International Relations

The course will emphasize the foreign policy and national security policies of the Biden administration in the wake of the Russian invasion and the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. In addition to reviewing the events in Central and East Europe as well as the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, there will be a discussion of bilateral US policies with such key adversaries as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Special attention will be given to the policies of containment that the US is pursuing regarding Russia and China. There will be a speculative discussion regarding the policies that President Joe Biden or Donald Trump would pursue if they were reelected in November 2024. In addition to key geopolitical issues, we will examine such functional issues as US arms control and disarmament policy, international terrorism; energy policy, and cybersecurity. An effort will be made to discuss controversial articles and op-eds from The Washington Post and The New York Times that treat national security issues. Professor Goodman's most recent book, Containing the National Security State, will serve as the textbook for the course.