Consult department for detailed descriptions. More than one course may be taken in a given semester. Recent titles have included: Leadership & Democracy; Conservative Regimes.

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.

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.

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.

This lecture course examines the role that international law and institutions play in international relations. The course begins by exploring broad theoretical questions - questions about why states create international law and international institutions; how states design institutions; the impact that institutional design may have on the effectiveness of international institutions; and the conditions under which states are likely to comply with the rules set out by international institutions and the dictates of international law. Specific topics include collective security institutions such as the League of Nations, the United Nations, and NATO; human rights law; the laws of war; international intervention and peacekeeping; international justice and the International Criminal Court; environmental law; international trade law and the World Trade Organization; economic development and the World Bank; and international finance and the role of the International Monetary Fund.

This course examines the politics of international economic relations. The course will analyze the interplay between politics and economics in three broad areas: international trade, international finance, and economic development. In each section, we will first discuss economic theories that explain the causes and consequences of international commerce, capital flows, and economic growth. We will then explore how political interests, institutions, and ideas alter these predictions, examining both historical examples and current policy debates.

Individual research to be taken under direction of faculty member. Students wishing to do an independent study should contact the Political Science department.

This course is an opportunity for students to combine the major theoretical perspectives on the policy process with practical application to current policy issues. Students will gain the theoretical tools to explain policy change, a comprehensive understanding of the actors that influence policymaking and politics, an overview of the major policy issues being debated, and experience writing policy documents.

This course will provide an overview of politics and society in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The first five weeks will focus on such questions as: What are the effects of the "colonial legacy" inherited by most countries in the "Third World?" Why have certain countries been able to maintain stable and effective government institutions while others have experienced revolutions, civil wars and rampant corruption? What are some of the obstacles to economic development? The second part of the course will focus on the experiences of several countries, including Brazil, India, Iran, and Nigeria. The last part of the course will attempt to locate politics and society in "Third World"countries within the context of larger global issues such as North-South relations, the recent waves of democratization and privatization, internationalenvironmental concerns, and the role of women in "Third World" development.