Outside Resources
Click below to explore a carefully curated set of external links including video resources, primary sources, news artcles and games and activities related to each chapter to extend your learning beyond the book.
Chapter 2: The Emergence of a Global System of States, 1500-today
Chapter 3: Theories of International Relations
Chapter 4: The Analysis of Foreign Policy
Chapter 5: Framing International Relations: The Role of Law and Organizations
Chapter 6: War and Its Causes
Chapter 7: Pathways to Interstate Peace
Chapter 8: Weapons of Mass Destruction
Chapter 9: International Economics: Basic Theory and Core Institutions
Chapter 10: States and Markets in the World Economy
Chapter 11: Dilemmas of Development
Chapter 12: Non-State Actors and Challenges to Sovereignty
Chapter 13: The Environment and International Relations
Chapter 14: Facing the Future: Six Visions of an Emerging International Order
Chapter 2: The Emergence of a Global System of States, 1500-today
Video resources:
- Check out a helpful Allen Sens video on imperialism here.
- To see a time-lapse video of the world’s major wars from 1500 until today, click here.
- For a crash course video about the history of the Cold War, click here.
- For a website containing several videos and simulations about the Cold War, click here.
- To see a brief video about Brexit, how it came to be, and what might come of it, click here.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Read an interesting discussion about Game Theory and the Cold War and learn the basics of game theory! Click here.
- To read the actual text of the Treaty of Westphalia, click here.
Relevant news articles:
- For an article about Iran and the dangers of the Munich analogy in politics today, click here.
- For an article about the international system today, the Treaty of Westphalia, and China, click here.
- To read an article in The Economist outlining the recent populist movements around the globe, click here.
Games and activities:
- To play a game simulating the dismal trench warfare of World War I, click here. [Warning: violence]
- Try this Sporcle quiz on the timeline of events of World War II.
Chapter 3: Theories of International Relations
Video resources:
- A Realist Walks into a Bar: To see a brief video explaining realism, click here.
- To see a similar video on liberalism, click here.
- To see a similar one on constructivism (and to learn how it pertains to The Matrix), click here.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Take a look at this article on token women in positions of power, and make sure to take a look at the paper to which it links! Click here.
Relevant news articles:
- Check out this article on Marxist rebels in Colombia. Click here.
- For an article outlining an economic case for states to support feminism that was published in the January 2018 issue of Foreign Affairs in the wake of Saudi Arabia’s lifting of the female drivers ban, click here.
- For a piece about Marxism’s impact by a professor of philosophy on the 200th anniversary of Karl Marx’s birth, click here.
Chapter 4: The Analysis of Foreign Policy
Video resources:
- Look at this video, one of many examples of the Islamic State’s use of propaganda in the current conflict.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Check out this online exhibit from the US National Archives about propaganda during World War II.
Relevant news articles:
- Check out this piece on US historical covert operations in Cuba.
- Take a look at this article about military talks (and military action) between North and South Korea.
- For a piece analyzing how the US’ “pivot to asia” has played out, showing the effects that (even perceived) shifts in relative power can have, click here.
Chapter 5: Framing International Relations: The Role of Law and Organizations
Video resources:
- To learn about the debate surrounding the European Union, one of the largest intergovernmental and supranational organizations on the planet, click here.
- To learn about the structure of the EU in more detail, click here.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Read the text of the UN Charter here.
- To read the charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Agreement, click here.
Relevant news articles:
- For an article discussing the United States’ withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Commission, and some of the controversy surrounding the body, click here.
- For an article discussing the rise of the rules-based international order and its proscription on aggressive armed conflict, and the challenges it faces today, click here.
Chapter 6: War and Its Causes
Video resources:
- For an Allen Sens video explaining the Prisoner’s Dilemma in depth, click here.
- For another Allen Sens video on refugees and migrants, click here.
- For a detailed but brief history of the Rwandan genocide, one of the most tragic internal wars in world history, check out this video and information sheet.
- Watch this video discussing what a war between the United States and its Allies against North Korea could occur and play out.
- Watch this video detailing the war in Iraq, and ISIS’ rise in the region.
Primary sources and further learning:
Relevant news articles:
- Read this article on developments in the war against Islamic State in the Middle east.
- Read this article on worsening human rights in the conflict in Crimea.
Games and activities:
- Listen to this Guns N’ Roses song, “Civil War,” one of many songs that have been written to decry the tragedies of war, both internal and external.
- Try this ‘activity' in which you can explore the tragedies and atrocities that come with living in a refugee camp in Sudan, hiding from the Janjaweed.
Chapter 7: Pathways to Interstate Peace
Video resources:
- For an interesting Allen Sens video on economic interdependence (and liberalism), click here.
- Listen to this video in which Edward Luck (an IR scholar and United Nations official) discuss whether international institutions matter.
Primary sources and further learning:
- To learn more about the origins of the League of Nations and the UN, their differences, and the challenges the UN faces today, read this piece from the BBC.
- For the full text of one of current American Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley’s speeches on the moving of the American embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, click here.
Relevant news articles:
- For an article discussing prospects of peace between the two Koreas, click here.
- Here is an article discussing the advantages -- and disadvantages facing the United Nations today.
Games and activities:
- Check out this activity from the BBC about the League of Nations.
Chapter 8: Weapons of Mass Destruction
Video resources:
- Listen to John Oliver talk about nuclear weapons. Funny, but also fairly informative.
- Watch this brief video history of nuclear weapons and the nuclear club.
- Check out this time-lapse map of every nuclear test since 1945.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Read the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) on the United Nation’s website here.
- Read the full text of the Chemical Weapons Convention here.
- For the full text of the Biological Weapons Convention, click here.
- Read this piece about the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster.
- Check out this thorough, day-by-day log of the JFK administration during the Cuban Missile Crisis, including numerous primary sources in different media.
Relevant news articles:
- During the Syrian civil war, the international community worked together to eliminate the Syrian governments chemical weapons stockpile so chemical weapons could not be used on rebel forces. To read more about the destruction of those weapons, click here.
- To read piece from CSIS about the initial deal struck between Iran and world powers on Iran’s nuclear program, click here.
- For a look into the first “cyber-weapon”, a computer virus called Stuxnet, click here.
- For a gallery of some of the prototype UAVs in the United States military, click here.
Games and activities:
- Check out this simulation that checks your knowledge of and teaches you about nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.
- Can you name all the members of the nuclear club? Try it!
Chapter 9: International Economics: Basic Theory and Core Institutions
Video resources:
- To see video that explains MNEs (called multinational corporations, or MNCs, in the video) clearly and in detail and outlines some criticisms of MNEs, click here.
- For an Allen Sens video explaining dependencia, go here.
- Check out another Allen Sens video, this time on free trade. At the end of this video, there’s an interesting bit about the impact of free trade on peace. Enjoy!
Primary sources and further learning:
- For an article covering the history of the Bretton Woods Summit and its results, click here.
Relevant news articles:
- Take a look at this brief article showing how the WTO can affect individual countries’ trade laws.
- Read this article criticizing US protectionism in its trade relationship with China.
- Check out this article from the Moscow Times discussing the weakness of the Russian ruble, fixed exchange rates, currency market intervention, and other similar issues.
- For an article covering the protectionist moves and escalating ‘trade war’ between the United States and China in 2018, click here.
Chapter 10: States and Markets in the World Economy
Video resources:
- To watch a video explaining the views of and differences between Adam Smith and Karl Marx, click here.
- Check out this helpful video discussing absolute and relative gains.
Primary sources and further learning:
- If you have access to JStor through your university, check out this journal article by Robert Powell, titled “Absolute and Relative Gains in International Relations Theory.”
Relevant news articles:
- Read this article about a dispute between the EU and China over China’s actions toward MNEs.
- Take a look at this article from Forbes on China’s declining ownership of US debt.
- For an article comparing the 2018 backlash to globalization to the one that occurred in the early 20th century, click here.
Chapter 11: Dilemmas of Development
Video resources:
- Listen to the former Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, discuss the oil curse and how it relates to his country in this video.
- Take a look at this video from the BBC about the oil curse, the first part of a three-part series.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Check out this discussion from the IMF website on moral hazard and IMF loans (NOTE: Piece is from 2002).
- Take a look at this report from the Center for Global Development about some of the controversies surrounding foreign aid.
- To explore the UN Millennium Development Goals in more detail, visit the site here.
- To explore the UN Sustainable Development Goals in more detail, visit the site here.
Relevant news articles:
- Check out this article from Bloomberg about the BRICS’ accelerating plan to create a development bank.
Games and activities:
Chapter 12: Non-State Actors and Challenges to Sovereignty
Video resources:
- Take a look at this video summarizing the 25 most ‘failed states’ in the world.
- For a video about the rise of surveillance technology after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, click here.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Perhaps the largest instance of non-state violence in the world over the past few years has been Mexico’s bloody drug war. Read this backgrounder from the Council on Foreign Relations about the conflict.
- For an article about the terrorist group ISIS, click here.
Relevant news articles:
- For an interesting article about Libya’s descent toward ‘state failure,’ click here.
- Take a look at this tragic story about another mass killing in Iraq by the terrorist group Islamic State.
Chapter 13: The Environment and International Relations
Video resources:
- Watch this video on dolphin slaughter in Japan, narrated by Matt Damon.
- To hear a discussion on the impact of climate change on global food security, visit here.
- For a video about plastic pollution, click here.
Primary sources and further learning:
- To read the original text of MARPOL 1973, visit here.
- To read the original text of the US-Canada Air Quality Agreement and subsequent progress reports, visit here.
Relevant news articles:
- Read this article on the dangers of overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Read this story about deforestation in Indonesia.
- Check out this new study that aims to debunk denials of climate change.
- Read this story about South Korea’s response to climate change.
- Read this story about the impact of China’s energy sector on climate change.
- To read a fascinating story about how overfishing and marine population are turning the oceans into a failed state (connecting Chapters 11 and 12), check this out.
Games and activities:
- Check out how the climate has changed over time. This interactive tool from NASA allows you to examine how sea ice, sea levels, carbon emissions, and temperature have changed over time.
- Play a game, either by yourself or with friends, that shows some of the basic effects of weather. Brought to you by NASA. Check it out!
- Play the BBC’s climate challenge game! Be a world leader in Europe, and see if you can reduce carbon emissions while maintaining a strong economy and popularity with voters.
- Play this game from the UN/ISDR and help protect communities from natural disasters!
Chapter 14: Facing the Future: Six Visions of an Emerging International Order
Video resources:
- Check out this video on the future of the liberal world order featuring author, John Ikenberry.
- For a video discussing the end of war potentially caused by the spread of democracy, click here.
Primary sources and further learning:
- Read this piece from the Carnegie Endowment on the likelihood of a future bipolar system, the rise of China, and the importance of balancing and alliances.
- Check out this story on the 2014 Ukraine crisis and what it means for the Clash of Civilizations thesis.
Games and activities:
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