This course provides a comparison of politics in the fifty states, examines changing federal-state relations, and provides students with an understanding of theories of federalism.

This course provides a comparison of politics in the fifty states, examines changing federal-state relations, and provides students with an understanding of theories of federalism.

This course provides a comparison of politics in the fifty states, examines changing federal-state relations, and provides students with an understanding of theories of federalism.

This course provides a comparison of politics in the fifty states, examines changing federal-state relations, and provides students with an understanding of theories of federalism.

The rise of China since its economic reform starting from 1978 is one of the most important developments the world witnessed in the twenty first century. In this seminar course, we explore topics including the political logic of China's economic reform, the institutional foundations of the Chinese economic growth miracle, as well as detailed analysis of Chinese financial markets, housing markets, fiscal reform, corruption/anti-corruption, labor market transitions, China's integration into the world economy, village democracy and its impact on resource allocation, the impact of population ageing, the impact of China on US economy and politics, among others. The discussions will focus on China, but will relate broadly to emerging and developed economies. The course will be based on reading and discussing research articles and books selected by the instructors.

This course explains ethnic conflict, focusing on its violent forms, especially civil wars. There have been more than 160 civil wars and many more episodes of lower-intensity armed conflict since 1945. Most of these conflicts have been fought along ethnic lines. Are these conflicts due to prejudice and hatred? Or are the causes mainly economic/resource-driven? Why do some conflicts turn violent and others stay non-violent? What interventions work to end ethnic wars? We address these questions with the help of cutting-edge scholarly literature and apply our insights to understand contemporary civil wars.

Gender has been a primary way of organizing power relations throughout history.This class asks how transformations in the global economy, technological change, new patterns of household formation, and social movements, have influenced women's access to economic and political positions over the past two centuries. We will examine how women's mobilization contributed to the abolition of slavery, reform of property and franchise laws, and to the formation of the welfare state. Next, we turn to thinking about how women's increasing labor force participation was hindered by institutions like marriage bars and union policy. Third, we look at cross-national patterns of women's political participation and descriptive representation including whether and how the adoption of electoral quotas influences gender equality more generally. Finally we study how institutional norms and gender stereotypes affect political representation. This class will draw on examples from around the world, and will look a experiences of women from all economic, social, and ascriptive backgrounds.

This course will present an in-depth examination of political, economic and social change in post-Soviet Russia within a historical context. After a brief discussion of contemporary problems in Russia, the first half of the course will delve into the rise of communism in 1917, the evolution of the Soviet regime, and the tensions between ideology and practice over the seventy years of communist rule up until 1985. The second part of the course will begin with an examination of the Gorbachev period and the competing interpretations of how the events between 1985 and 1991 may have contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union. We will then proceed to make sense of the continuities and changes in politics, economics and society in contemporary Russia. Important topics will include the confrontations accompanying the adoption of a new constitution, the emergence of competing ideologies and parties, the struggle over economic privatization, the question of federalism and nationalism, social and political implicatons of economic reform, and prospects for Russia's future in the Putin and post-Putin era.

This course will present an in-depth examination of political, economic and social change in post-Soviet Russia within a historical context. After a brief discussion of contemporary problems in Russia, the first half of the course will delve into the rise of communism in 1917, the evolution of the Soviet regime, and the tensions between ideology and practice over the seventy years of communist rule up until 1985. The second part of the course will begin with an examination of the Gorbachev period and the competing interpretations of how the events between 1985 and 1991 may have contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union. We will then proceed to make sense of the continuities and changes in politics, economics and society in contemporary Russia. Important topics will include the confrontations accompanying the adoption of a new constitution, the emergence of competing ideologies and parties, the struggle over economic privatization, the question of federalism and nationalism, social and political implicatons of economic reform, and prospects for Russia's future in the Putin and post-Putin era.