91928

PS 104 International Relations

Michelle Murray

M . W . .

8:30 am -9:50 am

OLIN 202

SSCI

(PS core course) Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies, Human Rights This course provides an introduction to competing theories about the structure, functioning and transformative potential of the international system. Part 1 deals with the traditional problem of international life, maintaining order among relatively equal states in a condition of anarchy. Part 2 calls the assumption of anarchy into question by looking at hierarchical power relationships in a variety of issue areas. Part 3 addresses contemporary challenges to the state’s authority and the problems of governing in an increasingly global community. Throughout the course an effort will be made to illustrate the relevance of theoretical disagreements for the real world. Students will be evaluated on their understanding of the assumptions and logics of competing theories as well as their ability to apply those theories to historical and contemporary global problems. Class size: 22

91929

PS 105 Comparative Politics

Omar Encarnacion

M . W . .

11:50 am -1:10 pm

OLIN 205

SSCI

(PS core course) Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies The basic intellectual premise of comparative politics is that we can better understand the politics of any country by placing it within a broader, global context. This comparative “method” allows us to address some of the most fundamental questions in the study of politics, such as what makes democracy possible, how is political representation organized around the world, and why some nations are more successful than others at generating wealth and prosperity, while contributing to the building of theories about the nature and evolution of states, interest groups, civil society, and the dynamics of political processes such as revolution, modernization, and democratization. Class lectures and discussions will cover developed and developing states, as well as democratic and non-democratic ones. Class size: 22

91930

PS 109 Political Economy

Sanjib Baruah

M . W . .

10:10 am -11:30 am

ASP 302

SSCI

(PS core course) Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies; Global & Int’l Studies; Human Rights The term Political Economy refers to the interrelationship between politics and economics. However, political scientists and economists do not always use the term in the same sense. Even within these two disciplines the term has multiple meanings. The course will review the ideas of a few major thinkers such as Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Karl Polanyi, Thorstein Veblen, John Maynard Keynes, and John Kenneth Galbraith, and will introduce students to two subfields in particular: international political economy and the political economy of development. Among the questions we would ask are: Why are some countries rich and others poor? What is development? What are the prime movers of globalization? Is the US an empire given its influence and power in the global economy? How can development be redefined to tackle the challenge of climate change? Among issues that we will look at closely is the role of organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization in managing the global economy and the current debates about reforming these institutions. Class size: 22

91931

PS 115 IntroDUCTION to Political Thinking

Samantha Hill

M . W . .

3:10 pm -4:30 pm

HEG 102

SSCI

(PS core course) From Plato to Nietzsche, great thinkers in the Western tradition have asked about the nature and practice of political action. Thinking about politics is, knowingly or not, conducted against the background of this shared tradition.  This is no less true of political thought that aims to break away from “the classics” than of political thought that finds in them a constant resource for both critical and constructive thinking.  This course explores fundamental questions of politics through a core body of writings.  Class size: 22

91932

PS 122 American Politics: Issues & Institutions

Simon Gilhooley

. T . Th .

11:50 am -1:10 pm

OLIN 102

SSCI

(PS core course ) Cross-listed: American Studies This course introduces students to the basic institutions and processes of American government. The class is meant to provide students with a grasp of the fundamental dynamics of American politics and the skills to be an effective participant in and critic of the political process. During the semester, we will examine how the government works, interpret current political developments and debates, and consider how to influence the government at various levels. Class size: 22

92424

PS 131 Case studies in international policy: ukraine

Walter Russell Mead

See below

7:00 pm- 9:30 pm

OLIN 204

SSCI

1 credit

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies, Russian & Eurasian Studies This one credit course uses the Ukraine crisis as a case study to introduce students to the dynamics and difficulties of American foreign policy. Following a brief introduction to core concepts of American global strategy, students will dig into the Ukraine situation, exploring the many factors that policymakers must take into account including Russian motivations and policies, the internal situation in Ukraine from the political and economic points of view, the role of actors like the IMF and the EU, the military equation and the nature of American interests as they are affected by developments in Ukraine. Readings, lectures and conversations with Ukrainian and American experts will give students a sound foundation from which to understand both the forces at work and the nature of American debate about policy options. (The Open Society Foundation in Ukraine will work with the instructor to create opportunities for students to interact with Ukrainians engaged in the reform process as well as students, and there may be opportunities to interact with senior leaders of the Soros family of foundations.) With this background, students will look at current US policy and the leading alternatives. In their final paper, students will be challenged to apply the skills and insights they have developed in the course to proposing an American strategy for Ukraine. The final paper for the course will be 8 pages in length: 5 pages of analysis and three pages to describe an American strategy.  Class size: 22

Class schedule: Classes meet on Monday, September 21; Tuesday, September 29; Friday, October 23; Saturday, October 24; Tuesday, November 3, and Tuesday,  November 17.

91933

PS 181 American Political Thought

Simon Gilhooley

. T . Th .

1:30 pm -2:50 pm

OLIN 204

SSCI

Cross-listed: American Studies The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to American Political Thought. Drawing upon material from across the entire span of American history, we shall attempt to develop an understanding of concepts such as democracy, liberty, individuality, and republicanism, and to discuss how understandings of each of them have influenced political and social choices in what is now the United States. Readings will include Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Emma Goldman, among others. Class size: 22

91936

PS 222 Latin AmericaN Politics & Society

Omar Encarnacion

M . W . .

3:10 pm -4:30 pm

OLIN 301

SSCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies, Human Rights, LAIS This course examines politics in contemporary Latin America. Much of the emphasis is on the evolution of democracy across the region, including examining such questions as why it has taken so long for democracy to take root in Latin America, at least in contrast to the United States and Western Europe, and why does the quality of democracy varies so greatly across the region. Although some democracies are among the most developed in the world, such as Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica, the region is also home to some notorious “illiberal” democracies, such as Guatemala, and one of the world’s few remaining Communist states, Cuba. The course is organized in three main sections. The first provides a broad historical overview of patterns of political development in Latin America from the independence period to the present. The second part highlights theoretical approaches to Latin American political development drawn from cultural analysis, Marxism, and state-centric perspectives. The third and final section examines democratic development in five Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela).

Class size: 20

91939

PS 239 United Nations and Model UN

Jonathan Becker

. . . . F

1:30 pm -2:50 pm

OLIN 202

SSCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies, Human Rights 1 credit* This is a year-long course, divided into two parts. The first part will explore the history of the United Nations and will introduce students to its structure and principal aims. It will also focus on the role of specialized agencies and the ways in which alliances impact on the UN’s day-to-day operations. The second part of the course will focus on an assigned country (for each Model UN, each college is assigned a country to represent. It will entail a study of the country’s history, politics and economics and will conclude with the writing of ‘position papers’ that reflect that country’s approach to issues confronting the UN. In addition, there will be a public speaking component. Students taking the course will have the opportunity to participate in a Model United Nations. Students wishing to enroll should e-mail [email protected] with 1-2 paragraphs indicating why they would like to participate. Class size: 22

91935

PS 272 East Asian Security

Christopher McIntosh

M . W . .

10:10 am–11:30 am

OLIN 203

SSCI

Cross-listed: Asian Studies, Global & Int’l Studies East Asia has always been imagined as an important area of concern for those studying international security. The awareness of the importance of the region and potential for instability animates much of American foreign policy, with the recently released 2015 National Security Strategy focused on the area in part due to the “security dynamics of the region” which “risk escalation and conflict”. What are these “security dynamics” that risk instability? This class will identify and address some of the primary security concerns animating the interest in the region and the ongoing calls for an American presence. We will cover the debates surrounding the “rise of China” and the implications that has for the US-China relationship, but we will also focus on intra-regional concerns such the proliferation and development of nuclear weapons and the potential remilitarization of Japan. As well, we will identify and explore the nature of some of the major regional maritime disputes (China-Japan, South China Sea), tensions between China and Taiwan, and multilateral security institutions. Finally, we will identify potential areas for security and cooperation within the region as well as with major players internationally. Class size: 22

91940

PS 280 Nations, States, & Nationalism

Sanjib Baruah

M . W . .

1:30 pm -2:50 pm

OLIN 301

SSCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies; Human Rights, Middle East The twentieth century was the century of nationalism and the century when the nation-state as a form of political organization became universalized. But the difficulties with the idealized model of the nation-state are quite apparent for all to see. For instance, various forms of ethno-national mobilization--based on solidarities both larger and smaller than the nation-state—have challenged official state nationalisms. The twenty first century opened with talk of moving beyond the nation-state. But at that time in certain parts of the world multi-national political spaces were getting reorganized along national lines. This was also when failing and collapsed states became top foreign policy concerns of major powers, and a new form of international regimes of intervention came into being. The course will examine the idea of the nation -- its historical and contemporary competitors -- the emergence of the nation-state system, and the challenges confronting this system. Our approach will be comparative and we will draw on the experiences of all world regions. Interested students should email Prof. Baruah prior to registration ([email protected]) with a short statement of why they would like to take this class. Class size: 20

91934

PS 285 Privacy: Why Does It Matter?

Roger Berkowitz

. . W . .

5:00 pm -6:20 pm

RKC 103

HUM

Cross-listed: Experimental Humanities, Human Rights, Philosophy 2 credits Edward Snowden’s revelations have inaugurated a national discussion about the right of privacy. Over 50% of Americans still support the National Security Administration and among Americans under 30, support for the NSA is over 60%. We share our private lives on social media sites and think little of leaving digital signatures as we shop, read, and drive. We willingly trade privacy for the promise of both increased security and convenience. Privacy is being lost and few seem to care. We are told “if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about.” But who has nothing to hide? What is lost when the dark recesses of the heart are exposed to the light of public censure? Hannah Arendt saw the private realm as the essential refuge for human uniqueness. In daily life, she writes, we “return back from the outside world and withdraw into the security of private life within four walls.” These walls of the private “enclose a secure place, without which no living thing can thrive.” For Arendt, “Everything that lives, not vegetative life alone, emerges from darkness and, however strong its natural tendency to thrust itself into the light, it nevertheless needs the security of darkness to grow at all.” If privacy guards the dark recesses of the human heart, she worried that in a transparent society, we are forced to police private urges and actions by public standards, our belief in public morality appears hypocritical. Distrusting ourselves, we trust no one, which is the source of cynicism of political life. This 2-unit class will meet 6 times. At five meetings prior to the Arendt Center Conference on Oct. 15-16 we will read material on privacy by Hannah Arendt and by authors speaking at the Hannah Arendt Center Conference, including David Brin. Students are required to attend at least two panels or talks at the conference. All students will be required to hand in a final assignment responding to the conference. This may be in the form of a blog post, videos, digital map, or other forms. There will be one post-conference meeting to discuss the conference and students will be able to present their work at the Experimental Humanities Share Event at the end of the semester.

Class size: 50

91941

PS 289 International Relations of the Middle East and North Africa

James Ketterer

M . W. .

3:10 pm – 4:30 pm

RKC 103

SSCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies, Middle Eastern Studies The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) continues to be a site of conflict generating media attention and dramatic headlines. Beyond the headlines, however, there are developing trends, emerging actors and competing explanations that are often overlooked.  This course examines the international politics in MENA using the theoretical tools of international relations. Major themes include the nature of the state system in the MENA and its creation; the causes of conflict within the region; the roles played by outside powers; and the causes and effects of transnational forces such as Arab nationalism, Islamic radicalism, criminal networks, media and global economic actors.  The course will also explore the nature of sub-state and sectarian identities and the effects on regional politics (ie, Sunni vs Shi’i Islam, Kurds, Amazigh. These themes are explored in the context of several case studies, including, but not limited to, the Algerian civil war in the 1990s, the wars in Iraq, the revolution in Libya, and the ongoing crisis in Syria. The course will offer students a better understanding of the international politics of the MENA and will help students appreciate the competing pressures on policymakers as the region changes in rapid and complex ways.    The course will also highlight ways in which international relations theory can be applied to real-world situations.  Class size: 22

91942

PS 341 Humanism, Human Rights, and the human condition

Roger Berkowitz

. T . . .

4:40 pm -7:00 pm

ARENDT CNTR

HUM

Cross-listed: Human Rights, Philosophy In 1946, just after the defeat of the Nazis, a French schoolteacher Jean Beaufret wrote a letter to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger. Beaufret asked two questions: First, How are we in the wake of the Holocaust to restore a sense to the word “humanism”? And second, How are we to understand the relationship between philosophy and ethics? Heidegger’s response, later published as “The Letter on Humanism,” is one of the great efforts to think through the ethical and philosophical significance of the human being. For Heidegger, if we are to preserve the dignity of the human, we must forgo all ‘isms’ including humanism; we must resist the urge to define a human essence and instead seek the dignity of the human outside of all doctrines and systems. In doing so, Heidegger challenges the foundations of modern humanisms including human rights and liberal social democracy. In this class we will read Heidegger’s ‘Letter on Humanism’ as well as works by Jean Paul Sartre, Hannah Arendt, and Peter Sloterdijk to ask how, if at all, we can assign dignity to humanity in the 21st century. Class size: 15

91944

PS 352 Terrorism

Christopher McIntosh

. T . . .

10:10 am -12:30 pm

ASP 302

SSCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies, Human Rights The September 2001 terrorist attacks irrevocably changed US politics and foreign policy, giving rise to more than a decade of war, expanded surveillance domestically and abroad, the use of torture and indefinite detention and most recently a targeted killing policy through the use of drone strikes around the globe.  While only recently coming to dominate the US national security agenda, terrorism as a political activity has a long history.  This seminar will provide a theoretical and empirical examination of terrorism as a political phenomenon.  The first part of the course will explore the conceptual and theoretical debates surrounding terrorism.  Topics discussed will include the distinctions between terrorism and other forms of political violence, why individuals and groups resort to terrorism to achieve political goals, the role of religion and ideology in motivating terrorist groups, and the importance of state sponsorship in supporting terrorist activity.  The second part will address the challenges of counterterrorism, including the strengths and weaknesses of counterterrorist tools such as military force, diplomacy, intelligence and law enforcement, the relationship between counterterrorism and democracy, the role of the international community in stopping terrorism.  Throughout the course special effort will be made to situate the US experience with terrorism in a comparative and historical perspective through an examination of prominent case studies drawn from different regions and time periods. Class size: 15

91943

PS 369 Great Power Politics

Michelle Murray

M . . . .

1:30 pm – 3:50 pm

OLIN 101

SSCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies This course explores the military, economic and social sources of great power competition in international politics. We will begin by examining the how the major theoretical paradigms of international relations explain patterns of cooperation and conflict among great powers.  We will then evaluate these perspectives in light of the historical record to illustrate the dynamics of interaction between great powers under different political conditions.  Historical cases covered include:  the rise of US hegemony in the Western Hemisphere, the Anglo-German naval race, World Wars I and II, and the Cold War.  Contemporary topics include the emergence of new nuclear powers, the United States' war on terror, and the rise of China.  The objective of the course is to gain a better understanding of the relevance of great power politics to international order, as well as to learn the art of using historical research in international relations. Class size: 15