the web. If you want to get started on this exercise, I suggest you start with the following sites: The White House www.whitehouse.gov Check out the article that describes the composition and function of the National Security Council The Department of State www.state.gov Be sure to read the latest human rights report on China The Department of Defense www.defenselink.mil The UN www.un.org I also recommend the following articles for background material. Freeman, Chas., “SinoAmerican Relations: Back to Basics,” Foreign Policy, Fall 1996, pp317 Various, “Debating China Policy,” Foreign Policy, Spring “94, pp3752 Your involvement in this exercise will be part of your class participation grade. 4. Students should expect quizzes on the materials that have been discussed throughout the semester or which are the subjects of assigned or required readings. These quizzes will make 60% of the final grade. Makeup exams will only be given in extreme circumstances. The makeup exam will not be the same one given to those who took the test on the established date, and will be given during the final examination period, during which time you will take both the makeup exam and the final. To sit a makeup exam, you must 1) provide documentation to me in class within two class periods of the missed exam addressing why your absence qualifies as excused 2) have that documentation accepted by me 3) email me asking to be given a makeup exam and 4) receive back an email from me confirming a makeup exam will be given. Extra credit/optional: For those of you who are U.S. citizens and over 20 years old, you will have the opportunity to go through the actual process of taking the written examination to becoming an American diplomat. This exercise will give you the opportunity to experience the first step to becoming an American diplomat. This exercise is optional. I will work with the students interested in this unique exercise and opportunity. The exam is free and can be taken in Miami at the FIU Biscayne Campus. The test date window will be in October 2009. You will need to register for the exam at http://www.careers.state.gov/officer/register.html. Scheduling is limited and invitations will be sent to the first eligible examinees approximately 5 to 6 weeks prior to the testing window.