The first concentrates on common readings on these questions, and prioritizes discussion, explication, and hypothesis brainstorming. our problem, government is the problem." What, if anything, is the difference between an ecosystem and a political community? This research seminar investigates organized international, multilateral attempts to mold a delinquent country's domestic politics by enforcing extranational standards. This course examines the complex political processes that led successive American presidents to get involved in a conflict that all of them desperately wanted to avoid. [more], What can a critical analysis of gender and sexuality bring to the study of law, constitutions, legal interpretation, and the task of judging? In this seminar we will openly discuss unmentionable topics and get our hands dirty (sometimes literally) examining the politics of waste. In country after country, champions of cosmopolitan values and moderate reform are struggling to build sufficient popular support for their programs. This course explores the theme of meritocracy--rule by the intelligent--in comparative perspective. She narrowly escaped imprisonment by the Gestapo and internment in a refugee camp in Vichy France before fleeing to New York. More information can be found on the Political Science site. Is it possible to return to a world without nuclear weapons? From the perspective of the public sphere, we investigate the firm as an actor whose power maps uneasily onto the channels of democratic representation. With equality? This revolution was the most successful revolt of the enslaved in recorded history. This course introduces students to capitalism by examining the struggles between social groups that lead to variation in distributional outcomes and economic performance. Particular attention will be devoted to the contrast between the views of Trump and those of the American foreign policy establishment over issues such as NATO, nuclear proliferation, Russia, immigration, terrorism, free trade, and conflicts in the Middle East. Are these conflicts related, and if so, how? Methodologically interdisciplinary, the course shall examine written and audiovisual texts that explore Wynter's inquiries into the central seminar queries. What do left and right see when they survey the nation, and why is what they see so different? What standards should we use to judge how political power is constituted and used? Those who proclaimed "liberty, egality, fraternity" for themselves violently denied them to others. Accompanying these interventions in the legal field is a deep and sustained inquiry into the subject of law: Who can appear before the law as the proper bearer of civil and human rights? But what do we mean when we claim to want freedom? and writings by the incarcerated). We will examine both the international and domestic context of the war, as well as pay close attention to both South and North Vietnamese perspectives on the war. As we examine the debates over inclusion, we will consider different views about the relationship among political, civil, and social rights as well as different interpretations of American identity, politics, and democracy. The course goes back to the founding moments of an imagined white-Christian Europe and how the racialization of Muslim bodies was central to this project and how anti-Muslim racism continues to be relevant in our world today. [more], Every American president from Franklin Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy sought to avoid a commitment of ground forces to Vietnam. In addition to those who argue for an expanded and emancipatory conception of politics, we will consider arguments against politics as primary path to improvement or focus of commitment. Do the mass media and political elites inform or manipulate the public? They are using debt to create liquidity, demand, and uphold credit markets. To whom? Through these explorations, which will consider a wide variety of visual artifacts and practices (from 17th century paintings to the optical systems of military drones and contemporary forms of surveillance), we will also take up fundamental theoretical questions about the place of the senses in political life. What are the primary causes of war and conflict? The course goes back to the founding moments of an imagined white-Christian Europe and how the racialization of Muslim bodies was central to this project and how anti-Muslim racism continues to be relevant in our world today. We will go on to discuss the U.S. support for Islamist political parties during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s and the consequent rise of the Taliban, and the role of Afghanistan in the September 11th attacks and the "War on Terror" that followed. Themes may include power, authority, freedom, justice, equality, democracy, neoliberalism, feminism, and violence, though the emphases will vary from semester to semester. Does income inequality threaten the political equality necessary for a strong democracy? Departing from "just so" stories of technological determinism, we take up the lens of comparative political economy to investigate the politics that allowed US tech firms to shape economic policy to meet their interests. In addition to engaging this debate about what the public thinks about politics, we will also explore how people behave in the political realm. Second, the course will consider the prelude and official responses to the 2008-11 financial crisis. They contend that it legitimates a view of the status quo, in which such terrible things are bound to happen without real cause. black economic elites and the black middle class, the persistence of poverty and extreme inequality, expanding corruption, and why the ANC continues to prevail politically and electorally in spite of on-going poverty and worsening inequality, governmental failures, and corruption. race, class, gender, disability, indigenous, queer, subaltern); and 3) exploring the implications of a more inclusive approach to International Relations, both within the classroom as well as contemporary decolonization movements in the US and around the world. What kinds of alternatives are considered as solutions to these problems? Throughout the semester we interrogate three themes central to migration politics (and political science): rights, access, and agency. [more], "Not me. Insofar as it fits student interest, we will also explore the cave's considerable presence in visual culture, ranging from Renaissance painting through such recent and contemporary artists as Kelley, Demand, Hirschhorn, Kapoor, Sugimoto, and Walker, to films such as The Matrix. We critically analyze how external actors and resources inform politics on the ground, both around the world and over time, as well as evaluate the normative implications of "foreign intervention." The seminar will examine: original source materials; academic/popular interpretations and representations of the BPP; hagiography; iconography; political rebellion, political theory. We begin by examining the colonization of Africa, nationalist movements, and patterns of rule in the first 30 years of independence. How significant of a threat are concerns like nuclear proliferation, nuclear terrorism, and nuclear accidents? How does racism influence political choices? It's a phenomenon we all love to hate. At the same time, Republicans and Democrats fight over the scope and limits of government power on policies ranging from taxation and spending, to abortion, immigration, healthcare, policing, gun ownership, and voting rights. Communities need a way to reconcile conflicts of interest among their members and to determine their group interest; they need to allocate power and to determine its just uses. Using both Economics and Political Science methods of analysis, students will study the way societies respond [ more ] Taught by: Darel Paul, David Zimmerman Catalog details POEC 402(S) SEM Political Economy of Public Policy Issues We will then examine their experiences as strategists and policymakers during the most crucial moments of the Cold War. Is it a coherent body of thought, a doctrine, or a collection of disparate and conflicting thinkers? [more], How do we judge the value of life? Do the institutions produce good policies, and how do we define what is good? The purpose is to gain an understanding of a number of different perspectives on life and politics, especially Confucianism, Legalism and Daoism. The course introduces students to the comparative politics of South Asia, highlighting the complexities and potential of the region. We will study past campaigns and then research and discuss contemporary reform efforts. As an experiential education course, we will (virtually) attend a US naturalization ceremony as well as interview officials from organizations working with migrants and refugees here and abroad. We engage pressing questions around technological innovation, populism, financialization, and globalization. This class considers analytic concepts central to the study of politics generally--the state, legitimacy, democracy, authoritarianism, clientelism, nationalism--to comprehend political processes and transformations in various parts of the world. We then move on to the empirical section of the course in which we cover case studies of state failure in parts of Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In this tutorial, we will investigate what Arendt's vision of politics stands to offer to those struggling to comprehend and transform the darkest aspects of the contemporary political world. While focusing primarily on the welfare states of Western Europe, we will also examine how the politics of social risk unfold around the world, extending our investigation to Africa, Asia, and Latin America. [more], "I confess," French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in the introduction to his Democracy in America, "that in America I saw more than America. Rather than treating science as a monolith, we will endeavor to understand the implications of various sciences--as practiced and envisioned in various, historically specific situations--for gender and politics. How has that particular aspect of political life changed in the recent past? We will examine how founders such as Benjamin Franklin and James Madison envisioned the relation between the people and the government; how workers, African Americans, and women fought to participate in American politics; and how globalization, polarization, and inequality are straining American democracy and political leadership in the 21st century. In this course we will respond to these and related questions through an investigation of "religion" as a concept in political theory. Contemporary Africana Social and Political Philosophy. The first is historical and mostly lecture. end of the world and its aftermath pervaded recent television, movies, literature, philosophy, and critical theory. Contributions to theory include the writings and activism of Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Complicating things further, the nature of democratic competition is such that those vying for power have incentive to portray the opposition's leadership as dangerous. ENVI 307 also addresses the role of community activism in environmental law, from local battles over proposed industrial facilities to national campaigns for improved corporate citizenship. political in response to twentieth century dictatorships and world wars; feminist, queer, anti-racist, post- and decolonial struggles; the transformations wrought by neoliberal globalization; the emergence of "algorithmic governance"; the recent resurgence of populist nationalism; and deepening recognition of climate crises. For governance? What new political realities might emerge on ground cleared by disaster? the spring semester Senior Thesis Research and Writing Workshop provides a focused forum for the exchange of ideas among thesis writers, who will regularly circulate excerpts of their work-in-progress for peer review and critique. Political theory addresses questions such as these as it investigates the fundamental problems of how people can, do, and ought to live together. Does economic development lead to the spread of democracy? What lessons might we derive for our own times from studying this history? What is the relationship between constitutional and political change? The basic format of the course will be to combine brief lectures--either posted on the class website beforehand or given at the start of each class--with an in-depth discussion of each class session's topic. As the primary assignment in the course, students will design, research, and write a 20-page paper on a topic of their choice. For instance, do the claims of individual freedom conflict with those of community? In addition, the beginning of the course will include several classes on the theoretical implications of the advent of the cyber age, as well as a brief historical overview of information security in the post-World War II period. First, why did America and the Soviet Union become bitter rivals shortly after the defeat of Nazi Germany? In this tutorial, we will explore the concept of dangerous leadership in American history, from inside as well as outside of government. We will conclude by reflecting on what lessons the welfare state offers for managing this century's biggest social risk: climate change. The major in political science is designed to help students obtain the following learning objectives: Understand the central importance of power in all facets of politics and government, as well as the roles of problem-solving, citizen action, and world-building. How can democracy be made to work better for ordinary people? life? Near the end of the semester, students will receive feedback on their complete draft from their advisor and two additional faculty readers selected by the workshop leader; following revisions, the final work--a roughly 35 page piece of original scholarship--will be submitted to and evaluated by a committee of faculty chosen by the department for the awarding of honors as well as presented publicly to the departmental community at an end-of-year collective symposium. It aims not to address crises' causes nor to assist with solutions--which it considers political--just to keep human bodies alive. This course begins with the premise that knowledge is embedded within, and often reproduces, power hierarchies. Among the many specific questions we will consider are whether particular religious traditions might be incompatible with democratic values, the extent to which recent changes in higher education have affected the health of democratic politics, the effects of ideological polarization on democratic discourse, and the place of the jury system in securing democratic justice. American Constitutionalism II: Rights and Liberties. This course is an advanced seminar devoted to a comprehensive examination of Fanon's political thought. We will examine the history of immigration to the U.S. and the policies that have shaped it; recent developments in electoral and protest politics; the policy initiatives of recent presidential administrations, Congress, and state and local governments; and the incorporation of immigrants into U.S. society and politics, past and present. in East Asia: Security, economy, and culture by using some core concepts and theoretical arguments widely accepted in the study of international relations. How people ground this concept--what they think its origin is--does matter, but evaluating those foundations is not our focus. [more], How has the American Constitution been debated and understood over time? Marcuse famously supported the aims of student activism, feminism, black liberation movements and Third World anti-colonialism during that period, publicly affirming their efforts to integrate ethical idealism with concrete concerns for the economic wellbeing and political freedom of oppressed groups. Our primary questions will be these: Why does transformative leadership seem so difficult today? Why do we end up with some policies but not others? It deals with some of the most foundational questions that concern scholars of security studies: What accounts for great power conflict and cooperation? Our focus is on rights and liberties -- freedom of speech and religion, property, criminal process, autonomy and privacy, and equality. In this tutorial, students will examine the origins of the Silicon Valley model and other countries' attempts to emulate it. Finally, what are the costs of change (and of continuity)--and who pays them? What functions does leadership fill, and what challenges do leaders face, in modern democratic states? Which are more and less promising? The course first briefly reviews Venezuelan post-Independence history, with an emphasis on the post-1958 democratic settlement. What are the social, economic, and political consequences of unprecedented global mobility in both destination countries and countries of origin? We will examine the Pan-African writings of: Cedric Robinson (Black Marxism); Walter Rodney (How Capitalism Underdeveloped Africa), Eric Williams (Capitalism and Slavery; From Columbus to Castro); Frantz Fanon (The Wretched of the Earth); Malcolm X (Malcolm X Speaks); Amilcar Cabral (Resistance and Decolonization; Unity and Struggle); C. L. R. James (The Black Jacobins). For instance, does the citizenry have the motivation and capacity to hold public officials accountable? Theorists we read will represent many kinds of feminist work that intersect with the legal field, including academic studies in political theory, philosophy, and cultural theory, along with contributions from community organizers engaged in anti-violence work and social justice advocacy. Meanwhile, national activists look to international apologies and reparations for models of what to demand. Materials include classic texts, recent theoretical works, journalism, commentary, fiction, and a variety of sources related to current events in Ukraine and elsewhere. The course draws from anthropology, gender studies, history, political science, religious studies, postcolonial studies, decolonial studies, and sociology. With that as background, students will choose an aspect or aspects of these conflicts as a subject for their individual research. How have they tried to make cities more decent, just, and sustainable? Everything else--including political ideology, nationalism, conservative religion, and sovereignty--was consigned to the ash heap. Is it because they have an exceptional leader? To examine this claim, the readings will address two fundamental issues. This course is an investigation into contemporary right-wing populism in Europe and North America in its social, economic, and political context. regulated? She narrowly escaped imprisonment by the Gestapo and internment in a refugee camp in Vichy France before fleeing to New York. Beginning with the evolution of the field, this course will equip students with the methodological tools to critically navigate their own specific regional, inter-regional, or interdisciplinary tracks in the Asian Studies concentration. In the second section, following a modified tutorial format, we consider politics and cultural policies around Mexican national identity in the twentieth century, looking at films, journalism, popular music, and cultural criticism. In turn, our feelings of disgust for anything deemed waste shape political deliberation and action on environmental policy, immigration, food production, economic distribution, and much more. She wrote luminously about the darkness that comes when terror extinguishes politics and the shining, almost miraculous events of freedom through which politics is sometimes renewed. at the dawn of the 21st century. Why has historical commemoration gotten so contentious--or has it always been contentious? Women and girls studied include: Fannie Lou Hamer, Shirley Chisholm, Safiya Bukhari, Erica Garner, Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Marielle Franco, Winnie Mandela. The second engages students with theory and methods for understanding and analyzing media contents (the stories, images, etc. Fortuitous events? consider how neo-liberalism is defined, the role of states in making and maintaining neo-liberalism, the centrality of markets to neo-liberal conceptions, and the kinds of politics that produced and are produced by neo-liberalism. of nationalism and far-right populism in the US and Europe, discuss their relations with liberal democracy, conservativism, and authoritarian politics to study varieties of far-right populism and nationalism not only within the nominal far-right but all political parties in Western democracies. However, since the Vietnam War, Chomsky has also established himself as perhaps the most influential critic of American foreign policy and the Washington national security establishment. What does it say about pre-pandemic politics that we were so eager to consume stories of states falling and bands of survivors scraping together a nasty, brutish and short existence?
