An introduction to the politics, structure, and behavior of the American National Political Community
An introductory exploration of basic political concepts, ideologies, and themes. Stresses the importance of understanding politics for everyday life.
A cross-cultural analysis of various governmental systems; elements common to all forms of government are emphasized and variations among contemporary political systems are discussed. Balance between developed and Third World countries.
Surveys some recent methods and approaches used in the study of international politics and provides an introduction to current problems of foreign policies of major world powers.
Introduces the Political Science major to the scope of politics as a discipline. Highlights value questions through analysis of the political, socio-demographic and constitutional background of selected contemporary public issues and policies.
The images of Africa most commonly seen in the US flood our minds with inconsistent messages. Africa is portrayed and discussed as a locus of ancient tribal conflicts, disease, famine, and suffering. While struggles do occur - just as they do in all places - understanding the diverse experiences of the peoples of Africa requires engagement with the cultures, politics, religions, and perspectives of people in more than fifty countries across a vast continent. While such engagement can hardly be accomplished in a semester, we will attempt to scratch at the surface in different ways that reveal ideas, experiences, and thoughts that reflect political life and culture in Africa south of the Sahara in a more reflective manner.
Throughout this course, I challenge you to remember that politics as we usually conceive them - the policies, programs, and posturing of government and public organizations - are a backdrop to the way real people live their lives every day. Policies and political systems are less important for the fact that they exist than for the ways in which they affect the lives of those they govern. With this approach, I hope we will be able to pick apart government structures, political organizations, and policy issues in ways that will shed light on the construction and culture of African politics. This requires a focus on power - who has it, how they use it, and to what ends.
Analyzes the growing importance of sports in American life. Examines the psychological, political and social impact of sports on society. Discusses how sports have been shaped by such monumental events as war, the civil rights movement, and the changing economy.
Provides a broad introduction to the way feminist approaches to politics and political theory have transformed our understanding of political life. Topics include the historical exclusion of women from political activities and institutions, the evolution of the modern womens movement, the rise and fall of the nuclear family, the persistence of discrimination based on sexual orientation, and the political economy of gender inequality.
Explores some of the many intersections among gender, politics, and culture in American society. Topics include the role of gender in the formation of political ideology; various takes on masculinity and femininity in television, movies, and the popular press; the impact of the women's movement on mainstream political culture, popular perspectives on sexual orientation, and the way ideas about gender shape the shifting boundaries between public and private life.
This course will address and study the origins, characteristics and possible solutions to current problems in world politics. Using a participatory interactive format students will learn analytical and critical thinking skills as well as oral and written communication skills.
Presents an introduction to the nature of the legal process and the operation of the American legal system. Also discusses considerations of its political and social functions.
A critical survey of the history of Western political thought from Plato to the present.
An introductory study of constitutional law and politics; analysis of constitutional doctrine and the American constitutional system, with emphasis on contemporary controversies.
An introductory study of Civil Liberties Law & Politics; analysis of constitutional doctrine and related materials with emphasis on contemporary controversies.
Examines major ideological currents in the contemporary world. Topics include communism, fascism, anarchism, socialism, nationalism, liberalism, and utilitarianism.
This interdisciplinary course considers the way we construct self-identity through our affiliation with various cultural and political groups- from the"Red Sox nation" to linguistic, economic, nationalistic and ethnic groups. It examines the central role of nationalism; its symbols, traditions and expectations; the role of the media; and the benefits and risks of our allegiance to these groups.
Examination and study of politics and government at the state and local levels, with emphasis on Massachusetts and New England. Practitioners from state and local government will meet with the class.
A survey of the historical development of American political thought from the colonial era to the present.
Analysis of the role of film in creating, expressing, revealing, and responding to social and political ideas and values. Examines a variety of film and film styles and introduces students to elements of film theory, the theory of popular culture and the role of film in forming our ideas about the world.
A study of the transformative power of music through live musical performance. Analyzes several musical genres and places them in their broader historical context.
Explores legal constructions of gender by examining Supreme Court cases, federal legislation, historical documents, news stories, and scholarly essays on sexual inequality in the United States. Topics include the evolution of the family as a legal (and illegal) reality; political regulation of reproduction and sexual activity; feminist critiques of economic inequality; the rise and fall of affirmative action; the changing role of gender in class consolidation; and ongoing debates about the relationships between public and private life.
Starting with the constructionist approach of analyzing the sexual dynamics of ancient civilizations, we will expose how sex has been used as a political tool to further the cause of unrelated agendas, how attitudes about sex have changed from Greco-Roman times to the 1960's sexual revolution, culminating in the current political debate about Vermont's civil union laws. Join us in this academic endeavor to understand our roles as sexual beings both in history and in politics, as well as an exploration of our own attitudes towards differing sexualities.
This interdisciplinary course considers particular cases of war, trauma, and recovery, including the Holocaust, the Cambodian genocide, and South African Apartheid, as well as current events in Darfur, Sudan, and Iraq. It examines the effects of political brutality; the function of discourse in political, philosophical and social contexts; and the capacity of interventions in the public sphere to respond to current traumas and prevent future ones.
Constitutional Development in America. An advanced study of constitutional doctrine as it has developed historically through the process of constitutional adjudication.
Examines the historical development of the public/private dichotomy in present-day American politics and society. By studying landmark Supreme Court decisions, we explore the ways that claims to rights to privacy have affected women, gays and lesbians, racial minorities, children, and other historically disadvantaged groups. In addition, by focusing on the ways that technological developments have both inspired and undermined efforts to preserve personal privacy, we question whether individual claims to privacy can be met within the context of present-day political, economic, and social reality.
Perspectives on American Politics and Law. Advanced study involving extensive reading, writing and discussion seeking understanding of the major transformations impacting contemporary American Society, Politics, Law, Economics and Culture; consideration of different interpretations of these changes, and the ways in which they are manifested in shifting political attitudes and coalitions, and new problems and conflicts.
Advanced study in law and politics involving extensive reading, writing and discussion of the complex and continuing controversies about the importance of free speech guarantee of the First Amendment and "the marketplace of ideas" in contemporary American society; the other important societal interests with which free speech comes into conflict; and the resultant limits upon speech that are frequently advocated or opposed.
An examination of the nature of the American presidency and its functioning within the American political system. Specific attention is given to the problems and evolution of the presidency since World War I.
This course will examine various literary and political responses to the Cambodian genocide, particularly personal accounts or literary testimony by survivors and government sanctioned legal proceedings. The course will consider how the literary and political responses to the Cambodian genocide have at different times paralleled, complimented and opposed each other. The course will also ask whether their overall effect contributes to or detracts from the serving of justice and the process of healing for the survivors. To pursue these questions, we will read selections from novels and poetry written by Cambodian survivors side by side with accounts of political activities of the Cambodian government and the international community to bring the perpetrators of the genocide to justice.
A study of the politics of race and ethnicity, focusing primarily on American society, and the racial and ethnic groups of the region.
A study of political power in, and the political structures of urban areas and the major issues and conflicts currently confronting them.
An examination of the little studied fourth branch of government. Bureaucratic power in the American political system is reconsidered.
An analytical examination of selected modern European political systems, emphasizing similarities and differences in political culture, behavior, institutions, and performance.
A study of Southeast Asian countries, their anti-colonial struggles and their patterns of political development. Attention is also given to the recent struggle among the former Indochinese states and the broader international involvement in the region.
A study of the recent development of governmental institutions, parties, and ideology in China. Emphasis is placed on the processes of nation-building in the post World War II period.
Conflict and Change in the former Soviet Union. An examination of the relationship of politics to the functioning of post-Soviet societies. The influence of politics on economy, education, family life, religion, etc.
Utilizes an appreciation of Middle Eastern attitudes and values in developing insight into the tensions within the Middle East and between the Middle East and the western world.
A comparative study of the political, social, cultural and economic forces that have led to the current situations in the countries of the Caribbean area (Mexico, Central America and the islands).
An examination of the politics, policies and institutions of Japan, the "four tigers" and other countries of the Pacific rim area.
An examination of the politics of global economic relations stressing the role of international institutions, multinational corporations and other international actors on the policies of the nation-state.
A study of the processes of American foreign policy in the contemporary world.
This course will address the history, content, structure, law, and politics of international human rights. Using interactive participatory class format students will learn analytical and critical thinking skills as well as written and oral communication skills.
An in-depth case study of international conference and treaties including current diplomatic negotiations of international conflicts. Computers and Internet teleconferencing are extensively used by students organized in country-teams to simulate experiential diplomatic disputes and negotiations.
This coure will address the history, functioning, structure and politics of international organizations in world politics. International Governmental Organizations as well as Non-Governmental Organizations on the global and regional level will be analyzed and discussed. In a participatory and interactive class format students will develop analytical and critical thinking skills.
This course will address the history, content, functioning and politics of International Law. It will deal with public law as it has developed throughout history and how it guides the politics of states and other actors in international relations.
An advanced examination of the contemporary controversy over judicial activism.
Requires the writing of a substantial paper (or production of an equivalent project.) Typically, students should select a 300 level seminar course from among Departmental offerings that are of interest, all of which involve the writing of one or several papers, and select one paper or topic to expand upon. The student should then register in the Research Seminar section for the appropriate supervising instructor and expand the paper into a more substantial form.
Pre-Req: 46.201 Intro Political Analysis
Extensive and advanced readings on post-Soviet systems.
This course examines the impact of the Kennedy family on the American political process, from Joseph P. Kennedy to Edward M. Kennedy. Through readings and films, students will evaluate the Kennedy legacy and the power of myth ideology in light of the Kennedys' contributions to the American political system.
This course will study the organization of and the processes employed by American Courts in an intensive participation format. Using simulations and mock trial problems, students will develop analytical, critical reasoning and public speaking skills.
Students take part in a simulation of the proceedings of a regional or international organization, e.g., U.N., O.A.S., O.A.U., or the Arab League. They study all aspects of the selected institution but concentrate on key economic, social and security issues discussed in the body's debates. The course aims to give the student a clearer understanding of the forces and constraints which shape the foreign policies of individual states.
Directed study offers the opportunity to engage in an independent study or research project under the supervision of a department member. Working closely with the instructor, students define and investigate a research problem in an area of special interest and present the results of their investigation through a combination of readings and papers and/or a significant research paper.
Advanced and intensive reading and other activity in connection with the study of selected international organizations.
A program of directed study in which the advanced student develops an evaluative and critical essay. The purpose is to sharpen and refine techniques for scholarly research and presentation. This course may not be offered in place of the required seminar course.
A program of study and research for political science majors only stressing involvement in and first-hand knowledge and observation of the political life and relationships of national, state and local institutions. The purpose is to acquaint the student in a directed way with political institutions and political behavior. Specific requirements vary depending upon the nature of the program undertaken by the student. The course will be graded S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).
A program of study and research which includes involvement in and first-hand knowledge and observation of the legal system and legal practice. Open only to political science majors and, with certain restrictions, legal studies minors. The course will be graded S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).
