This lecture course introduces students to the politics of the Peoples Republic of China. Complementing offerings in other departments, this course emphasizes events in the period since the Chinese Communist Party established its regime in 1949. In addition to surveying the political history of contemporary China, we will assess the meaning of these events by drawing upon theories about the nature and significance of ideology and organization in communist regimes, factionalism and its relationship to policy formulation and implementation, and general issues of political and economic development. Although the principal focus is on the domestic politics of the PRC, the course includes several lectures examining Chinas international relations.

This class provides an introduction to contemporary African politics. The core questions that motivate the course are (i) to what extent are political outcomes in contemporary Africa a consequence of its history, culture and geography? (ii.) Why are state structures and institutions weaker in Africa than elsewhere? (iii.) What accounts for Africa's relatively slow economic growth? (iv.) Why have some African countries been plagued by high levels of political violence while others have not? (v.) What explains the behavior of key African actors: parties or politicians?

Jobs in data science are quickly proliferating throughout nearly every industry in the American economy. The purpose of this class is to build the statistics, programming, and qualitative skills that are required to excel in data science. The substantive focus of the class will largely be on topics related to politics and elections, although the technical skills can be applied to any subject matter.

Whether America begins with the Puritans and the Mayflower Compact, or with the Declaration of Independence and the Revolution, it is founded in resistance to empire. In the generations between, Americans have desired, dreaded and debated empire. This course will focus on empire and imperialism in American political thought. We will read primary texts addressing empire: from the departure and dissent of the Puritans, and Burke's Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies, to twentieth and twenty-first century debates over America's role in the world. These texts will include political pamphlets and speeches, poetry, novels, policy papers and film.

This course is intended as a general introduction to political theory since 1900, examining prominent theorists of politics including Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, Carl Schmitt, Isaiah Berlin, Jurgen Habermas, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida. Our theme for the Fall 2012 course will be: The Disenchantment of the World? Topics include: the nature of the the political and the concern, particular to the last century, that politics is itself under attack; the spread of liberal democracy across the globe and a critical appraisal of the moral meaning of this regime; contemporary theories of social justice; and an exploration of various issues pertaining to violence and the politics of security.

This course is intended as a general introduction to political theory since 1900, examining prominent theorists of politics including Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, Carl Schmitt, Isaiah Berlin, Jurgen Habermas, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida. Our theme for the Fall 2012 course will be: The Disenchantment of the World? Topics include: the nature of the the political and the concern, particular to the last century, that politics is itself under attack; the spread of liberal democracy across the globe and a critical appraisal of the moral meaning of this regime; contemporary theories of social justice; and an exploration of various issues pertaining to violence and the politics of security.

This course is intended as a general introduction to political theory since 1900, examining prominent theorists of politics including Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, Carl Schmitt, Isaiah Berlin, Jurgen Habermas, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida. Our theme for the Fall 2012 course will be: The Disenchantment of the World? Topics include: the nature of the the political and the concern, particular to the last century, that politics is itself under attack; the spread of liberal democracy across the globe and a critical appraisal of the moral meaning of this regime; contemporary theories of social justice; and an exploration of various issues pertaining to violence and the politics of security.

This course is intended as a general introduction to political theory since 1900, examining prominent theorists of politics including Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, Carl Schmitt, Isaiah Berlin, Jurgen Habermas, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida. Our theme for the Fall 2012 course will be: The Disenchantment of the World? Topics include: the nature of the the political and the concern, particular to the last century, that politics is itself under attack; the spread of liberal democracy across the globe and a critical appraisal of the moral meaning of this regime; contemporary theories of social justice; and an exploration of various issues pertaining to violence and the politics of security.

This course will provide an overview of major figures and themes of modern political thought. We will focus on themes and questions pertinent to political theory in the modern era, particularly focusing on the relationship of the individual to community, society, and state. Although the emergence of the individual as a central moral, political, and conceptual category arguably began in earlier eras, it is in the seventeenth century that it takes firm hold in defining the state, political institutions, moral thinking, and social relations. The centrality of "the individual" has created difficulties, even paradoxes, for community and social relations, and political theorists have struggled to reconicle those throughout the modern era. We will consider the political forms that emerged out of those struggles, as well as the changed and distinctly "modern" conceptualizations of political theory such as freedom, responsibilty, justice, rights and obligations, as central categories for organizing moral and political life.

Through reading texts of Plato (Socrates), Aristotle, Augustine and Aquinas, the student encounters a range of political ideas deeply challenging to--and possibly corrosive of--today's dominant democratic liberalism. Can classical and medieval thinking offer insight into modern impasses in political morality? Is such ancient thinking plausible, useful, or dangerous?