Technology Power and Governanc

The course examines power and uses of digital technologies in national, transnational and global governance. Topics include inequalities, transparency, civil society, state capacity, privacy, social movements, cyberwar and electoral politics. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BA-PolSci majors.

S-The Language of Politics

This course examines the multiple roles that language plays in politics. Among the topics it covers: Orwellian doublespeak, Black English, hate speech, truthfulness in politics, gender neutral pronouns, partisan word labs, the linguistic construction of the ?war on terror,? folk tales as a form of political resistance, and familial metaphors in American political discourse. More abstractly, this course is organized around three broad themes: the place of language in political action, language as a political resource and the language of politics in America.

US Health Politics and Inequal

The United States leads the world in spending on health care and is without peer in terms of biomedical research. However, the United States is not the healthiest country in the world as measured by key indicators of population health like infant mortality and life expectancy. Unequal access to quality health care is certainly part of the explanation in a country where, even after the new health care reform legislation, some 25 million Americans will have no insurance.

Protest & Dissent

This course explores ideas and practices of political protest and dissent through a range of cases drawn from around the globe and utilizing the comparative method. We will explore such questions as, Why do people protest? Against whom or what is protest directed? To achieve what ends? What forms of protest are employed? While political activism, marches, riots, strikes, and other tried-and-true forms of protest are easily recognizable, what are the other ways in which individuals and groups might register or express political dissent?

S-Central Asia and the World

Central Asia & the World: Central Asia today is often associated with buzzwords such as "petrostates,- "Islamic radicalism,- and "authoritarianism." Yet it is a dynamic and complex region which lies at the intersection of multiple historical empires and geographic regions. The course provides a foundation to evaluate debates about current trends and developments in post-Soviet Central Asia. The course is divided into three major units: 1) From Empire to Statehood; 2) Identity Politics; and 3) Political Economies and Globalization.
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