As a Political Science major, the topic of theory and internationals relations has always sparked my interests, simultaneously inflicted thoughts of confusion, and consequently urged my desires to take POLI 367B. Because International Relations is a discipline that has only very recently come to the limelight of scholarly discourse, its youth intrigues me even more. Granted, it takes roots from philosophers of centuries past such as Hobbes and Locke, it takes a more modern approach to the way states function within an international sphere and introduces a relatively new schools of thought such as feminism and green theory. The schools of thought that we will be discussing this semester have never been dealt with in intense detail in any of my past classes and I hope to do that with this particular course.
The topics of the first two weeks of class have been about the fundamental aspects of Political Science and International Relations. More specifically, the –isms and –ologies that are embedded into these topics and how these correlated to what is referred to as “science”. Throughout my time as a Political Science undergraduate, the question I was most posed by members of other disciplines was what made Political Science, indeed a “science”? (I bet you could already see their snarky, snickering, and sarcastic faces, as I’m sure some have you have experienced!) In first year, I didn’t even know what to say. What was it that made political science, a science? Then I took Poli 380 and learned some statistics and knew for sure there was some “science” involved! But for the longest time I would answer it by explaining the use of empirical research, historical observations, and the theories that are tested, debated, proven, and disproven. This, to me, is what made Political Science a “science”, or at least it only encompasses half of what I would now answer as this course has continued to enlighten my definition of Political Science.
As for the textbook, I’m quite glad that for once I’ll be buying a textbook and reading the entirety of it and for the most part, I’m not falling asleep to one of its pages! Reading the first few chapters of the book, I find myself losing track of time and pages due to its compelling nature. The topics are well explained and for a theory textbook, understood with only a few, if not one, read through to grasp a concept. Finally a textbook I can count on!
Anyway, we’re only a few weeks in and I know my optimism will slowly dwindle as deadlines and exams approach. Who knows maybe this course will be nasty and brutish? But hey, at least it’ll be short! Haha all jokes aside, I really do look forward to a great semester and to come out with much more knowledge than when I first came to this class.