This seminar in political theory examines contemporary theories and practices of dissent, from civil disobedience to armed resistance to political exit. Are citizens morally obligated to obey unjust laws? What makes a law or political arrangement unjust? What kinds of protest actions are justified? What are the promises and limitations of nonviolence -- or violence? What effect do different forms of resistance have, and what is their political value? Is exiting -- quitting politics or leaving the polity -- a meaningful form of resistance?

This advanced seminar examines the political implications of treating environmental events and trends as matters of (inter)national security. It approaches the issue historically—examining the conceptual evolution of security over time and the relatively recent incorporation of environmental issues into security frameworks. Primary focus is devoted to climate change, but other ecological issues are examined as well: development, natural resource use, waste and pollution, biodiversity, etc. Prerequisite: GOV 241, GOV 242, GOV 244 or GOV 252. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only.

Offered as GOV 338 and SDS 338. How does the behavior of a state, politician, or interest group affect the behavior of others? Does Massachusetts’s decision to legalize recreational marijuana influence Vermont’s marijuana policies? From declarations of war to the decision of who congressmembers will vote with, social scientists are increasingly looking to political networks to recognize the inter-connectedness of the world around us. This course will overview the essentials of social network analysis and how they are applied to give us a better understanding of American politics.

An examination of the role of Latinos in society and politics in the U.S. Issues to be analyzed include immigration, education, electoral politics and gender. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

This seminar explores the status of the family in American political life and its role as a mediating structure between the individual and the state. Emphasis is placed on the role of the courts in articulating the rights of the family and its members. Prerequisite: GOV 202 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

This class is a cross sectional exploration of the politics and major policy debates of the 21st century thus far. Organized around the George W. Bush, Obama and Trump presidencies, we will cover each president’s path to election, their relationships with Congress and the Supreme Court, their major domestic successes and failures, their foreign policies, and the politics of race and gender that permeated all three administrations. Enrollment limited to 20.

This course covers the historical development of crucial American governing institutions, including Congress, the executive branch, the judiciary, political parties, the social welfare state, and institutionalized race and gender-based hierarchies. We will consider both how each institution has evolved over time and also how they have interacted with and responded to one another to produce the particular structural arrangements we observe in the 21st century.

What is the origin and political meaning of capitalism, and might there be a better way to organize our common world? These are the broad questions of Marxism, which continue to press upon us today. This lecture course is a general introduction to the writings of Karl Marx, the diverse school of thought which goes by his name, and a few friendly critics along the lines of race and gender. Although this course will read texts on history and political economy, this course will treat Marx as a political thinker and Marxism as a school of political thought. Prerequisite: GOV 100. (E)

This course investigates the causes and consequences of the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as the viability of efforts to resolve it. We consider the influence of Great Power Politics on the relationship between Arab states and Israel, and between Palestinian Arabs and Israelis. Our exploration of the conflict touches on issues related to human security, terrorism and political violence, as well as broader questions of human rights, national identity and international governance.

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? Enrollment limited to 50.