Analysis of Japan’s diplomacy and foreign policy since World War II. Emphasis on various approaches to the study of Japan’s external relations, and on contending national identities debated in Japan, including pacifist, neo-mercantilist, civilian, normative and normal nation images. Case studies focus on relations with the U.S., Europe, East through Central Asia and other non-Western regions.

Fundamental rights of persons and citizens as interpreted by decisions of the Supreme Court, with emphasis on the interpretation of the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment.

Topics course.: This course examines the processes and organizations that govern foreign policy decisions in the United States. We view this topic through a variety of lenses, including theories of individual cognition and bias, small-group decision-making, bureaucratic politics, and organizational behavior. These different approaches are applied to several in-depth cases studies drawn from the last fifty years of U.S. foreign policy. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing; GOV 241 (International Politics) or equivalent; and one college-level course in American politics.

A study of major ideas and theories of justice and rights since World War II. Beginning with the work of John Rawls and his critics, we move to examine the debates raised by Rawls in the works of other authors who take seriously his idea of building a just society for all. Special attention is paid to the politics of inclusion for groups based on race, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity as their claims for rights/justice/inclusion present challenges to our rhetorical commitment to build a just and fair society for all.

In this course we ask and answer the following questions: Just what is “United States foreign policy”? By what processes does the United States define its interests in the global arena? What instruments does the U.S. possess to further those interests? Finally, what specific foreign policy questions are generating debate today? Prerequisite: 241 or permission of the instructor.

An introduction to the theoretical and empirical analysis of the interactions of states in the international system. Emphasis is given to the historical evolution of the international system, security politics, the role of international norms in shaping behavior, and the influence of the world economy on international relations. Not a course in current events. Enrollment limited to 70.

Why and how do we hold elections? In this class, we study the rules that structure how we select leaders to represent us and the subsequent political behavior in response to those rules. Our examination of elections worldwide involves a global overview of modern elections, including those held in authoritarian regimes. By the end of the course, each student is an expert on an election of their choice. We have two questions motivating our journey in this course. First, do elections matter? Second, how should we hold elections? (E)

This course examines the most important issues facing the U.S./Mexico border: NAFTA, industrialization and the emergence of the maquiladoras (twin plants); labor migration and immigration; the environment; drug trafficking; the militarization of the border; and border culture and identity. The course begins with a comparison of contending perspectives on globalization before proceeding to a short overview of the historical literature on the creation of the U.S./Mexico border.

This survey course examines the ever-changing political and economic landscape of the African continent. The course aims to provide students with an understanding of the unique historical, economic and social variables that shape modern African politics, and introduces students to various theoretical and analytical approaches to the study of Africa’s political development. Central themes include the ongoing processes of nation-building and democratization, the constitutional question, the international relations of Africa, issues of peace and security, and Africa’s political economy.

This course introduces students to comparative political analysis and provides a foundation to better understand major political, economic and social forces in a diverse set of countries. We first focus on key methods and concepts such as state and nation, asking where states come from and how are nations built. The course then addresses questions including: Why are some countries democratic and others authoritarian? How do states promote or stymie economic development? What role do civil society and social groups play in political and economic transition?