This course explores the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in political struggles over the distribution and uses of power in the American constitutional system. Issues include the division of powers between state and national governments, and the branches of the federal government; economic powers of private actors and governmental regulators; the authority of governments to enforce or transform racial and gender hierarchies; and the powers of individuals to make basic choices, such as a woman's power to have an abortion. We will pay special attention to how the tasks of justifying the Supreme Court's own power, and constitutionalism more broadly, contribute to logically debatable, but politically powerful constitutional arguments. Readings include Supreme Court decisions and background materials on their historical and political context.

This course explores the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in political struggles over the distribution and uses of power in the American constitutional system. Issues include the division of powers between state and national governments, and the branches of the federal government; economic powers of private actors and governmental regulators; the authority of governments to enforce or transform racial and gender hierarchies; and the powers of individuals to make basic choices, such as a woman's power to have an abortion. We will pay special attention to how the tasks of justifying the Supreme Court's own power, and constitutionalism more broadly, contribute to logically debatable, but politically powerful constitutional arguments. Readings include Supreme Court decisions and background materials on their historical and political context.

This course explores the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in political struggles over the distribution and uses of power in the American constitutional system. Issues include the division of powers between state and national governments, and the branches of the federal government; economic powers of private actors and governmental regulators; the authority of governments to enforce or transform racial and gender hierarchies; and the powers of individuals to make basic choices, such as a woman's power to have an abortion. We will pay special attention to how the tasks of justifying the Supreme Court's own power, and constitutionalism more broadly, contribute to logically debatable, but politically powerful constitutional arguments. Readings include Supreme Court decisions and background materials on their historical and political context.

This class examines the strategy and politics of warfare, focusing on the way actors plan military campaigns and the factors that are likely to lead to victory and defeat. The course readings center in particular on the factors driving changes in warfare and civil-military relations. The course will cover a wide range of topics from theories of war-fighting to historical military campaigns to insurgency warfare, terrorism, and the future of war.

This class examines the strategy and politics of warfare, focusing on the way actors plan military campaigns and the factors that are likely to lead to victory and defeat. The course readings center in particular on the factors driving changes in warfare and civil-military relations. The course will cover a wide range of topics from theories of war-fighting to historical military campaigns to insurgency warfare, terrorism, and the future of war.

This class examines the strategy and politics of warfare, focusing on the way actors plan military campaigns and the factors that are likely to lead to victory and defeat. The course readings center in particular on the factors driving changes in warfare and civil-military relations. The course will cover a wide range of topics from theories of war-fighting to historical military campaigns to insurgency warfare, terrorism, and the future of war.

This class examines the strategy and politics of warfare, focusing on the way actors plan military campaigns and the factors that are likely to lead to victory and defeat. The course readings center in particular on the factors driving changes in warfare and civil-military relations. The course will cover a wide range of topics from theories of war-fighting to historical military campaigns to insurgency warfare, terrorism, and the future of war.

The course surveys some of the principal themes in the political economies of lower income countries. The questions we shall seek to address cover a broad terrain. Who are the key actors? What are their beliefs, interests and motivations? What are their constraints? How are these being affected by closer economic linkages between national economies? While there is no single integrative framework or paradigm into which these themes neatly fit, a common thread is the changing dynamics and interplay between the local, the national, and the global. A familiarity with basic economic concepts will be helpful, but is not necessary.