This semester-long undergraduate course delves into the intricate world of Politics, Political Science, and Government. Students will cultivate a deep understanding of the core principles, theories, and challenges that shape political systems worldwide through engaging discussions, readings, assignments, and assessments. They will refine their critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills while exploring how real-life issues connect with the concepts we study. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to comprehend, compare, and evaluate the diverse theories and mechanisms that drive political and governmental dynamics.

Syllabus

We are born into political structures and raised within them. If we ignore this fact, we might miss the reality of many things that would have been irrelevant without what is “political” around us. Studying political theory is a helpful tool to gain this type of enlightenment. This course is intended as an introduction to political theory through an examination of some of the primary texts and thinkers of the Western political tradition. The main objective of this course is to familiarize students with a variety of eminent philosophers on a time spectrum from ancient to contemporary and make them reflect on how their ideas have been shaping our understanding of the “political” today. In this class, students will (i) develop an understanding of major approaches to the normative study of politics, (ii) identify the assumptions underlying philosophical arguments, (iii) compare and contrast various political thoughts, and (iv) critically assess different theories of political order and justice.

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This course focuses on issues that are important for understanding the contemporary politics of the Middle East. The course will draw upon the theoretical insights of comparative politics to examine politics in the region. We will examine the persistence of authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on institutions that help authoritarian leaders stay in power. We will also examine youth and gender, elections, constitutionalism, social movements, inter- and intra-state conflict, and the rise of terrorism in the region, and it will conclude with an analysis of the Arab Spring. 

Syllabus

Much of modern political science owes its findings to its roots in Ancient political thought. The writings of the great poets, the Socratics, the Aristotelians, and the Romans set out the great continuing questions of mankind. Is politics natural for man? What is justice? What is the purpose of law? What is the best political regime and who is best suited to rule it? What are my legal and moral obligations to others? What role does religion play in societal living? Ultimately, what will make me (or all of us) happiest? Through a close investigation and critical readings of some of the great works of the Greeks and Romans, we will attempt to answer these questions while understanding where our own political roots lay. Additionally, we will look at some non-Western ancient thought to broaden the scope of our inquiry.

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International political theory addresses the ways in which the nature of international politics may be explained, understood and judged. It approaches these topics from theoretical texts and concepts (rather than empirical, historical material).  

This class will examine and attempt to bridge the disciplinary division in Political Science between International Relations and Political Theory in three units. In the first unit, we will read classical political philosophy texts that address questions of international relations, which form the basis for many contemporary debates in international relations. In the second unit, we will examine major theories of the international system -- such as realism, liberalism and various critical theories -- and link them up to their classical influences. In the third unit, our task will be to examine several contemporary issues in light of the classical texts and major theories discussed. Contributions to theorizing international politics in the tradition of Western political theory will include examining the ideas of Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, Kant, and Marx.

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“What is the only provocation that could bring about the use of nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the priority target for nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the only established defense against nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. How do we prevent the use of nuclear weapons? By threatening to use nuclear weapons. And we can't get rid of nuclear weapons, because of nuclear weapons. The intransigence, it seems, is a function of the weapons themselves.”

~ Martin Amis, novelist

In modern warfare, one class of weapons stands out above the rest as the most destructive, most feared, and most important to the tides of war and peace: nuclear weapons.  Since their introduction to the world of war in 1945, nuclear weaponry has revolutionized the way states approach warfighting and diplomacy altogether.  This class will examine that historical impact by looking at the first and only use of the weapons, their evolution as a technology, how decision-makers approach their use or non-use, their proliferation within the world community, their guiding laws, and emerging threats to the delicate balance of nuclear peace.  

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International politics today accommodates hundreds of international organizations (IOs). The United Nations is the largest of them. What do these organizations do? Why are they established? How are they governed? For what reasons do we need them? Do we really need them in the first place? What are some of their “successes” and “failures”? Can these organizations really shape and change states’ behaviors? Or are they mere tools for powerful states to obtain what they want? Do they have any effect on changing the norms in international politics? These are some of the most important questions we will investigate in this course.

The course will start with a study of major international organization theories to understand the different ways in which scholars perceive IOs’ roles in the international sphere. Then, we will move on to examine a handful of major IOs. The United Nations will take much of our time, but we will also explore the World Bank, IMF, World Trade Organization, European Union, and African Union. We will look at why these organizations were established, how their roles have evolved through time, how they work, and how well they perform. For each organization, we will read specific case studies to observe their performance. In addition, we will investigate some “issue areas,” concerning health and refugees, and try to understand how different IOs work in a given issue area.

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With the European refugee crisis in 2015, the plight of the people who are forced to flee their countries all around the globe has become more visible to Western eyes. The crisis has taught us once more that feeling sorry for others and helping them are two different things. Many questions have arisen: Who should help these people? Should we help them in the first place? Is this a duty, or a voluntary action, done out of pity? If we take it as a duty, then how do we help literally millions of people? Is it morally plausible to discriminate among refugees? If no, why? If yes, how could this be done? What should be given to whom? Why isn’t there a global helping system? These are only a few questions being asked in the ethics of forced displacement. Many other questions are also being studied in moral political philosophy. 

Syllabus