DEBATES IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (MALS 216)

This course critically examines arguments, analytical frameworks, and potential solutions for major controversies in international politics. What are the sources of state failure? How is the global system of states evolving? What should countries do to solve global warming? Should economic distributive justice only exist within nation states, or should it apply globally? Students confront these and a wide range of other key economic, security, and global controversies. The first part of the course critically examines the structure and actors of the international system.  It also explores the challenges of nationalism, state evolution, partially independent territories, and global governance. The course then investigates questions of international cooperation regarding nuclear weapons, international injustice, environmental degradation, and military intervention.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS OF CONTEMPORARY ASIA (MALS  210)

This course focuses on the dynamics of international politics in modern Asia.  The course includes research, writing, and debates on the relations between Asian powers and the status of sub-state zones of conflict. It critically examines the interplay of Asian powers, including China, the US, India, Japan, and North and South Korea.  It also evaluates a number of key zones of sub-state conflict in territories such as Kashmir, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Mindanao. 

POWER AND POLITICS IN GREATER CHINA (MALS 215)

This course introduces students to key concepts, actors, and events in the politics of greater China.  Does democracy or China’s current system of rule have bigger advantages?  What are the key sources of China’s remarkable economic growth?  What is the nature of accountability and informal institutions within the Middle Kingdom?  In light of China’s policies toward Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea, is China a status quo or revisionist power?  Students will confront these and a wide range of other pivotal economic, security, and global controversies.  Students will debate and assess the merits of China’s policies on issues such as the China model, economic growth, authoritarian resilience, decentralization, informal institutions, media censorship as well as the relations of China’s government with domestic, regional and international actors. The course will include independent research, intensive writing, and debates on the conditions within greater China as well the country’s relations with other parts of the world. 

INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND COOPERATION IN ASIA (AMES 07.02)
This first-year seminar focuses on the dynamics of international cooperation and conflict in modern Asia. The course includes independent research, intensive writing, and debates on the relations between Asian powers and the status of sub-state zones of conflict. It critically examines the interplay of Asian powers, including China, the US, India, Japan, and North and South Korea. It also evaluates a number of key zones of sub-state conflict in territories such as Kashmir, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Mindanao. The course emphasizes the need for writing clarity, clear organization of ideas, revision, the use of evidence, strong counterargument refutation, and enrichment from scholarly sources. Students write interpretive memos, short essays, and a term paper. They also engage in peer review, make oral presentations, and participate in writing workshops.

INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND COOPERATION (GOVT 50)
This course examines instances of political and legal cooperation in response to cases of large-scale conflict in the international system. From classical to modern times political and legal thinkers have used various forms of government as a means to create non-violent, enduring, and ultimately, ever advancing civilizations. After examining conflicts that arise from nationalism and international anarchy, the class examines a range of cooperative solutions including federalism, partial independence, partition, as well as presidential, parliamentary, majoritarian, and consociational forms of democracy. Solutions that have been offered for a wide range of territories are also examined including, the Palestinian Territories, the Kurdish Territories, Puerto Rico, Northern Ireland, and Bosnia.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND WRITING (WRIT 5)
This course teaches students to write interpretive memos, op-eds, and a longer research essay on debates in international politics. Students are encouraged to take positions on economic, security, and global controversies. The course critically examines key approaches from seminal scholarly readings in international relations and writing methodology on topics such as descriptive analysis, theory creation, and the use of historic analogies. This class aims to improve student writing. The course focuses on the development of writing strategies, argumentation, the use of evidence, writing clarity, and the use of scholarly sources.

POLITICS OF ASIA (50)
This course introduces the international politics of modern Asia. It first examines the interplay of Asian powers, including China, the US, India, Japan, Taiwan, and North and South Korea. It evaluates a number of key zones of sub-state conflict in territories such as Kashmir, Hong Kong, Southern Thailand, Aceh, and Mindanao. The course also focuses on Asia’s regional economy, security, multilateral relations, and its role amidst processes of globalization.

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (GOVT 50)
This course provides an introduction to structures, frameworks, and challenges of international institutions. The class critically examines the emergence of territorially-sovereign units such as states, empires, and the European Union. And it investigates problems of international injustice, world government, environmental degradation, and disputes over global trade. The course also examines attempts at regional economic integration for Europe after the Second World War as well as various regimes of collective security such as the United Nations.

DECISION-MAKING IN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY (GOVT 85)
This course addresses the frameworks, patterns, and practice of America’s strategic response to crisis. It explores how institutions and policy traditions evolve in response to domestic and international challenges. It examines some of the key political-military strategies that have been used by policy makers, including revisionism, hegemonic order building, engagement, retrenchment, and flexible integration. The course also assesses difficult challenges that continue to confront America into the future in the Trump Administration and beyond, including relations with China, Russia, and the Middle East.

NATION BUILDING (GOVT 85)
Is it possible to create stable states in the international system by force? This course focuses on the challenges, processes, and implementation of modern state building. The class critically assesses issues such as post conflict legitimacy, state failure, imperial relations, authoritarian rule, interim governance as well as institutional responses to poverty, corruption, civil war, and insurgency.