War and International Politics

Political Violence and Political Order

This video defines politics and authority; and discusses the role played by organized violence in the construction of stable political orders.

The Coercion Dilemma

This lecture describes some of the challenges associated with nesting political authority within the capacity to engage in organized violence.

The Causes of War

This video introduces the bargaining model of war to discuss the causes of war (from OGS Module 8).

The Commitment Problem and World War I

This video draws on the logic of the commitment problem to explain the outbreak of World War I in 1914 (based on Module 9 of OGS).

US Entry into World War I

This video draws on the bargaining model of war to explain U.S. entry into World War I in 1917.

The Domestic Political Consequences of War

A brief discussion of some of the domestic political consequences of war (based on Module 16 of OGS).

Peace Settlements and the Structure of International Politics

This video examines how the processes associated with reaching peace settlements that terminate the end of great power wars reset the global political order (based on Module 16 of OGS).

The United States and the Versailles Treaty

This video examines how the political and military conditions associated with the termination of World War I shaped the subsequent interwar political order (draws on Modules 10 and 16 of OGS).