Course Listings

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This course explores the themes of politics in the Western tradition of philosophy. We will analyze the difference between ancient and modern political thought, and the tension between freedom and authority in modernity. We will study the birth of rights in the social contract tradition, and study the limits of rights. We will study the thinkers of the French and American revolutions. In the end, students will have a better understanding of what catch-words like democracy, liberalism, and conservativism mean in the history of political thought.

This course examines the growing "legalization" of American society: the use of legal processes and institutions to address issues previously either dealt with through other means, or not addressed at all. We look at the origins of common law, court organization/operations, the bar and legal education. Through case studies, the course places special emphasis on how legal processes apply to many aspects of everyday life: growing old, special education, where and how we live, our credit cards and status as consumers, etc. Political Science majors may substitute this course for POLI SCI 220-CN.

Introduction to the major theories, concepts, and problems of contemporary international relations. Issues in international security, international political economy, and international cooperation.

Emphasis on industrialized and/or developing states. Major issues include regime-society relations, political change and conflict, and policy making.

This course examines key issues in national security, focusing primarily on the United States, as well as the nature of U.S. "national interests," and "threats" and the variety of ways in which analysts and citizens define these. The course explores U.S. national security strategies, including military and homeland security policies. Students also discuss the major actors in national security policy-making and explore the strengths and weaknesses of the policy-making process. Much of the course focuses on contemporary issues and events.

Relations between business and government in a variety of economic, social, and political contexts. Patterns of influence in both business andgovernment. Theories of business influence in politics, such as pluralism, corporatism, collective action, and instrumental and structural Marxism.

Description forthcoming.

This course examines the history of corruption in Chicago politics and the issues of campaign finance reform as a backdrop to the broader scope of how money influences our elected officials and whether that influence subverts the democratic process, diminishes the authority of the electorate and impairs the sovereignty of those who serve us.

This course examines environmental problems that transcend national and regional boundaries, such as climate change, deforestation, and the decline of ocean fisheries pose complex sustainable development challenges. Nation-states that pursue selfish interests at the expense of the global environment are attracting increased criticism. But effective international management tools have not evolved as rapidly as has the need for them. This deficiency is well illustrated by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, where effective concerted action is frustrated by key nations that cannot reach consensus. Students examine selected national economic, social, political and environmental policies from an international perspective to better understand the complexity of international sustainable development. The course addresses concrete examples of national activities in apparent conflict with international sustainable development goals, such as US energy consumption, Brazilian destruction of rainforest, and overfishing by various nations. China's growing demand for raw materials, especially petroleum, and rapidly increasing greenhouse gas emissions, also is given special attention. The course also considers innovative international management techniques now being suggested, such as an international carbon tax.

This course provides an exciting in-depth examination of the history of the Chicago political system, which represents a microcosm of the larger national landscape and the need for reform. The course then explores and research three key topics: influence of campaign finance, consistently low voter turnout, and perpetuation of election-day errors and fraud. Students work in teams and research campaign financing, voter engagement, and election-day procedures in depth.

This course investigates three wars in which America has played a significant role. In all three cases-Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan-the politics of the insurgency represent an admixture of local (nationalist) concerns, trans-national ideologies, and the participation of external actors. In the case of Vietnam, some critics argue that the American error was to conduct the war as a counterinsurgency rather than a conventional war, while in Iraq it is contended that our strategy failed for exactly the opposite reason. And conclusions about Afghanistan remain up for grabs. Students first read classics of insurgency and counterinsurgency strategy, followed by a consideration of each case study. The course concludes by considering the differences amongst counterinsurgency, conventional warfare, and counter terrorism.

The rapid growth of the Latino population has given way to a new set of political, economic and social implications for the U.S. polity. In 2009, Latinos are now the largest racial/ethnic minority group in America. This course explores the histories as well as the more contemporary social and political developments of Latino communities in the United States in a comparative framework. We focus on the experiences of America's three largest groups of Latino-origin: Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans. The first part of the course examines the social construction of Latino identities and traces the historical experiences of all three groups, comparing the elements behind each group's migration and how those processes affect their incorporation in mainstream society. We also examine demographic resources and its impact various facets of participation. Next, we turn to the development of a Latino politics, placing special emphasis on political attitudes, mobilization strategies and formal participation. Also, we address the notions of assimilation and integration within the context of citizenship and culture.