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Introduction
to Comparative Government and Politics
3 credits
TR 10:10-11:25
Roberts, K.
Explores political institutions and processes in major regions of the world–
Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
Students are introduced to comparative methods of political analysis, and
they develop conceptual and theoretical tools to analyze political issues
like democratization, authoritarianism, revolution, ethnic conflict, and
the political economy of development.
Students registering for introductory courses should register for the lecture
only. Sections will be assigned during the first week of class. Introductory
courses are also offered during summer session.
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Introduction
to Political Philosophy
3 credits
TR 2:55-4:10
Kramnick, I
A survey of the development of Western political theory from Plato to the
present. Readings from the works of the major theorists. An examination
of the relevance of their ideas to contemporary politics.
Students registering for introductory courses should register for the lecture
only. Sections will be assigned during the first week of class. Introductory
courses are also offered during summer session.
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China and
the World
3 credits
TR 8:40-9:55
Carlson, A.
In this course we study the dramatic rise of China through reviewing major
developments in contemporary Chinese foreign policy since the establishment
of the People's Republic of China (PRC), and more specifically concentrating
on major developments in Chinese foreign policy during the 1980s and 1990s.
Such a wide-ranging survey of Chinese foreign policy will involve not only
a consideration of the evolution of China's relations with its major bilateral
partners, but also an investigation of how China has defined its broader
relationship with the international system. In addition, students will be
asked to consider which causal factors have been of primary importance in
motivating Chinese behavior. (IR)
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The U.S.
Congress
4 credits
MWF 2:30-3:20
Shefter, M.
The role of Congress in the American political system. Topics to be discussed:
the political setting within which Congress operates, the structure of Congress,
the salient features of the legislative process, and recent congressional
behavior in a number of policy areas.
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The US Supreme
Court
4 credits
TR 1:25-2:40
Mink, W
The course investigates the role of the Supreme Court in American politics
and government. It traces the historical development of constitutional doctrine
and the institutional role the court has played in American politics. This
semester the course will focus on 14th amendment jurisprudence of equality
and rights.
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330
Politics of
the Global North
4 credits
TR 11:40-12:55
Turner, L
See
ILRIC 333.
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Middle Eastern
Politics
credits
MWF 11:15-12:05
Patel, D
This course provides an introduction to contemporary Middle Eastern politics.
The goal is to provide students with historical background and theoretical
tools to answer the following core questions: (1) Why do authoritarian political
systems persist in the Middle East more than they do elsewhere? (2) Why
have Islamist groups become prominent opposition forces in and across some
countries? (3) Why do some Middle Eastern countries suffer from high levels
of political violence while others are spared? (4) What accounts for the
region’s current economic underdevelopment? (5) Would the adoption of Western-style
political institutions improve governance and stability in the region? The
course explicitly compares outcomes and explanations within the region,
between the region and other world areas, and over time.
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Postcommunist
Transitions
4 credits
TR 8:40-9:55
Bunce, V.
The focus of the course is on political and economic developments since
the collapse of communism in the 28 states that make up Eastern Europe and
Eurasia. Topics to be addressed include why democracy has developed in some
countries, but not others in the region; differences in economic performance
across the region; the role of the United States and the European Union
in promoting democratic governance. The geographical focus will shift, depending
upon the topic at hand.
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Political
Economy of Development
4 credits
MW 8:40-9:55
van de Walle, N
This course examines the political economy of developing countries. It addresses
the questions: What is development? How have our ideas about development
and its causes changed over time? How have the experiences of people living
in developing countries improved or worsened? Where should we focus our
development efforts in the future? The first half of the course surveys
major theories over the past 50 years about how states develop economically
and politically. The second half examines some current development issues.
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Modern Euro
Society & Politics
4 credits
TR 11:40-12:55
Van Morgan, S
This survey course provides an interdisciplinary overview of European affairs
from the past to the present. Themes of the course will include, but will
not be limited to, European political development from the nineteenth century
forward, political and economic integration, developments in the welfare
states of Europe, party systems and elections, immigration and demography,
culture and identity, foreign policy, the shifting roles of women, and the
special challenges faced by Eastern Europe and Russia. A series of background
and contextual lectures will be complemented by presentations delivered
by leading Europeanists. (CO)
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Politics
of the European Union
4 credits
TR 2:55-4:10
Zimmermann, H.
Despite recent bad feelings, the countries constituting the European Union
(EU) still remain the most important partners for the U.S. in the world.
And despite the rise of China and other Asian countries, the EU, together
with the US, still calls the tune in the international economy. However,
even citizens of the European Union generally know very little about how
this complex structure works. This course explores the policies and policy-making
of the European Union against the backdrop of the postwar history of European
integration and the institutional framework of the EU. How did nation states
with different cultures and no common language manage to combine their own
particular interests with the general interest of an integrated union? Why
does the EU work well in some areas, but fails to do so in others? We will
furthermore consider the external dimension of the EU and explore current
debates about the emerging European polity, in particular the European constitution.
Throughout the course we will reflect on parallels with the American political
system and on the state of current transatlantic relations. (IR)
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Ideology
4 credits
MW 2:55-4:10
Rubenstein, D.
This course will focus on critical approaches to the study of ideology in
order to understand the role of ideology in political subject formation.
After an initial presentation of the classical Marxist texts on ideology,
we will examine twentieth century reworkings of hegemony theorist Antonio
Gramsci and the critical structuralist approaches of Roland Barthes, Jean
Baudrillard and Dick Hebdige. We will concentrate on the “lived relation”
to ruling ideas in the form of ideologies of everyday life. The second part
of the course will be devoted to psychoanalytically oriented theories (Freud,
Lacan) which address the internalization of belief, both in relation to
the intrapsychic and in the interaction between psychic and state apparatuses.
We conclude with Louis Althusser’s notion of interpellation, which resumes
the Marxist, structuralist and psychoanalytic objectives of the course material.
The theorists in the second part of the course will be contextualized within
the experience of the historical traumas of fascism and French decolonization.
Throughout the semester, we will be reflecting on the continued relevance
of historic ideologies, centered around notions of class interest, to late
twentieth century ideologies’ attachments to national, religious, gendered,
ethnic, technological identity. (PT)
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Politics
& Culture
4.0 credits
TR 1:25-2:15
Berezin, M.
See
SOC 248.
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Politics
of "Nations Within"
4 credits
TR 10:10-11:25
Hendrix, B.
This political theory course will consider the political status of Native
Americans in the United States, as well as the status of indigenous peoples
in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. We will begin with brief overviews
of native peoples in the countries considered, with special attention
to the history of their interactions with the states that now rule them,
and their contemporary legal status. The course will consider the ideologies
used to justify conquests and displacements by European colonists, particularly
as illustrated in historical works of political theory and key court cases.
The latter half of the course will consider the possible futures of these
“nations within” by considering normative arguments about assimilation,
cultural rights, treaty federalism, and full sovereign statehood.
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Global Justice
4 credits
TR 2:55-4:10
Miller, R.
See PHIL
347.
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Political
Theory and Cinema
4 credits
TR 11:40-12:55
Waite, G.
See GERST
355.
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The Causes
of War
4 credits
MWF 10:10-11:00
Way, C.
This course surveys leading theories of the causes of interstate war – that
is, large scale organized violence between the armed forces of states. Why
is war a recurring feature of international politics? Are democracies more
peaceful than other types of states, and if so what explains this “democratic
peace”? Why do democratic publics seem to reward threats to use force by
“rallying around the flag” in support of their governments? Does the inexorable
pattern of the rise and fall of nations lead to cycles of great power wars
throughout history? These and other questions will be examined in our survey
of theories of war at three levels of analysis: the individual and small
groups, domestic politics, and the international system. Topics covered
include: 1) theoretical explanations for war; 2) evaluation of the evidence
for the various explanations; 3) the impact of nuclear weapons on international
politics; 4) ethics and warfare; 5) the uses and limitations of air power;
6) international terrorism. (IR)
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New Forces
in International Politics
4 credits
TR 10:10-11:25
Koinova, M.
How important are regional groupings, non-governmental organizations, narco-terrorists,
ethnic groups and transnational environmental issues, within international
politics? These forces seem to be occupying an increasingly central position
in the international arena, yet the factors that have caused their rise,
and the degree to which they have transformed the face of international
politics, are still poorly understood. In this course we will address such
issues through exploring how students of international politics have described
and explained the emergence of these new forces in the international system
during the post-Cold War period. In short, the course will focus on determining
the extent to which we are witnessing a transformation of the international
political system, and why such a change is (or is not) taking place.
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International
Trade Policy
4 credits
W 2:30-4:25
Zimmermann, H.
This seminar will deal with contentious issues in international trade and
finance and how they are resolved through international negotiations. After
dealing with conceptual and theoretical instruments to analyze international
economic negotiations, we will look at the decision-making processes of
the big trading blocs (especially the EU and the US) and deal with some
of the most significant and interesting cases of cooperation and conflict
in international trade. Issues will include free trade negotiations, such
as NAFTA and the U.S.-Canadian Free Trade Agreement, multilateral talks,
such as the Uruguay and Doha rounds, clashes between the EU and the U.S.
on agricultural issues (GMO-Food, Bananas, Subsidies) and high-tech industries
(Airbus/Boeing), and problems of trading with developing countries. We will
also analyze some closely related current issues in international finance,
such as the fall of the dollar, the international impact of the American
subprime mortgage crisis, or the international governance of hedge funds,
private equity firms, and sovereign wealth funds.
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Comparative
Political Thought
4 credits
M 12:20-2:15
Hendrix, B
While there are many strands of political theory within "Western" intellectual
traditions, there are also multiple other traditions of political theory
that are more rarely studied. This course will consider the question of
what it means to compare works of political theory across intellectual and
cultural traditions, and whether diverse traditions should be seen as inherently
distinctive or whether similar problems and solutions tend to occur across
traditions. This seminar course will focus on works from classical Greece
and China, medieval works by Islamic philosophers, and more recent works
by contemporary African thinkers.
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African Politics
4 credits
T 10:10-12:05
Moehler, D.
This is an introductory course on the politics of Sub-Saharan Africa. The
goal is to provide students with historical background and theoretical tools
to understand present-day politics on the continent. The first part of the
course will survey African political history, touching on: pre-colonial
political structures, colonial experiences and legacies, nationalism and
independence movements, post-independence optimism and state-building, the
authoritarian turn, economic crises, and recent political and economic liberalizations.
The second part of the course will examine some contemporary political and
economic issues. These include: the effects of political and social identities
in Africa (ethnicity, social ties, class, citizenship); the politics of
poverty, war, and dysfunction; Africa in the international system; and current
attempts to strengthen democracy and rule of law on the continent.
Apply on-line during the pre-enrollment period. Once classes have started,
use an add-drop slip; professor's signature is required.
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The Postmodern
Presidency
4 credits
W 10:10-12:05
Rubenstein, D.
This course will examine the presidencies of Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, Clinton,
and G. W. Bush in relation to what scholars have called “the postmodern
presidency”. While this term has been utilized by institutionalist students
of the presidency as a periodizing hypothesis, our emphasis will be on the
work of cultural critics and historians. We will address the slippage between
fact and fiction in cinematic and popular representations of the presidency
(biography, novels, television). The construction of gender normativity
(especially masculinity) will be an attendant subtheme. The postmodern presidency
will be read as a site of political as well as cultural contestation. The
larger question of this approach to the presidency concerns the relationship
between everyday life practices and citizenship as well as the role of national
fantasy in American political culture today. (AM)
This course satisfies the seminar requirement.
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4.0 credits
M 2:30-4:25
Sanders, E.
How can we characterize the twentieth/twenty first century legacy and continuing
impact of US foreign policy on the world? What forces-- domestic, international,
institutional, electoral, economic, cultural, or personal--drive US foreign
policy? These are the broad questions to be addressed this semester.
Back to Government Course List
Contemporary
American Politics
4.0 credits
T 2:30-4:25
Shefter, M.
This seminar analyzes some major changes in U.S. electoral and group politics
in recent decades. Topics to be considered include: partisan realignment,
the new conservatism, racial cleavages, "Identity politics," and democratic
decline.
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The Animal
4 credits
TR 1:25-2:40
Gilgen, P
See GERST
426.
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Biotechnology
& Development
4 credits
M 1:25-4:25
Herring/Thies
Of all the technological solutions to agronomic problems that have been
proposed in the last few decades, none has created the level of backlash
and controversy as those involving genetic biotechnology. Social protest
and activist movements arise from ethical, cultural, religious, economic,
environmental and political stances with regard to the use of transgenic
technologies, particularly in agricultural development in poor countries.
In this course, we will explore the roots of these controversies and follow
the logics and economics of their development and deployment. We will try
to identify the fundamental underpinnings of various arguments for and against
the use of transgenic crops as a tool for agricultural development. Discussions
on selected topics and associated directed readings will be led by the course
coordinators and invited speakers. Students will be assessed on their participation
in discussions and on a written position paper in the subject area.
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433
Nationalism(s)
in Arab World
4 credits
R (lec 1) 10:10-12:05
Fahmy, Z.
See
NES 472 for course description.
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4 credits
M 4:00-6:00
Smith, AM
This seminar is an advanced undergraduate course based on classic and
contemporary social and political theory texts. We will explore the historically
specific and antagonistic construction of race, and we will focus on the
complex and contradictory ways in which racializing formations are defined
in terms of class, gender and sexuality. For the spring 2008 version of
the course, we will focus on the works of W.E.B. Du Bois. Seminar participants
should have already completed Govt 161 or Govt 319 or equivalent courses
in other Departments before the course begins. Class size will be limited,
and seniors who have satisfied the prerequisite coursework will be given
priority. To apply for admission, please contact the instructor.
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4 credits
T 10:10-12:05
Smith, A.M.
An advanced feminist theory/political theory/ queer theory/legal theory
seminar for graduate students and law students. The seminar will deal first
with theoretical approaches to sexuality that build on and interrogate the
post-structuralist approach that defines sexuality as a social construction,
rather than an expression of a-historical instincts. Then we will explore
a series of major legal and political issues: the right to privacy with
respect to contraception and abortion; the restriction of abortion rights;
the exclusion of homosexual sodomy from the practices protected by the right
to privacy; the racial regulation of marriage; same-sex marriage; Fineman's
"sexual family" critique of family law; the moral regulation of poor women
in early welfare law; the sexual regulation of poor single mothers in contemporary
welfare law; the question of suspect class status for lesbians and gay men;
and homosexuality and military service. Throughout the course, we will examine
the extent to which sexuality is constructed in articulation with gender,
class and race differences. Our reading list will include theoretical works
(Foucault, Butler, Cohen and Martin), Supreme Court decisions; and critical
commentaries by feminist legal theorists. (PT)
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Theories
of Empire
4 credits
T 12:20-2:15
Maxwell, L
“Empire” has reemerged in recent years as a potent political concept, both
in popular political life and debates in contemporary political theory.
In this class, we will ask: what kind of domination or form of rule is empire
and why is it a continuing trope in human political life? To answer these
questions, we will examine the changing concept of empire in ancient Roman,
modern, and contemporary political thought. What have theorists been trying
to capture when they call something “empire” and how has it changed and
shifted in each epoch? We will also consider the entanglement of enlightenment
concepts of freedom, equality, and democracy with imperial practices. How
have imperial concepts and practices shaped our democratic aspirations to
freedom and equality? Did imperialism corrupt Enlightenment aspirations,
or were these aspirations haunted by imperialism from within? Readings include
texts by ancient Roman historians such as Livy, Tacitus, and Sallust, by
modern political thinkers such as Burke, Mill, and Montesquieu, and by 20th
century and contemporary theorists such as Hardt & Negri, Hannah Arendt,
Richard Tuck, and James Tully.
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4.0 credits
T 2:30-4:25
Kirshner, J.
The ten years from 1967 to 1976 were an extraordinary time both in the history
of American politics and in the history of American film. In the same period
that the country was rocked by the Vietnam War, the feminist and civil rights
movements, Watergate and economic crisis, the end of Hollywood censorship
along with demographic and economic change in the industry ushered in what
many call "the last golden age"of American film. In this class we study
both film theory and political history to examine these remarkable films
and the political context in which they were forged. The goal of the course
is to take seriously both the films and their politics. (AM or PT)
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Honors: Research
& Writing
4.0 credits
TBA
Katzenstein, M
Limited to students who have completed GOVT 494, Honors Thesis Program.
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Methods of
Political Analysis II
4 credits
R 4:30-6:55
Enns, P
This course will introduce students to some basic methods for conducting
quantitative analyses in political science. After taking this course, students
will be able to read and critique political science research that uses basic
statistical analyses as well as be able to use basic statistical techniques,
such as multiple regression analysis, in their own research. The course
will begin with basic probability theory and proceed to statistical analysis
of political data.
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4 credits
T 6:00-8:00
Sanders, E
The major issues, approaches, and institutions of American government and
the various subfields of American politics are introduced. The focus is
on both substantive information and theoretical analysis. (AM)
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Field Sem
in Pol Thought
4 credits
W 2:30-4:25
Kramnick, I
A survey of the early modern political theory canon, emphasizing texts and
writers from the Seventeeth and Eighteenth centuries. (PT)
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The Politics
of Inequality
4 credits
W 10:10-12:05
Mettler, S
In the mid-20th century United States, egalitarianism seemed to be on the
rise: the ranks of the middle class swelled and policymakers eradicated
laws that had long sanctioned racial and gender hierarchies. Then, beginning
in 1973 and to the present, economic inequality escalated, stratifying Americans
by income and wealth and reinforcing old cleavages that the civil rights
and feminist movements had sought to overcome. This course investigates
how American politics has influenced and been shaped by these developments.
We will examine trends across the political system, investigating aspects
of political voice, including political participation and public opinion;
political institutions, including Congress, political parties, and interest
groups; and public policy, considering the extent to which it ameliorates
or fosters inequality. The course offers a broad survey of important literature
in the field of American politics.
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4.0 credits
M 5:00-7:00
Sanders, E.
How can we characterize the twentieth/twenty first century legacy and continuing
impact of US foreign policy on the world? What forces-- domestic, international,
institutional, electoral, economic, cultural, or personal--drive US foreign
policy? These are the broad questions to be addressed this semester.
Back to Government Course List
Contemporary
American Politics
4.0 credits
T 2:30-4:25
Shefter, M.
This seminar analyzes some major changes in U.S. electoral and group politics
in recent decades. Topics to be considered include: partisan realignment,
the new conservatism, racial cleavages, "Identity politics," and democratic
decline.
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Field Seminar
in Comparative Politics
4 credits
F 10:10-1:10
Anderson, C
This course provides an introduction to comparative politics, introducing
students to classic works as well as major recent contributions to the field.
Topics to be covered include the comparative method, democratic institutions,
political culture, modernization theory, ethnicity, economic development
and contentious politics. The course will require extensive reading and
assignments will include several review papers. (CO)
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Comparative
Pol. Participation
4 credits
W 2:00-4:25
Moehler, D
This course is concerned with understanding how and under what conditions
citizens seek to influence political elites through use, expansion, circumvention
or subversion of existing channels of political participation. Cases from
a variety of institutional contexts over time will be used to examine how
mediating institutions diminish and/or exacerbate social inequalities in
the exercise of political voice. We will consider how observations from
other cultural contexts challenge dominant paradigms within American political
science that shape how we think about political participation.
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Methods for
Field Research
4 credits
M 2:30-4:25
Patel, D
This course provides an introduction to methodological and practical aspects
of using various field methods to develop and test theory. Covered topics
include ethics and human subject issues, case selection, ethnography, participant
observation, interviewing, survey methods, and field experiments. Students
will develop field research strategies for their own projects. The course
assumes a grasp of research design at the graduate level.
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Derrida &
Phil of Hospitality
4 credits
M 12:20-2:15
Rubenstein, D & Shaffer, L
Beginning with an examination of hospitality in authors such as Foucault
and Levinas and other text such as the Bible, we focus on Derrida's writings
on hospitality from the 1990's until his death. Derrida readings would include
Of Hospitality, Cosmopolitanism and Forgiveness, "'Eating Well' or the Calculation
of the Subject," and Monolinguism of the Other. Other readings would include
works by contemporary readers, Seyla Benhabib, Bonnie Honig, Tracy McNulty
and James Davidson's Courtesan and Fishcakes. These theoretical texts would
be put in tension with practitioners such as Danny Meyers' Setting the Table,
the biography of EM Statler and films such as Stephen Frears "Dirty Pretty
Thing.
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Theories
of Empire
4 credits
T 12:20-2:15
Maxwell, L
“Empire” has reemerged in recent years as a potent political concept, both
in popular political life and debates in contemporary political theory.
In this class, we will ask: what kind of domination or form of rule is empire
and why is it a continuing trope in human political life? To answer these
questions, we will examine the changing concept of empire in ancient Roman,
modern, and contemporary political thought. What have theorists been trying
to capture when they call something “empire” and how has it changed and
shifted in each epoch? We will also consider the entanglement of enlightenment
concepts of freedom, equality, and democracy with imperial practices. How
have imperial concepts and practices shaped our democratic aspirations to
freedom and equality? Did imperialism corrupt Enlightenment aspirations,
or were these aspirations haunted by imperialism from within? Readings include
texts by ancient Roman historians such as Livy, Tacitus, and Sallust, by
modern political thinkers such as Burke, Mill, and Montesquieu, and by 20th
century and contemporary theorists such as Hardt & Negri, Hannah Arendt,
Richard Tuck, and James Tully.
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The Administration
of Agriculture and Rural Development
4 credits
M 2:30-5:00
Uphoff, N./ Tucker
The political, bureaucratic, economic, and technical environments of administration
for agricultural and rural development; the various functions involved in
administration (personnel managment, planning, budgeting, economic analysis,
information systems); several major tasks (research, extension services,
and infrastructure development); and specific problems of integrating activities,
interfacing with rural populations, and utilizing external assistance. Intended
primarily for persons who expect to have some future responsibilities in
agricultural or rural development administration and Third World countries.
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CPAS Weekly
Colloquium
1 credits
R 4:30-6:00
Lowi, T., et. al.
Colloquium is the weekly seminar series hosted by the Cornell Institute
for Public Affairs (CIPA). It is also a required, one-credit course for
al CIPA Fellows, and is graded S/U based on attendance. The colloquium
series is a collaborative effort between the CIPA Colloquium Committee
and the faculty and staff of CIPA. While each CIPA Fellow must exhibit
competency in many different areas in order to graduate, it is impossible
to gain full exposure to the variety of policy issues that students may
be confronted with as a practicing policy professional. Thus, the weekly
colloquium series is structured to provide students with an opportunity
to augment their education in a breadth of policy areas. The administration
and faculty of CIPA consider the CIPA Colloquium Series to be an essential
aspect of professional development, and as such, attendance is expected
of CIPA Fellows.
Qualified undergraduates are encouraged to apply for seminars listed with
600 course numbers, but may only register with the permission of the instructor.
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4 credits
T 10:10-12:05
Smith, AM
An advanced feminist theory/political theory/ queer theory/legal theory
seminar for graduate students and law students. The seminar will deal first
with theoretical approaches to sexuality that build on and interrogate the
post-structuralist approach that defines sexuality as a social construction,
rather than an expression of a-historical instincts. Then we will explore
a series of major legal and political issues: the right to privacy with
respect to contraception and abortion; the restriction of abortion rights;
the exclusion of homosexual sodomy from the practices protected by the right
to privacy; the racial regulation of marriage; same-sex marriage; Fineman's
"sexual family" critique of family law; the moral regulation of poor women
in early welfare law; the sexual regulation of poor single mothers in contemporary
welfare law; the question of suspect class status for lesbians and gay men;
and homosexuality and military service. Throughout the course, we will examine
the extent to which sexuality is constructed in articulation with gender,
class and race differences. Our reading list will include theoretical works
(Foucault, Butler, Cohen and Martin), Supreme Court decisions; and critical
commentaries by feminist legal theorists. (PT)
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