Faculty of Arts & Sciences

This course investigates the central problems of political theory that concern the justification of democracy. Is democratic rule the uniquely just form of collective decision-making? What political institutions best express the democratic values of equality, deliberation, and participation? What are the moral responsibilities of citizens - whose representatives exercise political power in their name? Is democracy a human right? Readings integrate contemporary work in political philosophy with canonical thinkers, including Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, and J.S. Mill.

Provides an introduction to key concepts and theoretical approaches in comparative politics. Major themes include the causes of democratization, economic development, ethnic conflict, and social revolutions; as well as the role of the state, political institutions, and civil society. Examines and critically evaluates different theoretical approaches to politics including modernization, Marxist, cultural, institutionalist, and leadership-centered approaches. Compares cases from Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Latin America to provide students with grounding in the basic tools of comparative analysis.

Provides an overview of contemporary American politics. It analyses the way in which recent changes in elections and media coverage have helped shape key aspects of American government, including the courts, Congress, and the Presidency, the workings of interest groups and political parties, and, also, the making of public policy. Permanent political campaigns have altered governmental institutions and processes. The course explains how and why.

This course is an introduction to the analysis of the causes and character of international conflict and cooperation. Theories of international relations are presented and then applied to historical cases to test those theories of international politics and to expand our understanding of the range of possible forms of international behavior.

This class will introduce students to techniques used for research in the study of politics. Students will learn to think systematically about research design and causality, how data and theory fit together, and how to measure the quantities we care about. Students will learn a `toolbox' of methods---including statistical software---that enable them to execute their research plans. This class is highly recommended for those planning to write a senior thesis.

Class introduces students to statistical methods and practice commonly used in political science and likely to be of utility to those undertaking a quantitative methods thesis in Government. Topics will include techniques for dealing with binary or ordinal dependent variables, time series and 'survival' models, along with applications of more complicated approaches. Students will learn new statistical software skills, and be expected to both gather and work on their own data throughout the semester.

With the goal of preparing students to undertake original research, this course introduces students to basic principles and tools of qualitative research in the social sciences. Focus is on comparative research design and the principal tools of qualitative research. Topics examined include the pitfalls of selection bias, the logic of causal inference, measurement and conceptualization, and the potential of mixed methods. Research techniques covered are process tracing, analytic narratives, natural experiments, archival research, interviews, and ethnography.

This course introduces students to some of the methodological approaches in contemporary political theory-philosophical and historical-by looking at analyses of the "just war." We then turn to other topics reflecting the individual interests of students who enroll. Designed to help participants to make the transition from being critical readers of political thought to being independent contributors to debate, the course will be especially useful for those considering writing a political theory thesis.

Supervised reading leading to a term paper in a topic or topics not covered by regular courses of instruction.

What determines states' decisions for war or peace? This course aims to familiarize students with the major variables, both systemic and unit-level, that we know influence the security policies of states, and also equip them with the necessary tools to conduct research and complete a research paper of their own.

This course examines the political implications of contemporary social marginality, such as being homeless, poor, racially segregated, incarcerated, or undocumented. What is the significance of the spatial metaphor of being at the "margins" of society? How do people come to inhabit this location? We will draw on readings from both political theory and empirical social science research to explore the normative and political concerns at stake, particularly the political invisibility of the marginalized.

Examines modern theories of political economy and their applications to macro problems in advanced democracies. Why do some governments and countries generate better economic performance than others? Why are some economies more egalitarian than others? How do politicians manipulate the economy for partisan gain, and how are politicians constrained by institutions and the global economy? We seek to answer these questions using the most promising theories in political science and economics.

How much power does business exercise over the decisions that are made in American politics? How similar is business from other actors in our political system? How has business's power and modes of influence changed over time? And how does that influence compare to the role that business plays in other countries? This seminar will equip students to consider and debate these questions, drawing on evidence from contemporary events, history, political science, and sociology.

Is casino gambling morally objectionable? What about financial speculation? Are they morally on a par? The seminar will explore ethical controversies about various risk-taking activities, from lotteries to life insurance to hedge funds.

This seminar will use mapping as a methodological technique to examine social and environmental issues. Students will be expected to use mapping software to examine spatial data for a location and topic of their choice for their final paper. Weekly discussions will be conducted in class on various mapping related topics. References will range from books like "How to lie with Maps" to current journal articles examining the use of GIS in social science.

Course examines shift among African Americans from protest to politics. Emphasis is on development and use of political resources as the means to achieve policy objectives in the post-Civil Rights Era. Beginning with 1965 Voting Rights Act, course will explore the issues, opportunities, and challenges that have defined African American political life in the last forty years, as well as the attitudes and debates that have shaped efforts to increase African American influence over the political process.

This seminar aims to develop an in-depth understanding of modern Democracy's discontent through the Spanish case study. In 40 years Spain has turned from being an exemplary model of the transition to democracy to a leading example of disaffection with political and economic elites. The Indignados/Podemos movement cam seemingly out of nowhere to capture 1.2 million votes, becoming the third political force in many regions of Spain. It is an appropriate time for us to consider how to breathe new life into a decadent democracy.

How should ethical considerations shape the conduct of international politics? This course will address this question both from a theoretical perspective and with reference to events in international politics. Specific issues considered in this course will include state sovereignty, military intervention, human rights, and distributive justice.

Description: Intended for undergraduates who are contemplating using experimental research in their senior thesis. The course is a blend of substance and methodology: we will look at famous political science experiments, primarily drawn from the field of American Politics, to get a sense of what can be done with this method. The students will also be introduced to the methods involved in doing good experimental research, and will leave the course prepared to run their own experiments.

Analyzes the foundation, development, and exercise of chief executive power at the national, state, and local levels of government in the United States. Examines the applicability of different political science theories of presidential power to the broader exercise of chief executive power. Explores the sources and limits of executive authority, the roles and responsibilities of political chief executives at different levels of government, and the way in which institutions affect the exercise of chief executive power.

This seminar analyzes the relationship of military force to politics. Nuclear war and deterrence, conventional war, revolutionary war and counter-insurgency are examined from the perspectives of the U.S., Russia, China and other contemporary military powers. The aim of this course is to help acquaint students of international relations with the vital importance of the military instrument in the formulation and implementation of foreign policy and in the functioning of the international system.

This course explores the political conditions - international and domestic - that influence the creation, acceptance, operation and effectiveness of the international rules governing individual human rights.

A close reading of the two essential books on American politics, The Federalist and Tocqueville's Democracy in America. Readings also in Tom Paine, the Anti-Federalists, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.

Maps dimensions of contemporary inequalities in Latin America, the most unequal region in the world. Focuses on socioeconomic origins and politics of, and strategies and policies for overcoming, inequality. Topics examined include colonial legacies, regimes and economic development models, systems of political representation, legal systems, political parties and social movements, and education, social welfare, and social insurance policies. Emphasis is on distributive conflicts and their resolutions. Considers a diversity of Latin American experiences with inequality.

Survey of developments in the party system, social movements, Congress, the presidency and the bureaucracy from the colonial period through the Civil War. Rise of the two-party system, the mass party and changes in voting rights; congressional committees and their power; building of the Constitution and the federal judiciary; abolitionism and new social movements, the emergence of early bureaucratic institutions, and the presidency -- studied using three theoretical approaches (rational choice, historical institutionalism, and critical theory).

This seminar will survey and analyze the electoral systems used around the world to show how electoral rules can affect voters, politicians, parties, policymaking, and representation.

Description: In this course we use insights from social psychology to ask how the beliefs, desires and even perceived opportunities of citizens are affected by the society they live in. We contrast the rational and the psychological approaches to human beings, and ask under what conditions rational assumptions are useful. The readings are drawn largely but not exclusively from psychology, and they are used to spur questions about the realm of society and politics.

Liberal democratic principles suggest that the state should be largely transparent, while ordinary citizens should be free to act in private or secret. Recent leaks suggest that in fact we face the inverse: states often operate in secret, while citizens have become largely transparent to government oversight. What, if anything, is objectionable about these circumstances? We critically investigate normative arguments about political transparency, personal privacy, and state secrecy, and consider the implications for institutional design.

Can theories grounded in moral universalism and democratic principles legitimate imperial domination and intervention? Modern liberal political thought emerged in tandem with European expansion into the "new world" and then into Asia and Africa, generating both critics and supporters of imperialism. Focusing on the imperial impulse in Britain, France, and the United States, this seminar examines the conceptual connections between liberal democracy and empire in political thinkers from John Locke to Niall Ferguson.

Political polls and other survey methodologies are frequently used to understand and explain both voter intentions and public opinion. This course will examine the theoretical and practical issues involved in using polls and surveys. We will explore the normative assumptions involved in polling, study possible sources of error in survey measures, and discuss the prospective implications of polling for policy and governance.

The "rights revolutions" of the 1960s and 1970s removed barriers to full citizenship for African Americans, women, and other formerly marginalized groups. But inequalities of wealth and income have grown since the 1970s. How do changing social and economic inequalities influence American democracy? This seminar explores empirical research and normative debates about political participation, about government responsiveness to citizen preferences, and about the impact of public policies on social opportunity and citizen participation.

Examines the role of law in the governance of cultural diversity drawing on examples from the USA, Western Europe, India and Israel. Central themes at the intersection of law and politics will be explored, including: the impact of courts on rights protections, law's function as a venue of conflict resolution, and courts' relationship with other political institutions. Specific attention will be given to contemporary controversies such as Islamic veiling, abortion and same sex marriage.

This seminar will prepare students to think about political parties as institutional actors in political science. The first part of this course will focus on the origins of parties, looking at the history of the U.S. Republican and Democratic parties and the British Conservative, Liberal, and Labour parties. The second part of the course will expand to cover Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and a number of other developed democracies in order to understand the full range of party types that can exist (and have existed), and to introduce students to some of the theoretical models used in researching political parties.

Iran is increasingly a significant power in the Middle East and a salient country to global affairs. Accordingly, this course examines the intricacies of Iranian politics since the 1979 revolution. It explores a broad range of topics including the causes of the Iranian revolution; the political implications of the Islamic regime's institutional architecture; the competitive factional dynamics within the ruling elite; Iranian foreign policy, Iran-US relations, and nuclear negotiations; and Shia political ideology.

A study of political and economic relations between the United States and Latin American countries, and of the international relations of Latin America since 1960. Attention also given to foreign policy decision making in the US and Latin America, and to alternative approaches to the study of international relations and foreign policy.

Has the social fabric of America's communities and the civic engagement of its citizens changed over the last generation? Why? Does it matter? What lessons might we find in American history? These questions are at the focus of this seminar.

Topics in moral philosophy and political theory that illuminate normative issues in public and professional life. Prepares undergraduate fellows across the social sciences, natural sciences, and the humanities to pursue research on normative questions.

Examines the character and implications of political and technological factors that could affect the future conduct of war.

This course addresses the question of "tough transitions." Democracy has come to many different lands in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, but its record of success once there has been remarkably variable. In this seminar we will ask two interrelated questions, drawing upon both theoretical literature and case studies: what conditions are advantageous or disadvantageous for democratic consolidation? And, in the latter instance, are there ways of overcoming less than ideal starting points?

This seminar examines how the digital age has transformed politics around the world, in democratic and authoritarian contexts. Information and communication technologies change how people, states, and non-state actors interact. Social media (Facebook, Twitter) facilitate information-sharing and collective action. Technology creates new access points and new vulnerabilities. The course includes four modules: e-Democracy (civic engagement, elections, accountability); Online Revolutions (resistance, repression, mobilization); Security (cyberwar, terrorism, hacking); and Beyond State Boundaries (international cooperation, diasporas, transnational activism).

International migrations constantly reshape politics, markets and societies. They generate challenges and opportunities for people, communities, businesses, civil society organizations, political parties, governments and international institutions. This course examines the political, social and economic consequences of migrations around the world, in both sending and receiving countries. We will study the impact of migration on citizenship, sovereignty, political regimes and platforms, economic development, inequality, human capital, as well as on political values and participation.

This course examines the political challenges posed by global warming from both an empirical and a normative perspective. Drawing on a broad array of readings, we investigate why the global community has done so little to combat climate change; what kinds of domestic and international institutions we need to coordinate our response to global warming; whether we should prioritize mitigation or adaptation; and what a just response to climate change might look like.

This one-semester course is designed to provide all Government Department concentrators with a unified and challenging intellectual experience in the study of politics. The course covers a selection of topics on the theme of "Democracy" and draws on materials ranging from classics in political theory to cutting edge research in the discipline today.

An introduction to statistical research in political science with a focus on applied multiple linear regression.

Introduces theories of inference underlying most statistical methods and how new approaches are developed. Examples include discrete choice, event counts, durations, missing data, ecological inference, time-series cross sectional analysis, compositional data, causal inference, and others.

This course introduces Geographical Information Systems and their applications. GIS is a combination of software and hardware with capabilities for manipulating, analyzing and displaying spatially referenced information. The course will meet two times a week. Every week, there will be a lecture and discussion as well as a laboratory exercise where students will work with GIS software on the computer.

This course is a workshop for students who have taken the introductory Geographical Information Systems course and want to explore detailed applications. The course will meet two times a week for a lecture and a laboratory exercise.

This course introduces students to the theoretical underpinnings and practical challenges of survey research, designed to help students better understand, interpret and critically evaluate surveys and public opinion polls.

This course is targeted toward undergraduate students who are planning on designing or implementing an original survey research project as part of a thesis or similar project. It provides a focused opportunity to learn the principles and methods of survey research first-hand by designing an original survey or similar project.

Introduces the fundamental statistical and mapping tools needed for analysis of environmental and social policy. Topics are linked by environmental and social themes and include spatial statistics; surface estimation; raster algebra; suitability modeling and remote sensing. Students acquire technical skills in both mapping and spatial models. Software packages used include STARS - Space-Time Analysis of Regional Systems, GeoVISTA, ArcGIS, Geoda and MULTISPEC.

The aim of this course is to provide the students of social sciences with a conceptual understanding of the basic notions of calculus and matrix algebra.

This course is geared toward graduate students of social sciences (such as government, education, psychology, etc.). The focus is on a conceptual understanding of vector calculus and probability, as well as applications.

Classical and medieval political philosophy, from Plato to Thomas Aquinas, with special attention to the question of natural right.

Political philosophy from Machiavelli to Nietzsche, with attention to the rise and complex history of the idea of modernity.

John Adams observed that the American Revolution took place, not on the battlefield, but rather "in the minds of the people...before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington." This course will examine the political debates leading to American independence, and, later to the ratification of the Federal Constitution. Famous works of the period, such as Paine's Common Sense and The Federalist, will be placed in the wider context of American political writing from 1763 to 1789.

A study of politics in Shakespeare's plays, including such topics as forms of monarchy, the influence of Machiavelli, romantic love in a political context, the difference between tragedy and comedy in political terms, nature vs. convention in politics, and the philosopher-king and utopian politics. Readings include Richard II, Henry IV Parts One and Two, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, King Lear, and The Tempest (with background reading in political theorists such as Machiavelli).

An exploration of the past and future agenda of progressives, whether self-described as liberals or as leftists. What should they propose, now that they no longer believe in the usefulness of governmental direction of the economy or in the sufficiency of redistributive social programs? A basic concern is the relation of programmatic thought to the understanding of change and constraint. The course draws on many disciplines and consider examples from many settings. It develops ways of thinking as well as proposals for change: such proposals require us to develop the structural imagination about society and its institutional alternatives in which contemporary social science and political discourse are deficient. Readings from classical and contemporary social and political theory.

Explores the moral, political, and scientific implications of new developments in biotechnology. Does science give us the power to alter human nature? If so, how should we exercise this power? The course examines the science and ethics of stem cell research, human cloning, sex selection, genetic engineering, eugenics, genetic discrimination, and human-animal hybrids.

Law is the institutional form of the life of a people. This course studies law as an embodiment of the formative institutions and assumptions of society. It views legal thought as an instrument for reproducing or reforming this regime. We begin with a discussion of what is distinctive about contemporary law and of how its most original ideas might be enlisted in the service of attempts to democratize the market and to deepen democracy. We relate the problems and prospects of legal thought to the task of imagining structural alternatives for society -- an attempt that classical social theory both embraced and restrained and that contemporary social science and political discourse have largely abandoned.

The basic social science literature on Africa's development. Particular emphasis on political economy.

General introduction to East European politics focusing on the countries outside the former Soviet Union. Examines critical periods and dynamics of political and economic changes in the region from the end of World War I to the recent enlargement of the European Union.

The Middle East is currently in the midst of a dramatic transformation since the Arab uprisings in 2011. This course situates the ongoing developments within the broader historical and political context of the region. It examines the politics of the Middle East through a variety of topics, including the modern state-building project, the legacy of empires and Western colonialism, Islam and politics, monarchies and authoritarianism, political economies, war and conflict, and the prospects for democratization.

An examination of politics in the Russian Federation since the collapse of Soviet communism, focusing on the factors promoting and impeding the development of a stable democratic regime. Topics include the general dynamics of political and economic transformation, leadership, institution building, political culture, regionalism and federalism, electoral and party politics, state-society relations and interest groups, and Russian nationalism and neo-imperialism.

An introduction to political life in contemporary Japan. Explores the interaction of political parties, the bureaucracy, interest groups, the media and the government, with an emphasis on the ongoing transformation of the Japanese political system. Special attention will be paid to contemporary issues, such as economic policy, social welfare programs, national security, disaster response, and administrative reform.

General introduction to the politics of contemporary China. Basic objectives are to provide a working knowledge of Chinese political programs and practices, and to encourage a critical evaluation of the positive and negative aspects of China's socialist experiment.

Introduces students to politics and political change in Latin America's largest country. Outlines historical perspectives and contemporary challenges, and examines political institutions, civil society, and contemporary politics and policy. Emphasis is on how institutional change, decentralization, and the mobilization of civil society have interacted to change the trajectory of Brazilian politics by deepening citizen participation, strengthening political parties and political representation, reforming social policy, guaranteeing citizenship rights, and ultimately reducing inequality and deepening democracy.

Examines dynamics of political and economic changes in modern Latin America, focusing on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela. Topics include the rise of populism and import-substituting industrialization, revolutions and revolutionary movements, the causes and consequences of military rule, the politics of economic reform, democratic transitions, and democratic consolidation. The course analyzes these phenomena from a variety of different theoretical perspectives, including cultural, dependency, institutionalist, and leadership-centered approaches.

Elections are the foundation of American democracy. This course focuses on the simple questions: Who wins elections and why? Answers to these questions guide the interpretation of elections and evaluation of how well government represents the public preferences. The first half of the course presents the basic explanations and models of elections and voting behavior, and asks students to make their best forecast of the election. The second half of the course will examine why the models worked or didn't work. Students will learn how to interpret and analyze surveys and other data, to estimate models and make forecasts, and test arguments and models using predictions.

Analyzes the origins and evolution of presidential power in the United States. Studies the powers of the President and how those powers translate into power. Examines and evaluates the most prominent political science theories, scholarly debates, and public controversies about presidential power. Explores the strategic choices available to modern American presidents in their efforts to augment the power of the presidency and provide active leadership to the political system.

This course examines historical and contemporary forces shaping American K-12 education policy. It also reviews research and commentary on contemporary issues: class size, fiscal policy, teacher recruitment, compensation and tenure, accountability, school vouchers, charter schools and digital learning.

This course examines the psychological mechanisms behind political behaviors and institutions. Topics covered will include voting behavior, campaigns and media, partisanship, political violence, and racial attitudes. For these and other topics we will not only ask what happens but examine how human psychology makes it happen.

Course examines legal, political, social, commercial and technical struggles for control over personal data in our globally connected data-rich world. Case studies include data sharing mandated by the state, traded for personal services, and controlled by individuals. Analyses demonstrate ways to think about clashes and the interplay between technology design and policy. Includes a data lab component, but course is accessible to all students willing to experiment with new technologies and participate in class discussions.

Provides an introduction to contemporary American constitutional law, with a principal focus on decisions by the Supreme Court of the US. Topics to be studied include freedom of speech and religion, guarantees of due process and equal protection, and the powers of Congress and the courts.

Course analyzes the development and modern practice of presidential leadership. Examines the institutional presidency, presidential selection, decision making, and the relationship of the presidency with the executive branch, Congress, courts, interest groups, the press and the public. Considers the political resources and constraints influencing the President's ability to provide leadership in the US political system.

This course is both a simple introduction to game theory, and a literature review of game theoretical approaches to the study of international conflict and war. Game theory is a tool for analyzing strategic interaction between rational actors. The course will feature games like the Prisoners' Dilemma, the Chicken, and models of bargaining. Students will learn how these and related tools can be used to understand and analyze historical and current instances of international conflict. Specifically, we will try to answer questions like: why do states fight costly wars in international relations? Why do peaceful negotiations fail? How does deterrence work? Why do states get into costly arms races? How does domestic politics shape international conflict?

Explores the organized use of violence for the purposes of the state, with particular attention paid to the question of strategy and the sources of victory.

This course explores the causes of war. It examines the different theories that have been devised to explain organized violence between states (or groups seeking to control a state), and evaluates these competing theories by exploring several major conflicts of the past 100 years: World War I, World War II, the Cold War, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the recent wars in the Persian Gulf. The course also considers the phenomenon of ethnic conflict, the implications of nuclear weapons and the question of whether large-scale war is becoming "obsolescent."

Introduction to the historical, military, political, economic, and cultural features of interstate relations in East Asia and the Pacific. The course also presents some theoretical and methodological tools for more systematic analysis of these issues. The goal is to understand changing levels of conflict and cooperation in the region.

Analyzes the interaction of politics and economics in the international arena. Focuses on international trade, investment, monetary, and financial relations. Includes discussion of developed, developing, and formerly centrally-planned nations.

Examines and explains the international actions of the US Government. Explanations drawn from history, international relations theory, and from the study of American political and bureaucratic institutions. Emphasis is placed on the recent rise of the US to a position of unprecedented military dominance, how this military power has been used, and how other states, non-state actors, or global governance institutions have responded.

This course investigates the means through which the media and public opinion influence U.S. foreign policy. We will consider how the public learns about foreign policy, whether and when they care about it, and when political leaders will be responsive to public preferences. We will also consider the effects of real-time global news reporting and media fragmentation. The goal is to understand the interaction between the media, the public and political leaders.

Using a series of case studies from the front page, and from the most urgent issues on the U.S. national security agenda, this course will engage students in grappling with the hardest American national security challenges of the decade ahead. Issues range from the Arab Awakening and intervention in civil wars to combating Iran's nuclear ambitions and dealing with the economic and military rise of China. Assignments require strategic thinking: analyzing dynamics of issues and developing strategies in a government whose deliberations are discombobulated by leaks, reports about internal differences among policymakers, and press analyses. Students will learn to devise strategies and write strategic options memos as participants in the policymaking process. Strategic options memos combine careful analysis and strategic imagination, on the one hand, with the necessity to communicate to major constituencies in order to sustain public support, on the other. A subtheme of the course explores coping with a world where a pervasive press makes secrecy more often the exception than the rule. In each case, there will be exploration of how media coverage affects decision making, with an examination of WikiLeaks, the revelations about drones and secret, American-led cyberattacks, and other examples of the publication of classified information. Because of time constraints, Mr. Sanger will be joining a limited number of class sessions, and will join some remotely.

Graduate-level version of Government 1000. Meets with Government 1000, an introduction to statistical research in political science with a focus on applied linear regression. Will require extra homework and examination problems in addition to those for Government 1000.

Essential elements of Gov. 2000. Meets with Government 2000 and provides an introduction to statistical research in political science with a focus on applied linear regression. Some of the statistical computing from Government 2000 will not be required.

Graduate-level version of Gov. 1002. Meets with Gov. 1002, introduces theories of inference underlying most statistical methods and how new approaches are developed. Examples include discrete choice, event counts, durations, missing data, ecological inference, time-series cross sectional analysis, compositional data, causal inference, and others. Will require extra homework and examination problems in addition to those for Gov. 1002.

Will cover topics of general interest to political methodology: causal inference, graphical models, mixed methods, contest modeling, text-as-data, item response. Illustrates how ideas and methods from these areas can be applied to substantive questions.

A graduate seminar on microeconomic modeling, covering price theory, decision theory, social choice theory, and game theory.

An understanding of introductory game theory and basic mathematical tools is required. Topics covered include some combination of the following: electoral competition under certainty and uncertainty, special interest politics, veto players, coalitions, delegation, political agency, and regime change.

This course is geared to graduate students who are designing an original survey. Assignments cover core aspects of survey design. By the end of the course, students should have produced a comprehensive research plan which can be implemented or submitted as part of a proposal to a funding agency.

A thematic exploration of important normative concepts such as freedom, equality, justice, legitimacy, obligation and democracy. Readings are drawn largely from contemporary scholarship.

Explores controversies about the use of markets and market reasoning in areas such as organ sales, procreation, environmental regulation, immigration policy, military service, voting, health care, education, and criminal justice. The seminar will examine arguments for and against cost-benefit analysis, the monetary valuation of life and the risk of death, and the use of economic reasoning in public policy and law.

Machiavelli and the Discovery of Fact. Machiavelli as philosopher and as founder of modern philosophy. Readings in Machiavelli, Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, and Hume; and on the fact/value distinction.

Justice as 'ascent' from negative legal forbearance, from harm to doing positive good from 'wise love' and benevolence. Readings from Plato, Cicero, Augustine, Shakespeare (four plays), Leibniz, Wagner and Freud (Civilization and "Leonardo da Vinci".)

Surveys topics in comparative politics (both the developed and the developing world), including the rise of the modern state; institutions of government; interest mediation; democracy and authoritarianism; revolution; political parties; mass and elite political behavior; political economy.

This course examines theoretical approaches to democratization, evaluating them in light of historical and contemporary cases. We examine themes such as the relationship of free markets/democracy, the proliferation of hybrid regimes, and authoritarian persistence.

Focusing in particular on European and Asian settings, the seminar examines debates over what civil society is, notions of public space and social capital, and the role of civil society in political transitions.

We explore the role of political institutions in the formation, implementation, and regulation of economic policy. Theories from positive political theory and comparative and international political economy are examined and applied to substantive issue areas.

A research seminar designed to define an agenda for the comparative analysis of political developments among post-socialist systems. Emphasis placed on the formation of research proposals, methods of analysis, theory-building, and the presentation of comparative empirical research.

This graduate seminar gives students control over the secondary literature on Chinese politics, with special attention to competing theoretical and methodological approaches.

Designed to acquaint PhD candidates in Government with a variety of approaches that have proved useful in examining important topics in the study of American government and politics.

Topics in the relationship between politics and civil society in the US.

Considers the effects of policies and institutions in creating or reducing inequality in the US and other advanced democracies, as well as the reciprocal effects of inequality on political activity and policy choices.

This course explores ways to create and use technology to assess and solve real-world societal, political and governance problems. Case studies involve real-world data (e.g., twitter, online ads, and images). Hands-on lab format.

In this seminar we survey and critically evaluate various models of Congressional politics. Special emphasis is given quantitative and modeling approaches to legislative organization, legislative process, congressional elections, legislative parties, House-Senate comparisons, and inter-branch politics. Students are expected to participate actively each week, complete several small writing assignments, and produce a research paper.

The course begins with the history and structure of the classic Black-White binary, then addresses ways in which it must be rethought to include other groups, mainly Asians and Latinos. Issues include racialization, immigrant incorporation, political coalitions and conflict, racial mixture, and links between race, class, gender, and ideology. Focuses on the United States but includes comparisons with Europe, Latin America, and South Africa.

A survey of the field.

This course examines statistical issues relevant to the study of international politics. The purpose is to familiarize students with different models that have been employed in research on international conflict, IPE and international institutions.

This course is a graduate-level research seminar in international security studies. The course has two related goals: to introduce students to interesting research and debates in the field, and to help each student to initiate a research project in this area.

Small seminar on special topics. May be arranged with faculty listed under Government 3000. Requires written work as does Government 3000, but also involves regular class meetings.

Graduate Seminar designed to introduce research questions and frontiers across political science.

A forum for the presentation and discussion of research in progress by graduate students (second year and above), faculty, and visiting scholars. Anyone working on contemporary American politics or on US political development welcome. Occasional presentations by invited speakers.

Research workshop for advanced graduate students working on dissertation proposals in international relations.

The workshop offers advanced graduate students an opportunity to present their work-in-progress, benefit from critiques of it, and discuss theoretical and methodological issues.

Intended for graduate students in the third year and above, this course welcomes scholarship of all types and on all aspects of political economy. Intended to provide a venue in which to develop and to debate work in progress.

A forum for graduate students, faculty, and visiting scholars to present and discuss work in progress. Features a tour of Harvard's statistical innovations and applications with weekly stops in different disciplines. Occasional presentations by invited speakers.

This seminar examines how moral and political theories should be brought to bear on institutional and policymaking choices. Special attention will be given to the relation between ideal and nonideal theory.