This course explores contemporary issues in American political thought. Topics may include liberalism and rights, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, cultural diversity, and the boundaries of modern citizenship. Readings include political pamphlets, philosophical treatises, court decisions, and works of literature.

Conservation in developing countries concerns resources that are extremely important to policymakers, militaries, environmental organizations, communities, and individuals. This course examines these groups’ struggle for control over wildlife and forests – from the capital to the village – on several continents.

A popular new idea in environmental protection is to include local communities in conservation efforts. But what are these communities? What challenges do they face in governing their own resources? This course uses both theory and case studies to explore the political economy of community-based conservation.

Seeks to explain U.S. foreign economic policies. Topics include: Globalization – Benefits and Costs, Winners and Losers; Interest Group Influence on Trade Policy; Domestic and International Institutions; Multinational Corporations; Exchange Rates; Currency Crises; Environment and Labor Standards.

“Terrorism” uses “illegitimate” violence to achieve political goals. This course uses philosophical, historical and contemporary material from distinct cultures to understand which actions are defined as “terrorist,” who uses them, why and when, as well as the determinants of their effectiveness. 

Examines the welfare and distributional aspects of international trade and finance as they relate to the politics of economic policymaking. Topics include: globalization in historical perspective; origins and consequences of trade policy; exchange-rate arrangements; international capital flows; currency crises; economic development.

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