What is the relationship between personal experience and political thought? How do political thinkers grasp and convey the connections between self and political order? Our first-year seminar will probe the links between heart and mind in political philosophy by exploring the lives and writings of illustrative figures who together span the history of political thought. Texts will include memoirs and fiction as well as abstract theoretical works

'Gentrification, unemployment, crime, failing schools, disinvestment, mass incarceration--what comes to mind when you think of the inner city? In response to a constrained fiscal environment, cities have increasingly adopted neoliberal policy approaches to address seemingly intractable urban problems. The seminar will study current research to assess the political and economic impact of this neoliberal policy regime on housing, education, and public safety. This is an inter-institutional linked class with an advanced seminar on the same topic at Holyoke Community College.

'We will examine the crusade for desegregation both within and beyond the South. Some attention will be given to the movement's Reconstruction precedents, but we will concentrate on the post-1954 period. Readings will cover how segregation was instituted; different phases of the movement; leaders, organization, and followers; the role of women and children; and post-movement history.'

'This course covers African politics from the pre-colonial period to the contemporary era, examining local experiences of democracy, governance, and economic development in light of varied colonial experiences, independence movements, international political economy, and informal sources of political power. Students will read closely historical, theoretical, and creative texts on African Politics, and consult contemporary media coverage of Africa.'

'This course explores such contested political concepts as democracy, power, nationalism, freedom, identity, alienation, civil society, and the public sphere - as those concepts have been interpreted by diverse currents of political thought.This fall we will examine the idea of conservatism, focusing on the intellectual legacy of Edmund Burke, Leo Strauss, and Ayn Rand, as well as the political writings of contemporary conservatives and the platforms of popular tendencies such as the Tea Party movement.'

This course focuses on the recasting of global security concerns after the end of the cold war. It pays special attention to the problems of economic and ecological security; the relationship between security and democracy; humanitarian intervention; nuclear proliferation; and terrorism. The course concludes with analysis of specific initiatives for achieving both common and comprehensive security.

'Multiple forms of conflict and violence fueled by economic inequality, political instability, and rising radicalism mark South Asia--a region of contested histories, ideologies, and territories. We will explore the histories and causes of enduring conflicts, such as Kashmir and the wars in Afghanistan, separatist movements in Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, and potential conflicts over scarce water and energy resources. We will conclude with analysis of the role of external powers, such as China, Iran, and the U.S. in South Asia and assess the prospects for peace in the region.'

'Sometimes the object of aggression, sometimes itself the aggressor, Russia has been party to all the major military conflicts of the 19th and 20th centuries - Napoleonic Wars, Crimean War, World War I, and World War II. Russian army also fought in numerous regional wars, notably in Afghanistan in 1979-1989 and recently in Chechnya and Georgia. We will study perceptions of war in modern Russian society and look at their origins, and for that we will do in-depth study of impacts of past wars. What generated support for the government?

'Gentrification, unemployment, crime, failing schools, disinvestment, mass incarceration -- what comes to mind when you think of the inner city? In response to a constrained fiscal environment, cities have increasingly adopted neoliberal policy approaches to address seemingly intractable urban problems. The seminar will study current research to assess the political and economic impact of this neoliberal policy regime on housing, education, and public safety. This is an inter-institutional linked class with an advanced seminar on the same topic at Holyoke Community College.