Political Science 450 - Seminar:Theory,Knowledge,and Prediction

Institution:

Colgate University

Subject:

Description:

F. Chernoff This course examines the nature of theories of international relations, with particular attention to whether they are capable of predicting future events. The most dramatic international development of the last half century - the end of the Cold War - was not predicted by international relations theories. The course seeks the reasons for this failure: is it that the scientific theories of international relations have not been sufficiently refined after just 30 years, or is the field inherently incapable of generating predictive theories Those who prefer the latter answer - and criticize the natural science model - argue that international relations theories, like those of other social sciences, must account for human agency and free will, and thus are inherently different from those of natural sciences and incapable of prediction. The course attempts to answer these questions by considering the proper use of concepts such as "law," "cause," "explanation," and "understanding" in international relations. Pr erequisite:

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.colgate.edu

Phone Number:

(315) 228-1000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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