Political Science (POLSC-UH)

This course introduces students to the study of comparative politics and the study of domestic political institutions around the world. The course emphasizes the use of theory and evidence to generate and test hypotheses about both the causes and the consequences of the observed variation in domestic political institutions. For example, the course investigates the factors that lead some countries to democratize, and others to institute authoritarian governments, as well as the consequences of those institutional choices for policy outcomes. The course also looks at the variations in institutional arrangements within both democratic and non-democratic governments.

The goal of this course is to introduce the basic analytical concepts and techniques that are essential for understanding international politics. The course is especially concerned with analytically exploring major issues in international politics, such as the causes of war, the emergence of cooperative trade relations between states, the origins and functioning of international organizations such as the United Nations, and the political determinants of financial crises. The focus of the course is neither historical nor descriptive; rather, it requires students to exercise skills in logic and to think of imaginative ways to apply subtle techniques to gain a clearer grasp of the above political issues.

This course examines the inner workings of international politics and diplomacy, offering students an in-depth understanding of international relations informed by theoretical perspectives as well as everyday experience. The course invites students to think of international politics not as something abstractly 'out there' to be studied coldly in a classroom, but instead to engage with how 'the international' manifests all around us in everyday life. The course thus offers students a chance to analyze at the macro-scale the complex global challenges the world faces in the decades to come, while at the same training students to see how to ‘read’ power in apparently apolitical contexts. The course unfolds in two sections. In the first section, students will engage with the foundations of International Relations as a discipline, affording an opportunity to investigate the regional politics of the UAE and the Middle East as well as global issues by way of a variety of theoretical perspectives. The course's second section, which begins in Jordan, focuses on the ‘lived experience’ of international politics, inviting students to explore how politics manifests in diverse contexts ranging from airports, to shopping malls, to cultural heritage sites. Note: Pending feasible international travel conditions, this course will include a seminar in Jordan.

What is the "war on terrorism" - a concept made famous by the United States' response to the September 11, 2001 attacks - and how is this war, which has become a key feature of international relations in the decades since, different from other wars? Who defines what constitutes a terrorist, what differentiates terrorism from legitimate resistance and contestation, and what political factors drive its continuation, as well as its demise? This course invites students to probe these controversial questions by anchoring their understanding in the most cutting-edge research on these debates. The course explores the USA's experience in combatting and fomenting terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq post-9/11. It also immerses students in globally diverse comparative case studies - including Spain, Ireland, Israel-Palestine, South Africa, the Gulf, right-wing terrorism in the USA and Europe and left-wing terrorism in Peru and Colombia - that encourage them to critically parse patterns in combatting real and alleged terrorism. What strategic, conceptual, and political achievements versus mistakes have been made across those experiences? And how are those lessons shaping international responses to terrorism in emerging domains such as AI and cybercrime?

Social scientists and policy analysts rely heavily on research drawing on observational data. Students learn to manage and analyze such data and to employ statistical techniques that are common in these applications, with an emphasis on how to translate social science theory into empirical research. Topics include review of basic regression analysis, building multivariate analytical models, and regression analysis with limited dependent variables. The course emphasizes practical training in these skills as well as evaluation, replication, and critical analysis of research conducted in the social science literature. The course is designed as an alternative for students in the social sciences who are not taking Introduction to Econometrics.

This course addresses key theoretical and empirical topics in political psychology, drawing on both the experimental tradition of social psychology and the survey-based tradition of political science. Consideration is given to the political psychology of collective public behavior, including issues of social identity, intergroup relations, and group interaction, as well as individual political attitude formation and decision-making. Social and psychological antecedents and consequences of political orientation and ideological opinions are also addressed.

This course is an introduction to political economy. It focuses on the interaction between states, citizens, private enterprises, and markets. It starts by introducing some of the core concepts in game theory, such as simple normal and extensive form games; and pure and mixed strategy equilibria. It then reviews some of most influential works in contemporary political economy. The rest of the course is divided into three parts. The first part examines the support for, and the effects of domestic economic policies on welfare and inequality. The second part focuses on policies for economic development, from a comparative perspective, as well as hindrances. The final part studies the role of media and information on political accountability and state control of media.

It is now widely acknowledged that politics plays a central role in influencing economic development. This makes the political economy of development a central area of research. While a student with an introductory background to political economy will have familiarity with theories based on voting, this course stresses a variety of other factors that explain why some countries are rich and democratic while others are poor, corrupt, and unstable. After discussing the real meaning of development, the course surveys classical and contemporary theories of economic growth and development ranging from neoclassical to structural to recent endogenous growth theories. Specific topics reviewed in the second part of the course include population growth, migration, the security of property rights, the creation of market and non-market institutions, lobbying and rent-seeking, corruption, social conflict, and the political economy of redistribution. Examples from historical experience as well as modern developing countries would be used throughout the course.

What role does identity play in politics? Does culture affect political behavior? What is culture? In this course students examine the formation and role of identity in politics - and how identity and culture affect outcomes such as public goods provision, inter-group violence, democratization, and economic growth. Here, identity is not treated as fixed but as constructed, and its formation itself an outcome to be explained. Students will examine identity and its relation to distributive politics, representation, political mobilization, conflict, and coordination. Similarly, culture is not treated as static, but is dynamic. Students will seek to understand changes in culture over time as well as their effect on behavior, and assess different approaches to the study of culture.

Immigration in Europe, demographic change in the United States, accumulation of inequalities around the world, democratization in developing countries - these are transformative processes that force societies to confront issues of cohesion amidst ethnic, religious, and gender diversity. This course will prepare students to apply a social scientific mindset in thinking through these issues. It will allow students to engage with cutting-edge theoretical, experimental, and observational approaches to understanding the psychological and rational bases of intergroup conflict, processes through which people react to diversity, and ways that institutions promote or stall movement mitigating conflicts. Class assignments allow students to work with data using surveys, laboratory, and field techniques.

Is suffering a purely private experience or does it have important political dimensions? What are the intersections between suffering and power? What would public policies look like, that would have the minimization of suffering as their main goal? This course traces the political relevance of suffering, from the late 17th century to our time, focusing on how human vulnerability comes to be seen as a reality humans could/should do something about at the dawn of the Enlightenment. We will consider the problems attached to conceptualizing empathy as a political force, especially in contemporary diverse societies, and we will then turn to how images and experiences of suffering have spurred political action in novels, in the creation of social movements, and in the constitution of international legal instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The aim of this course is to explore the nature, scope, means and limits of belonging in modern political societies. We will primarily look at forms of communality (nationalism, communitarianism), and "identity politics" - the construction of social identities (through political participation, memory, language and religion) in order to understand why and how the ideal of modern individualism is determined by thick solidarities and loyalties to fellow nationals; to comprehend why and how we draw boundaries around idealized communities of peers; why we are so prompt to exclude those who are perceived as "strangers". Liberal democracies are supposed to be "inclusive", self-governing polities building on political - not ethnic - identities. However, Political membership is not only governed by contract or consent, shared political values and institutions, but also by forms of exclusiveness, and policies of "us" versus "them". How then are we ought to manage pluralism and diversity?

This course explores political and economic transformation through the lens of revolution: the effort to break from a tyrannical regime and to forge a new political order by establishing territorial sovereignty. Revolutions are routinely depicted as violent and uncompromising. Yet, this course considers the pivotal role revolutionary movements have played in fostering theories of democracy and humanity. In addition to exposing students to theories of revolution from different historical epochs and cultural contexts, this course is structured by four case studies through which we will explore some of the main contradictions that have defined revolutionary movements: the American Revolution), the Haitian Revolution, the Cuban Revolution and, finally, the Eritrean Revolution.

Political parties have been core features of regimes across the world for the last two-hundred years. As such, understanding the role of parties is essential for the study of both political institutions and political behavior. In this course, we examine parties from both a theoretical and empirical lens. We begin by examining why parties form and then proceed to study how they function, what their roles are in both governmental institutions and electoral politics, how they change or die, and other similar questions. For all cases, we draw on historical and contemporary examples from around the globe. Particular emphasis will be placed on exploring the present-day rise of populism and its effects on destabilizing political party systems across the globe.

Studying comparative politics sheds light on political outcomes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by examining divergent trajectories among countries in the region. As such, the course will focus on both the modern political history of MENA states since independence up to the contemporary period, but with an emphasis on the application of social-scientific theories that explain these historical processes. The topics of this course include the dynamics of authoritarianism and democracy in the Arab region, political Islamist movements, the weight of its professional and entrepreneurial middle classes, and the role of youth and the unemployed in maintaining or challenging the regime. Students will also examine the organization of the state, including the military and the intelligence services, the role of parliaments and elections, and the distribution of wealth.

How did the borders of South Asian countries come to be formed? What explains the variation in the types of regimes - democratic and authoritarian - across South Asia? To what extent do these countries vary in the structure of their states as well as regimes? How does ethnic diversity affect the politics of South Asian countries? What is the pattern of economic growth across these countries, and their human development record and why? What explains the high levels of violence in some South Asian countries and patterns of variation across these countries? These are some of the questions that this course addresses, with a primary focus on India and a secondary focus on Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, and Bhutan. Although students learn a vast number of facts about the history and politics of the region, the primary purpose of the course is to identify overarching patterns that characterize the politics of these regions - and to teach students to think analytically and comparatively about these patterns.

This course has as a central focus the political institutions of the United States and the effects of those institutions on policy outcomes. The course also places these institutions in the context of those of other wealthy democracies, as a means of illustrating several of the unique features of US political institutions. Topics covered in the course include separation of powers, federalism, and single-member district electoral rules.

The goal of this course is to introduce participants to the study of African politics from multiple methodological approaches and in a number of African contexts. The course begins with the historical roots of contemporary African politics, exploring how pre-colonial institutions and colonialism shaped African politics at independence. Next the course will survey the political and economic strategies of leaders post-independence and the factors shaping those strategies. The course includes an examination of the causes and consequences of poor governance, and evaluates the recent patterns of redemocratization on the continent. The course closes with a discussion of present-day challenges: electoral malfeasance, public health crises, the "new" populism, and China in Africa.

From Abraham the Patriarch to the Abraham Accord: How can we understand the complexities of Israeli society in light of recent events and political developments? Few people in the world are unfamiliar with Israel, and many hold strong opinions about it, whether positive or negative. This course aims to deepen understanding of the complications surrounding this small but significant country through two main areas of focus: historical and ideological. First, we will explore the history of the Jewish people and Israeli society, starting from ancient times and moving towards a more detailed analysis of contemporary issues including its relationship with the region and it people as well as the Geo Political positioning of Israel. Next, we will examine the challenges and divides within Israeli society, offering insights into the party-political ideologies that shape its public systems and policies. The course will conclude with an exploration of Israeli strategy and its broader implications. This course will be offered in January-Term 2025.

This course examines the political ramifications of the way that economic resources are produced and distributed in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Students will examine a range of political-economic issues both in historical context and current debates. The class will cover post-colonial development initiatives and their long-term ramifications on MENA states; current issues of economic redistribution, social services and inequality; the implementation of liberalization programs and the rise of crony capitalism; the role of oil in economic development and state formation in the Gulf; and the ramifications of widespread youth unemployment in the region. Students will be expected to write a research paper examining data on a current political-economic topic from the region and its relevance to politics in one or more Middle Eastern countries.

This seminar-style course constitutes a comparative study of the post-colonial politics of the North African region - specifically the states of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Through a combination of intensive reading, in-class discussion, and writing, students will develop an in-depth understanding of the politics in these four individual states and comparisons between them. The first part of the course focuses on essential aspects of North African politics across the four countries, including post-independence nation-building, the role of the military, Islamist movements, and Berber movements. The second dives into the political dynamics that have shaped, and in some cases transformed, politics in North Africa during and since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

This course examines the relationship between media and politics: how mass and social media influence political beliefs and behavior, and how political forces shape media landscapes. The class will study the role of media in ensuring a well-informed citizenry and improving government accountability through elections and collective action. It will then focus on institutional and personal constraints that hinder the ability of media to fulfill these goals. In particular, this class will cover media slant, censorship, fake news, and polarization on the institutional side, and motivated reasoning, correlational neglect, and selective exposure on the personal side. The readings are meant to familiarize students with classical and recent research on media and politics, as well as raising issues of relevance. The questions discussed in this course will not always have easy answers. This will especially be true when we discuss the role of social media in contemporary politics.

The Age of New Nationalisms: In what ways does the resurgence of nationalism in the 21st century signify a new age, and how is this shaping global political dynamics, cultural identities, economic policies, and international relations? This course introduces students to text-as-data methods as one way to examine the nature, causes and policy implications of these new nationalisms, drawing on datasets on party programs from the Manifesto project and an original dataset provided by the instructor of tweets and election speeches. The course combines the data analysis with a body of interdisciplinary readings, examples from the MENA region, South Asia, European and the U.S, and field visits to monuments and museums in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to help us distinguish between different types of nationalism. Students will learn how to construct concepts and typologies of nationalism, link these to data, generate original measures and use these measures to map the trends, cause and consequences of contemporary nationalisms. This course will be offered in January-Term 2025.

This course familiarizes students with high-quality research and writing in a particular area of comparative politics: the politics of representative government in industrialized democracies. We read and discuss work in four categories. We begin with voters and examine drivers of their behavior, including policy preferences, valence considerations, and economic motivations. We then move to electoral systems and their effects on politicians' behavior and policy choices, paying particular attention to how electoral systems influence particularism. Next, we consider why politicians form parties and weigh up competing theories of the functions served by parties. Finally, we study questions of governance, including why certain coalitions are formed and not others, how coalitions are managed, and how ministerial portfolios are allocated. Class discussions are focused on understanding why the authors tackled the questions they did and how they went about crafting and evaluating answers to those questions. One of the course's goals is to provide students with an opportunity to write a research paper of their own. To this end, the bulk of assessment will be writing-based.

The first decades of the 21 Century have been a period of rapid change & disruption. Seismic events - principally 9/11, the Iraq war, the financial crisis, the Syrian conflict, Russia's invasion of Ukraine & the Coronavirus pandemic - have created an era of economic insecurity & turbulence in international affairs, while helping to fuel the rise of populism in domestic politics. This politics & international affairs course, led by former UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, will help students investigate the causes & consequences of this turbulent period, focusing on the challenges & choices that leaders face. Using original source material & the best contemporary commentary - combined with Cameron’s own experience & insight - students will look at a series of case studies. There will be practical "in the room" exercises, where students consider the choices they would make as leaders & an emphasis on practical skills: drafting letters & articles, speechwriting & constructing solid arguments. There will also be expert witnesses interviewed to add context & the final week of study will take place in London, incorporating visits & guest speakers to deepen understanding of the topics covered. Note: Pending feasible international travel conditions this course will include a regional academic seminar to UK.

Democracy In Britain: Crisis and Change in the United Kingdom: Democracy in Britain is creaking under the strain of unprecedented challenges. From Scottish nationalism to Brexit; from a Covid recession to post-Covid runaway inflation; from a welfare state in decline to populism on the rise; from anger about immigration to a renewed focus on the legacy of Britain's imperial past - the constitution, political fabric and social contract of the UK is being tested as never before. This course will look at the state of British democracy: its constitutional coherence, the changing role of its main political institutions, debates about Britain in the world after Brexit, the rise of new issues and new social movements, and the ongoing revolution in citizens' attitudes towards politics. Through classes, guest speakers from a range of institutions and across the political spectrum, organized visits (including to Parliament and the UK Supreme Court), and contemporary British TV documentaries, the course asks: How is democratic life in the UK coping? How is it changing? And what are the central debates about reforming British democracy over the next decade? This course will be offered in January-Term 2025.

This introductory course on Latin American politics delves into the critical issues highlighted in the literature regarding the region's historical political developments while exploring the main theoretical approaches and concepts used to elucidate these events. The course spans Latin American history, seeking to identify the changes that occurred in different periods, the driving forces behind these changes, and their repercussions. It begins with an examination of colonialism and its enduring effects, progressing to the processes of independence and nation-building in the early 19th century. Subsequently, it explores the region's shift to capitalism, leading to oligarchic political regimes and liberal institutions (late 19th to early 20th centuries). The course then examines the era of early democratization, industrialization, and corporatism (1920s-60s), as well as the erosion of democracy and the ascent of authoritarianism throughout the region. Finally, it concludes with an exploration of more recent transitions to democracy, the persistent challenges of instability, weak rule of law, and violence, as well as debates about climate change and the environment.

This course focuses on a key mechanism facilitating international cooperation - international institutions. The course examines institutions ranging from informal institutions, or regimes, to formal, intergovernmental organizations. We ask the following questions: how are institutions established? What makes them change over time? What impact (if any) do they have? How do they operate and structure decision making? How do international institutions affect domestic politics? What challenges are international institutions facing? The course will begin by focusing on different theoretical perspectives on these questions, and continue by examining international institutions in specific issue areas.

This course provides a gentle introduction to modeling political behavior, using game theory to investigate political problems. Topics will include the policy position of political parties (the median voter problem), allocating cabinet positions within governments (divide the dollar problem), use of the Presidential veto (and other agenda setting problems) and how political institutions affect the types of policies government implement (selectorate theory). International relations problems will also be considered: models of bargaining and war, arms expenditures, the democratic peace and the provision of foreign aid. For instance, recently US President Trump has told NATO members that they need to spend more of defense. Using a model of collective action we will see why the US spends so much more that its NATO allies and how changes in threats over time have affected the imbalance in spending. The course assumes no prior mathematical modeling, although students should not be afraid of math. Students should expect to use basic algebra to solve problems (if you can solve two equations for two unknowns then you have all the required math skills).

This course focuses on the politics of nuclear weapons. Why do states seek nuclear weapons? What advantages do they provide to states in international crises? What explains the variation of states' reactions to another state's pursuit of nuclear technology? When do non-proliferation deals emerge, and what explains their content? To answer these questions, we will review the relevant academic literature on the spread of nuclear weapons, and study the histories of various nuclear programs. While some of the literature we will cover uses game theory, there are no prerequisites for this course.

The course provides models, tools and insights to understand the international context by integrating economic analysis with the major theories of International Relations. The course is organized in two parts. The first part deals with the global challenges to international relations related to conflict. We will analyze the incentives to enter conflict of various kinds by State and non-State actors, and the necessary modification of our perspective with the growing prominence of civil wars and mass displacements. The last part focuses on the contribution of IR theories to the understanding of the European integration process, the functioning of European Institutions, the desirability and functioning of different types of international organizations, and finally the problems related to globalization processes. The students will be assigned a case study where they will need to show in what way the theories studied in the course can be helpful to understand foreign policy decisions and in particular the potential consequences.

This course will examine the role of diplomacy in statecraft, and how governments use various methods of negotiation to pursue outcomes that advance their national interests. Students will first be introduced to theories of negotiation and the international legal bases for diplomatic relations. The course will then transition into a closer examination of the different types of diplomacy that states undertake, such as bilateral, multilateral, coercive, developmental, and crisis, drawing on actual case studies to illustrate each. Taking yet a closer look at diplomacy in practice, participants will explore what diplomacy entails from a practitioner's point of view, as seen from an embassy or a foreign ministry. Studying modern, real-life cases of diplomacy in action will allow students to better understand the strategies that states pursue to secure their national security objectives, both successfully and unsuccessfully.

In November 2023, the 28th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) will meet in the UAE to accelerate global action towards a Net Zero future. In 2015, Heads of State gathered at the UN Sustainable Summit to agree on seventeen goals to be delivered by 2030, with the aim of furthering peace, prosperity and sustainability. This course will explore how the global community can fulfill these promises within this decade of delivery, and how climate change threatens to undo progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. We will examine the fiscal, political and geopolitical constraints to understand their effect on government action to tackle climate change and global poverty. The course will evaluate the role of technology and innovation, and private and public sector finance, in challenging students to consider how governments, businesses, organizations, institutions and individuals can advance Net Zero and deliver the SDGs. Students will travel to Nepal to experience how the climate crisis has impacted on this country’s growth, development, society and culture, and observe the actions being taken to mitigate and adapt to climate change as it affects this Himalayan country. This course will include a regional academic seminar to Nepal.

Business, Politics, & Society (BPS) is a case-based MBA-style course that introduces students to the political economy of firms. Substantively, the course focuses on the political and social underpinnings of the market system, analyzes corporate political strategy and corporate social responsibility, and presents tools for assessing and mitigating risks, especially as they relate to politics, law/regulation, ethics, and other actors in society. The goal of the course is to help students to learn to structure and solve complex problems in dynamic global markets. Case studies from a variety of countries and industries will be supplemented with academic readings.

Many of contemporary environmental challenges are global in scope: issues, such as climate change, air pollution, biodiversity loss, clean water access, ozone layer depletion, overfishing and deforestation, transcend borders. Addressing these environmental threats requires international cooperation. This can be difficult since there is no global authority to enforce agreements between countries or to ensure that all countries contribute to international efforts. This course will analyze the nature of environmental problems and differences between countries in their domestic demand for environmental protection. The course will then consider cross-national characteristics of environmental problems and their implications for global action, as well as the effect of international political and economic conditions on environmental cooperation. The goal of the course is to explore how ideas, interests, interactions, and institutions shape global environmental politics.

Do abundant natural resources undermine democracy? Do they have a positive or negative effect on economic development? Is there a relationship between natural resources and interstate or intrastate conflict? This course will explore the politics of natural resources. It will analyze the effect of natural resources on a variety of economic and political issues, including growth, inequality, corruption, political stability, violence, human rights, and democracy. The course will also investigate how political institutions and economic conditions modify the effect of natural resources. Several contemporary issues, such as sustainable resource use and alternative energy, will be considered in detail. Recent empirical research on the politics of natural resources, as well as case studies from different regions of the world, will provide foundation for discussion.

This course seeks to provide students with a deepened understanding of the intersection of American politics and political communication. From crafting a message and grassroots organization to debate preparation, from social media to traditional media, from inaugural speeches to impeachment and conviction, students will study firsthand the specific skills and techniques utilized by those who run and influence Washington while benefiting from comparisons with UK politics. Students will interact with highly influential journalists, consultants, campaigners, bureaucrats, and politicians to learn how they shape and wield political and communication tools masterfully. They will also listen in on and analyze real focus groups and actual strategy sessions - giving them unprecedented access to and insights into what really happens in Washington. By hearing, questioning, and being in rich conversation with the key people in these fields, students will develop their own perspectives, both positive and negative, on the health and viability of the American democratic process and learn to communicate those effectively.

This seminar-style course introduces students to the most important principles and practical tools of qualitative research on politics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It aims to prepare students to undertake their own, high-quality original research on MENA politics using one or more qualitative methods.

Social Media and Politics: Over the past two decades, social and digital media have radically transformed the way people interact with each other online. In this course, we look at the way this technological transformation impacts politics, which includes how both elites and masses use social media, as well as what impact social media has - and will - have on the ways in which people learn about politically relevant topics. Substantively, we examine many of the biggest topics in the field: How does social media push people into "echo chambers" or "filter bubbles"? Why does it cause political polarization? What is the impact of exposure to misinformation, and what measures can be taken to reduce people's beliefs in misinformation? How have nefarious actors - both foreign and domestic - attempted to use social media to advance their political goals? At the same time, we will also focus on how we as researchers can try to answer these questions. Students will learn about different research methodologies for studying digital media and politics, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with working with social media data. We will also touch on Generative AI and what that may mean for politics as well. This course will be offered in January-Term 2025.

This seminar examines two aspects of modern political life: election administration and electoral malfeasance. Election administration describes the set of policies and practices that determine how an election is carried out. Electoral malfeasance describes the strategies political actors use to rig the electoral process or manipulate results. These topics are intertwined. Election administration can be used as a political tool to the benefit or detriment of a candidate, using election policies to create an uneven playing field. And while well-designed election administration can minimize the chances of fraud, mere perceptions of fraud can undermine the legitimacy of even high-quality electoral institutions, bringing the result of an election into doubt. This research seminar focuses on the methods and research designs used in quantitative social science to study (i) the effects election administration has on voter behavior and (ii) the presence of fraud in a set of election returns. Students will dissect recent work in the field, present on cutting edge work, and complete a replication-and-extension or pre-analysis plan that they may carry out as a capstone project.

U.S. politics in many ways remains in uncharted territory as the presidency of Donald J. Trump progresses toward the end of its first term. In this course, we will undertake an in-depth examination of elections, politics and governance in the current tumultuous American political landscape. We'll begin with a review of America's unusual political culture and its unique set of political institutions. We then turn to political science research on how policy preferences, values, and identity affect vote choice; the shifting coalitions of the two U.S. political parties, and how election campaigns are being reshaped by Big Data and social media. We'll then explore some of the major challenges facing the U.S. as a nation, including declines in life expectancy and labor force participation, rising economic inequality, the national debt, taxes and spending, and foreign policy. We'll conclude with an examination of a resurgence of populism and isolationism in the U.S., a comparison of the rise in American ethnonationalism to similar movements around the world, and the implications of all these developments for the role the U.S. will play on the global stage in the years to come.

Foreign policy decisions, like any other decisions state leaders make, are products of the pulls and pushes of domestic and international actors whose capabilities, tastes, and stakes compete to determine policy outcomes. These decisions are, thus, strategic. To teach the implications of various strategic settings for decision-making processes, the first seven weeks of the course offer an introduction to the toolbox of analytic techniques that are essential for understanding, analyzing, predicting, and eventually engineering policy choices in international politics. The second seven-week part of the course will cast the students as advisors on the most challenging decisions any political leader has to make. Using the analytical tools students mastered in the first part of the course, they will advise leaders in deciding how they should act in the face of foreign policy crises such as the Iran nuclear deal or disputes over natural gas drilling in the Mediterranean Sea. Throughout this part of the course, students will engage in red-teaming, write short strategic options memos and detailed case studies to inform policymaking with a model-based approach.

This course focuses on the forces shaping countries' foreign economic policies. Why do governments choose to protect some industries behind high tariff walls while leaving others exposed to international competition? Why have many countries removed barriers to crossborder financial flows - and what are the political consequences of financial market openness? Have the series of economic crises over the past couple of decades shifted the distribution of global economic and political power? In this course, we will develop an analytical toolkit to provide insight into these and other questions. The course is organized thematically. We start with an (1) overview of globalization and the world economy today. Following the introduction, we discuss (2) theoretical building blocks devoted to the main issue areas that concern IPE specialists: international trade, money, and finance. (3) Then we apply the theoretical frameworks in the historical context from 1896 to today. The rest of the course focuses on (4) current issues in IPE.

Civil war continues to be one of the most vexing problems in comparative and international politics. Why do civil wars break out? Aside from the obvious physical destruction caused by civil conflict what are the effects of civil conflict on society? How can the international community help end civil conflicts? This course will address these questions. It is broken into five substantive blocks, starting with an introduction to the concepts and patterns of war-related conflict around the globe, the factors that bring about civil wars, the dynamics of civil conflicts, followed by its consequences, and then moving on to what, if anything, countries and the international community can do to ameliorate this problem. The inter-disciplinary course draws on political science, behavioral economics, social psychology, history and anthropology, along with some research in natural sciences.

Technology is rapidly transforming how states and individuals interact and power functions. In the midst of so much change, what can we learn from the history and practice of diplomacy about how to thrive in a century like no other. The class will study new forms of power; how to build brand and influence; the geopolitical challenges ahead; and how we can maximize the opportunities of technology to manage the threats it creates. We will learn from inspirational leaders in their fields, and work together to design the solutions to the challenges of the Digital Age. It is the first course to be co-designed by J-Term students, and will be dominated by simulations, interactive class exercises and problem solving.

Students develop a research question, construct a research design that allows them to test potential answers to that question, collect relevant data, analyze the results, and write a senior thesis.

Students develop a research question, construct a research design that allows them to test potential answers to that question, collect relevant data, analyze the results, and write a senior thesis.