Political Science

110a. Gender, Social Problems and Social Change (1)

(Same as Sociology and Women's Studies 110) This course introduces students to a variety of social problems using insights from political science, sociology, and gender studies. We begin with an exploration of the sociological perspective, and how social problems are defined as such. We then examine the general issues of inequalities based on economic and employment status, racial and ethnic identity, and gender and sexual orientation. We apply these categories of analysis to problems facing the educational system and the criminal justice system. As we examine specific issues, we discuss political processes, social movements, and individual actions that people have used to address these problems. Ms. Leonard and Ms. Shanley.

This class is taught at the Taconic Correctional Facility for Women to a combined class of Vassar and Taconic students.

Prerequisite: with permission of the instructor.

One 3-hour period.

112. Family, Law, and Social Policy (1)

(Same as American Studies and Women's Studies 112) This course explores the ways laws and social policies intertwine with the rapid changes affecting U.S. families in the 21st century. We focus on ways in which public policies both respond to and try to influence changes in family composition and structure. The topics we explore may include marriage (including same-sex and polygamous marriage); the nuclear family and alternative family forms; domestic violence and the law; incarcerated parents and their children; juvenile justice and families; transnational families; and family formation using reproductive technologies. Although focusing on contemporary law and social policy, we place these issues in historical and comparative perspective. Course meets at the Taconic Correctional Facility. Ms. Dunbar and Ms. Shanley.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructors.

One 3-hour period.

Not offered in 2013/14.

140a or b. American Politics (1)

An analysis of the American political system and the structures and processes by which public policies are formulated and implemented. Attention is focused upon decision making in institutions of American national government, such as Congress, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court, and upon political behavior—public opinion, voting, and other forms of political activity. Attention is also given to evaluation of selected public policies and contemporary issues, and questions of political change. Mr. Born.

American Politics: a Multiracial and Multicultural Approach to U.S. Politics. This course represents a multiracial and multicultural approach to the study of American Politics. It examines American social history, political ideologies, and governmental institutions. It covers a broad range of topics including the Constitution, federalism, Congress, the judiciary, and the politics of difference in the United States. The thematic core of the class engages the evolution of the ideas of “equality” and “citizenship” in American society. Mr. Harris.

American Politics: Conflict and Power. An analysis of US politics as an example of the uses of conflict to uphold and/or to change established relationships of power and public policy. A main focus is on alternative theories and strategies of conflict, especially as reflected in such institutions as the constitution, court, party system, interest groups, the media, and presidency. A major focus is on the conflict implications of business as a system of power, its relation to the warfare state and the US international project. Materials may be drawn from comparisons with other political systems. Mr. Plotkin.

American Politics: Democracy and Citizenship. This course examines tensions and conflicts surrounding contemporary US democracy within the context of a global, post 9/11 world. Issues of citizenship and immigration, liberty, security, class, race, ethnicity, and gender inform a consideration of federal government institutions and processes. Specific topics vary according to changing political events and circumstances. Ms. Villmoare.

150a or b. Comparative Politics (1)

An examination of political systems across the world chosen to illustrate different types of political regimes, states, and societies. The political system is seen to include formal institutions of government, such as parliaments and bureaucracies; political parties and other forms of group life; those aspects of the history and social and economic structure of a society that are relevant to politics; and political beliefs, values, and ideologies. Special attention is given to the question of political change and development, whether through revolutionary or constitutional process.

Comparative Politics: Analyzing Politics in the World. This course introduces how comparativists analyze politics within states in the world. Topics include state formation, democracy and dictatorship, political economy, social movements, revolution, ethnicity, and political culture. The course draws from both theoretical work and country and regional case studies that may include the US, Chile, China, India, Cuba, Great Britain, Iran, the Middle East, South Africa and East Asia. The course uses cases to analyze and compare basic concepts and patterns of the political process. Students should come away from the course with both an understanding of the diversity of the world’s political systems, as well as an appreciation of the questions and concepts that inform the work of political scientists. Ms. Hite, Mr. Opondo, Mr. Su.

160a or b. International Politics (1)

An examination of major issues in international politics, including national and international security and production and distribution of wealth, along with selected global issues such as human rights, ethnic nationalism and ethnic conflict, migration and refugees, environmental degradation and protection, and the impact of developments in communication and information technologies. Attention is also given to the origins, evolution, and the future of the contemporary international system, as well as to competing theoretical perspectives on world politics. Ms. Haus, Mr. Rock, Mr. Muppidi.

170a or b. Political Theory (1)

An introduction to the nature, types, and problems of political theory. The core of the readings consists of selections from what are considered classic works in the field. The course emphasizes the relevance of these ideas to current political developments and scholarship. Mr. Davison.

Political Theory: Central Political Concepts and Practices. An examination of central political concepts and practices with reading from the history of political philosophy and contemporary thinkers. The course treats concepts and practices such as freedom, citizenship, equality, the state, revolution, the Socratic question of how best to lead one's life, conservatism, and anarchism, using readings by thinkers such as Aristotle, Machiavelli, Locke, Mill, Ghandi, Arendt, Foucault, and current authors. Mr. Stillman.

177a. Environmental Political Thought (1/2)

(Same as Environmental Studies 177) The emerging awareness of ecological problems in the past half-century has led to a questioning and rethinking of some important political ideas. What theories can describe an ecologically-sound human relation to nature; what policies derive from those theories; and how do they value nature? What is the appropriate size of political units? What model of citizenship best addresses environmental issues? This course will address selected issues through readings in past political thinkers like Locke and Marx and in contemporary political and environmental theorists. Mr. Stillman.

178b. Political Theory, Environmental Justice: The Case of New Orleans After Katrina (1/2)

(Same as Environmental Studies 178) Hurricane Katrina flooded much of New Orleans, causing intense social and political problems within the city and testing the ability of citizens and governments to respond to the crisis. The course aims to interpret and evaluate those responses by reading past political theorists, such as Aristotle, Hobbes, and DuBois, and current evaluations, such as those based in concerns for environmental justice. Mr. Stillman.

207b. Political Analysis (1)

A study of the methods for collecting quantitative and qualitative data in political science. In addition to exploring the logic of scientific inquiry and methods of analysis, normative questions are raised concerning the potential biases and limitations of particular modes of inquiry. Research examples emphasize the special problems in cross-cultural validation. Mr. Born.

232a. The Politics of Private and Public (1)

This course examines the political significance of public and private in the contemporary US. Theoretical arguments as well as specific issues and contexts within which debates about public and private unfold are analyzed. Of particular thematic concern is, the privatization of governmental responsibilities and the "public" and "private" rights claims of individuals and communities. Among the issues studied are privatization of the US military and prisons, gated and other "private" communities and their relationship to the larger political communities within which they exist, intellectual property and the public domain, and the "privacy" of personal decisions. Ms. Villmoare.

234a. Media and Politics (1)

This course explores various forms of media, including newspapers and journals, television, film, radio, and the internet as well as politics in the contemporary United States. Among the topics examined are the relationships between media and 1) electoral politics; 2) governance at the national level; 3) crime and law and order; 4) politics of race, class and gender. Ms. Villmoare.

238. Power and Public Policy (1)

An examination of the policy consequences of power in the United States, including the role of the corporation as a policy making institution and the influence of citizens and social movements on public policy. The emphasis is on theories of power, relationships between economic and political power, and the impact of power on ideology and the structuring of policy alternatives, policy making, and policy implementation. Case studies may include policy areas such as health, environment, tobacco, technology, and mass media. Mr. Plotkin.

Not offered in 2013/14.

240. The American Presidency (1)

An analysis of the American presidency, with emphasis on recent presidents. Topics include presidential nominations and elections; the nature and use of presidential power; the institutionalized presidency; policy making in the White House; the relationship between presidents and other key political factors, e.g., the Congress, the bureaucracy, the media, and public opinion; and the role of presidential personality and style. Mr. Born.

Not offered in 2013/14.

241. Congress (1)

An analysis of the contemporary and evolving U.S. Congress, its organization, functions, and politics. Topics include congressional elections and representation; the internal life and norms of the House and Senate; the structure of power in Congress; interest groups and lobbying; presidential-congressional relations; the congressional response to selected public problems; and political change and the future of Congress. Mr. Born.

Not offered in 2013/14.

242b. Law, Justice, and Politics (1)

An analysis of the interrelationships between law and politics in civil and criminal spheres in the United States, focusing on the role of the police, courtroom participants, and prison officials. Special emphasis is given to decision making in criminal law at the local level—e.g., pretrial negotiations, bail, and sentencing. Ms. Villmoare.

243. Constitutional Law (1)

Leading decisions of the Supreme Court interpreting the Constitution of the United States, with special reference to the powers of government and the rights of individuals. Mr. Harris.

Not offered in 2013/14.

244. Political Parties and Public Opinion (1)

An examination of the nature and roles of public opinion and political parties in American politics, with emphasis on democratic means of political participation and influence in contemporary America. Special attention is paid to mass and elite political attitudes and behavior, techniques of public opinion polling, the impact of public opinion on policy making, recent national elections, campaign techniques and strategies, and the changing party system. Mr. Born.

Not offered in 2013/14.

246b. Civil Rights (1)

This survey course examines the causal and remedial relationship of law to racial discrimination. Following a brief historical overview of the law's engagement with race, the course considers the development of civil rights claims in a number of areas such as education, housing and employment. Competing visions of racial equality embedded in civil rights legislation, in case law and in legal discourse and theory will be evaluated as well as critiques of traditional models of anti-discrimination law. Throughout the class we will seek to assess how the legal system has accommodated racism and racial subordination as well as the extent to which racial progress is both enabled and delimited within the legal frame. Mr. Harris.

247a. The Politics of Difference (1)

(Same as Africana Studies 247) This course relates to the meanings of various group experiences in American politics. It explicitly explores, for example, issues of race, class, gender, disability, and sexual orientation. Among other things, this course addresses the contributions of the Critical Legal Studies Movement, the Feminist Jurisprudence Movement, the Critical Race Movement, and Queer Studies to the legal academy. Mr. Harris.

249b. The Politics of City, Suburb, and Neighborhood (1)

(Same as Urban Studies 249) An examination of the development, organization, and practice of the varied forms of politics in metropolitan areas. Main themes include struggles between machine and reform politicians in cities; fiscal politics and urban pre-occupations with economic growth, racial and class politics; changes in federal urban policies; neighborhood politics and alternative forms of community organization; suburban politics and race/class. Mr. Plotkin.

260. International Relations of the Third World: Bangdung to 9/11 (1)

(Same as Africana Studies and International Studies 260) Whether referred to as the "Third World," or other variants such as the "Global South," the "Developing World," the "G-77," the "Non-Aligned Movement," or the "Post- colonial World," a certain unity has long been assumed for the multitude of countries ranging from Central and South America, across Africa to much of Asia. Is it valid to speak of a Third World? What were/are the connections between countries of the Third World? What were/are the high and low points of Third World solidarity? And what is the relationship between the First and Third Worlds? Drawing on academic and journalistic writings, personal narratives, music, and film, this course explores the concept of the Third World from economic, political and cultural perspectives. Beginning shortly after the end of colonialism, we examine the trajectory of the Third World in global political debates through the end of the Cold War and start of the War on Terror. Mr. Mampilly.

Not offered in 2013/14.

261. Theories of War and Peace (1)

An inquiry into the causes of war and peace among states. Explanations at various levels—human, societal, governmental, international—are considered. The course aims at an understanding of those factors which lead individual states into conflict with one another as well as those which incline the broader international system toward stability or instability. Mr. Rock.

Not offered in 2013/14.

262. India, China and the State of Post-coloniality (1)

(Same as Asian Studies 262) As India and China integrate themselves deeply into the global economy, they raise issues of crucial importance to international politics. As nation-states that were shaped by an historical struggle against colonialism, how do they see their re-insertion into an international system still dominated by the West? What understandings of the nation and economy, of power and purpose, of politics and sovereignty, shape their efforts to join the global order? How should we re-think the nature of the state in the context? Are there radical and significant differences between colonial states, capitalist states and postcolonial ones? What are some of the implications for international politics of these differences? Drawing on contemporary debates in the fields of international relations and postcolonial theory, this course explores some of the changes underway in India and China and the implications of these changes for our current understandings of the international system. Mr. Muppidi.

Not offered in 2013/14.

263a. Critical International Relations (1)

(Same as Asian Studies 263) The study of world politics is marked by a rich debate between rationalist and critical approaches. While rationalist approaches typically encompass realist/neo-realist and liberal/neo-liberal theories, critical approaches include social constructivist, historical materialist, post-structural and post-colonial theories of world politics. This course is a focused examination of some of the more prominent critical theories of international relations. It aims to a) familiarize students with the core concepts and conceptual relations implicit in these theories and b) acquaint them with the ways in which these theories can be applied to generate fresh insights into the traditional concerns (such as war, anarchy, nationalism, sovereignty, global order, economic integration) and security dilemmas of world politics. Mr. Muppidi.

264. The Foreign Policy of the United States (1)

Key factors which shape the formulation and execution of American foreign policy are identified, primarily through a series of case studies drawn from post–World War II experience in world affairs. Normative issues concerning the decision-making process and foreign policy goals and means are also discussed. Mr. Rock.

Not offered in 2013/14.

265b. International Political Economy (1)

This course addresses the relationship between power and wealth in the international arena. The interaction between politics and economics is explored in historical and contemporary subjects that may include the rise and decline of empires; economic sanctions; international institutions such as the IMF; regional integration in the European Union; globalization and its discontents; mercenaries and military corporations; education and internationalization. Ms. Haus.

266. Defense Policy and Arms Control (1)

An examination of American defense and arms control policy since 1945. Particular attention is given to the theory and practice of conventional and nuclear deterrence, and to the analysis of such contemporary issues as proliferation, the role of women and gays in the military, and the problem of economic conversion. Mr. Rock.

Not offered in 2013/14.

268a. The Politics of Globalization (1)

Globalization is increasingly seen as a new and powerful force in world politics, but there is intense debate over what this new force is and what its effects are. This course introduces students to some of the more prominent ways of theorizing globalization and explaining the politics underlying the economic, social and cultural effects it generates. Mr. Muppidi.

270b. Modern Political Thought (1)

An exploration and analysis of arguments for market freedom from Thomas Hobbes and Adam Smith to Ronald Reagan and Paul Ryan. The historical justifications for market freedom and classical liberalism are found in the writings of Hobbes, Locke, and Smith. Thinkers such as Hayek, Friedman, Nozick, and Ayn Rand construct the intellectual foundations for contemporary conservative and neoliberal thought. These ideas are expressed by Reagan, Thatcher, and current political figures. Criticisms of market freedom and neoliberalism, such as those by Marx and Harvey, will also be examined. Mr. Stillman.

Two 75-minute periods.

271. Race, Gender, and Class in American Political Thought (1)

Studies of American political theory, particularly issues surrounding the meanings of democracy, political obligation, and equality. Readings include works about the government of Native American peoples, Spanish and English colonial rule, the U.S. Constitution, the post–Civil War amendments, women's suffrage and women's rights, and the political and constitutional challenges posed by a pluralistic or multicultural society. Mr. Stillman.

Not offered in 2013/14.

273. Interpreting Politics (1)

A detailed study of the philosophical underpinnings of various modes of interpreting politics: empiricism/positivism; interpretive/hermeneutic inquiry, critical theory, rational choice theory, realism, and discourse analysis. Aim is to understand the central concepts and goals of each approach, the kinds of explanations they seek to offer, and the views they posit regarding the relationship between politics and theory, on the one hand, and politics and the political analyst, on the other. Mr. Davison.

Not offered in 2013/14.

274b. Political Ideology (1)

(Same as Asian Studies 274) This course examines the insights and limits of an ideological orientation to political life. Various understandings of ideology are discussed, selected contemporary ideologies are studied (e.g., liberalism, conservatism, Marxism, fascism, Nazism, corporatism, Islamism), and the limits of ideology are explored in relation to other forms of political expression and understanding. Selected ideologies and contexts for consideration are drawn from sites of contemporary global political significance. Mr. Davison.

Two 75-minute periods.

275. Terrorism and Political Philosophy (1)

An exploration of how the resources of political philosophy can be used to analyze and evaluate terrorism. How can terrorism be defined — what are the major definitions, what are the major definitional issues, and what counts as a terrorist act? Are there tendencies in Western political thought and practice that produce a climate conducive to the discourse of terror? What are the arguments of those who advocate or justify terror and those who denounce or criticize it? How can we interpret and evaluate the use of terror by states and by non-state groups? Readings range from the seventeenth century to the present and include Hobbes, Robespierre, Arendt, Fanon, and Qutb. Mr. Stillman.

Not offered in 2013/14.

277b. The Politics of Capitalism (1)

An examination of theories of the relationship between capitalism, politics and the state. Central concerns include tendencies toward fiscal crisis, war, and waste; the impact of capital on political power and the sabotage of democracy; ideology, class consciousness and the potential for resistance from below. Authors to be considered include, among others, Thorstein Veblen, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Franz Neurmann, C. Wright Mills, and Sheldon Wolin. Mr. Plotkin.

Two 75-minute periods.

279. Utopian Political Thought (1)

A study of major Western utopias from Thomas More's to the present, including proposed "good societies," dystopias such as Brave New World, and existing communities that are utopian or can be analyzed through utopian principles. Central themes the role and value of utopias in understanding and criticizing the present and in imagining possibilities for the future; the use of utopias to explore important political concepts and different ways of living; and the relations among utopias, dystopias, and existing utopian experiments. Mr. Stillman.

Not offered in 2013/14.

290a or b. Field Work (1/2 or 1)

Individual or group field projects or internships with prior approval of the adviser. Students are expected to do substantial directed reading in theoretical material specifically related to the field placement prior to or in conjunction with the field experience; to develop in consultation with a faculty supervisor a set of questions based on the theoretical reading to guide the field observations; to submit a written report relating the theoretical reading to the field observations or, in lieu of a report and at the option of the department, to take a final oral examination administered by two faculty members. No more than 1 unit of field work (290) may be counted toward fulfilling the requirements of the minimum major. The department.

Special permission.

298a or b. Independent Work (1/2 or 1)

Independent work is normally based on a student's desire to study with an instructor a specialized aspect of a course taken with that instructor. One unit normally entails substantial directed reading and/or the writing of a long paper and biweekly conferences with the instructor. In no case shall independent work satisfy the subfield distribution requirement. The department.

Special permission.

300a. Senior Thesis (1)

A 1-unit thesis, written in the fall semester.

Special permission.

301a. Senior Thesis (1/2 or 1)

A 1-unit thesis written in two semesters.

Yearlong course 301-302.

Special permission.

302b. Senior Thesis (1/2 or 1)

A 1-unit thesis written in two semesters.

Yearlong course 301-302.

Special permission.

341. Seminar in Congressional Politics: U.S. House and Senate Election (1)

This seminar is focused on U.S. congressional elections, with some attention also devoted to interrelationships between voting for Congress and voting for the president. The ideas covered in the course are applied to the specific context of the 2010 midterms and the forthcoming 2012 elections. Among the topics studied are the following: 1) the ongoing massive redistricting of congressional districts; 2) the electoral effects of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision of 2010; 3) the emergence of 501(c)(4) “non-profit” groups and Super-PACs as major players in campaign financing; 4) the development of ever more sophisticated campaign technology, like "microtargeting" of voters; 5) the transformation of southern House and Senate seats from Democratic to Republican control; and 6) the increasing partisan polarization of American elections. Mr. Born.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

Not offered in 2013/14.

343a. Seminar in Constitutional Theory (1)

This seminar focuses on some core problems pertaining to constitutional interpretation, examining questions of constitutional theory and interpretation as they relate to issues of equality and full citizenship. The course discusses the nature and function of the Constitution, explores theories about how the Constitution should be interpreted, and examines the methods that interpreters use to decipher the meanings of constitutional provisions. These concerns are addressed by focusing on various dimensions of constitutional theories and decisions pertaining to questions related to anti-discrimination law. Some of the issues covered include standards of judicial review, Supreme Court interpretations of equal protection, the constitutional protection of groups as well as individuals, and the appropriateness of constitutional protections rooted in color-blind and gender-blind principles. Mr. Harris.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

346b. The Politics of Rights and Social Change (1)

Rights claims and court decisions have often been at the center of political conflict in the US. This seminar examines meanings of rights politics that look to litigation as a key strategy for political and social change. There is a consideration of legal culture in everyday life, ways in which rights get politically articulated, the role of lawyers in this politics, the impact of court decisions, and benefits and limits of litigation for such politics. Ms. Villmoare.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor, normally an intermediate-level course in American politics.

One 2-hour period.

348. Seminar in Democracy and Power in America (1)

An examination of tensions and adjustments between democratic ideals and the structures and practices of political and economic power in the United States. Mr. Plotkin.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor, normally an intermediate-level course in American Politics.

One 2-hour period.

352a. Redemption and Diplomatic Imagination in Postcolonial Africa (1)

(Same as Africana Studies 352) This seminar explores the shifts and transformations in the discourse and practice of redemptive diplomacy in Africa. It introduces students to the cultural, philosophical and political dimensions of estrangement and the mediation practices that accompany the quest for recognition, meaning and material well-being in selected colonial and postcolonial societies. Through a critical treatment of the redemptive vision and diplomatic imaginaries summoned by missionaries, anti-colonial resistance movements and colonial era Pan-Africanists, the seminar interrogates the ‘idea of Africa’ produced by these discourses of redemption and their implications for diplomatic thought in Africa. The insights derived from the interrogation of foundational discourses on African redemption are used to map the transformation of identities, institutional forms, and the minute texture of everyday life in postcolonial Africa. The seminar also engages modern humanitarianism, diasporic religious movements, Non-Governmental Organizations and neoliberal or millennial capitalist networks that seek to save Africans from foreign forces of oppression or ‘themselves.’ Mr. Opondo.

355a. Seminar on Violence (1)

This seminar explores the many manifestations of political violence. Drawing from cases around the world, we examine: 1) a range of theoretical explanations of violence; 2) how governments and societies address systematic violations of human rights of their pasts; 3) organized insurgency and counterinsurgency response; and 4) extremely high levels of violence as an every day social phenomenon. The seminar attempts to address the influences, linkages, and implications of past and present violence for these societies; present and future politics and culture. Case studies come from Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the United States. Ms. Hite.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

358b. Comparative Political Economy (1)

This course surveys some classic writings in the study of political economy and examines a variety of choices countries have made in different time periods and in different regions of the world, including Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The primary objective of the course is to explore how politics and economics have interacted in the real world. By the end of the course students should also have gained familiarity with some analytical tools in the field of political economy. Mr. Su.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

360a. The Ethics of War and Peace (1)

This course considers the moral rights and obligations of states, political and military leaders, soldiers, and ordinary citizens with respect to war and peace. Taking just war theory as our point of departure, we concentrate on three major questions: (1) When, if ever, is the use of military force permissible? (2) How may military force be used? (3) Who is responsible for ensuring that force is used only at a permissible time and in a permissible manner? Students are encouraged to develop positions on these matters and to apply them to recent and contemporary cases involving the use or potential use of force.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

Not offered in 2013/14.

362a. Seminar in International Politics: Migration and Citizenship (1)

This seminar considers the causes and consequences of migration from economically developing countries such as China, Mexico, Morocco, Algeria, Pakistan, India and Turkey, to post-industrial countries with a focus on the United States, France, and Britain. The seminar first considers different explanations for why people move across state borders, such as the role of economic forces, the legacies of colonialism, and escape from violence. The seminar then engages in a comparative analysis of the politics of 'difference' in countries such as Britain, the U.S. and France, and asks why these politics have played out quite differently in each country. Consideration is given to policies towards and experiences of immigrants & refugees, and societal reactions to immigration. So as to compare the politics of 'difference' in countries such as France, Britain, and the U.S., the seminar addresses specific subjects including education policy in regard to the (grand) children of immigrants; policies towards religious minorities; diverse views on the implications of multiculturalism and assimilation for gender inequity; perceptions on the economic consequences of immigration for other workers; and the sources and impact of anti-immigrant political movements historically and contemporarily. Ms. Haus.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

363b. Decolonizing International Relations (1)

(Same as Asian Studies 363) Colonial frameworks are deeply constitutive of mainstream international relations. Issues of global security, economy, and politics continue to be analyzed through perspectives that either silence or are impervious to the voices and agencies of global majorities. This seminar challenges students to enter into, reconstruct, and critically evaluate the differently imagined worlds of ordinary, subaltern peoples and political groups. We draw upon postcolonial theories to explore alternatives to the historically dominant explanations of international relations. Mr. Muppidi.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

365b. Civil Wars and Rebel Movements (1)

(Same as International Studies 365) Since World War II, civil wars have vastly outnumbered interstate wars, and have killed, conservatively, five times as many people as interstate wars. This seminar explores contemporary civil wars from a variety of different angles and approaches drawn primarily from political science, but also other disciplines. In addition, we consider personal accounts, journalistic coverage, and films that illustrate the reality of contemporary warfare. The course is divided into three sections, each of which emphasizes the transnational nature of contemporary civil wars. First, we read a selection of differing perspectives on the causes and consequences of civil conflicts. Next, we explore literature on the organization and behavior of rebel organizations by rebel theorists and academics. And finally, we consider different case studies from different parts of the world. Mr. Mampilly.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

366. Worlding International Relations (1)

This seminar is a writing intensive course where we explore how prominent thinkers/scholars of international relations have engaged the task of writing alternative worlds into the field of politics. Though located in the periphery, how have various thinkers imagined, articulated and taken up the challenge of crossing multiple colonial borders? While we read various authors, our focus is primarily on the act and practice of writing itself. We closely consider how those we read write, and we write and study each other's works in order to collectively think through, critique and help ourselves imagine and write into existence variously silenced aspects of international relations. Mr. Muppidi.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

Not offered in 2013/14.

383. Global Political Thought (1)

Conventional international relations theory derives its core concepts primarily from Western political thought. Political relations in most of the world, however, are based on ways of imagining and acting that are constituted through different and multiple languages of political, economic and social thought. Classics such as The Shahnameh, The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, The Adventures of Amir Hamza, The Arthasastra, The Rayavacakamu offer textured understandings of worlds shaped by imaginations of order, justice, governance, power, authority and sovereignty. This seminar introduces students to some of these ways of thinking world politics through a careful reading of classic texts such as Popol Vuh, Sundiata, Muqaddimah, Ain-e-Akbari, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, The Tale of Genji, and Journey to the West. The idea is to read these classics as global texts rather than as the essences of specific cultures or civilizations. The focus is therefore on analyzing how certain classic texts have traveled, been translated, understood, or appropriated across various historical groupings. Mr. Muppidi.

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

One 2-hour period.

Not offered in 2013/14.

399a or b. Senior Independent Work (1/2 or 1)

Independent work is normally based on a student's desire to study with an instructor a specialized aspect of a course taken with that instructor. Normally 1 unit entails substantial directed reading, the writing of a long paper, and biweekly conferences with the instructor. This course cannot be used to satisfy the requirement of 2 units of 300-level work in the major. In no case shall independent work satisfy the subfield distribution requirement. The department.

Special permission.