An introductory seminar in American national politics. Readings, papers, and discussion explore the changing nature of power and participation in the American polity, with a focus on the interaction between individuals (non-voters, voters, party leaders, members of Congress, the president) and political institutions (parties, Congress, the executive branch, the judiciary). Not open to students who have credit for or are concurrently taking Government 1100.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Leadership is surely one of the key elements of politics, but what does it mean? What kinds of leaders do we have, and what kinds do we want? This course looks at the treatment of leadership in political theory and in literature, as well as real world case studies, including the buildup to World War II and the twentieth century U.S. civil rights movement, to explore the qualities and behaviors associated with successful leadership. How can we reconcile authority and democracy, ethics and effectiveness? How can we expand the roles of those historically excluded from leadership? Ultimately, students will learn a wide variety of perspectives on political leadership and the opportunities and dangers it presents—both for those who want to lead, and for those who are called upon to follow.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2019.

The Supreme Court has played a role in adjudicating many of the nation’s most important social issues, addressing matters such as segregation in schools, gender discrimination, and same-sex marriage. Since Thurgood Marshall orchestrated the NAACP’s legal strategy to bring civil rights issues before the court rather than Congress, many other interest groups have followed suit. Investigates the trend of seeking legal change via courts, focusing on the Supreme Court’s role in social change by asking two connected questions: first, should the Supreme Court be deciding issues with such far-reaching impacts; second, since the court does wade into these matters, how effective are the justices in moving public opinion and influencing social change? Examines areas of policy in which the court has been particularly active including civil rights, access to abortion, and same-sex marriage, among others.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020.

Explores the significant roles that women of color have played in American politics and around the world. Begins with the US context, starting in the antebellum era and moving forward by reading biographies/autobiographies that provide voice to the experiences faced by women of color in both traditional and non-traditional political spaces. These include women of color as close confidants to male political figures (first ladies, wives, and mistresses) and as politicians, judges, activists, and revolutionaries. Then shifts to a more global context considering the perspectives of women of color in countries where they have championed gender equality and feminism, and where they have become powerful political actors. (Same as: AFRS 1005, GSWS 1007)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2019.

This course explores key questions about American presidential elections and how they have been resolved – usually, temporarily -- from 1787 to the present day. The framers of the U.S. Constitution wanted to create a presidency that would be accountable to the public but not beholden to its “passions”; the choices they made, and didn’t make, have been open for debate ever since. This course covers electoral institutions and the candidate strategies and voter behavior they shape: both systematic factors and campaign idiosyncrasies. Topics for discussion include the development of the nominating process; the electoral college (should it stay or should it go?)and state-level electoral administration; campaign finance laws; voter registration and turnout; the components of voting decisions; the role of political parties and the media in the electoral process over time; and the transition to a new presidency.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020.

Explores the fundamental questions in political life: What is justice? What is happiness? Are human beings equal or unequal by nature? Do they even have a nature, or are they “socially constructed”? Are there ethical standards for political action that exist prior to law and, if so, where do they come from? Nature? God? History? Readings may include Plato, Aristotle, the Bible, Machiavelli, Locke, Rousseau, Shakespeare, the American Founders, Tocqueville, and Nietzsche.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

An introduction to the fundamental issues of political philosophy: human nature, the relationship between individual and political community, the nature of justice, the place of virtue, the idea of freedom, and the role of history. Readings span both ancient and modern philosophical literature. Authors may include Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, the American Founders, Tocqueville, Mill, and Nietzsche.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Explores the changing ways in which political conflicts over economic class, race, religion, gender, and national identity are playing out in modern Britain. Asks how rising wealth inequality and the precarity of the gig economy are influencing class identities. Looks at social mobility and the role of the education system in shaping access to power and influence. Considers how the legacies of the class system, slavery, empire and war are being fought over today, e.g., in debates over slave-trader statues, historical memory, or football players taking the knee. Asks how “Britishness” relates to enduring Irish, Scottish, and Welsh identities and how populist English nationalism emerged as a political movement. Draws on diverse intellectual sources, including political science, history, and sociology. Uses pop culture—music, fiction, films and TV—to illustrate course themes.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022.

Provides an overview of the major actors engaged in climate politics, ranging from governments to NGOs and corporations. Examines the politics of climate change at multiple levels—from the individual to global governance—and reviews climate policy in different countries. Pays particular attention to cases where active policy making or public mobilization around climate is occurring, asking why we see initiative and innovation in climate policy in these venues and less action in other spaces. Considers themes such as how climate policy is developed differently in democracies and authoritarian regimes, how climate policy may affect economic development, the role of non-state actors such as citizens, social movements, and industry in climate politics, and the ethical implications of different climate policy options. (Same as: ENVS 1027)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Introduces the student to the nature of warfare throughout various cultures and epochs by focusing on the “Daughters of Mars,” women warriors and warrior queens. Includes case studies from the Trojan war, the early Eurasian steppes, classical Greece and Rome, the High Middle Ages, nineteenth-century Africa, Samurai Japan, the American Civil War, World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Also focuses on the arguments for and against having women in combat, culminating with the contemporary realities and debates concerning American women in combat today. Student research projects investigate these and other related subjects.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2019.

Examines different strategies for preventing and controlling armed conflict in international society, and emphasizes the role of diplomacy, international law, and international organizations in the peace-making process.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2019.

Despite enjoying a preponderance of resources, the rich and mighty don’t always win in life, or in war. Why? How do peasants and insurgents impose their will on more powerful organizations? How do wealthy armies at times lose wars to impoverished rebels? Whereas money and material can be measured, divided and counted in a spreadsheet, less quantifiable factors of conflict such as ideas, identity, legitimacy, will power and fortitude are too often discounted as secondary factors. But these may, in truth, be at the heart of war, and weapons for the weak to bring down the mighty.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Provides a comprehensive overview of the American political process. Specifically, traces the foundations of American government (the Constitution, federalism, civil rights, and civil liberties), its political institutions (Congress, presidency, courts, and bureaucracy), and its electoral processes (elections, voting, and political parties). Also examines other influences, such as public opinion and the mass media, which fall outside the traditional institutional boundaries, but have an increasingly large effect on political outcomes. Not open to students who have credit for or are concurrently taking Government 1001.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Provides a broad introduction to key concepts in comparative politics. Most generally, asks why states are governed differently, both historically and in contemporary politics. Surveys subfields within comparative politics (the state, regime types, nations and nationalism, party systems, development, and civil society) to familiarize students with major debates and questions.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Fall 2020, Spring 2020.

Provides a broad introduction to the study of international relations (IR). Designed to strike a balance between empirical and historical knowledge and the obligatory theoretical understanding and schools of thought in IR. Designed as an introductory course to familiarize students with no prior background in the subject, and recommended for first- and second-year students intending to take upper-level international relations courses.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Fall 2019.

The “third-rate burglary” at the Watergate complex in 1972 ultimately revealed broad abuses of presidential power, led to the resignation of the president, and lent a suffix to a wide range of future scandals. Examines both Watergate itself and what it wrought in American politics. Topics include the relationship between the executive and legislative branches in areas ranging from budgetary policy to the war power; the role of the press; governmental ethics, investigations, and impeachment; and Watergate's place in popular and political culture.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2021.

Introduces students to the study of judicial politics and judicial decision-making. Approaches large topics including how the nomination and confirmation process impact the federal courts; if elected politicians and unelected actors alter the court’s decision-making; factors the court considers when choosing which cases to hear; and actions the Supreme Court takes to ensure the public and lower courts comply with its rulings. Students explore different stages of the legal system (i.e. agenda-setting, decision-making, etc.) and assess their relative importance. Imparts the ability to define and apply social scientific theories to judicial decision-making and to the legal process as a whole.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021.

An examination of the presidency in the American political system, including the “road to the White House” (party nomination process and role of the electoral college), advisory systems, the institutional presidency, relations with Congress and the courts, and decision-making in the White House. In addition, the instructors draw from their own research interests. For Professor Martin these include presidential-congressional relations, the unilateral action of the President, the role of women as advisors within the White House and in the executive branch, and the influence of outside groups on the White House’s consideration of issues. For Professor Rudalevige these include presidents’ inter-branch relations, with a recent emphasis on presidential efforts to manage the wider executive branch through administrative and unilateral tactics.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2019.

American history displays the gap between the ideals of liberty and equality and real-life institutions and practices—as well as the struggle by numerous groups to attain civil rights in both law and fact. Presidents have sometimes been key players in working “to fulfill these rights” (as Lyndon Johnson put it), sometimes in undermining them. Focusing primarily on racial equality, this class fuses questions of political history and presidential power to explore (1) when and why presidents have been leaders or laggards in protecting civil rights, and (2) what capacity they have to seek and cement change through their rhetorical, legislative, and administrative roles and their relationship with “bottom-up” social movements. The class tracks these questions by considering key periods and longstanding debates, with emphasis on material from the 1850s to the present. Topics include abolition and “states’ rights,” immigration, the post-Civil War Reconstruction period, voting rights, segregation and lynching, the World War II internment of Japanese-Americans, the mid-twentieth-century civil rights movement, and the legacy of (and backlash to) the first Black president.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022.

An examination of the United States Congress, with a focus on members, leaders, constituent relations, the congressional role in the policy-making process, congressional procedures and their impact on policy outcomes, the budget process, and executive-congressional relations.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

How does government solve problems? We deal with public organizations every day—nearly 15 percent of the United States workforce operates within one—addressing concerns ranging from playground safety to the prevention of international terrorism. This course explores how and why this vital part of government works the way it does in the American political context, examining what public organizations do and how well they do it. It assesses various aspects of public management, including personnel, budgeting, and performance evaluation, through a series of real-world cases. These vary but have included the Cuban Missile Crisis, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, educational desegregation, and the regulation of tobacco products. Underlying all of this is the perpetual difficulty in reconciling organizational efficiency with democratic accountability.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2020.

Examines the development of American constitutionalism, the power of judicial review, federalism, and separation of powers.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Examines legal questions arising from the First and Fourteenth Amendments including religious liberty, religious establishment, free speech, right to privacy, and discrimination cases. Students learn to use Westlaw and NexisUni in order to conduct legal research for a case study. This advanced course in constitutional law is taught almost exclusively through Supreme Court opinions, so prior experience reading and briefing case law is strongly recommended.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

A study of the impact of the American legal system on the functioning of schools in the United States through an examination of Supreme Court decisions and federal legislation. Analyzes the public policy considerations that underlie court decisions in the field of education and considers how those judicial interests may differ from the concerns of school boards, administrators, and teachers. Issues to be discussed include constitutional and statutory developments affecting schools in such areas as free speech, sex discrimination, religious objections to compulsory education, race relations, teachers’ rights, school financing, and the education of those with disabilities. (Same as: EDUC 2250)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020.

How have the institutions of government crafted by the American founders shaped the basic contours of the policy process? How has the policy process changed as the structure of the American political system itself has changed over time? Addresses these questions, introducing students to concepts and tools that political scientists use as they try to untangle complex patterns of policy development. Assigned readings trace the historical lineage of policies affecting health care, retirement, immigration, and other critical areas of public concern. Through analysis of these substantive policy matters, examines how and to what extent policy choices made in the past have shaped the horizon of options available to policymakers today.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2019.

An analysis of politics in the state of Maine since World War II. Subjects covered include the dynamics of Republican and Democratic rivalries and the efficacy of the Independent voter, the rise of the Green and Reform parties, the growing importance of ballot measure initiatives, and the interaction of ethnicity and politics in the Pine Tree State. An analysis of key precincts and Maine voting paradigms is included, as well as a look at the efficacy of such phenomena as the north/south geographic split, the environmental movement, and the impact of such interest groups as SAM, the Tea Party, and the Roman Catholic Church. Students are expected to follow contemporary political events on a regular basis.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2019.

Did the Founding bequeath to the American people a representative system of government? How have racial exclusions distorted the development of the American political regime? How have historical exclusions shaped ideas and political commitments commonly associated with the American political tradition? This course will apply a historical lens to examine the co-development of racial categories in the U.S. and of American government itself. We will look at how representative distortions built into electoral institutions (the Three-Fifths clause, for example) have altered the trajectory of policy development in arenas that are commonly taken to be unrelated to “race relations.” We will also look at the contributions that ethnic and racial communities (including Black, Asian, Latinx, and ethnic white communities) have made to debates about the promise of democratic governance in the United States.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021.

Examines politics in American cities. Whereas public attention tends to focus on national and international levels of politics, highlights the importance of local and urban institutions and behavior. Considers competition between cities and suburbs, the internal environment of suburban politics, state-city and federal-city relations, racial conflict and urban governance, and the impact of private power on local decision-making. Focuses on the various individuals and institutions that shape the foundation of urban government including politicians, municipal bureaucracies, parties, political machines, interest groups, and the public. (Same as: URBS 2039)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2020.

Examines the political behavior of ordinary citizens. Begins with a broad focus on the importance of citizen participation in a democracy, and the debate over how much or how little participation is best. Examines the reasons for citizen (non)participation, and focuses on the effects of campaigns and social capital on different forms of participation.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2020.

Examines the impact of race and ethnicity on American politics. Key topics include the impact of race on government, and the development and influence of group identities. Also covers rights, representation, and voting, as well as impacts on education and criminal justice. (Same as: AFRS 2052)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Spring 2020, Fall 2019.

What brings people of Hispanic/Latin American heritage together? What do half a billion people have in common socially and politically, and how does the political context shape how individuals place themselves in position to other groups in society? As the course title suggests, terminology can be a focal point: why do we use terms like “Hispanic,” “Latin-American,” or the more recent “Latinx” and how does that relate to the characteristics of this diverse category? This course focuses on the political experience of people who call themselves Hispanics or Latinos. We take an agnostic yet inclusive approach to the definition of this population, and explore the construction of this group as the only census-recognized ethnicity in the United States. Our course explores socio-demographic factors that lead to collective action as well as political attitudes and behaviors among this diverse group. We focus mostly on Latinos within the United States of America but also look at politics in Latin America in an effort to better understand this heterogeneous population. (Same as: LACL 2554)

Throughout American political history, parties have been among the most adept institutions at organizing political conflict and, more generally, American political life. In this vein, the role of political parties in the evolution of American politics is discussed. Special attention is given to the present political context, which many characterize as an era of ideologically polarized parties. Explores and challenges this conventional wisdom.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020.

Addresses current theories and controversies concerning political campaigns and elections in the United States. Takes advantage of the fact that the class meets during the heart of the next presidential and congressional campaigns. Uses concepts from the political science literature on elections to explore general trends in electoral choice at the legislative and presidential level. Students will be expected to follow journalistic accounts of the fall campaigns closely. A second set of readings introduces political science literature on campaigns and elections. These readings touch upon a wide range of themes, including voting behavior (e.g., economic voting and issue voting), campaign finance, media strategy, the role of incumbency, presidential primaries, the Electoral College, and trends in partisan realignment.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020.

Human beings are political animals by nature; we seek to gain influence in an effort to become successful in life. The motivations behind those drives are central to the study of human behavior. The study of political psychology involves using scientific understandings of human behavior and cognition to explain and explore political phenomena. It requires us to think about the many factors that impact political behaviors, from the biological and neurological all the way up to the societal and institutional. In this course we will consider questions regarding how well-equipped humans are to engage in rational and political behaviors, why cooperation and selfishness emerge, why some people are persuaded while others dig their heels in, and how humans have learned to live with each other and negotiate differences. It is suggested that students enrolling for credit in PSYC should have successfully completed PSYC 1101 before enrolling in this course. (Same as: PSYC 2035)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023.

Examines the role of the media as the “fourth branch” of government. Focuses first on the history of the media throughout American political development, and then examines the role of the media in contemporary politics. Is the media biased? How? What are the effects of media coverage on citizens? What is the interplay of politicians, citizens, and journalists? Spends considerable time on the place of new media outlets such as blogs.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021.

Examines the use of quantitative methods to study political phenomena. Discusses the nature of empirical thinking and how principles used for years by natural scientists, such as causation and control, have been adopted by social scientists. Introduces what these methods are (such as Chi-square tests, difference of means, and linear regression) and how they might be useful in political research and applies these methods, with particular emphasis on the use of survey data. Using quantitative methods, employs statistical computing software (such as Stata, SPSS, and/or R) as a research tool, with a focus on effective presentation of data and results. The assignments include a mix of essay writing and problem sets. The course is designed for students with little or no experience in statistical inference.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

A survey of classical political philosophy focusing on selected dialogues of Plato, the political writings of Aristotle, and St. Augustine's City of God. Examines ancient Greek and early Christian reflections on human nature, justice, the best regime, the relationship of the individual to the political community, the relationship of philosophy to politics, and the tension between reason and revelation.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Explores the political philosophy of the Roman Republic along with its reception in the Italian and English Renaissance, using readings from Cicero, Plutarch, Machiavelli, and Shakespeare. We will examine Roman ideas about the res publica [the concern of the people], the origin of civic rights, the development of ideas of popular sovereignty, and the constitutional balance of power. We will also look at Roman theories of virtue, honor, and fatherland. Finally, we will consider how these ideas were adopted and adapted by later commentators ranging from Machiavelli to Shakespeare.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2020.

A survey of modern political philosophy from Machiavelli to Mill. Examines the overthrow of the classical horizon, the movement of human will and freedom to the center of political thought, the idea of the social contract, the origin and meaning of rights, the relationship between freedom and equality, the role of democracy, and the replacement of nature by history as the source of human meaning. Authors may include Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, and Mill.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

An examination of liberal democratic doctrine and of religious, cultural, and radical criticisms of it in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Authors may include Locke, Kant, Burke, Tocqueville, Mill, Marx, and Nietzsche.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2019.

Examines the political thought of American statesmen and writers from the founding to the twentieth century, with special emphasis on three pivotal moments: the Founding, the Crisis of the House Divided, and the growth of the modern welfare state. Readings include the Federalist Papers, the Anti-federalists, Jefferson and Hamilton, Calhoun, Lincoln, William Graham Sumner, the Progressives, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and contemporary thinkers on both the right and the left.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

Considers Shakespeare as a political thinker whose plays both interrogate important works of political philosophy and respond to pressing political matters of his day (and beyond). This team-taught course encourages open-ended debate and argumentation in order to foster informed and critical conversation between Shakespeare and Cicero, Plutarch, Machiavelli, and Montaigne, among others. Beginning with ancient and early modern philosophical reflection on human nature, the state, justice, the virtues of rulers, and ideas of citizenship, the course proceeds to take up Shakespeare’s dramatization of these topics in the context of the changing English monarchy, religious controversy, the enduring influence of the Roman Republic, the emergence of capitalism, and the politics of race and gender. Note: This course fulfills the pre-1800 requirement for English majors. (Same as: ENGL 2203)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022.

A survey of political philosophy in Europe and the United States since 1945. Examines a broad array of topics, including the revival of political philosophy, relativism, rationalism, contemporary liberal theory, communitarianism, conservatism, multiculturalism, feminism, and postmodernism. Authors may include Strauss, Arendt, Oakeshott, Berlin, Hayek, Rawls, Sandel, Taylor, Walzer, Okin, Habermas, and Foucault.

Prerequisites: GOV 1007 - 1019 or GOV 1040 - 1045 or GOV 2100 - 2399 or GOV 2800 - 2899 or GOV 2975 - 2979 or GOV 3100 - 3399 or GOV 3800 - 3899 or GOV 4005 - 4009.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2020.

Examines the relationship between religion and politics -- the so-called theological-political question -- primarily in modern Europe and America. Focuses first on the tension between and eventual separation of church and state in the early modern period; then considers the implications and complications of this historic separation, looking at recent Supreme Court cases, as well as contemporary discussion of the relationship between religion and politics. Comparisons with the treatment of this issue in the Islamic world are made. Authors include Machiavelli, Luther, Calvin, Spinoza, Locke, Jefferson, Madison, Tocqueville, as well as a variety of contemporary and Islamic writers.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021.

What and who do we love? Do we seek another self or someone to complement our natures? Is there something other than human beings that we love? The Good, God, or some other principle? How do the answers to these questions affect our views of politics and justice? Readings include Plato’s “Symposium”; the Bible; Shakespeare; Rousseau’s “Emile”; Tocqueville; and contemporary thinkers.

Prerequisites: GOV 1007 - 1019 or GOV 1040 - 1045 or GOV 2100 - 2399 or GOV 2800 - 2899 or GOV 2975 - 2979 or GOV 3100 - 3399 or GOV 4005 - 4009.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021.

Analyzes the dynamics of West European political systems, including the varieties of parliamentary and electoral systems and the formation of governments and lawmaking. Addresses contemporary political challenges in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and other states, considering topics such as institutional reform, welfare state policies, economic growth and unemployment, immigration, relations with the United States, and other foreign policy concerns. The European Union is not examined, as it is a separate course, Government 2500: The Politics of the European Union.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2019.

Examines major themes in the history of European political development – West and East -- such as the emergence of nation-states, the development of political institutions (democratic and nondemocratic), divergent experiences with industrialization and economic governance (liberal, socialist, and communist), and the role of ideology in European politics. Then investigates contemporary political challenges in Europe: the rise of extremist parties, migration and diversity, the climate crisis, to shifting relations with other major global powers. Explores how theories and concepts can be applied to the domestic politics of European states. (European integration is covered in Gov 2500: The Politics of the European Union.)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022.

Comprehensive overview of modern British politics in historical, social and cultural context.Considers the historical formation of the United Kingdom and the development of the modern democratic state, but focuses on political developments after 1945. Analyzes party politics, the Welfare State, Thatcherism, and the contemporary political scene. Explores policy issues including healthcare, education, economic policy, and the role of the media.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Spring 2020.

Explores the most dramatic political event of the twentieth century: the collapse of Soviet communism and Russia’s subsequent political development. Begins by examining the Soviet system and the political and social upheaval of the late Soviet period. Proceeds to investigate the challenges of contemporary Russian politics, including the semi-authoritarian regime, the challenges of sustainable economic growth and modernization, the demographic crisis, the loss of superpower status, and the search for a role in international politics. Comparisons made with other countries in the post-Communist region.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020.

Examines the history and politics of China in the context of a prolonged revolution. Begins by examining the end of imperial rule, the development of Modern China, socialist transformations and the establishment of the PRC. After a survey of the political system as established in the 1950s and patterns of politics emerging from it, the analytic focus turns to political change in the reform era (since 1979) and the forces driving it. The adaptation by the Communist Party to these changes and the prospects of democratization are also examined. Topics include political participation and civil society, urban and rural China, gender in China, and the effects of post-Mao economic reform. (Same as: ASNS 2060)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020.

Provides an introduction to diversity and development in East Asia. The course first focuses on the rise and decline of a China- and a Japan-centric order before WWII and discusses their historical impacts on today’s domestic politics and international relations. The course then traces the postwar political economic developments. It examines the economic miracles in Asian countries and discusses their democratization. It also presents the process of Chinese economic reform and its impacts on the regional order. The course finishes with an examination of the Asian financial crisis and its impacts on regional politics. (Same as: ASNS 2920)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Examines the Asian communism in China, Vietnam, North Korea, and Mongolia. Asian communism presents a series of fascinating questions. Why did communist revolutions occur in some Asian states but not others? Why were relations between some Asian communist states peaceful while others were hostile? Why did some adopt significant economic reforms while others maintained command economies? Why did communist regimes persist in most Asian states, while Communism fell in Mongolia and all of Europe? The approach of the course is explicitly comparative and structured around thematic comparisons between the four states. (Same as: ASNS 2860)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022.

Comprehensive overview of modern Japanese politics in historical, social, and cultural context. Analyzes the electoral dominance of the Liberal Democratic Party, the nature of democratic politics, and the rise and fall of the economy. Other topics include the status of women and ethnic minorities, education, war guilt, nationalism, and the role of the media. (Same as: ASNS 2320)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2019.

Explores the development of Japanese international relations since the Second World War and how Japan is currently adjusting its policies to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Despite having the world’s third-largest economy and advanced technological resources, Japan has been widely viewed as underperforming in world affairs. The central question is whether Japan remains an “underperformer.” Begins with a brief examination of Japanese foreign relations after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, then examines postwar Japanese foreign policy. Relations with the United States and China will receive special attention. Topics include Japanese participation in international institutions, the historical legacy of its past actions, the impact of US military bases in Japan, and contemporary debates over immigration. (Same as: ASNS 2395)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

This course explores the contemporary politics of dissent in Latin America. To do so it goes beyond conventional institutional and electoral settings, since dissent is not simply a moment of protest or resistance, nor the collective plea for rights. Instead it can be the moment when a given way of living or social order is unexpectedly modified and challenged with the introduction of a new agenda for action. Topics covered may include: Latin American intellectuals and decolonial theory, the challenges to development discourse by indigenous peoples, the role of music and the arts in resistance against political violence, the importance of social media in contemporary movements for political change, and the contestation of established notions of identity and citizenship (e.g., by queer minorities.) We will draw from cases in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico, as well as including Latinx peoples and cultures in the United States. (Same as: LACL 2538)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020.

In light of the ecological crisis exacerbated by climate change, scholars in the humanities and social sciences have become increasingly preoccupied with the relationship between humans and nature, in a field of study loosely termed “political ecology.” Central to this field are critiques of the separation between humans and nature in modernity and how we should understand this relationship. This course expands the current debates in this field beyond the intellectual circles of Europe and North America—which have focused on science and technology studies and new materialisms—to consider contributions that have remained marginal (for example, indigenous political thought and decolonial theory). The course will include authors from various disciplines ranging from indigenous intellectuals and activists to academics, with a focus on the Global South, including the work of Chilean filmmaker Patricio Guzmán, Maori scholar Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Indian activist Vandana Shiva, and Martinican writer Édouard Glissant. (Same as: ENVS 2340, LACL 2540)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2021.

A comparative examination of constitutional principles and constitutional processes in democratic and non-democratic countries. Explores the roles that constitutions play in shaping civil society and defining the relationship between governments and the people they govern. Compares American constitutional law with that of other nations to scrutinize alternative models of governance, and to gain new perspectives regarding the legal foundations for the protection of individual rights. Special attention given to the constitutions of Canada, India, Germany, South Africa, Israel, and the People’s Republic of China, along with that of the United States. Structural issues include consideration of executive-legislative separation of powers, constitutional courts, federalism, and church-state relations. Discusses arguments in favor of and against a written Bill of Rights, as well as such specific issues as emergency powers, political dissent, hate speech, religious belief, reproductive choice, racial and gender discrimination, public welfare, privacy, and police investigative authority.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2021.

Despite the end of the Cold War, dictatorship has persisted, even thrived. At least 40 percent of states in the world remain authoritarian. Introduces students to the social and political logic of dictatorship. Explores questions such as: Where do dictatorships come from? Why might people support dictatorships? What effect does dictatorship have on political, economic, and social outcomes? How do dictatorships differ from one another? Why are some dictatorships resilient and stand the test of time while some quickly collapse? When dictatorships collapse, why are some dictatorships replaced by other dictatorships, while others democratize? Concentrates on the post-World War II era and explores the dynamics of dictatorship in regions throughout the world, including the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020.

Explores the nexus of food, environment, and development in global environmental politics. Examines the interconnected challenges of governing across trans-boundary socio-ecological systems amidst competing demands on scarce natural resources—to sustain a global food system, foster economic development, and promote equity and justice. Prepares students to engage with interdisciplinary scholarship from political science, international development, public policy, and food studies. Draws on comparative cases from local to global scales, with an emphasis on Maine, the U.S., and Latin America. (Same as: ENVS 2313, LACL 2513)

Prerequisites: ENVS 1101 or ENVS 2330 (same as GOV 2910).

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

Explores the historical foundations, scope, and consequences of European political and economic integration since 1951. Examines how the European Union’s supranational political institutions, law, and policies have developed and how they affect the domestic politics of member states. Considers challenges faced by the European Union: enlargement to include Eastern European members, the loss of national sovereignty and the “democratic deficit,” the creation of a European identity, and the development of a coordinated foreign policy.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021.

Surveys societies and politics in sub-Saharan Africa, seeking to understand the sources of current conditions and the prospects for political stability and economic growth. Looks briefly at pre-colonial society and colonial influence on state-construction in Africa, and concentrates on three broad phases in Africa’s contemporary political development: (1) independence and consolidation of authoritarian rule; (2) economic decline and challenges to authoritarianism; (3) democratization and civil conflict. Presumes no prior knowledge of the region. (Same as: AFRS 2530)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2019.

Examines the development of United States relations with China. Begins with a brief historical examination of the Opium War, then examines United States policy towards the Nationalists and the Communists during the Chinese Civil War. In the aftermath of the civil war and subsequent revolution, the role of China in the Cold War will be discussed. Then focuses on more contemporary issues in United States-China relations, drawing links between the domestic politics of both countries and how they influence the formulation of foreign policy. Contemporary issues addressed include human rights, trade, the Taiwanese independence movement, nationalism, and China’s growing economic influence in the world. (Same as: ASNS 2061)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

Examines the meaning of development from economic and political perspectives. Considers various theories and practices of development that have been applied to newly independent states in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Investigates why trajectories of economic growth and political stability have been so uneven in different regions of the world. Incorporates views from both external and internal actors on issues such as foreign aid, multilateral institutions, good governance, and democratic participation.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Fall 2019.

Ethnicity is a crucial dividing line in most societies. Examines what ethnicity is, when it is mobilized peacefully and when it ignites violence, and what political tools exist to moderate these conflicts. Explores first the various definitions of ethnicity and theories of ethnic identity formation; then studies the different explanations for why ethnic divisions inspire conflict within societies and evaluates possible means of mitigating violence. Draws on case studies from around the world, particularly those in Africa and Asia.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021.

Examines the role of language in politics. Governments historically have tried to spread a single language within their populations through education and military conscription. What are the roots of this motivation? Does language standardization deepen the possibility for citizen participation and democracy? How have minority language groups responded? As the right to language has become a global norm, what effects will this have on the cohesiveness of existing states? Will globalization bring with it linguistic fragmentation or the worldwide spread of a few languages such as English, Arabic, and Chinese? Looks at the language question in the United States as well as in cases drawn from Europe, Asia, and Africa. Students choose a country in which to evaluate the historical and present state of languages and language(s) of state. Topics touched by language include democracy, state-building, colonization, violence, education, human rights, and globalization.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2020.

Examines the rough and tumble world of contentious politics, which includes forms of social mobilization as diverse as riots, revolutions, and rebellions. While much of “routine politics” takes place through elections, examines activities that cross over into the extraordinary and asks questions such as: What is the relationship between elections and riots? Why do some revolutionary movements succeed while others fail? Given great personal risks, why do some people protest in dictatorships? How do states respond to protests and why? Examines the commonalities and differences between these diverse events through case studies throughout the developing world, including Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2021.

The Arctic looms in our political imagination as the region most directly affected by a changing global climate that threatens the displacement of northern communities and cultures. It is also a site of fierce competition for state control and economic development. This course investigates the Arctic as a political space that encapsulates elements of comparative politics and international relations. It examines cross-national variation in policies toward Arctic regions in states such as the United States, Canada, Russia, Iceland, and Norway. It also explores dynamic international engagement around the Arctic by state officials, corporations, indigenous communities, and activists. The course will address governance issues such as indigenous rights, economic development and natural resource exploitation, environmental issues and climate change, the potential militarization of the region, international law, and the role of the Arctic Council. (Same as: ENVS 2377)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2021.

An examination of the forces and processes by which governments and societies approach and wage or avoid wars. The theories and practices of warfare of various political systems are analyzed and particular attention is paid to the interface where politics, society, and the military come together under governmental auspices in various comparative contexts. Specific examples from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America are examined.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2020.

: Oil, diamonds, gold. . . riches in the midst of poverty. How can Africa boast so many natural resources and yet remain the poorest continent on earth? What is the “resource curse?” Begins by putting Africa in the context of global resource extraction, oil in particular. Establishes Africa’s long pre-colonial experience with trade in iron, gold, salt, and slaves. The colonial period deepened the reliance of many territories on specific resources, a pattern that continues to the present. Uses Burkina Faso as a specific example of gold extraction, contrasting industrial and artisanal mining. Modern streams of prospectors throughout West Africa echo the California gold rush, but with important distinctions.. A research-based writing seminar in political science, the course will highlight the interplay between national and foreign governments, international and domestic firms, and local and migrant prospectors as they vie for access to valuable resources. Students will gain skills in library research, writing and revision, peer review and oral presentations. (IRBW) (Same as: AFRS 2596)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021.

The modern state system, the role of law in its operation, the principles and practices that have developed, and the problems involved in their application.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Human rights have long been a key concern of international relations as a marker of the world’s highest aspirations for equality and progress. What are their potential, and their limits? Should we be hopeful, or skeptical? This course addresses competing conceptions of human rights, the problems in enforcing them, and how human rights have featured in global politics over time – both in pushing for change and in perpetuating the status quo. It analyzes the modern formation of the human rights regime at the United Nations; traces the adoption and implementation of key human rights conventions; and explores historical and contemporary cases portraying how different actors and organizations (states, corporations, and non-state actors) are involved in the promotion of human rights around the globe. Readings draw from diverse approaches to human rights and international relations, including realist, liberal, constructivist, feminist, postcolonial, and other critical perspectives.

This course challenges students to critically engage with the role of ethics in international affairs. Students learn about different approaches to the relationship between ethics and global politics informed by realist, liberal, constructivist, and critical perspectives. Students grapple with individual and structural notions of ethics to reflect on responsibility in global politics. Topics may include war and the use of force, corruption, distributive justice, environmental justice, health, and immigration policy. Students will be invited to reflect on how ethics influence their lived experiences living in a powerful state, the tragic choices that shape possibilities of conflict and cooperation in international affairs, and the potentiality and limits of making ethical claims based on humanity and/or citizenship.

Examines race and racism as powerful organizing forces in world politics. Specifically, examines global political and economic institutions like colonialism, sovereignty, empire, development, and foreign policy while also scrutinizing how race has been historically ignored by scholars in international relations as a subfield of political science. Adopts an interdisciplinary approach and focuses on in-class discussions to examine the ways racist norms and similar forms of ascriptive hierarchy shape international politics.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022.

Examines the political, legal, and institutional dimension of international efforts to protect the environment. Problems discussed include transboundary and marine pollution, maintaining biodiversity, and global climate change. (Same as: ENVS 2308)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

Examines the development and conduct of United States foreign policy. Analyzes the impact of intragovernmental rivalries, the media, public opinion, and interest groups on the policy-making process, and provides case studies of contemporary foreign policy issues.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020, Spring 2020.

National security is a principal interest for states, but what exactly does that mean in international political life, and for the security of ordinary people like us? What strategic options are available to decision makers tasked with protecting national security? How much do national security polices reflect coherent planning, and how much are policies the product of competing international, economic, and technological constraints, or domestic political interests? Analyzing the strategy and politics of diplomacy, alliances, threats, aid, and war, aims to provide an overview of security studies within the field of international relations.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020.

Analyzing the intersection of politics and multiple expressions of Islam in both state governments and transnational movements, studies Islam as a social, ethical, and political force in the modern era. Offers a basic introduction to Muslim history and the Islamic religion, explores various Islamic social and political movements, analyzes contending understandings of the interaction between politics and Islam, as well as investigating the tensions between the Islamic and western political traditions, including democracy and Islam. Relying on texts from influential revolutionaries such as Qutb and Khomeini as well as perspectives on political Islam from academic scholars, explores the heart of politics, society, and religion in the modern Muslim world. (Same as: MENA 2690)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021.

Analyzes relations between the various states in East Asia and between those states and countries outside the region, including the United States. The course addresses empirical and theoretical questions, including: What are the threats to peace and prosperity in the region, and how are the different countries responding? What explains the foreign policy strategies of different countries, including China and Japan, and how have they changed over time? How can broader theories of international relations inform, and be informed by, the nature of foreign policy choices in this region? Is East Asia headed toward greater cooperation or conflict? (Same as: ASNS 2921)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Natural resource users—like farmers and fishermen—possess intimate knowledge of the complex socioecological systems where they live and work. How can researchers appropriately and ethically engage individual and community stakeholders as participants in environmental research? Through assignments, activities, and class excursions (lab), students will gain competence in collaborative field research skills, including the ethical conduct of research with human subjects, participant observation, conducting interviews and focus groups, writing up field notes, developing metadata, and establishing protocols for data management. Students will also practice preliminary data analysis—transcription and text analysis of field collected data, descriptive statistics, and identification of future research questions. (Same as: ENVS 2314)

Prerequisites: ENVS 2330 (same as GOV 2910) or ENVS 2313 (same as GOV 2482 and LAS 2513).

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2021, Fall 2019.

This course introduces and discusses multivariate regression models used in political science. This includes an extended discussion of linear regression followed by a focus on regression models for dichotomous dependent variables (e.g., did a candidate win or lose), ordered variables (e.g., levels of support for candidates), and event counts. The course considers and reviews ordinary least squares regression and then introduces maximum likelihood estimation. Students will apply these regression models by analyzing existing datasets using a statistical software package such as Stata or R. The final project will involve some original data collection and analysis of those data. Along with teaching these statistical techniques, the course will involve extended discussions of the opportunities and challenges of the empirical study of political phenomena. Some prior math experience is needed, as the course will review matrix algebra and differential calculus.

Prerequisites: GOV 2080 or SOC 2020 or PSYC 2520 or MATH 1300 or MATH 1400 or MATH 2606 or ECON 2557.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022.

Explores the political, economic, legal, ethical, and institutional dimensions of the environmental policy-making process. Examines the formation and implementation of regulatory institutions and policies across a range of issues in the U.S. and internationally--including terrestrial, coastal and marine natural resources management, biodiversity, water and air pollution, sustainable development, and environmental justice. Prepares students to analyze historical cases as well as contrive and evaluate competing policy alternatives to emerging problems. (Same as: ENVS 2330)

Prerequisites: ENVS 1101.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Fall 2020, Fall 2019.

Critical examination of some of the most important American environmental laws and their application to environmental problems that affect the United States and the world. Students learn what the law currently requires and how it is administered by federal and state agencies, and are encouraged to examine the effectiveness of current law and consider alternative approaches. (Same as: ENVS 2304)

Previous terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2019.

Examines presidential-congressional relations through a number of perspectives, including use of historical, quantitative, and institutional analyses. Readings consider the relationship between the executive branch and Congress in both the domestic arena (including regulatory and budgetary policy) and in the area of foreign and defense policy.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021.

Considers the historical and contemporary relationship between money and government. In what ways have moneyed interests always had distinctive influences on American politics? Does this threaten the vibrancy of our representative democracy? Are recent controversies over campaign finance reform and lobbying reform signs that American government is in trouble? Reading, writing, and discussion intensive, considers the large academic literature on this subject, as well as the reflections of journalists and political practitioners, with the overall goal of understanding the money/politics relationship in ways that facilitate the evaluation of American democracy.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021, Fall 2019.

The decisions issued by the United States Supreme Court have enormous implications for the litigants in the case, lower courts, government, and society as a whole. Thus, it is important to analyze and understand the process by which the court makes its decisions and policies. Investigates the processes by which cases get to the Supreme Court, are accepted or denied, and are decided. The means for investigating this process entails a semester-long simulation. Students assume the roles of the justices, the solicitor general, litigants, and other actors in the judicial system. In order to inform the simulation, students also complete focused studies of court procedures, judicial process, and judicial decision-making.

Prerequisites: GOV 2002 or GOV 2020 or GOV 2024 (same as EDUC 2250) or GOV 2021 or GOV 2600 or GOV 2940 (same as EDUC 2250).

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023.

What happens after a bill becomes a law? During implementation, the separated system of American governance comes into sharp relief across the branches of government and across three (or more) levels of government as well. Examines how the wide range of institutional players involved -- from legislators to regulators to chief executives to judges to front-line service providers -- act and interact. Case studies (e.g., entitlement reform, education policy, intelligence reorganization, health care) used to evaluate competing theoretical frameworks.

Prerequisites: GOV 1100 or GOV 2000 - 2099.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022.

Examines how the United States developed from a modest, agrarian republic into a modern, mass democracy. How have the forces often associated with the process of modernization (e.g., the expansion of commerce and new media, the growth of industry, the rise of a welfare and regulatory state) changed the shape of America’s representative institutions and the nature of American political culture? Readings focus on the development of the electoral system, the emergence of a modern bureaucratic establishment, and the rise of the presidency as the focal point of party politics. Discussion examines how these and other developments have shaped America’s liberal democratic values and transformed its political institutions.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2020.

Grapples with current and historical questions of presidential power. Article II of the US Constitution is brief, and vague; the executive power is nowhere defined. How do presidents gain traction against the legislative and judicial (and even the executive) branches? Case studies include a variety of claims made by presidents about their unilateral administrative tools and in the contemporary "war on terror" (with regard to detention, interrogation, surveillance, due process, etc.), as well as the reaction they have provoked from other branches of government, such as Congress and the Supreme Court.

Prerequisites: GOV 1100 or GOV 2000 - 2099.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

Identities have become central to understanding political behavior across many different political contexts. Most recently, there is an increased interest in understanding the development and impact of racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and partisan identities. This course explains these identities in the context of multicultural societies, where dividing lines often present themselves around phenotypic expression. The course begins with a psychological understanding of the self and the social identities that the self can belong to. Focusing on multiple identities, the course then presents different perspectives on how identities can be shaped and leveraged for political purposes. This seminar requires an original research project as a final outcome for the course. This course is intended for students who have completed several courses in either Government or Psychology

The course reviews the history of research on political behavior in American politics. We begin with the seminal studies on political behavior, such as The American Voter from 1960, which established the importance of survey research to understand why citizens do or not participate in politics. We then consider the evolution of research on political behavior, with a focus on changing methodological approaches. This includes the expanding use of surveys into the 1990s (and challenges of securing representative samples), which was followed by a pivot towards experiments (and a focus on establishing causation over correlation). We will also consider evolving theoretical approaches, from a focus on the role of partisanship to rational choice theories of behavior to a focus on the emotional and psychological motivations. No prior statistical training is needed for the course. We will review/discuss common statistical approaches in the class. Assignments will be papers/presentations.

Prerequisites: GOV 2000 - 2199.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2022.

More than 150 years after its publication, “Democracy in America” remains the most powerful sympathetic critique of modern liberal democracy ever written. Careful reading of the text and selected secondary sources leads to examination of Tocqueville’s analysis of the defects to which the democratic passion for equality gives rise and consideration of possible solutions that, in contrast to the Marxist and Nietzschean critiques, aim at preserving the liberal democratic way of life.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2020.

An examination of the broad range of Nietzsche’s thought with a special view to its moral and political implications. Readings include Nietzsche’s major works, including Thus Spoke Zarathustra. May also consider various twentieth-century interpretations and appropriations of Nietzsche’s philosophy.

Prerequisites: GOV 1007 - 1019 or GOV 1040 - 1045 or GOV 2100 - 2399 or GOV 2800 - 2899 or GOV 2975 - 2979 or GOV 3100 - 3399 or GOV 3800 - 3899 or GOV 4005 - 4009.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021.

Examines the philosophy of Martin Heidegger, arguably the most important philosopher of the twentieth century, with special attention to its ethical and political implications. Considers Heidegger’s influence on major philosophical movements such as phenomenology, existentialism, hermeneutics, and deconstructionism, as well as on philosophers such as Arendt, Strauss, Gadamer, Sartre, Derrida, and Foucault. Also considers Heidegger’s historicism, his conception of philosophy, his critique of science and technology, and, most troublingly, his involvement with the Nazis.

Prerequisites: GOV 1007 - 1019 or GOV 1040 - 1045 or GOV 2100 - 2399 or GOV 2800 - 2899 or GOV 2975 - 2979 or GOV 3100 - 3399 or GOV 3800 - 3899 or GOV 4005 - 4009.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023.

Analyzes the political, social, and cultural underpinnings of modern politics and asks how democracy works in Japan compared with other countries. Explores how Japan has achieved stunning material prosperity while maintaining among the best healthcare and education systems in the world, high levels of income equality, and low levels of crime. Students are also instructed in conducting independent research on topics of their own choosing. (Same as: ASNS 3300)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023.

Seminar. Explores the paradoxes of contemporary China, a communist regime that boasts economic growth rates that are the envy of the world. While communism failed in Eastern Europe decades ago, the Chinese Communist Party has been surprisingly successful and leads one of the oldest dictatorships in the world. Explores how capitalism and state power actually work in China. Topics include ethnic conflict, patronage and corruption, elite politics, popular protest, elections, and civil society. Students develop and write a research paper on contemporary Chinese politics. Previous coursework in Chinese politics is not necessary. (Same as: ASNS 3060)

Prerequisites: GOV 1000 - 2969 or GOV 3000 or higher or ASNS 1000 - 2969 or ASNS 3000 or higher.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021.

Studies the relationship between governments and markets in policy areas such as health care, social welfare, education, media and the environment. Explores the moral and political dimensions of policy questions such as: What should or should not be for sale (e.g. drugs, healthcare, votes, pornography etc.) What justifies regulation of commercial activities? Under what circumstances, if any, should benefits such as flood insurance or tax relief for mortgages be provided with public funds? Should the government protect people from the consequences of their own choices? Cross-national case studies from the United Kingdom, USA, Japan and Europe.

Prerequisites: Two of: either GOV 1020 - 1029 or GOV 1400 or GOV 2400 - 2599 or GOV 3400 - 3599 and either GOV 1020 - 1029 or GOV 1400 or GOV 2400 - 2599 or GOV 3400 - 3599.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2020.

From fair trade chocolate to Kimberly Process certified diamonds, voluntary sustainability initiatives increasingly "govern" complex trans-border trade -- to minimize environmental damages and human rights abuses exacerbated by globalization, especially when states prove incapable or unwilling to do so. Intensive in reading, research, and discussion, adopts a commodity-centered lens to examine transnational trade in comparative perspective. Students explore how global value chains -- like "fast fashion" from Bangladesh and cell phones from China -- defy conventional notions of political, geographic, and ecological boundaries and prompt a shift from "government" to "governance." (Same as: ENVS 3908)

Prerequisites: Two of: ENVS 1101 and either ENVS 2302 or ENVS 2304 (same as GOV 2915) or ENVS 2330 (same as GOV 2910) or ENVS 2403 (same as HIST 2182) or GOV 2300 - 2599.

Previous terms offered: Fall 2020, Spring 2020.

Analyzes the role of social protest in generating political change on issues such as civil rights, environmentalism, women’s rights, indigenous rights, and globalization. Begins by considering different theoretical approaches to understanding the emergence and effectiveness of social movements and non-governmental organizations. Then engages in comparative analysis of social protest in Europe, the United States, Latin America, and elsewhere, paying particular attention to the advantages and risks of the increasingly transnational nature of social activism.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2020.

Explores growing political, economic, and cultural diversity within the post-communist region after the enforced homogeneity of the Communist era. Considers the essential features of Communism and asks why these systems collapsed, before examining more recent developments. What are the factors promoting growing variation in the region? Why have some post-communist states joined the European Union, while others appear mired in authoritarianism? Do the institutional and cultural legacies of Communism influence contemporary politics? More than twenty years after the collapse of Communist regimes in East Central Europe and the Soviet Union, is “post-communism” still a useful concept for social scientists? Examines contemporary scholarship on the sources of change and continuity in the region and offers students the opportunity to undertake individual research projects

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021.

States form the foundation of modern politics. Comparative government explores their variation; international relations examine their interaction. States can be instruments of oppression or engines of progress, and recent scholarship has focused on their strength, weakness, and failure. This capstone course explores the processes that produced the early modern state in Europe, then looks at more recent attempts to replicate state development in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The role of war in state formation and the subject of citizenship receive particular attention. (Same as: AFRS 3520)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

This seminar invites students to interrogate the historical understanding of borders in international relations as the definitive markers of state sovereignty. We will use critical and decolonial approaches to interrogate the complicity between how contemporary borders are drawn/reinforced, and the violence to which perceived difference is subjected in modern societies. Topics may include modern and alternative cartographies, the making of borders and states, otherness, the transnational movement of people, and diplomacy. Authors may include Gloria Anzaldúa, Lisa Lowe, Thongchai Winichakul, Jason de León, Sam Okoth Opondo, and Anna Tsing.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023.

This course addresses the relationship between ethics and policy making. It investigates how notions of deservingness and/or meritocracy influence how governments around the world select and/or constitute the tagert groups of public policy. Topics may include the deserving poor, race, empire, and the Brexit; Asian Americans and model minorities; DACA, TPS, and comprehensive immigration reform; international organizations; war and peace; financial crises; digital technologies; climate change; and health and the global pandemic. Students will learn how to think and develop a research paper, give and receive feedback, and reflect on how to utilize research methods in political science to assess law and policies.

An upper-level interdisciplinary seminar on the nature of both international and national conflict. A variety of contexts and influence vectors are examined and students are encouraged to look at the ways conflicts can be solved short of actual warfare, as well as by it.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2020.

The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House. The call for political change implicit in the title of Audre Lorde’s iconic essay put at stake something more profound than the result of change itself: that radical critique is only possible through tools unfamiliar to the master. As a Black lesbian woman, Lorde denounced white feminism for being complicit with patriarchy by not acknowledging marginal women’s experiences as a source of strength and creativity. Inspired by the title and impetus of Lorde’s essay, this course seeks to ask what happens when we start seeing the world through unfamiliar, alternative, tools or sensibilities? The main objective of this course is to expose us to alternative sensibilities and ways of thinking offered by voices that experience gender and sexuality beyond Western norms and counter-norms. Topics may include: Gender and colonial legacies, global feminisms, imperialism and LGBTQ activism, freedom and agency from a comparative perspective, intersectionality, and queer of color critique. (Same as: GSWS 3101)

Examines the complex relationship between law and policy in international relations by focusing on two important and rapidly developing areas of international concern: environmental protection and humanitarian rights. Fulfills the environmental studies senior seminar requirement. (Same as: ENVS 3963)

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020.

Counterinsurgency warfare -- the political and military struggle to obstruct insurrection -- is complex, variable, and arduous. As one US Special Forces officer in Iraq noted, counterinsurgency is not just thinking man’s warfare, it is the graduate level of war. How do we make sense of the intricate, violent contest between insurgent and counterinsurgent? Why have the United States' wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan been exceedingly drawn out, irregular, and destructive? Connecting classic and critical military texts such as Clausewitz and US Army/Marine Corps operational manuals, with case studies from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan (contrasting the US and Soviet interventions), entwines political/military theory with battlefield history to deepen understandings of thinking man’s warfare.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2020.

Following World War II, the United States was left with unrivaled material power in the international system. Focuses on how the US attempted to translate its unprecedented power into a particular global order. Begins by engaging with the academic debate over the character of US leadership through this period. During the Cold War, questions whether the US was an equal to the Soviet Union in a bipolar order, a hegemonic power, or a seeker of informal empire. Also considers what it has meant to be a unipolar power in the post-Cold War period. Then focuses on the ways in which the US has sought to create a particular political and economic order within the international system since 1945. Explores the specific tools of order creation to include establishing multilateral institutions and formal alliances, providing economic incentives, and exercising military power. Concludes by examining the contentious topic of American decline. Explores various theories about America’s future role in the world and considers in particular how the US is addressing China’s rise.

Previous terms offered: Spring 2023.