Catalog Review

This course explores a topic in American politics, comparative politics, international politics, political theory, or another government subfield which is not addressed by the Government Department's regular course offerings. It will usually be offered by a visiting faculty member, and the topic will vary based on the faculty member's area of expertise.

Topic for Winter 2013: Politics of Central and Eastern Europe
This course explores the challenges of politics in countries that were previously in the Soviet bloc. Topics include the democratization process (or lack thereof), electoral politics, corruption, and international relations of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Special attention will be paid to the party systems, variations on executive power, and participation in international organizations.

Topic for Winter 2013: War and Popular Culture
This course will examine the causes and effects of war through the lens of the media and popular culture. In particular, we will look at war on film, on television, in literature and in graphic novels. This is a discussion-intensive course with regular reaction papers and a lengthy research assignment.

Topic for Spring 2013: Contemporary U.S. - China Relations
This course examines in depth major security aspects of contemporary U.S.-China relations. Topics include: realism and idealism in U.S.-China relations; memories of war, imperialism, and the Tiananmen protest movement; mutual images of each other; nuclear weapons, arms race, and competing strategic doctrines; the U.S.-Japan alliance and China; the Korean peninsula between the U.S. and China; the Taiwan problem; the U.S., China, Southeast Asia, and Australia; India and Pakistan between the U.S. and China; China, Russia, and Central Asia; the politics of economic relations between the U.S. and China; China’s soft power and its challenge to the U.S. and other countries.

Topic for Fall 2012: Research Methods in Comparative and International Politics
The course provides an introduction to qualitative research methodology and is strongly recommended for students who intend to write an Honors Thesis in either International Relations or Comparative Politics. It will focus on the logic of case studies and small-N comparative studies: How to select a case for a case study; construct a sound comparison; and make reasonable claims based on a small-N analysis. Students will also be introduced to techniques of gathering qualitative data such as writing questionnaires for interviews and analyzing primary sources.

Topic for Winter 2013: Indian Politics
The late scholar and diplomat John Kenneth Galbraith once referred to India as “functioning anarchy.” This course will introduce students to politics in this unexpected and raucous democracy with the goal of understanding the reasons for the apparent coexistence of order and chaos. In addition to major political milestones, topics covered will include: political development and the management of ethnic diversity; economic change and developmental challenges; trends in caste politics and the rise of religious nationalism; the political impact of social movements and social change; and foreign relations with neighbors and major powers. Other countries in South Asia will be discussed for the purposes of comparison and based on student interest. Non-majors are welcome; please contact the instructor if you have any questions.

Topic for Spring 2013: Abuse of Power
This course examines the ways in which government, and individuals within government, make use of their power in questionable or illegitimate ways. Beginning with manipulation of political rules for personal or party advantage, we will then explore the increasing abuse of governmental power. Topics include the opportunities that those with political power have for legal, but unethical, behavior; illegal forms of corruption; and various forms of control over the governed, from influencing their ideas to coercion and violence. Readings will examine historical and contemporary cases from a comparative perspective.

Topic for Fall 2012: Non-State Actors in Global Politics
In the 21st century, non-state actors play an increasing role in international politics. In this seminar, students will examine the role of non-state actors, including international organizations, NGOs, transnational corporations, global terror groups, and transnational criminal groups, in order to assess the ways in which they challenge and complement the actions of states. As part of the course, students will write a term paper on the role and impact of one non-state actor in global politics.

Topic for Winter 2013: American Politics
The first part of the seminar will be devoted to an overview of the scope and methods of political science research. During the balance of the term, students will design and produce individual research projects on topics of their choice. Projects must be descriptive or explanatory rather than prescriptive. Ideally, students entering this seminar should have some background in the topic they wish to study.

Topic for Spring 2013: Classic Works in Comparative Politics
Students will be introduced to some classic as well as recent notable works in the sub-field of comparative politics. Readings and discussions will be geared toward two broad goals: First, to give students the opportunity to engage substantively with some of the landmark works in the sub-field; and second, to help students develop their own senior experience projects in the form of a substantive research paper. “Comparative Politics” is a very broad sub-field and some readings will be selected based on students’ thematic or regional interests. Students who pre-register for the course by the beginning of the academic year will be given the opportunity to help select some of the course readings.