本課程將就各大國（英國、法國、德國及俄國）於十九世紀末至二十世紀中期爭奪歐洲控制權所使用的不同大戰略作比較研究。大戰略是指為了達到安全目的的一系列政治與軍事手段。我們將會查驗兩次大戰發生前的戰略發展與這些發展在兩次大戰中的影響。以下問題將會引導整個探究過程：大戰略是什麼及有什麼重要性？本課程所選出的各種國家戰略，受到了哪些循環因素的影響？如何判斷大戰略的好壞？採取不同的大戰略會導致什麼後果？課程的第二個主題是方法學。我們將會詳加注意如何進行比較性歷史個案研究。

課程要求

本課程要求學生就課堂閱讀資料，繳交兩篇評論文章。論文長度不可超過七頁，亦不可使用特別的字型格式或行距。一份帶返家的期末考試題將占總分的50%。在學期開始的幾個星期，授課時間與討論時間將占課堂時間的一半。之後，討論時間所占的比例將會漸漸增加。我們非常鼓勵同學參與課堂討論，亦會注意沉默寡言的同學。

我們希望學生經過思考去完成論文，而非憑空想像去完成。第一篇論文應包含課程中的基本概念與資料。學生可就一個或以上的論據，分析他們邏輯上的一致性、完整性、以及清晰度與論証。學生亦可就上述的標準，比較兩個或以上的理論。學生可將一個或以上的理論應用到一個已知的實際問題（因此不需再作研究），以此來評論該理論。第二篇論文應包含第一次世界大戰的真實資料。因此，需涵括本課程第一部份至第一次世界大戰個案的理論與概念性資料的應用。最有系統與直接的方法，是利用一個或數個和個案相反的理論做測試。這篇論文容許其他閱讀資料，但並不是必需。同學需與我討論兩篇論文的主題。最好的方法是將一段簡要的計劃傳送給我。

This course will conduct a comparative study of the grand strategies of the great powers (Britain, France, Germany and Russia) competing for mastery of Europe from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Grand strategy is the collection of political and military means and ends with which a state attempts to achieve security. We will examine strategic developments in the years preceding World Wars I and II, and how those developments played themselves out in these wars. The following questions will guide the inquiry: What is grand strategy and what are its critical aspects? What recurring factors have exerted the greatest influence on the strategies of the states selected for study? How may the quality of a grand strategy be judged? What consequences seem to follow from grand strategies of different types? A second theme of the course is methodological. We will pay close attention to how comparative historical case studies are conducted.

Course Requirements

Two papers based on the class reading will be required. These are to be critical essays. They shall be no longer than 7 pages; no creative line-spacing, margins, or character formats please. A comprehensive take-home final exam will account for 50% of the grade. In the early weeks of the term about half of classroom time is lecture and half is discussion. As the term progresses, an increasing percentage of class time will be devoted to discussion. Participation in classroom discussion is much appreciated; silence is noted.

The papers are meant to be think pieces, but not day-dreaming pieces. The first paper covers the foundational conceptual material of the course. This paper could take one or more arguments apart and examine them for logical consistency, completeness, clarity, and evidence. It could compare and contrast two or more theoretical arguments according to several of the aforementioned criteria. It could apply one or more theories to a substantive problem already well known to the student (and thus requiring no further research), as a vehicle toward a critique of the theoretical arguments. The second paper covers the substantive material on World War I. Thus it should involve application of the theoretical and conceptual material from part I of the course, to some of the world war I case material. The most self organizing and straightforward approach would test one or more theories against some of this case material. Extra reading is permitted but not required for this paper. Students should review the topics of these papers with me. The best way to do so is to send me a brief one paragraph summary of the plan.