This introductory description and analysis of United States governmental and political institutions and processes is particularly focused on exploring the conditions and strategies for political decision making. It is organized to introduce students to common questions about and analysis of the federal structure of U.S. government, federal institutions (presidency, Congress, judiciary, bureaucracy), Constitutional history and the founding, political parties, elections, voting behavior, interest groups, and public opinion.

This course is an introduction to the wide world of political thought. What is just? What is right? What do we owe each other? What is the purpose of politics – of having a government in the first place? How should we respond to seemingly intractable systems of oppression? These are some of the questions that political theory can help us explore. Students read and analyze political theory texts from a variety of time periods and regions of the world; grapple with the big questions of politics in discussions and writing; and reflect on their own political commitments.

This course introduces the study of comparative politics, including the field’s central questions and the formal and quantitative research methods that scholars use to compare politics in countries around the world. Students who take the course can define key concepts that include the state, regime, and government; democracy versus autocracy; and electoral and party systems. Students can also explain theories of state formation, democratization, democratic and autocratic survival, revolutions, coups, how various electoral and party systems condition political outcomes, and government formation under presidential and parliamentary regimes, among others. Throughout the course, students practice using formal theory to predict political outcomes. They also practice identifying valid and reliable cross-national quantitative indicators of political phenomena, and using these indicators to evaluate political science theories. The course incorporates examples of politics from around the world. This course is not open to students who have earned credit for PLTC 123.

Given the current debate over globalization, questions about the relationship between states and markets-domestic and global-have become increasingly contested. With that in mind, this course examines how the relationship between states and markets has changed over the past fifty years, exploring such questions as: What is a state? What is a market? How do markets constrain the state? To what extent can the state rein in market forces? How has the relationship between states and markets changed over time? Do states differ in their ability to influence markets?

This course scrutinizes several sites where power is produced-constitutions, international politics, social movements, and globalization- in order to assess the impact of gender on the status, behavior, and authority of different political actors. Recognizing how race, class, sexuality, and citizen status matter, students consider why women are under-represented in nearly all governments and how differences in national and international settings occur. Students examine questions, concepts, and theories that acknowledge women's political agency and help assess their influence across a range of political systems.

This course explores some of the structures and processes that organize world politics, including the system of sovereign states, international organizations, global economic forces, and the varied ways religion, gender, and race form nation-states and shape their identities and interactions. To examine how these structures reinforce, intrude upon, and sometimes subvert each other, this course first delves into the major theories of International Relations and subsequently focuses on specific case studies of international efforts to address major challenges including climate change, human rights violations, armed conflicts, global migration, and international trade.

The course examines the relation of Western political thought to current struggles against various forms of oppression. When white Western male theorists use the language of truth and justice, law and order, or rights and liberty, do they speak for everyone? Or do their writings reinforce asymmetries of economic and social power? Students consider various responses to such questions while reading and discussing selections from Plato, Locke, Wollstonecraft, and Marx.

Race and ethnicity play undeniably important roles in U.S. politics today, from presidential elections and immigration debates to #BlackLivesMatter and changing demographics. This course analyzes racial and ethnic dynamics from a political science perspective. Students learn the major theories of racial and ethnic politics in the United States as applied to major racial groups, political processes, and policy areas. They make connections between history and contemporary politics by identifying our current political moment within a longer, cyclical history of racial progress followed by white racial backlash. Finally, they explore how social science research questions are developed and answered, and they develop their own research and writing skills. Recommended background: AFR 100; PLTC 115; or one U.S.-focused 100-level course from the History department.

Like no other political entity in history, the modern state seeks to transform society into an image of its own making and to harness its citizens' productive power for its own benefit. States in the Middle East, like those all over the world, have attempted this feat with varying degrees of success and failure. This course examines state efforts to dominate and shape society in the Middle East and the myriad ways that social groups have resisted, assisted, and otherwise modified state rule. Prerequisite(s): any 100 or 200-level course in politics. Recommended background: PLTC 262.

This course explores the role of Latinx people in American politics. Students define Latino/a/e/x, describe Latinx diversity, and explain why the history of distinct Latinx subgroups within the United States translates into variations in political power and preferences. Students also summarize various theoretical perspectives on American political identity and explain how, in the past, Latinx people have been castas economic, cultural, health, moral, and security threats to this identity. In the second part of the course, students strengthen and nuance their understanding of American politics and institutions by explaining the conditions under which Latinx engage in grass-roots and collective political organizing and mobilization. They then analyze Latinx voting patterns, partisanship, public opinion, and the election of Latinx to public office. Although the course gives particular attention to Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, and Cubans, it serves as an introduction to the study of other Latinx subgroups, and other racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. Recommended background: PLTC 115.

This course offers an in-depth survey, analysis, and assessment of international human rights as a global concept, regime and institution. Students first learn the origins of the concept of human rights by surveying religious, traditional, and early legal documents. Then they consider different generations of human rights and the different categories and international treaties that accompany them. The course encourages students to then apply this knowledge by examining case studies in Africa, engaging with complex debates and evaluating the implementation of human rights. Recommended background: PLTC 122 or 171.

This course considers the origins, development, structures, activities, and functions of parties in the American political system. What role do political parties play in modern representative democracies like in the U.S.? Why do we have a system dominated by two major parties? How can we make sense of partisan and ideological polarization? Students analyze elections, voter behavior, campaign strategy, campaign finance, and the role of parties in the operation of government. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 115, 122, 125, or 155.

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been the preeminent power in international politics, with unrivaled military strength, the largest economy, and the greatest influence on global culture. Though the United States retains its advantage in each of these areas, many believe its relative strength has declined in recent years with the increasing economic might of the People's Republic of China and the growing assertiveness of the Russian Federation. This course examines what the return of great power politics mean for stability and prosperity in different parts of the world as well as for the future of the global order, focusing on the foreign policies of the United States, China, the Russian Federation, and the most influential voices of the European Union. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s): PLTC 171, 225, 261, or 283.

Citizen participation lies at the heart of democratic decision making, but its importance extends well beyond formal tools like voting. This course explores the many ways in which Americans participate in politics and voice demands on the government, both formally and informally, from letters to the president to demonstrations in the streets. Students also look at who uses these tools, including the ways in which class, race, and gender affect political influence, as well as how changes in technology have affected the ways we communicate and organize with one another. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 115, 122, 125, or 155..

This course investigates the development of constitutional law in the United States, with focus on governmental structure - popular sovereignty, separation of powers, and federalism - and some basic and contested techniques of constitutional interpretation. Topics include the powers of the legislative branch, the presidency, and the judiciary; the development of judicial review; the relationship among the three federal branches; the balance of powers between the federal government and state governments; and government regulation of citizens' economic rights. Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level PLTC course.

In this course, students learn how political scientists use statistics. They learn basic statistical concepts, make controlled comparisons, use statistical tests and measures of association to make inferences, and conduct linear regressions. The course develops practical skills, including the ability to use the computing program R, create graphs and perform statistical analysis using R. Students also explore the advantages and limitations of statistics as a research methodology as well as questions of research ethics. Politics majors may not count the course toward their major concentration; however, regardless of their concentration, students may count the course as one of the required courses outside of their major concentration. Prerequisite(s): one 100-level PLTC course.

This course offers an introduction to the theories and debates regarding the politics of trade, multinational corporations, money and finance, and regional integration of developed and developing countries. Students explore the connections between international politics and economics both historically and in the contemporary era of "globalization." Topics include the power of transnational corporations, the emergence and significance of the World Trade Organization, and the European Union and the role of the International Monetary Fund in the development world.

War and conflict are persistent elements in international politics. There are many forms of international conflict, including global wars, local wars, terrorism, and insurgencies. This course begins by looking at the causes of war and conflict, examines forms of conflict, and ends with a look at war's consequences. It provides some historical background, but concentrates on explaining issues in contemporary international politics. Recommended background: PLTC 171.

The history of Latin American and Caribbean political development is also a history of how the region grappled with struggles for economic development and autonomy in relation to the more powerful Western states. This course surveys the progression of the dependency-development debate by contextualizing it within the Cold War context and beyond. The intellectual debate centers on elaborating a prognosis and solutions to the problem of dependency and underdevelopment. The course will cover (1) the roots of underdevelopment and its interconnectedness to the topics of reform/revolution, socialism/fascism/capitalism, and democracy/authoritarianism; (2) historical events that enabled and/or inhibited different socio-political experiments; and (3) contemporary issues that touch on this debate, including neo-extractivism, China’s growing influence, and regional ecological degradation. Recommended background: Prior coursework focusing on Latin America, development and/or political/social theory.

This course explores the U.S. Congress and legislative politics. Students examine the development of the institution, the practice and significance of congressional elections, and the organization and behavior of congressional institutions. Topics include the connection between electoral behavior and lawmaking, the connection between local politics and national politics, the role of political parties, the relationship between the U.S. Congress and other institutions of government, and lawmaking in an era of high partisan and ideological polarization. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 115, 122, or 125.

The consequences of war and armed violence cut across all dimensions of society, and include economic, social, and political impacts. What does it mean to build peace in the aftermath of such widespread devastation and destruction? In this course, students will explore the complex and multifaceted nature of peacebuilding, focusing on key processes such as security sector reform, political institution building, and social reconciliation. Students will consider issues such as diplomacy and mediation, human rights, transitional justice, and the role of various actors involved in peacebuilding initiatives, ranging from local to international organizations. Through case studies, readings, and discussions, students will gain insight into the diverse strategies and approaches used in peacebuilding, engage with the practical and ethical challenges of these processes, and critically assess the obstacles and opportunities that arise when working to transform conflict-affected societies. Recommended background: PLTC 171 or prior coursework in topics related to international conflict and international politics.

This course introduces students to social movement theory and interest group politics in the United States via the case study of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) politics from the immediate post-World War II period to the present, and it examines the relationship of sexuality to the racial and gender dynamics of U.S. identity-based social movements. The course traces the development of research methodologies to study collective action from early rational choice models to resource mobilization theory to new social movement models and political opportunity and process models. How the LGBTQ+ movements drew upon, expanded, and challenged foundations established by both African American civil rights and feminism is also explored. Prerequisite(s): any 100-level course in Gender and Sexuality Studies, Politics, or Sociology.

Like any region of the world, Europe has experienced significant strife and political unrest throughout its history. However, the study of modern conflict often situates Europe as outside the realm of relevance. This course will explore the complex landscape of peace and conflict in post-World War Europe in the 20th and 21st century. Through in-depth examination of case studies such as Cyprus, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, and Ukraine, the course will investigate the underlying causes of these conflicts, ranging from inter-group dynamics to systemic factors, and the various paths toward peace that have been pursued to end the violence.

Why would a politically-opinionated person write a piece of literature rather than a political treatise? This course explores what the literary form might reveal about politics that other types of political writing miss. Students examine four interconnected topics—gender politics, political fugitives, utopias and dystopias, and the social construction of race—to consider the advantages of narrative writing for expressing one's political views. Readings span across space and time, from Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed, and Sophocles' Antigone to The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.

In this course, students explore Latin America’s historical experiences with state formation, nationalism and nation building, varying political economic models, and regimes. They then examine how these experiences shape contemporary political issues including transitional justice, parties and elections, democratic institutional innovations, extractivism, corruption, and violence. The course emphasizes the relationship between these political problems and Latin America’s struggle to achieve sustained economic growth, its sustained racial and economic inequalities, legacies of slavery and colonialism, domestic conflict and legacies of authoritarianism, and relations with the United States. Recommended background: HIST/LALS 181 and PLTC 122.

What is the point of feminism? This course brings an emphasis on the big questions about gender to political science while bringing a specifically political theoretical mode of questioning to gender and sexuality studies. Students evaluate and reshape their own beliefs about feminism and its political demands while reading and discussing feminist theories and writing their own feminist theory. Themes may include feminist epistemology, intersectionality, Black feminisms/womanisms, lesbian and trans feminisms, democratic feminist theory, ecofeminism, Indigenous feminist theory, transnational feminism, feminist theories of work and labor, and anti-pornography feminism. Students will examine feminist political thought as both a practice (what should feminist politics be?) and a methodology (how do we theorize and practice feminist politics?). Recommended background: PLTC 121, 191, or a GSS course.

Why and how do countries around the world control international migration? This course tackles this question in three parts. First, we explore why people migrate and define the myriad categories of migrants. Second, we examine how they control their own citizens seeking to emigrate (leave their 'home' country); noncitizens (foreigners) living within their territorial borders; and, noncitizens attempting to enter their territory. The third part of the course introduces several theories that explain why states control migrants and why they adopt particular forms of migration control. Upon completing the course, students understand that migration control is not unique to the United States. They can compare migration control regimes around the world and explain the role of historical and contemporary drivers, including colonialism, racism, capitalism, nationalism, and democracy.

This course provides an overview of major theories on nationalism and nation building. It introduces different forms of nationalism and discusses the relationship between the emergence of modern states and the idea of national identity. Students explore how nationalism relates to state building, citizenship, different regime types, economic change, gender, and religion. Case studies are drawn from the experiences of national identity formation in countries such as France, Germany, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and India. Recommended background: any 100-level course in politics or any course in European Studies.

This course covers the history and politics of nuclear weapons technology. It examines the roles of nuclear weapons in international politics, the causes and consequences of the spread of nuclear weapons technology, the ethics of the threats of nuclear use, the prospect of achieving a world without nuclear weapons, and the political and military strategies of the nuclear powers. It also discusses the risks and opportunities posed by civil nuclear technology as well as the future of managing this dual-use technology. Recommended background: PLTC 171.

An introduction to the politics of the Middle East and North Africa, concentrating on the history of the Muslim world, including the rise of Islam, empires, colonialism, and the formation of modern states in the twentieth century. Students investigate different regime types, political ideologies, authoritarianism, political economy, and the politics of gender in various Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. They also discuss prospects for democracy and liberalization in different Middle Eastern countries. Recommended background: any 100-level PLTC course.

This course will examine how doing politics is intrinsically performative. Performances are sets of dramatically coordinated acts that convey symbols, stories, and emotions to others. At the individual level, a political performance involves the strategic use of language, gestures, facial expressions, or clothing to shape an idealized impression for a political goal. At the collective level, they can take different forms of orchestrated affairs, such as spectacles, ceremonies, and rituals staged to convey a political message. This course will compare different styles of performance in politics based on case studies from around the world and discuss how these styles relate to state building, nationalism, democracy, authoritarianism, and populism. It will discuss how performances can have different effects, from repression to legitimation. It will also examine social reception of performances and the ways social movements challenge the state through their own performative tools.

The problem of development became a focus of global debate following World War II. This course interrogates the role of colonialism/imperialism in shaping the possible paths of development in Global South (GS) countries by engaging a global political economy approach. In addition to a historical and theoretical introduction to the subject, major topics within the global political economy of GS regions and countries will be surveyed, including significant international events and organizations: the Bandung Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement, UNCTAD, G-77 and regional organizations. Highlighting contemporary debates, students will also read and discuss the problematic of ecological planetary degradation in its intersections with global political economy of development and global power competition. To underscore the agency of GS societies in the progression of the development debate, this course privileges literature written in/by GS intellectuals. Recommended background: Any course covering a region in the world other than Europe and USA-Canada, especially in Africana, Anthropology, Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, History, Latin American and Latinx Studies, Philosophy, Politics, and Sociology.

An introduction to constitutional interpretation and development in civil rights and race equality jurisprudence, gender equality jurisprudence, sexual orientation law, and matters related to privacy and autonomy (particularly sexual autonomy involving contraception and abortion access). Expanding, contracting, or otherwise altering the meaning of a right involves a range of actors in a variety of venues, not only courts. Therefore, students consider rights from a "law and society" perspective, analyzing judicial rulings as well as evaluating the social conceptualization, representation, and social movement mobilization around these rights. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 216, PLTC/SOC/GSS 238, or any course in Gender and Sexuality Studies.

This course examines the sources of conflict and cooperation in international relations and assesses competing theoretical explanations for key events in East Asia after World War II. East Asia is home to one fifth of the global population and hosts three nuclear weapons states, three virtually nuclear powers, and two of the world’s largest economies. As it experiences a major shift in the balance of power, its trajectory and implications for the rest of the world remain uncertain, but this course helps students learn how to make use of existing theories and analytical tools to make predictions for the future of East Asia. Recommended background: PLTC 171.

Political economy studies the market and the state as interrelated institutions. This course examines capitalism within its political context from two complementary perspectives. Students examine the historical evolution of social scientific thinking about the economy, in the process identifying some of the central critiques and defenses of capitalism as a system of social organization. Then they consider political economy topically, addressing a series of policy challenges thrown up by capitalism and considering multiple perspectives on how those challenges should be diagnosed and addressed. Prerequisite(s): one course between ECON 150-199, ECON 260, or ECON 270.

This course delves into key historical and contemporary issues in sub-Saharan Africa, including but not limited to colonization, state formation, democracy, civil society, and religion. Despite the large number of countries with different histories and cultures comprising the region, sub-Saharan Africa is often too simplified as a place of civil wars, ethnic violence, corruption, and poverty. The narrow selection of topics covered by the media and our general lack of interest therefore neglect the variety of landscapes, political systems, economic growth, and society-religion relationships, among others. Students analyze the debates surrounding the region to better understand its complexities, and explore unfolding patterns of change witnessed at the opening of the twenty-first century and ways that younger and older Africans shape their own political and economic situations. Recommended background: PLTC 122 or 171.

Having difficult conversations is hard; advocating for yourself is hard; meaningfully engaging with perspectives at odds with your own is hard. This course introduces students to the theory and practice of negotiation and dialogue. Through weekly simulations, students will practice the different skills of negotiation and difficult conversations–-from active listening and creating value, to problem-solving techniques, managing emotions, and developing tactics for effective communication. The course is built around a series of negotiation and dialogue exercises and debriefs (discussions following each negotiation exercise), designed to help students develop their negotiation skills and provide a framework for continued reflective learning.

Students practice different ways of reading and rethinking the work of Karl Marx. The first part of the course permits unrushed, close reading and discussion of Marx's best-known texts. The second part emphasizes recent efforts by critical theorists to revise the original doctrine without abandoning radical politics. Topics for reading and discussion include various Marxist feminisms, Marxist literary theory, and other Marxist interventions against capitalism.

This course considers how racial formations have developed in and influenced gendered and feminist movements. Movements examined may include woman's suffrage, anti-lynching, civil rights, Black Power, LGBTQ+, moral reform, welfare rights, women's liberation, and peace. Topics examined include citizenship, colonization, immigration, reproductive justice, and gender-based violence. Cross-listed in gender and sexuality studies, history, and politics.

An analysis of controversies concerning the formation, nature, and role of public opinion in U.S. politics. How do we arrive at political judgments, and how do those judgments affect individual and collective decisions? How do our social positions and identities affect our judgments and decisions? How do we interpret public opinion, and how does it affect political and policymaking decisions? Students learn the methodology of sample surveys (polls) and consider the advantages and disadvantages of alternative methodologies. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 218, ECON 250, PSYC 218, or SOC 206.

This course explores the relationship between emotions and politics. As a prelude to discussing the importance of emotions in politics, students consider how emotions can be conceptualized and categorized. They explore the traditional dualism between rationality and emotion: the relationship between emotion and reason, the interaction between emotion and cognition, and the relationship between culture and emotion. Then they analyze the place of emotions for different political phenomena. They study how emotions play a role in political participation and mobilization, legitimization, and coercion, diplomacy, war, and conflict. Recommended background: any 100- or 200-level PLTC course.

Reform and revolution are generally understood as different paths toward political change. Are these paths opposed to one another? Or are they complementary? This course explores the relationship between political reform and revolution as it has been conceived by several traditions of modern political thought, including Marxism, liberalism, conservatism, romanticism, Black radicalism, and intersectional feminism. While most of these traditions have seen reform and revolution as mutually exclusive, intersectional feminists have tended to argue that they reinforce one another. This course examines the arguments in favor of each side of the debate in detail. At the end of the course, we think through the consequences of these arguments by applying them to the contemporary debate about abolishing or reforming the police. Recommended background: PLTC 191 or 292. Prerequisite(s): at least one course in the Politics PLL concentration.

When the framers created the U.S. presidency, they created an executive office without precedent in the modern world. The course studies their objectives and evaluates how the office and power of the presidency has changed over time. Students survey the institutional development and current operations of the executive branch, examine the politics of presidential leadership, and consider the impact of the former on the latter. Attention is given to those areas of cutting-edge research in presidential studies including the managerial capacities of the Executive Office of the President, the scope and limits of unilateral action, and changing relations with Congress, the bureaucracy, and the public. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 115. Recommended background: PLTC 211, 216, or 230.

Millions of international immigrants around the world actively engage in the social, political, and economic life of their origin countries from within their new host countries. Why do immigrants sustain these cross-border connections? Why do origin country governments create pathways to facilitate this engagement? What is the impact of immigrants' resources—their money, knowledge, ideas, organizations, power, and networks—on economic and political dynamics in their origin countries? And how do political institutions condition immigrants’ cross-border engagement? Students explore these questions together by examining the experiences of various national origin groups from around the world and through a semester-long policy analysis project. Recommended background: PLTC/SOC 259.

This course aims to examine how technology affects international conflicts at political, economic, and military levels. New dual-use or military technologies can alter the way militaries fight one another in a profound way. New civilian technologies can disrupt trade markets to cause interstate disputes over regulations, while they can also facilitate election interference into another country and sow suspicion among states. Is technological determinism correct? Do technologies make the world more peaceful (defense dominant) or more dangerous (offense dominant)? How can technologies alter the balance of power by helping materially inferior actors manage to beat more powerful states? Prerequisite(s): PLTC 171.

Are citizens in a representative democracy more like bandleaders or probation officers — is their role primarily to direct the actions of representatives or to hold them accountable for their actions? This course analyzes the purpose and limits of political representation, the role of formal representation for self-governance, the ways citizens hold governments accountable, the responsiveness of political leaders, and alternative mechanisms for ensuring accountability. Representation of and by women and LGBTQ+ and BIPOC people is considered. Readings include theories of representation as well as historical and contemporary accounts of representation in the United States, Europe, and Latin America, including comparisons of majoritarian and proportional systems. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 115, 122, 191, 203, 208, 211, 230, or 249.

American political development (APD) is a distinct branch of American political science, which is not only credited with "bringing history" back into the study of American politics but also is explicitly concerned with how politics is constructed historically. The course is centrally concerned with how political institutions, ideas, and culture shape the actions of political actors and policy outcomes over time. Students assess the growth, development, and change of a range of political institutions and consider how their development affects social policies, including but not limited to welfare and racial justice policy. Prerequisite(s): PLTC 115 and PLTC 216, 282, or 230.

This course offers an in-depth analysis of the modern state. It begins with the definitional question and explores different approaches to the state. It then proceeds to historical analysis of the rise of modern states in Europe and other world regions. The third component of the course explores the relationship between states and societies, focusing on European and other cases. Finally, the course explores the extent of state weakness across the world, and explanations for variation in the strength and stability of states. Prerequisite(s): any 100- or 200-level PLTC course.

This course examines some of the most pressing political challenges facing contemporary Latin America. Topics vary by semester and may include: ethnic, racial, and gender politics; transitional justice; democratic backsliding; high-level corruption; international migration; environmental politics; militarization and policing, and organized crime. Students engage with a variety of materials and practice reading academic articles and research reports. The course emphasizes the comparative method of social inquiry, including qualitative comparative case studies and the use of large datasets. By the end of the course, students demonstrate their understanding of the state of knowledge concerning one pressing political question affecting the region and produce an ethical and feasible research plan for investigating that question using comparative methods. Recommended background: LALS/HIST 181; LALS/PLTC 249. Prerequisite(s): One course from Latin American and Latinx Studies or Politics.

Africa has often been ignored by the International Relations subfield of political science, while political science mostly analyzes Africa from a comparative politics lens. Yet, with 54 states, Africa has much to teach us about International Relations, not just in terms of theories of IR but also in practice. This class will therefore examine the international relations of African states, including relations between African states, African states and the major powers outside of the continent, African states and regional institutions such as the African Union and the European Union, among others. We will especially view colonialism as an IR phenomenon and therefore a lens through which to understand and explain how IR has shaped Africa and how Africa has shaped IR in return. We will do this by exploring Africa through issues on conflict, gender, China's growing role, human security, climate change, Islamist militancy, and international political economy. Recommended background: PLTC 171, 122, 290.

After the fall of the Soviet Union and the emergence of United States as the sole superpower, scholars began foreseeing the emergence of a multipolar world in which rising powers would gain relative economic and political importance. This course analyzes the rise of the BRICS coalition (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) within a global political economy framework. Topics include the BRICS institutions, differences among its members, antagonisms with Western coalitions, the new scramble for Africa, and frameworks for analyzing the coalition. Questions that motivate the course include: What does the BRICS group represent for US power at the global scale? In which areas may it be defying or complementing the US-led global liberal order (e.g., liberal trade regime, dollar hegemony, role of the IMF & World Bank)? Does the rise and expansion of the BRICS (now including Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia & the UAE) represent an authoritarian threat to a global order led by democracies? Prerequisite(s): PLTC 122, 125, 171, 213, 222, or 225.

This seminar examines theories of protest from nonviolent resistance to armed insurrection to social critique. When laws are unjust, are citizens morally obligated to obey them? What kinds of resistance tactics and protest actions are justifiable, and under what conditions? How might we understand the relationship between effective and legitimate protest? What are the promises and limitations of violence and nonviolence? Is exiting politics –– leaving a political society or refusing to participate –– a meaningful form of resistance? This seminar explores these questions by putting texts in modern and contemporary political theory in conversation with works by those who engage in forms of protest themselves.

Why is life in contemporary Latin America so violent? Political violence is inherent to revolutions, civil wars, and authoritarian regimes. In contrast, in theory, one of the merits of democracy is that it facilitates the peaceful allocation of resources and power. For much of the twentieth century, Latin America struggled with insurgencies, civil war, and repressive authoritarian regimes. A wave of democratic transitions in the 1980s and 1990s brought renewed hope for peace, justice, and the protection of civil liberties, but political violence persists. This course explores the puzzling persistence of violence throughout the region. Recommended background: HIST/LALS 181; PLTC 122 and/or 249.

Can the hard-won voting rights victories of the Civil Rights Movement be taken for granted? Have we left the age of racially motivated disenfranchisement, or are we in a new era of civil rights violations? In the twenty-first century, new laws and court decisions have changed the relationship between the state and federal governments and made voting rights more tenuous. This course surveys scholarly literature on electoral institutions, racial politics, and access to the ballot in the United States. Students participate in community-engaged learning in the Lewiston-Auburn area, connecting their work on voting rights in Maine to course materials. Prerequisite(s): One of the following: PLTC 115, FYS 522, PLTC 203, PLTC 208, PLTC 211, PLTC 215, PLTC 216, PLTC 230, PLTC 251, PLTC 257, PLTC 282, PLTC 285, PLTC 301Z, PLTC 310, PLTC 319, or PLTC S28.

Since Sweden declared a Feminist Foreign Policy (FPP) in 2014, the concept has gained significant traction, and fourteen countries have subsequently adopted the term to describe their own global engagements. However, there is little consensus regarding what an FPP means in practical terms. Can a feminist approach to foreign policy be truly realized in the modern international state system? Through the use of case studies and consideration of policy areas including migration, development, humanitarian intervention, human rights, and security, students will critically engage the concept of FPP and grapple with the tensions, contradictions, and possibilities it presents. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: PLTC 155, 171, 256, or GSS 100.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester.

The depiction of Africa in Western media is often negative, dealing mostly with civil conflicts, epidemics, lack of resources, and human rights abuses. While these certainly remain a reality, they provide a limited perspective. This course strays away from such preconceptions and examines issues surrounding women and gender in Africa, including political participation, conflict, women’s rights, and civil society. Students having taken courses in international relations, politics, and gender and sexuality studies may have an easier time understanding the theoretical framework, but such courses are not required. Recommended background: GSS 155 or PLTC 122, 155, 171, or 290. Prerequisite(s): one 100-level PLTC course.

Discussion of methods of research and writing, oral reports, and regular individual consultation with instructors. Students undertake a one-semester thesis by registering for PLTC 457 in the fall semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both PLTC 457 and 458. Prerequisite(s): one 300-level PLTC seminar and PLTC S49.

Discussion of methods of research and writing, oral reports, and regular individual consultation with instructors. Students undertake a one-semester thesis by registering for PLTC 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both PLTC 457 and 458. Prerequisite(s): one 300-level PLTC seminar and PLTC S49.

What defines the contemporary American far right, and where is it headed? This course examines how the political and social landscape of the twenty-first century United States has -- and has not -- shaped the politics of the reactionary right. Topics include white supremacy and "identitarianism," militia groups, the digitization of the far right, conspiracy theorizing, and the relationship between contemporary conservatism and the "radical right." Prerequisite(s): one 100-level politics course. Recommended background: PLTC 191.

A study of Hungarian and Czech history, politics, and theater since about 1945. Our focus is on the impact on theater of the cataclysmic social and political changes in Central Europe since the Hungarian uprisings of 1956. Other seminal events bearing on this study are the Prague Spring of 1968, the collapse of the Soviet bloc in 1989, and the subsequent rebuilding of politics and culture in the region up until today. In conjunction with our study of history, politics, and drama, students read an array of secondary sources on the social and cultural history of post-war Central Europe. Classes will be conducted as discussions, led by the Bates instructors and Hungarian, Czech, and other Central European artists and scholars. Students maintain a journal describing and analyzing the plays, readings and other academic materials studied. Recommended background: one course in European studies, theater, or politics.

Taylor Swift is one of the most influential U.S. cultural products consumed so far in the 21st century, a cultural and political lightning rod. This course takes up the two questions: what does Taylor Swift’s music and cultural impact have to teach us about politics and feminism in the 21st century, and what do political and feminist theory have to teach us about Taylor Swift’s music and cultural impact? The course addresses the complicated relationship between Taylor Swift (her persona, artistic output, and fandom), politics, and feminism. It focuses on topics such as celebrity politics, intersectionality, queer counter-readings, postmodern multiplicity of meaning, and norms of femininity and motherhood. Students will work collaboratively to produce an original research product combining the insights of feminist and/or queer theory with original data collection. Prerequisite(s): PLTC/GSS 256, GSS 100, GSS 201, GSS 262, GSS 302, or permission of instructor.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term.