Political Science

Political science encompasses the study of governments and international organizations, political behavior, public policies, political processes, systems, and theory. It includes American politics, comparative politics, political philosophy, international relations and world politics. The department's curriculum is designed to cultivate judicious and productive citizenship, as well as provide versatile skills and knowledge. These can be applied to a wide range of fields, including law, business, government, international service, education, journalism, and other fields.

Majors choose between two tracks: Political Science or Political Science/International Relations. Within each of these tracks, students have flexibility to plan their courses of study around subfields of interest.

Requirements for the Political Science track

Sixty-six credits, including:

1. Core Courses (18 credits) Majors are required to complete three of the following core courses prior to their senior year.

POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship
POSC 122 Politics in America: Liberty and Equality
POSC 160 Political Philosophy
POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics

2. Methods Sequence (12 credits):

MATH 115 Introduction to Statistics, MATH 215 Introduction to Probability and Statistics, MATH 245 Applied Regression Analysis (6 credits) or MATH Stats AP score of 4 or 5. Math courses may be taken on an elective S/CR/NC basis.
POSC 230: Methods of Political Research (6 credits) This course should be taken as soon as possible after declaring a major, but not simultaneously with the math class listed above.

3. Elective Courses (30 credits in the department): At least two courses (12 credits) must be at the 300-level, and one of these two must be an asterisk * designated seminar. It is recommended that majors take their seminar course during the junior year.

A maximum of 12 credits earned on a non-Carleton off campus studies program may be granted toward the electives requirement. These credits may not be used to replace a core course and should be distinct and independent from electives offered at Carleton. The chair may require a copy of the off-campus course syllabus.

4. Integrative Exercise (6 credits total - POSC 400): During their junior or senior year students will revise substantially the final paper from an advanced seminar in political science. (Department-approved courses are designated with an asterisk (*). Also see separately published list, which does not include courses taken on non-Carleton off-campus programs.)

The professor in the course will act as the student's comps adviser. Usually revision will take place during the term following the seminar and the revision will be completed during that term. However, professors and advisees may mutually define the scope of revision. The integrative exercise will be completed with preparation of a poster for a group poster presentation.

Requirements for the Political Science/International Relations track

Coordinator: Associate Professor Devashree Gupta

The International Relations Program was originated in 1937 by the former Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Frank B. Kellogg, through the establishment at Carleton of the Kellogg Foundation for Education in International Relations.

Sixty-six credits, including:

1. Core Courses (12 credits): Majors are required to complete the two core courses prior to their senior year, as listed below.

POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics
Plus one of the following:
- POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship
- POSC 122 Politics in America: Liberty and Equality
- POSC 160 Political Philosophy

2. Methods Sequence (12 credits):

MATH 115 Introduction to Statistics, MATH 215 Introduction to Probability and Statistics, MATH 245 Applied Regression Analysis (6 credits) or MATH Stats AP score of 4 or 5. Math courses may be taken on an elective S/CR/NC basis.
POSC 230 Methods of Political Research (6 credits) This course should be taken as soon as possible after declaring a major, but not simultaneously with the Math class listed above.

3. Elective Courses (36 credits): Six courses from the following four subfields of electives, and area studies, subject to the following distribution requirements. (May not be taken as S/Cr/NC).

three of these six courses (or 18 credits) must come from the student's main subfield electives list and one (6 credits) from another subfield list.
One of the six courses must be a non-POSC selection. (May not be taken as S/CR/NC)
One of the six courses must be an area studies course (If a non-POSC course, it will also satisfy the (b) requirement.) Approved area studies courses are listed below. Area studies cannot be used as a main subfield.
Two of the six courses must be 300-level courses in the Political Science Department, and one of those two 300-level courses must be an asterisk * designated seminar in the student's main subfield.

It is recommended that majors take their seminar course during the junior year. A course which was listed as fulfilling the International Relations electives requirement at the time the student elected that course, but which has been deleted from the catalog simply because it has not been taught this year or last, will continue to be accepted in fulfillment of the IR requirement.

a) Leadership, Peace and Security

HIST 124 History of the City in the United States
HIST 395 The Global Cold War
POSC 204 Media and Electoral Politics: 2016 United States Election
POSC 226 Political Psychology
POSC 231 American Foreign Policy
POSC 235 Game Theory: Politics and Strategy
POSC 282 Terrorism and Violence in World Politics
POSC 285 Intelligence, Policy, and Conflict
POSC 285 Intelligence, Policy and Conflict
POSC 328 Foreign Policy Analysis*
POSC 330 The Complexity of Politics*
RELG 265 Religion and Violence: Hindus, Muslims, Jews

b) Globalization, Development and Sustainability

AMST 396 "Invisible Domain": Religion and American Studies
ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
ECON 241 Growth and Development
ECON 269 Economics of Climate Change
ECON 271 Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment
ECON 274 Labor Economics
ECON 280 International Trade
ENTS 310 Topics in Environmental Law and Policy
HIST 205 American Environmental History
HIST 262 Public Health: History, Policy, and Practice
POSC 212 Environmental Justice
POSC 265 Capitalist Crises, Power, and Policy
POSC 266 Urban Political Economy
POSC 268 Global Environmental Politics and Policy
POSC 333 Global Social Changes and Sustainability*
POSC 361 Approaches to Development*
POSC 366 Urban Political Economy*
SOAN 234 Ecology, Economy, and Culture

c) Democracy, Society, and the State

ECON 270 Economics of the Public Sector
EUST 159 "The Age of Isms" - Ideals, Ideas and Ideologies in Modern Europe
HIST 209 The Revolutionary Atlantic
LTAM 382 Conflictive Development: Peru 1980 to Present
POSC 202 Parties, Interest Groups and Elections
POSC 214 Visual Representations of Political Thought and Action
POSC 218 Schools, Scholarship and Policy in the United States
POSC 221 Latin American Politics
POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics
POSC 245 Politics of the Middle East I (1918-67)
POSC 246 Politics of the Middle East II (1967-2011)
POSC 320 Authoritarianism and Democratization in the Middle East*
POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America*
POSC 359 Cosmopolitanism*

d) Philosophical and Legal Inquiries

POSC 250 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic
POSC 254 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics
POSC 255 Post-Modern Political Thought
POSC 261 Power, Freedom, and Revolution
POSC 271 Constitutional Law I
POSC 350 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic*
POSC 352 Political Theory of Alexis de Tocqueville*
POSC 354 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics*
POSC 355 Identity, Culture and Rights*

Approved Area Studies Courses

AMST 230 The American Sublime: Landscape, Character & National Destiny in Nineteenth Century America
CAMS 295 Cinema in Chile and Argentina: Representing and Reimagining Identity
CAMS 296 Cinema and Cultural Change in Chile and Argentina
ECON 232 American Economic History: A Cliometric Approach
EUST 100 Allies or Enemies? America through European Eyes
EUST 110 The Nation State in Europe
EUST 249 The European Union from Constitution to Crisis
HIST 124 History of the City in the United States
HIST 138 Crusades, Mission, and the Expansion of Europe (not offered in 2016-17)
HIST 141 Europe in the Twentieth Century
HIST 142 Women in Modern Europe
HIST 151 History of Modern Japan
HIST 161 From the Mughals to Mahatma Gandhi: An Introduction to Modern Indian History
HIST 183 History of Early West Africa
HIST 209 The Revolutionary Atlantic
HIST 249 Two Centuries of Tumult: Modern Central Europe
HIST 250 Modern Germany
HIST 255 Rumors, Gossip, and News in East Asia
HIST 272 The Mexican Revolution: History, Myth and Art
HIST 280 African in the Arab World
POSC 122 Politics in America: Liberty and Equality
POSC 221 Latin American Politics
POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics
POSC 245 Politics of the Middle East I (1918-67)
POSC 246 Politics of the Middle East II (1967-2011)
POSC 271 Constitutional Law I
RELG 150 Hinduism, Buddhism, and Religions of South Asia
SOAN 256 Africa: Representation and Conflict

4. Integrative Exercise (Total of 6 credits - POSC 400): During their junior or senior year, students will revise substantially the final paper from an advanced seminar in international relations. (Department-approved courses are designated with an asterisk (*). Also see separately published list, which does not include courses taken on non-Carleton off-campus programs.)

5. Study Abroad: We recommend study in a Carleton College Off-Campus or non-Carleton program that includes a significant political component.

Political Science and International Relations Courses

POSC 100 American Elections of 2016 How can we understand the campaigns and results of the 2016 American elections? This course examines (1) the electoral role of parties, candidates and interest groups (2) prior "midterm" elections in U.S. history and (3) voting trends and policy results from the 2008, 2010 and 2012 elections. Students will analyze the activities and results from the 2016 General Election looking at trends in news coverage, political advertising, campaigns and candidate communication and public opinion. 6 credits; WR1, AI; Fall; Barbara Allen

POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship An introduction to the array of different democratic and authoritarian political institutions in both developing and developed countries. We will also explore key issues in contemporary politics in countries around the world, such as nationalism and independence movements, revolution, regime change, state-making, and social movements. 6 credits; SI, IS, WR2; Fall, Spring; Bryan R Daves

POSC 122 Politics in America: Liberty and Equality An introduction to American government and politics. Focus on the Congress, Presidency, political parties and interest groups, the courts and the Constitution. Particular attention will be given to the public policy debates that divide liberals and conservatives and how these divisions are rooted in American political culture. 6 credits; SI, IDS, QRE; Fall, Winter, Spring; Richard A Keiser, Melanie Freeze

POSC 160 Political Philosophy Introduction to ancient and modern political philosophy. We will investigate several fundamentally different approaches to the basic questions of politics--questions concerning the character of political life, the possibilities and limits of politics, justice, and the good society--and the philosophic presuppositions (concerning human nature and human flourishing) that underlie these, and all, political questions. 6 credits; HI; Fall, Spring; Mihaela Czobor-Lupp, Laurence D Cooper

POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics What are the foundational theories and practices of international relations and world politics? This course addresses topics of a geopolitical, commercial and ideological character as they relate to global systems including: great power politics, polycentricity, and international organizations. It also explores the dynamic intersection of world politics with war, terrorism, nuclear weapons, national security, human security, human rights, and the globalization of economic and social development. 6 credits; SI, IS; Fall, Winter, Spring; Hicham N Bou Nassif, Tun Myint, Greg Marfleet

POSC 201 Tools of National Power: Statecraft and Military Power In this section of three related five-week courses covering the Tools of National Power, students will study how nations use military power to achieve national security and foreign policy objectives. Military power is often used in ways that are fundamentally different from combat operations, and yet are still highly effective. Students will learn the theoretical ways in which nations use military power as part of their statecraft, then look at case studies to assess the application of military power in the real world. Course readings, short papers, and significant classroom discussion will deliver content to students and set the stage for the follow-on courses in diplomatic and economic tools of national power. Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 202 Parties, Interest Groups and Elections Examination of the American electoral system and its components: parties, interest groups and the media. The impact of parties and interests on national policy making is also explored. The course will devote special attention to the 2016 election. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Fall; Melanie Freeze

POSC 203 Political Communication: Political Advertising in Elections and Public Policy Crosslisted with POSC 303. How does political advertising influence the electorate? How does political advertising influence our understanding of policy proposals? Election ads along with the six-second "sound bite" are now among the major forms of political communication in modern democracies. Add to these forms a battery of visual "arguments" seen in news media, film, and paid ads aimed at persuading us to adopt various policy positions. We will study how ads are created and "work" from the standpoint of political psychology and film analysis. 6 credits; QRE, SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 204 Media and Electoral Politics: 2016 United States Election Our analysis of media influences on politics will draw from three fields of study: political psychology, political behavior and participation, and public opinion. Students will conduct a study of the effects of campaign ads and news using our multi-year data set of content analyzed election ads and news. We study a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods to learn how political communication affects U.S. elections. Taking this course in conjunction with Political Science 328 is highly recommended. Political Science 328 will include a component on representations of foreign policy in electoral politics that contributes to our research in Political Science 204. 6 credits; QRE, SI, IDS; Fall; Barbara Allen

POSC 207 Global Decline of Democracy: Urban Revanchism and Popular Resistance Our focus will be on policing, gentrification, gated communities and other tools for reclaiming and fortifying metropolitan space, as well as citizen responses. What community exists, for whom? 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 208 Presidential Elections, Gridlock and Policy Strategy Part One will focus on the process of candidate nomination and explanations for presidential elections. Part Two will focus on gridlock, Executive Branch tools, and strategies for governance in the midst of division. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 211 Environment and the Evolution of Rules: Designing Institutions to Solve Political Problems How can we design democratic institutions to deal with environmental and social problems? Are there universal approaches to solving political problems in physically and socially diverse communities? Do people come up with different institutional ways to address shared problems because of environmental or cultural differences? By examining basic principles of institutional design you will learn how to analyze constitutions, public policies, international treaties, and other "rule ordered relationships" that different people have created to deal with environmental concerns and, generally, the health and welfare of their communities. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 212 Environmental Justice The environmental justice movement seeks greater participation by marginalized communities in environmental policy, and equity in the distribution of environmental harms and benefits. This course will examine the meaning of "environmental justice," the history of the movement, the empirical foundation for the movement's claims, and specific policy questions. Our focus is the United States, but students will have the opportunity to research environmental justice in other countries. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IDS; Winter; Kimberly K Smith

POSC 214 Visual Representations of Political Thought and Action Visual media offer an alternative method of framing political ideas and events. Images found in such texts as film, posters, and even in statistical tables can enlighten--or mislead. Readings in visual theory, political psychology, and graphic representation will enable you to read images and use these powerful media to convey your ideas and research. 3 credits; LA, QRE; Spring; Barbara Allen

POSC 218 Schools, Scholarship and Policy in the United States What can scholarship tell us about educational strategies to reduce achievement gaps and economic opportunity? Do the policies promoted at the city, state and federal levels reflect that knowledge? How are these policies made? What is the relationship between schools and the economic class, racial composition and housing stock of their neighborhoods? Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing. 6 credits; SI, IDS, WR2, QRE; Fall; Richard A Keiser

POSC 220 Politics and Political History in Film How do representations of politics in film influence our ideas about governance, citizenship, power, and authority? How do film and TV reflect values and beliefs of democratic society, particularly in the United States? These are two questions that we will consider in the course as we study films representing politics and historical events in fiction and non-fiction genres for entertainment and education. Films to be analyzed include: Battle of Algiers, Fog of War, Cape Fear (1963), Manchurian Candidate (1960), Advise and Consent, All the President's Men, Primary, War Room, The Mushroom Club, When the Levees Broke. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 221 Latin American Politics Comparative study of political institutions and conflicts in selected Latin American countries. Attention is focused on general problems and patterns of development, with some emphasis on U.S.-Latin American relations. 6 credits; SI, IS; Spring; Alfred P Montero

POSC 224 Measuring and Evaluating Social and Ecological Systems The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) and Social Ecological Systems (SES) Frameworks are designed to provide data on social, economic, and political institutions and the physical environment enabling us to understand the reciprocal effects of institutional and environmental change. We will learn these frameworks and the methods used to measure changes in natural resource systems. We study measurement, monitoring, and management of prairie and forest ecosystems in local agricultural use and restoration projects. Much of the course occurs on site in field trip locations. 3 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 225 Global-Local Commons: Sustainability, Diversity & Self-Gov't in Complex Social-Ecological Systems This course introduces students to the study of commons (common pool resources and common property), particularly natural resources commons. The dilemmas of commons governance often reveal links between "governments" and "governance" as well as the global stakes of bettering local livelihoods. Our focus is on social and ecological systems (SES) linked directly with climate change, including local forest and prairie management sites. Students are strongly encouraged to take the five-week accompanying lab, POSC 224 Measuring and Evaluating Social and Ecological Systems, which extends our course content through research in field settings. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 226 Political Psychology This course is an introduction to political psychology, an inter-disciplinary field of study that applies psychological theory and research to the study of politics, as a theoretical alternative to rational choice models. Study will include applying psychological models to elite decision making and to political behavior of ordinary citizens. Topics include personality and political leadership, group processes and foreign policy, theories of information processing and elite decision making, malignant political aggression and punitive politics, altruism and heroic political action, etc. in light of important political issues and events. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Spring; Melanie Freeze

POSC 230 Methods of Political Research An introduction to research method, research design, and the analysis of political data. The course is intended to introduce students to the fundamentals of scientific inquiry as they are employed in the discipline. The course will consider the philosophy of scientific research generally, the philosophy of social science research, theory building and theory testing, the components of applied (quantitative and qualitative) research across the major sub-fields of political science, and basic methodological tools. Intended for majors only. Prerequisite: Statistics 120, 230, 250, AP Statistics (score of 4 or 5) or Psychology 200/201 or Sociology/Anthropology 239. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE; Fall, Winter, Spring; Melanie Freeze, Bryan R Daves

POSC 231 American Foreign Policy An introduction to the actors and processes of American foreign policymaking and to the substance of American foreign policy. The course aims to provide students with an understanding of how knowledge of the past, the global policy environment, the processes of foreign policymaking, and the specifics of a foreign policy issue come together to help determine modern American foreign policy. The course will review the structure of the international system of states, state power and interests, the historical context of American foreign policy, actors in American foreign affairs, models of foreign policy decision making, and the instruments of foreign policy. Prerequisite: Political Science 122, AP American Government, or AP U.S. History is highly recommended. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Greg Marfleet

POSC 232 Political Science Lab in Focus Group Analysis This lab offers a hands-on experience in designing and moderating a small group discussion for the purpose of observing not only attitudes, beliefs, and opinions but also dynamic social interactions as a method for getting answers to complex, dynamic social science research questions. Students will design a focus group study, learning about participant selection and recruitment; question writing and protocol design; group conversation moderation; data extraction and analysis, report writing, and overall project and data management. 6 credits; IS, SI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 235 Game Theory: Politics and Strategy In politics, competition is common and cooperation is problematic. Elemental to both are the strategies that individuals, movements, parties and countries choose to achieve their goals, given what others are doing. This course introduces the basic concepts and tools of game theory—which is the formal representation of the strategic relationships of actors—to understand whether, how and when political actors get what they want. Examples from different political contexts will be used to illustrate real life examples of theoretical insights. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Fall; Bryan R Daves

POSC 236 Global, National and Human Security What are the greatest threats to national and global security? In this course we will explore a range of traditional security topics including: the proliferation of WMDs, terrorism, piracy, insurgencies, arms races, territorial disputes and strategic rivalries. In addition to these classic concerns, we also consider newer ones such as cyber-security, the threat of global pandemics, unmanned warfare and the impact of climate change. Our study begins and concludes with the debate over the concept of security in the twenty-first century. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics This course will cover key thematic issues of Southeast Asian politics, including the challenges of democracy, regional integration, environmental politics, the rise of the power of non-state actors, and struggles for citizen-sovereignty of the people. We will examine these frontier issues against the background of Southeast Asia's societal evolution through kingdoms, colonial eras, emergence of nation-states, and the influence of globalization on politics. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Winter; Tun Myint

POSC 238 Sport and Globalization in London and Seville Program: Globalization and Development: Lessons from Int'l Football This course uses international football (soccer) as a lens to analyze topics in globalization, such as immigration and labor, inequality, foreign investment, trade in services, and intellectual property. Students will be presented with key debates in these areas and then use cases from international football as illustrations. Focusing on the two wealthiest leagues in Europe, the English Premier League and the Spanish Liga, students will address key issues in the study of globalization and development, and in doing so enhance their understanding of the world, sports, and sport's place in the world. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 241 Ethnic Conflict Ethnic conflict is a persistent and troubling challenge for those interested in preserving international peace and stability. By one account, ethnic violence has claimed more than ten million lives since 1945, and in the 1990s, ethnic conflicts comprised nearly half of all ongoing conflicts around the world. In this course, we will attempt to understand the conditions that contribute to ethnic tensions, identify the triggers that lead to escalation, and evaluate alternative ideas for managing and solving such disputes. The course will draw on a number of cases, including Rwanda, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 245 Politics of the Middle East I (1918-67) This course covers the colonial and early post-colonial period of Middle East history and politics. When the Ottoman Empire collapsed in 1918, France and Britain redrew the map of the region drastically, and new states such as Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon were carved out of old Ottoman provinces. Since this formative period the quest for stability in the Middle East has proved elusive. Many ills still plaguing the region today find their roots in the dynamics of the era under study. The main goal of the course is to explore the historical origins of current Middle East politics. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Hicham N Bou Nassif

POSC 246 Politics of the Middle East II (1967-2011) The course covers the major political events in the Middle East between 1967 and 2011, including the continuation of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the 1973 war and its aftermath, and the rise of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in Arab politics. We will also probe the upsurge of political Islam with special emphasis on the Muslim Brothers in Egypt and Hezbollah in Lebanon. In addition, the course covers the crises of the Arab authoritarian order in the last two decades leading to the Arab 2011 uprising, failure to foster economic development, and the consequences on Arab societies in the Middle East. 6 credits; SI, IS; Spring; Hicham N Bou Nassif

POSC 247 Comparative Nationalism Nationalism is an ideology that political actors have frequently harnessed to support a wide variety of policies ranging from intensive economic development to genocide. But what is nationalism? Where does it come from? And what gives it such emotional and political power? This course investigates competing ideas about the sources of nationalism, its evolution, and its political uses in state building, legitimation, development, and war. We will consider both historic examples of nationalism, as well as contemporary cases drawn from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the United States. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 250 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic Cross-listed with POSC 350. In this course we will examine ancient political philosophy through the intensive study of Plato's Republic, perhaps the greatest work of political philosophy ever written. What is morality? Why should a person behave morally? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to be a tyrant? What is the best way of life? What would a perfect society look like? What would be its customs and institutions, and who would rule? What would it demand of us, and would that price be worth paying? These are some of the politically (and personally) vital questions addressed by the book. 6 credits; HI; Fall; Laurence D Cooper

POSC 251 Modern Political Philosophy: Liberalism and Its Critics Liberalism has been the dominant political philosophy of our age, and we who live in a liberal polity have been shaped by it. But liberalism has been, and continues to be, the target of sharp critique. What is liberalism, and what can be said both for and against it? In this course we will examine liberalism’s philosophic roots and engage with some of its most forceful advocates and most profound critics. Readings will be drawn from authors such as Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Marx, Mill, and Tocqueville. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 254 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics Cross-listed with POSC 354. What does it mean to be morally excellent? To be politically excellent? To be intellectually and spiritually excellent? Are these things mutually compatible? Do they lie within the reach of everyone? And what is the relation between excellence and pleasure? Between excellence and happiness? Aristotle addresses these questions in intricate and illuminating detail in the Nicomachean Ethics, which we will study in this course. The Ethics is more accessible than some of Aristotle's other works. But it is also a multifaceted and multi-layered book, and one that reveals more to those who study it with care. 6 credits; HI; Winter; Laurence D Cooper

POSC 255 Post-Modern Political Thought The thought and practice of the modern age have been found irredeemably oppressive, alienating, dehumanizing, and/or exhausted by a number of leading philosophic thinkers in recent years. In this course we will explore the critiques and alternative visions offered by a variety of post-modern thinkers, including Nietzsche (in many ways the first post-modern), Heidegger, Foucault, and Derrida. 6 credits; HI; Winter; Mihaela Czobor-Lupp

POSC 256 Nietzsche: Beyond Good and Evil Nietzsche understood himself to be living at a moment of great endings: the exhaustion of modernity, the self-undermining of rationalism, the self-overcoming of morality--in short, stunningly, the "death of God." He regarded these endings as an unprecedented disaster for humanity but also as an unprecedented opportunity, and he pointed the way to a new ideal and a new culture that would be life-affirming and life-enhancing. This course will center on close study of Beyond Good and Evil, perhaps Nietzsche's most beautiful book and probably his most political one. Selections from some of his other books will also be assigned. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 258 Politics and Ambition Is personal ambition a threat to peace and the public good or is it a prod to nobility and heroism? Does it exemplify the opposition between self and society or does it represent their intersection and mutual support—or both? And what is the nature of political ambition, especially the ambition to rule: what does the would-be ruler really want? We will take up these and related questions by studying several classic works of philosophy and literature. Readings will likely include works by Plato, Xenophon, and Shakespeare as well as American founders, statesmen, and moral leaders. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 259 Justice Among Nations The purpose of this course is to bring to bear great works of political philosophy on the foundational questions of international politics. Our primary text will be Thucydides' gripping history of The Peloponnesian War. Thucydides was perhaps the greatest thinker about international relations that the world has seen. He was also a political philosopher--and psychologist--of the first rank. His book teaches much not only about politics but about human nature. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 261 Power, Freedom, and Revolution Politics can be defined as struggle for power. However, what power means is neither self-evident nor a non-controversial issue. The course explores different definitions of power, its difference from violence and force, as well as the extent to which criticism, resistance, and freedom are intrinsic components of power. Special attention will be given to the relationship between power and revolution, especially to the difficulty of turning revolutionary violence into political representation. In the attempt to answer these questions we will read texts by Arendt and Foucault and will consider the concrete examples of the French, Soviet, and Iranian Revolutions. 6 credits; HI, IS; Fall; Mihaela Czobor-Lupp

POSC 263 European Political Economy An introduction to the politics of the European region during the post-World War II period. Students will examine the political conditions that gave impetus to the creation, maintenance, crisis, and decline of Keynesian economic policies, social welfare states, social democratic partisan alliances, and cooperative patterns of industrial relations. The course will examine the rise and reform of the project of European integration. The course will also address the particular problems faced by the East European countries as they attempt to make a transition from authoritarian, command economies to democratic, market-based economies. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China This course examines the political, social, and economic transformation of China over the past century. Though contemporary issues are at the heart of the course, students will delve into an entire century of changes and upheaval to understand the roots of current affairs in China. Particular emphasis will be placed on state-building and how this has changed state-society relations at the grassroots. Students will also explore how the Chinese Communist Party has survived and even thrived while many other Communist regimes have fallen and assess the relationship between economic development and democratization. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 265 Capitalist Crises, Power, and Policy This course examines the interaction of national politics and international economic activity. Topics include the relationship between national and international finance, global competitiveness, and economic development. Case studies drawn from every continent. Prerequisite: Statistics 120 strongly recommended, or instructor permission. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Winter; Alfred P Montero

POSC 266 Urban Political Economy City revenue is increasingly dependent on tourism. Cities manufacture identity and entertainment, whether we think of Las Vegas or Jerusalem, Berlin or Bilbao, the ethnoscapes of Copenhagen or the red light district of Amsterdam. As cities compete in the global economy to become playgrounds for a transnational tourist class, what is the role of urban residents? Who governs? Who benefits? Short essays or exams will be required. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Winter; Richard A Keiser

POSC 267 Comparative Foreign Policy Why do states act the way they do internationally? Why do some states act like "rogues" while others support the system? How do countries choose their allies or enemies? How do governments define their country's national interest and respond to global changes? Foreign policy is where internal politics and external politics intersect. Understanding any country's foreign policy requires that we pay attention to its position in the international system and its internal politics. In this course we will employ approaches from international relations and comparative politics to explore these questions across a range of countries. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 268 Global Environmental Politics and Policy Global environmental politics and policy is the most prominent field that challenges traditional state-centric ways of thinking about international problems and solutions. This course examines local-global dynamics of environmental problems. The course will cover five arenas crucial to understanding the nature and origin of global environmental politics and policymaking mechanisms: (1) international environmental law; (2) world political orders; (3) human-environment interactions through politics and markets; (4) paradigms of sustainable development; and (5) dynamics of human values and rules. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Fall; Tun Myint

POSC 271 Constitutional Law I Covers American constitutional law and history from the founding to the breakdown of the constitution in secession crisis. Extensive attention will be paid to the constitutional convention and other sources of constitutional law in addition to Supreme Court cases. 6 credits; SI; Fall; Kimberly K Smith

POSC 272 Constitutional Law II This course will explore the United States Constitution and the legal doctrines that have emerged from it, using them as lenses through which to understand the history—and shape the future—of this country. Using prominent Supreme Court opinions as teaching tools and loci of debate (including cases on the Court’s recent and current docket), this course will explore the different kind of theoretical approaches with which to make Constitutional arguments and interpret the Constitution. It is one of two paired courses (the other being POSC 271) that complement each other. Both courses will address the structure and functioning of the United States government, and will explore in greater depth the historic Constitutional “trends” towards greater equality and more liberty (albeit slowly, haltingly, and with steps both forward and backward). This course will focus in particular on how gender equality is very much unfinished Constitutional work on our way towards a “more perfect union.” This topic will include an examination of the Court’s recent controversial decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In exploring matters of personal liberty, this course will focus in particular on First Amendment freedom of speech and other fundamental rights protected under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. Finally, in examining governmental structures, this course will emphasize the separation of powers across the branches of the federal government. The course will require close reading of judicial opinions and other texts, and learning how to construct arguments using logic and precedent. POSC 271 is not a prerequisite for POSC 272. The two courses can be taken independently, although having taking POSC 271 will provide students with a broader and more nuanced foundation for exploring the themes covered of this course 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 274 Political Psychology of Presidential Foreign Policy Decision Making This course examines the intersection of politics, personality and social psychology as applied to the analysis of U.S. foreign policy. It investigates the impact of individuals, group processes, political and social cognition, and political context on foreign policy decision-making. It explores questions such as: How do personalities of political leaders affect decision-making? How do processes of group decision making affect outcomes? How do individual differences in social and political perception shape elite decision-making? Case studies will be drawn from major episodes in U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War and post-Cold War era. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 276 Imagination in Politics: Resisting Totalitarianism Ideological fanaticism is on the rise today. Individuals prefer the incantation of slogans and clichés to autonomous thinking, moderation, and care for the diversity and complexity of circumstances and of human beings. The results are the inability to converse across differences and the tendency to ostracize and exclude others in the name of tribal and populist nationalism, as well as of racism. Hannah Arendt called totalitarianism this form of ideological hypnosis, which characterizes not only totalitarian political regimes, but can also colonize liberal-democracies. In this class we will read some of the works of Arendt to better understand the power of imagination to enhance critical and independent thinking and resist totalitarianism. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 277 Religion in Politics: Conflict or Dialogue? The course explores the relationship between religion and politics, especially in multicultural societies where believers and nonbelievers alike must live together. The leading question of the course is if religion is a source of violence, as seems to be so much the case in the world today, or if it can enter the public sphere in ways that educate and enhance the sensibility and ability of modern individuals to live with radically different others. In the attempt to answer these questions we will read, among others, from the writings of Kant, Habermas, Herder, Derrida, Ricoeur, Taylor, and Zizek. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 278 Memory and Politics Central to individual and collective identity, memory can be abused through the excess of commemoration. Is memory just a tool in the hands of nationalistic and divisive politics or can it be used for the cosmopolitan purpose of fighting oppression and injustice? To answer this question, we will read in this class literature on the nationalistic and cosmopolitan uses and abuses of memory and apply the theory to two case studies: the memory of the Jewish presence in Romanian society and politics and the role the memory of the Holocaust and Naqba plays in the relationship between Israel and Palestine. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 281 U.S-China Rivalry: The New Cold War? This course surveys key security dynamics, actors and issues in the Asia-Pacific. We will begin with a brief overview of historical conflicts and cooperations in the region, focusing on the impact of decolonization, communism, and the Cold War. We will then proceed to discuss contemporary security issues; topics include territorial disputes, Taiwan, nuclear proliferation, the U.S. alliance system, regional organizations like ASEAN, and U.S.-China rivalry. We will also study major international relation paradigms and theories, including heterodox approaches relevant to major actors in the Asia-Pacific, to guide our investigation of these security issues. No prior knowledge required. 6 credits; SI, IS, QRE; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 282 Terrorism and Violence in World Politics This course will focus on the use of violence in world politics, with a specific emphasis on terrorism and crimes against humanity. The atrocities perpetrated by ISIS are the latest examples of violence targeting non-combatants. What is the strategic logic of terrorism? Why do some militant organizations resort to terror tactics but not others? What are the micro-dynamics of terrorist organizations pertaining to recruitment and indoctrination? We will tackle these questions from theoretical and empirical perspectives. We will also discuss issues such as genocides, humanitarian intervention, and the emergence of the right to protect doctrine. 6 credits; SI, IS; Fall; Hicham N Bou Nassif

POSC 283 Separatist Movements This course explores the emergence and resolution of separatist movements around the world. While separatist movements are often associated with the violent dissolution of states, not all separatist movements result in violence and not all separatist movements seek independence. We will investigate the conditions under which separatist pressures are most likely to develop and when such pressures result in actual separation. We will contrast the tactics of movements, from peaceful approaches in places like contemporary Quebec or Scotland, to peaceful outcomes like the "velvet divorce" of Czechoslovakia, to violent insurrections in places like the Philippines, Spain, and Northern Ireland. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 284 War and Peace in Northern Ireland This class examines the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland between Catholics and Protestants known as "The Troubles." We will investigate the causes of violence in this region and explore the different phases of the conflict, including initial mobilization of peaceful protestors, radicalization into violent resistance, and de-escalation. We will also consider the international dimensions of the conflict and how groups forged transnational ties with diaspora groups and separatist movements around the world. Finally, we will explore the consequences of this conflict on present-day Northern Ireland's politics and identify lessons from the peace process for other societies in conflict. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 285 Intelligence, Policy, and Conflict This course will study the U.S. Intelligence Community and how intelligence complements policy development and supports the creation and implementation of national security and foreign policy strategy. Using case studies, we will examine forms of conflict and assess how intelligence supported or failed policymakers in the areas of conventional warfare, counterinsurgency, and counterterrorism. We will conclude with the study of asymmetric warfare in our modern age. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Jon R Olson

POSC 285 Intelligence, Policy and Conflict This course will study the U.S. Intelligence Community and how intelligence complements policy development and supports the creation and implementation of national security and foreign policy strategy. Using case studies, we will examine forms of conflict and assess how intelligence supported or failed policymakers in the areas of conventional warfare, counterinsurgency, and counterterrorism. We will conclude with the study of asymmetric warfare in our modern age. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Jon R Olson

POSC 288 Washington D.C.: A Global Conversation Part I Students will participate in a seminar involving meetings with leading Washington figures in areas of global policy making and regular discussions of related readings. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 289 Politics and Public Policy in Washington, D.C., Program: Politics & Public Policy in Washington DC Students will participate in a seminar centered around meetings with experts in areas of U.S. politics and policy. Over the course of the term they will collaborate in groups to produce a presentation exploring the political dimensions of public policy with a focus on how problem identification, institutional capacity, and stakeholder interests combine to shape policy options. Prerequisite: Mathematics 215, Statistics 120 or other statistics course and participation in Washington DC OCS program. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 293 Politics and Public Policy in Washington, D.C., Program: Practical Experience in DC All students will intern at an office in Washington or participate in some form of sustained civic engagement activity with instructor approval. In the past students have worked for legislators, executive agencies, interest groups and media outlets. Part of this experience involves keeping a weekly journal and writing a reflective summary paper. Prerequisite: Participation in Washington DC OCS program. 6 credits; NE; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 303 Political Communication: Political Advertising in Elections and Public Policy Crosslisted with POSC 203. How does political advertising influence the electorate? How does political advertising influence our understanding of policy proposals? Election ads along with the 6-second "sound bite" are now among the major forms of political communication in modern democracies. Add to these forms a battery of visual "arguments" seen in news media, film, and paid ads aimed at persuading us to adopt various policy positions. We will study how ads are created and "work" from the standpoint of political psychology and film analysis. Our policy focus for 2016 will be on climate change and the 2016 general election. Students enrolled in the 303 version will conduct more extensive analysis of data for their seminar papers. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 313 Legal Issues in Higher Education This seminar will explore pressing legal and policy issues facing American colleges and universities. The course will address the ways core academic values (e.g., academic freedom; the creation and maintenance of a community based on shared values) fit or conflict with legal rules and political dynamics that operate beyond the academy. Likely topics include how college admissions are shaped by legal principles, with particular emphasis on debates over affirmative action; on-campus speech; faculty tenure; intellectual property; student rights and student discipline (including discipline for sexual assault); and college and university relations with the outside world. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 320 Authoritarianism and Democratization in the Middle East* This course analyzes theories of authoritarianism and prospects for democratization in the Middle East. The course is divided into three sections: the first covers the main theoretical perspectives explaining the persistence of authoritarian rule in the Middle East. The second is devoted to the events of the Arab Spring, with an emphasis on Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia. Finally, the third section deals with two of the most pressing issues facing the countries of the Arab Spring: 1) the political role of Arab armed forces, 2) the integration of the long-banned Islamist groups into the public sphere as legitimate political parties. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Hicham N Bou Nassif

POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America* This seminar will examine the "post-neoliberal" politics of Latin America, beginning with a reconsideration of the market-oriented turn in the region during the 1980s and 1990s. The seminar will then focus on the rise of leftist governments as diverse as Hugo Chávez' Venezuela, Evo Morales' Bolivia, and Lula da Silva's Brazil. Other topics will include the emergence of anti-neoliberal movements, the wave of indigenous politics, new social movements, environmental politics, and experiments with anti-poverty programs throughout Latin America. 6 credits; SI, IS, WR2; Fall; Alfred P Montero

POSC 328 Foreign Policy Analysis* Foreign policy analysis is a distinct sub-field within international relations that focuses on explaining the actions and choices of actors in world politics. After a review of the historical development of the sub-field, we will explore approaches to foreign policy that emphasize the empirical testing of hypotheses that explain how policies and choices are formulated and implemented. The psychological sources of foreign policy decisions (including leaders' beliefs and personalities and the effect of decision-making groups) are a central theme. Completion of a lower level IR course and the stats/methods sequence is recommended. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Fall; Greg Marfleet

POSC 330 The Complexity of Politics* Theories of complexity and emergence relate to how large-scale collective properties and characteristics of a system can arise from the behavior and attributes of component parts. This course explores the relevance of these concepts, studied mainly in physics and biology, for the social sciences. Students will explore agent-based modeling to discover emergent properties of social systems through computer simulations they create using NetLogo software. Reading and seminar discussion topics include conflict and cooperation, electoral competition, transmission of culture and social networks. Completion of the stats/methods sequence is highly recommended. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Winter; Greg Marfleet

POSC 332 Religion and Politics* In this class, we will investigate the relationship between politics and religion around the world. It is not a class on theology or belief systems. Instead, we will focus on describing and explaining how religious beliefs and organizations affect political outcomes and vice-versa. Topics will include the relationship between religion and the state, the political dimensions of religious movements, the religious dimensions of political movements, and how religious perspectives on such issues as gender, sexuality, race, and war reinforce or clash with political values and policy. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 333 Global Social Changes and Sustainability* This course is about the relationship between social changes and ecological changes to understand and to be able to advance analytical concepts, research methods, and theories of society-nature interactions. How do livelihoods of individuals and groups change over time and how do the changes affect ecological sustainability? What are the roles of human institutions in ecological sustainability? What are the roles of ecosystem dynamics in institutional sustainability? Students will learn fundamental theories and concepts that explain linkages between social change and environmental changes and gain methods and skills to measure social changes qualitatively and quantitatively. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Spring; Tun Myint

POSC 334 Global Public Health* This seminar covers a variety of public health issues in advanced capitalist and developing countries, including communicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases and scourges such as malaria, dengue, and AIDS, the effectiveness of foreign aid, and the challenges of reforming health care systems. Emphasis will be on how these issues interact with patterns of economic and social development and the capacity of states and international regimes. Students will develop a perspective on public policy using materials from diverse fields such as political science, epidemiology, history, economics, and sociology. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 337 Political Economy of Happiness* This course explores the political determinants of happiness in the United States and around the world. What makes citizens happier in one country compared to another? When might political institutions be most successful at producing happiness among people? What is the relationship between economic inequality, development, redistribution and happiness? The course starts by examining how happiness is conceptualized and measured in public opinion data, before exploring the political economy of happiness globally. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 338 Politics of Inequality and Poverty* The unequal distribution of income and assets is arguably the most important issue in many political systems around the world, and debates over the appropriate role of government in fighting inequality form a primary dimension of political competition. In this course, we will explore the politics surrounding economic inequality around the world. We will discuss how inequality influences political participation in democracies and dictatorships, shapes prospects for democratic transition/consolidation, and affects economic growth and social well-being. We will also examine when and how political institutions can mitigate negative aspects of inequality. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 348 Strangers, Foreigners and Exiles The course explores the role that strangers play in human life, the challenges that foreigners create for democratic politics, the promises they bring to it, as well as the role of exiles in improving the cultural capacity of societies to live with difference. We will read texts by Arendt, Kafka, Derrida, Sophocles, Said, Joseph Conrad, Tzvetan Todorov, and Julia Kristeva. Special attention will be given to the plight of Roma in Europe, as a typical case of strangers that are still perceived nowadays as a menace to the modern sedentary civilization. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 349 Justice Among Nations Crosslisted with POSC 259. The purpose of this course is to bring to bear great works of political philosophy on the foundational questions of international politics. Our primary text will be Thucydides gripping History of The Peloponnesian War. Thucydides was perhaps the greatest thinker about international relations that the world has seen. He was also a political philosopher--and psychologist--of the first rank. His book teaches much not only about politics but about human nature. Students enrolled in the 349 version will complete a more detailed and longer seminar paper that may be the basis for comps in a subsequent term. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 350 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic* Cross-listed with POSC 250. In this course we will examine ancient political philosophy through the intensive study of Plato's Republic, perhaps the greatest work of political philosophy ever written. What is morality? Why should a person behave morally? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to be a tyrant? What is the best way of life? What would a perfect society look like? What would be its customs and institutions, and who would rule? What would it demand of us, and would that price be worth paying? These are some of the politically (and personally) vital questions addressed by the book. 6 credits; HI; Fall; Laurence D Cooper

POSC 351 Political Theory of Martin Luther King, Jr. This seminar will examine the speeches, writings, and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will study King as an example of the responsible citizen envisioned by the theory expressed in The Federalist, as a contributor to the discourse of civil religion, and as a figure in recent American social history. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 352 Political Theory of Alexis de Tocqueville* This course will be devoted to close study of Tocqueville's Democracy in America, which has plausibly been described as the best book ever written about democracy and the best book every written about America. Tocqueville uncovers the myriad ways in which equality, including especially the passion for equality, determines the character and the possibilities of modern humanity. Tocqueville thereby provides a political education that is also an education toward self-knowledge. 6 credits; HI, WR2, IDS; Winter; Barbara Allen

POSC 354 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics* Cross-listed with POSC 254. What does it mean to be morally excellent? To be politically excellent? To be intellectually and spiritually excellent? Are these things mutually compatible? Do they lie within the reach of everyone? And what is the relation between excellence and pleasure? Between excellence and happiness? Aristotle addresses these questions in intricate and illuminating detail in the Nicomachean Ethics, which we will study in this course. The Ethics is more accessible than some of Aristotle's other works. But it is also a multifaceted and multi-layered book, and one that reveals more to those who study it with care. Seminar paper required. 6 credits; HI; Winter; Laurence D Cooper

POSC 355 Identity, Culture and Rights* This course will look at the contemporary debate in multiculturalism in the context of a variety of liberal philosophical traditions, including contractarians, libertarians, and Utilitarians. These views of the relationship of individual to community will be compared to those of the communitarian and egalitarian traditions. Research papers may use a number of feminist theory frameworks and methods. 6 credits; SI, WR2, IS; Winter; Barbara Allen

POSC 358 Comparative Social Movements This course will examine the role that social movements play in political life. The first part of the course will critically review the major theories that have been developed to explain how social movements form, operate and seek to influence politics at both the domestic and international levels. In the second part of the course, these theoretical approaches will be used to explore a number of case studies involving social movements that span several different issue areas and political regions. Potential case studies include the transnational environmental movement, religious movements in Latin America and the recent growth of far right activism in northern Europe. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 359 Cosmopolitanism* Stoic philosophers saw themselves as citizens of the world (cosmopolitans). In the eighteenth century, Kant thought that the increasingly global nature of the world requires international political institutions to guarantee peace and human rights. After the Cold War cosmopolitanism was back in fashion. Even the favorite drink of the girls on TV's Sex and the City was called Cosmopolitan. This course explores different meanings of cosmopolitanism: moral, political, and cultural. The intention is to show that cosmopolitanism is a complex reality that requires political institutions, as well as a new ethics to be cultivated through a particular engagement of culture. 6 credits; HI; Spring; Mihaela Czobor-Lupp

POSC 361 Approaches to Development* The meaning of "development" has been contested across multiple disciplines. The development and continual existence of past civilizations has been at the core of the discourse among those who study factors leading to the rise and fall of civilizations. Can we reconcile the meaning of development in economic terms with cultural, ecological, political, religious, social and spiritual terms? How can we measure it quantitatively? What and how do the UNDP Human Development Indexes and the World Development Reports measure? What are the exemplary cases that illustrate development? How do individual choices and patterns of livelihood activities link to development trends? 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Fall; Tun Myint

POSC 364 Capitalism and Its Critics* This research seminar examines the major debates in studies of contemporary capitalism in advanced capitalist and developing countries around the world. Moving beyond the classic theoretical debates of liberal, Marxist, developmentalist, and post-industrial arguments, the seminar will focus on recent debates concerning changes in labor markets, class structures, production systems, political institutions and social distribution, corporate governance, the multilateral system (e.g., IMF, the World Bank), supranational entities such as the European Union, and critical approaches on economic development, including new studies of the informal labor market. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 365 Political Economy of Global Tourism* As manufacturing has migrated to places with cheaper labor, many cities have turned to tourism to attract capital, employ low-skilled labor, and develop a niche in the global economy. We will pay particular attention to the consequences, for cities and their inhabitants, of the policy of tourism-driven economic development. We will also consider what it is that is being manufactured, marketed and sold in the tourist economy. Our investigation will proceed in an interdisciplinary manner, with inquiry into the political, sociological, anthropological, and economic consequences of tourism. Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites but participation in a college-level study abroad program will be an asset. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 366 Urban Political Economy* Cross-listed with POSC 266. City revenue is increasingly dependent on tourism. Cities manufacture identity and entertainment, whether we think of Las Vegas or Jerusalem, Berlin or Bilbao, the ethnoscapes of Copenhagen or the red light district of Amsterdam. As cities compete in the global economy to become playgrounds for a transnational tourist class, what is the role of urban residents? Who governs? Who benefits? A research paper will be required. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Richard A Keiser

POSC 371 Modern Political Philosophy: Liberalism and Its Critics* Cross-listed with POSC 251. Liberalism is the dominant political philosophy of our time. Living in a liberal polity, each of us has been shaped by liberalism. But is liberalism the best political order? Do we even know what liberalism is? What are the strongest arguments in its favor, and what are the deepest criticisms we might level against it? In this course we will examine liberalism’s philosophic roots and engage with some of its most forceful advocates and most profound critics. Our readings will include authors such as Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, Mill, and Nietzsche. Research paper required. 6 credits; HI, IS, WR2; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 378 Political Economy & Ecology of Southeast Asia: Social Changes in Southeast Asia Informed by the assigned readings, students will visit markets, factories, farms, and various cultural and natural sites to see first-hand the changes and challenges occurring in these areas. The course covers: (1) issues of livelihood transition from rural to urban; (2) the interaction between market systems and social relations; and (3) the impact on society of changes in physical infrastructures such as roads and telecommunication. Students will keep a journal and produce three thematic short essays, a 15-20-minute video, or a well-organized blog to document their learning. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 379 Political Economy and Ecology of S.E. Asia: Diversity of Social Ecological Systems in Southeast Asia Connecting the first and the second components, this course examines key actors, issues, and interests in the political economy of and ecology of Southeast Asia. Students will connect economy to ecology in Southeast Asia by connecting field experiences and observation to real data, facts, and cases that illustrate the interaction between economy and ecology. This course requires students to identify a topic of interest based on their field experience, research it using techniques taught in the field research and methods course, and write a research report in the form of a term paper. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 383 Identity and Belonging in the New Europe: Politics of the European Union This course examines the formation, development, institutions, laws, and major policies of the European Union. It will introduce students to some of the key challenges of EU-level governance and pressing policy problems facing the European community. In addition to classroom activities, students will travel to Brussels and other sites to meet with policy makers and observe the dynamics of EU institutions, including the Committee of the Regions, the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and Frontex (the EU's border control agency) in Warsaw. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2016-17

POSC 400 Integrative Exercise 1-6 credit; S/NC; Fall, Winter, Spring; Richard A Keiser, Hicham N Bou Nassif, Alfred P Montero, Tun Myint, Barbara Allen, Laurence D Cooper, Greg Marfleet, Mihaela Czobor-Lupp