Government 20. Introduction to Comparative Politics
Catalog Number: 6166
Eva Bellin and Grzegorz Ekiert
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 13
Explores important questions and concepts in contemporary comparative politics. Themes will include the historical evolution of the state and citizenship, the power of ethnicity, the dynamics of regime change, the varied modalities of participation and contentious politics, and interactions between politics, economics, and culture. Cases will be drawn from different regions and historical periods to give students a grounding in the tools of comparative analysis.
Government 30. Introduction to American Government
Catalog Number: 0263
Andrea L. Campbell and Matthew J. Dickinson
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 12
An introduction to American government and politics, emphasizing how citizens and institutions (the Congress, executive, courts, political parties, interest groups, public opinion, and the electorate) interact in the formation of public policies, and how this interaction has changed over time. The political process studied primarily through examination of several historical and contemporary cases, in areas such as civil rights, foreign policy, economic regulation, and electoral behavior.
Government 90ac. Urban Politics
Catalog Number: 5488
Michael Jones-Correa
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4.
Uses readings focused on three cities-Los Angeles, New York and Miami-to look at ongoing changes in urban politics. A major theme of the course will be how cities have dealt with rapid demographic change-white (and sometimes black) flight, the influx of immigration, and the rise of the multi-racial city. How do different urban institutions deal with these structural changes? How are new actors incorporated into existing (or new) political institutions? What are the preconditions for conflict and cooperation among different ethnic groups.
Government 90ap. North-South Trade Politics
Catalog Number: 0799
J. Lawrence Broz
Half course (fall term). M., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
In the industrialized world, trade policies toward manufactured and agricultural products have moved in opposite directions since early in this century: barriers on industrial goods have fallen by three-quarters while farm protection has climbed ten-fold. In the developing world, in contrast, trade and exchange restrictions protect manufacturers while creating enormous disincentives for farmers. Students will attempt to unravel these paradoxes.
[Government 90au. Political Economy]
Catalog Number: 8213
Torben Iversen
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines modern theories of political economy and their applications to macro problems in advanced industrialized 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? These are some of the questions that we will seek to answer using the most promising theories in political science and economics.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 90ax. Crucial Events in Chinese Elite Politics
Catalog Number: 2548
Roderick MacFarquhar
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4.
A critical reexamination of major events in the politics of the People’s Republic and of the hitherto accepted Western analyses of them, using the new data made available in the PRC in recent years. The objective is to outline new hypotheses where necessary and, more importantly, to explore what need there might be for new ways of studying Chinese politics.
Government 90bf. Democratization: Possibilities and Limits
Catalog Number: 0562
M. Anne Sa’adah (Dartmouth College)
Half course (fall term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Is democratic government always better than the alternatives? What makes it possible? Can it work outside “the West”? In the contemporary world, what is the relationship between economic development, democratic politics, and political order? What kinds of justice does democracy promote? We will discuss these questions by examining political patterns and policy dilemmas in India, South Africa, and China.
Government 90bu. The Causes and Preventions of War
Catalog Number: 4317
Kurt Dassel
Half course (spring term). Tu., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
In this seminar, the class will discuss a wide variety of explanations for the onset of war. We begin by looking at theories of war at a variety of levels of analysis, including international structural theories, institutional theories and the role of regimes, dyadic theories such as deterrence, domestic political, and economic theories of war, and finally individual level theories such as those based on cognitive or motivated perceptions. The class will then apply these theoretical approaches to understanding the occurrence of several historical cases of wars and “near-wars” including WWI, WWII, Korea and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Government 90cl. Human Rights and World Politics
Catalog Number: 4536
Andrew Moravcsik
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4.
An examination of the history, politics, and law of the international human rights protection. The seminar analyzes the emergence, expansion, and enforcement of international norms concerning national guarantees of human rights.
Government 90cm. Human Rights: Political and Philosophical Perspectives
Catalog Number: 4459
Glyn Morgan
Half course (fall term). W., 7–9 p.m.
Examines some of the philosophical and political issues raised by human rights. The philosophical questions discussed include: do human rights need a philosophical justification? Are human rights "ethnocentric"? Can philosophical arguments help us identify a list of human rights. Political questions include: what is the status of human rights with respect to constitutional and legal rights? What role should human rights play in an ethical foreign policy? Is the modern nation state a guarantor or a predator of human rights.
[Government 90cv. The European Union]
Catalog Number: 8428
Andrew Moravcsik
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
An introduction to the history and theory of politics within the European Union: What political, social, and ideological forces have propelled the process of European integration forward toward a single European market, currency, foreign policy, regulatory policies, citizenship? What accounts for the specific successes and failures of integration at particular times and in specific matters? How can we explain political bargaining within EU institutions? What is the future of this multinational experiment?
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 90cy. Politics of International Trade and Finance
Catalog Number: 7962
J. Lawrence Broz
Half course (fall term). Th., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Covers specialized topics in international trade and finance: trade wars, currency crises, international organizations, and exchange-rate regimes.
Government 90dx. Political Participation and Public Policy in the U.S.
Catalog Number: 1784
Andrea L. Campbell
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4.
Examines the role of mass political participation in the policy-making process. Discussion of what normative theory says that role should be, how the public actually behaves and how representatives respond. Considers whether differences in participation rates by race, ethnicity, gender, age and class lead to unequal policy treatment. Case studies will include welfare, social security, health care, agricultural subsidies and tax policy.
[Government 90el. International Financial Institutions]
Catalog Number: 5667
Devesh Kapur
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines the evolving role of the Bretton Woods Institutions (IMF and World Bank) and (to a lesser degree), the regional development banks. Topics include the governance and purposes of these institutions; the factors that shape their programs and policies; and the economic, social and political consequences of their programs.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Government 90fe. Are Americans Good Citizens?
Catalog Number: 6986
Ted Brader
Half course (fall term). Tu., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
How well do Americans live up to expectations for citizens in a democracy? We begin by considering different perspectives (civic republican, elitist, progressive) on what democracy demands of citizens. Then we review evidence on the actual political behavior of Americans in order to assess how it compares to expectations. In light of any gap between ideal and reality, we conclude by discussing alternative ways of dealing with this gap—education, institutional reform, revised standards, cynicism. Aspects of political behavior covered include knowledge, engagement, opinions, voting, participation, values, and tolerance.
Government 90fr. Political Psychology
Catalog Number: 6436
Ted Brader
Half course (spring term). Tu., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
The psychology of political choices and actions is one of the oldest concerns and one of the strongest contemporary approaches to the study of politics. The course examines what this approach says about social identities (nationality, race, gender), elite decision-making (personality, perception, reasoning by historical analogy, uncertainty,) socialization, persuasion, obedience to authority, opinion formation, emotion, and other topics. Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of this approach, as well as possibilities opened up by advances in the study of the human brain and mind.
[Government 90ge. States and Markets in Developing Countries]
Catalog Number: 7665
Devesh Kapur
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines the interaction of states and markets in economic development in LDCs. Readings and discussion will focus on state and market institutions and the effects of globalization.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Government 90gw. Contentious Issues and Policy Choices in Contemporary Japan
Catalog Number: 6818
Susan J. Pharr
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–4.
Prior knowledge of Japan is not required. Focuses on a series of contentious issues in contemporary Japan, exploring the ideological, political, and social dimensions of each, and the Japanese approach to resolving them. Issues include constitutional revision and police power; patriotism and the role of the emperor; domestic responses to market opening pressures; social welfare and quality of life; environmental protection; problems of women, minorities and foreign workers; the issue of political corruption; Japan’s future security role.
Government 90ia. Sino-US Relations in an Era of Rising Chinese Power
Catalog Number: 9006
Alastair Iain Johnston
Half course (spring term). M., 2–4.
The course will assess theoretical arguments and empirical evidence concerning the implications of Chinese economic and military modernization for conflict and cooperation between China and the U.S. Some issues to be examined include global arms control, trade, the environment, and regional security.
Government 90is. International Security
Catalog Number: 8419
Paul A. Papayoanou (University of California, San Diego)
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
This seminar reviews major theoretical and historical issues in security studies. It covers balance, civil-military relations, deterrence, the balance of power, and the political economy of security policies. The course grounds theoretical discussions with analysis of important empirical issues-particularly the two world wars and the Cold War to give students an understanding of some of the most prominent historical issues in the political science literature and of the historiography of the 20th century great-power system.
[Government 90jp. The Struggle for Palestine/Israel]
Catalog Number: 1254
Eva Bellin
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Studies the century-long struggle over Palestine/Israel from a local perspective. Considers competing historical and moral claims to the land, the creation of political “facts” and dispossession, the influence of regional politics, the role of local political organizations from Hamas to Gush Emunim, the nature of conditions in the West Bank and Gaza, and the possibilities for reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 90kc. Women and the Law
Catalog Number: 2621
Seyla Benhabib
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4.
After a historical examination of Aristotle, Locke, and Hegel on women, family, the state and law, this course will look at contemporary debates around abortion, pornography, and sexual harassment. Readings from McKinnon, Cornell, Butler, Nussbaum, Scott and others.
Government 90ke. The Civil Rights and the Anti-Vietnam War Movements: The Changing Locus of Social Movements
Catalog Number: 6030
Richard Sobel
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–4.
This seminar examines the origins, goals, influences and interrelationship of two of the major social and political movements in the late 20th century: Civil Rights and Antiwar. It discusses the similarities, differences, focuses, and interconnection of these movements from the perspectives of race, class, and gender. As befits a course on social movements, students need to be active participants in the discussions and research.
Government 90km. The Political Economy of Africa
Catalog Number: 1215
Robert H. Bates
Half course (spring term). Th., 2–4.
Covers recent writings on the politics and economics of Africa. Emphasis placed on recent writings on political reform (democratization), state disintegrations, and violence.
Government 90le. Culture, Identity and Politics in Europe
Catalog Number: 4193
M. Anne Sa’adah (Dartmouth College)
Half course (spring term). Th., 2–4.
Examines contemporary European attempts to come to terms politically with rapid sociological change, increasing integration and “globalization,” and new forms of cultural diversity. Considers what these developments suggest about the contemporary practice and meaning of democracy. Focuses on France and Germany, with frequent reference to the United States.
Government 90nh. Competing Classics: Great Works in Comparative Politics
Catalog Number: 4734
M. Anne Sa’adah (Dartmouth College)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4.
Examines competing explanatory frameworks in comparative politics through a close reading of works that privilege different causal factors. Factors considered include: culture, institutions, class conflict, and “great men.” Substantive puzzles include the rise of fascism in Germany and the persistence of democracy in India.
[Government 90oa. The Politics of Inequality]
Catalog Number: 9386
Torben Iversen
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines why some countries exhibit high and increasing inequality in terms of income and poverty, while other countries are characterized by high and growing unemployment and labor market exclusion. To what extent can these cross-national differences be explained by the organization of labor markets, welfare state institutions, competition from low-wage countries, the rise of low-skilled services jobs, or deliberate public policies? What are the trade-offs that governments face in seeking to reduce any particular form of inequality? In seeking answers to these questions, we will compare the experiences of countries in western Europe and north America.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 90q. U.S. – Latin American Relations
Catalog Number: 5153
Jorge I. Domínguez
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4.
A study of political and economic relations between the United States and Latin American countries, and of the international relations of Latin America since 1945. Attention also given to foreign policy decision making in the United States and Latin America, and to alternative approaches to the study of international relations and foreign policy.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Government 90qa. Community in America
Catalog Number: 4941
Robert D. Putnam
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4.
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 will be at the focus of this seminar.
Government 90qb. The National Socialist Regime in Germany
Catalog Number: 1663
Thomas Ertman
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4.
Explores the origins and nature of the Nazi regime. Topics include German anti-Semitism, the character of the Weimar democracy, the roots of Hitler’s appeal and competing explanations of the Holocaust. Readings include recent works by Kershaw, Klemperer, Browning and Goldhagen.
Government 90qc. Nationbuilding and Nationalism
Catalog Number: 8648
Thomas Ertman
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4.
Examines the process of nationbuilding and the origins of nationalism with special reference to 19th- and 20th-century Europe. Considers competing explanations for the divergent paths followed by France, Germany and Britain as well as for the ongoing conflict in the Balkans. Readings include works by Anderson, Gellner, Brubaker and Haas.
Government 90ra. Foreign Policy and the New World Order
Catalog Number: 9002
Paul A. Papayoanou (University of California, San Diego)
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4.
This seminar examines many of the various issues in U.S. foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. In seminar discussions and in writing assignments, students will analyze the determinants of foreign policy in the 1990s and articulate policy prescriptions.
Government 90sa. The Wealth of Nations: Adam Smith in Enlightenment Context
Catalog Number: 1486
Istvan Hont (Cambridge University)
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4.
What was Adam Smith’s own political and moral theory as opposed to the ones associated with his name today? Was he a liberal, a libertarian or a conservative? A critic or defender of modernity? A visionary market theorist or a timid and piecemeal reformer? The seminar examines the complex structure of the most celebrated foundational text of economics in the context of what Albert Hirschman famously called “political arguments for capitalism before its triumph.” Topics will include Smith’s advocacy of mass production, his four stages theory of history, his explanation of the origins of modern liberal Europe, his theory of moral sentiments, his relationship to fellow thinkers in the Scottish Enlightenment and his controversy with Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the French Physiocrats.
Government 90vw. Comparative Political Economy
Catalog Number: 6372
Peter A. Hall
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4.
Explores the relationship between politics and economics with an emphasis on the way in which institutions condition differences in economic policy and performance across nations. Most cases will be drawn from the nations of Western Europe but some attention will be devoted to other developed polities such as those of the U.S. and Japan.
Government 90wk. Justice and Work
Catalog Number: 3913
J. Russell Muirhead
Half course (spring term). Th., 4–6.
Explores understandings of justice as they bear on work. Topics include consent, moral desert, just pay, self-fulfillment, the work ethic, and alienation. Readings drawn from Aristotle, Locke, Marx, Mill, Weber, and contemporary political theorists.
*Government 97. Tutorial — Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 0392
Keith J. Bybee, J. Russell Muirhead, Louise M. Richardson and members of the Department
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Designed to provide a foundation for thinking, reading, writing, and talking about questions of politics, sophomore tutorial uses the experience of political development in the United States to investigate the fundamental political questions that confront any society.
Note: Fall term enrollment required of sophomore concentrators
*Government 98r. Tutorial — Junior Year
Catalog Number: 7179
Louise M. Richardson and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Ordinarily taken as two half courses by juniors who have elected the honors program, but open to all junior Government concentrators. Students may take two junior tutorials (Government 98), two junior seminars (Government 90), or one of each. Enrollment determined by a lottery based on student preferences. Students planning on being off campus during part or all of junior year should see the Head Tutor about permission to take junior tutorials or seminars before or after their absence. Undergraduate nonconcentrators may enroll in junior tutorials or seminars if space is available. All students wishing to enroll in Government 90 or 98 must participate in the lottery.
*Government 99r. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 3652
Louise M. Richardson and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Taken as two half courses by those who have elected the honors program and in order to write their senior theses.
Prerequisite: Two half courses of Government 98 or 90, in any combination.
[Government 1003. Designing Political Science Research]
Catalog Number: 2742
Lisa L. Martin and Gary King
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Teaches how to design social science research. Explains how to recognize research questions that are most likely to be answerable and productive. Analyzes how to develop successful strategies for answering research questions, including deciding what evidence to gather, how to organize and analyze it, and how you would know if you were right or wrong. This course is for those planning to go to graduate school or law school, or considering writing senior theses, or who are curious about how to do political science rather than merely debate its findings.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Government 1018 (formerly Government 1098). Games and Decisions: Theory of Collective Choice]
Catalog Number: 2261
Edward P. Schwartz
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Surveys rational choice theories, with special emphasis on the theory of decision (under certainty, risk, and uncertainty), the theory of strategic interaction (zero-sum and nonzero-sum game theory) and the theory of social choice (Arrow’s theorem and the theory of majority rule). Dual focus on tools and exemplary applications.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 2001. Advanced Quantitative Research Methodology
Catalog Number: 8941
Gary King
Half course (spring term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
This course introduces the theories of inference underlying most statistical methods. It covers how new approaches to research methods, data analysis, and statistical theory are developed. With this foundation, we introduce (and ^’^"reinvent”) a wide variety of known statistical solutions to a wide range of social science data problems. We also show how it is easy to conceive original approaches and new statistical estimators when required. The specific models introduced will be chosen based on students’ research topics. In past years they have included models for event counts, ecological inference, time-series cross sectional analysis, compositional data, causal inference, and others.
Note: For the first time this year, only Government 1000 or the equivalent is a prerequisite (Gov 2000 is no longer necessary). More information is available at Gary King’s homepage at http://GKing.Harvard.Edu.
Government 2002. Topics in Quantitative Methods
Catalog Number: 8168
Jasjeet Singh Sekhon
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Explores various topics in quantitative methods. Topics include time series, time series cross section, latent variable, and limited-dependent and qualitative variable methods. Undergraduates are welcome.
[*Government 2004. Analytic Frameworks for Explaining and Predicting Decisions and Actions in Domestic and Foreign Affairs]
Catalog Number: 5002 Enrollment: Limited to 12.
Graham T. Allison, Jr. (Kennedy School)
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
This seminar will examine the philosophical and conceptual assumptions embodied in alternative models for explaining and predicting decisions and actions in both domestic and foreign affairs. The principal case to be examined is the Cuban missile crisis, beginning with The Essence of Decision, 1971, which is being substantially revised for publication. The seminar will examine theories of rational choice, cognition and perception, organizational behavior, bureaucratic politics, intergovernmental relations, and multi-level game theory. Each student will prepare a research paper. Grades will be based on the paper and on class participation.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Kennedy School of Government as ISP-305. Meets at the Kennedy School.
Government 2005 (formerly Government 2050). Theory of Collective Choice: Strategy, Voting, and Choice
Catalog Number: 1719
Edward P. Schwartz
Half course (fall term). Th., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
Introduction to game-theoretic concepts within a political framework. Focus on preferences, strategic choice, and equilibrium concepts. Analysis of various voting procedures under different institutional and behavioral regimes. Systematic introduction to Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem and resulting literature.
Government 2006 (formerly Government 2051). Collective Choice: Institutions and Positive Political Theory
Catalog Number: 5487
Edward P. Schwartz
Half course (spring term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Examines political institutions from a rational choice perspective. The now-burgeoning rational choice literature on legislatures, bureaucracies, courts, and elections constitutes the chief focus. The central idea is to understand what role institutions play in achieving political outcomes by democratic means.
Note: Government 2005 (formerly 2050) or equivalent recommended.
[Government 2010. Strategies of Political Inquiry]
Catalog Number: 7421
Gary King, Dennis F. Thompson, and Sidney Verba
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
If you could learn only one thing in graduate school, it should be how to do scholarly research. You should be able to assess the state of scholarly literature, identify interesting questions, formulate strategies for answering them, have the methodological tools with which to conduct the research, and understand how to write up the results so they can be published. Although many graduate level courses address these issues of research design indirectly, we provide an explicit analysis of each. We take empirical evidence to be historical, quantitative, or anthropological and focus on the theory of descriptive and causal inference underlying both quantitative and qualitative research. This year, we also plan to address ways that political philosophy and empirical analysis can be used to improve research in both areas.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 1060. The History of Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy
Catalog Number: 4978
Harvey C. Mansfield
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 17
This course examines major works of ancient and medieval political philosophy with special attention given to the question of natural right.
Government 1061. Political Thought from Machiavelli to Nietzsche
Catalog Number: 5035
Richard Tuck
Half course (spring term). M., W., (F.), at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Theory and discussion of rival accounts of the basic concepts of politics and history.This course will consider the rival theories of modern politics from the Renaissance to the beginning of the 20th century.
[*Government 1065. From Hegel to Habermas: Topics in Continental Thought]
Catalog Number: 6288
Seyla Benhabib
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
After an in-depth examination of Hegel’s theory of the modern state, the course examines concepts of legitimacy, sovereignty, rights, civil society, cosmopolitanism and the nation in European political theory. Readings from Kant, Hegel, Weber, Franz Neumann, Carl Schmitt, the Frankfurt School, Habermas, and Derrida.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Open to qualified graduates and undergraduates with two or more courses in the history of modern political thought.
[Government 1080. American Political Thought]
Catalog Number: 8049
J. Russell Muirhead
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Investigates American Political Thought from the founding to the present, with reference to contemporary assessments of the American political tradition. Topics include pluralism, race, federalism, feminism, and national identity and purpose. Readings drawn from Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Adams, Franklin, Webster, Story, Anthony, Lincoln, and the Roosevelts.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 2031. Taking Pluralism Seriously
Catalog Number: 1211
Pratap Bhanu Mehta
Half course (spring term). M., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
This course examines the moral and political implications of value pluralism through a reading of classic texts and contemporary examples. Readings include Berlin, McIntyre, Taylor, Habermas, Kymlicka, Hampshire, etc.
*Government 2032. Classics of Social Theory
Catalog Number: 1018
Thomas Ertman
Half course (spring term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Concentrates on a close reading of the works of, among others, Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Foucoult, and Habermas. Explores the relevance of these authors’ insights to political science.
Note: Intended primarily for graduate students in Government.
*Government 2034. Markets, Morals, and Law
Catalog Number: 4652
Michael J. Sandel
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Are there some things that money cannot or should not buy? If so, what moral limits, if any, should the law impose on market exchanges? The seminar will examine a range of morally contested contracts and exchanges — from surrogacy, organ sales, and prostitution to usury and interest, vote-selling, life insurance, wage labor, and pollution permits — and consider the philosophical questions they raise. Course readings will be drawn from political theory, moral philosophy, and selected law cases.
Note: Offered jointly with, and meets at, the Law School. Open to GSAS students with permission of the instructor.
Government 2052. Plato’s Political Philosophy
Catalog Number: 0185
Harvey C. Mansfield
Half course (fall term). W., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
Plato’s political philosophy to be studied through a reading of Plato’s Laws.
Note: Open to qualified undergraduates.
Government 2058. Markets and Enlightenment: The 18th-Century Debate on the Morals and Politics of Commercial Society
Catalog Number: 7516
Istvan Hont (Cambridge University)
Half course (fall term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
An introduction to Enlightenment theories of political economy and the various critiques and affirmations of modern civilization with which they were associated at the time. The seminar compares the morally contested theoretical histories of the origins of morality, sociability and government emerging from the writings of Mandeville, Montesquieu, Hume, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Kant and other 18th-century authors. Topics will include the luxury debate, “Das Adam Smith Problem” (including controversies between Adam Smith, Rousseau and the Physiocrats), and questions related to the form and principle of the modern (as opposed to classical) republic.
Note: Open to qualified undergarduates.
Government 2064. Nations, States, and Citizens
Catalog Number: 8169
Seyla Benhabib
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Examines questions of citizenship and political membership in the global era. Examines philosophies of citizenship as well as recent developments in citizenship practices in the European Union. Readings from Aristotle, Rousseau, Kant, Arendt, Walzer, Habermas, Taylor, Shklar, Brubacker and Rogers Smith.
[*Government 2066. Political Theory and the Public Sphere]
Catalog Number: 1897
Seyla Benhabib
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines the concept of the public sphere and theories of ‘deliberative democracy.’ Readings from Kant, Rawls, Habermas, Thompson and Gutmann, Fishkin, Walzer and Taylor.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Government 2080. Topics in Political Philosophy: Manliness
Catalog Number: 6828
Harvey C. Mansfield
Half course (spring term). W., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
The virtues and failings of this strange quality; whether it can be abolished, or if not, how it should be tamed; its relation to politics; its function in liberalism. Readings from ancient and modern philosophers from Plato to Nietzsche; works of fiction; feminist theory.
Government 2086. Partial Associations and Democratic Freedom
Catalog Number: 0619
Richard Tuck
Half course (fall term). Tu., 12–2. EXAM GROUP: 14, 15
The late 20th century has seen a great deal of discussion about the political importance of what can be called "intermediate" associations: theories about “social capital”, “the institutions of civil society”, “middle democracy”, and so on, are all dealing with these kinds of bodies. But this discussion has a long and surprising history. From the time of Hobbes onwards, many of the most powerful modern political theorists attacked what Rousseau called “partial associations”, including churches, guilds, and political parties, as the principal constraints on human freedom and democracy. This course will consider the history of this debate, beginning in 16th-century France with Jean Bodin, and ending in late 20th-century America; writers to be studied from this perspective include Hobbes, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Kant, Hegel, Marx, the early 20th-century writers on political parties and current theorists of "social capital".
Government 1102. The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions
Catalog Number: 6232
Yoshiko M. Herrera
Half course (fall term). M., W., (F.), at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
Comparative investigation of market-oriented economic reforms and transitions to democracy in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia, focusing on the interdependence between political and economic reforms. Analyzes the consolidation of political institutions under conditions of economic crisis, as well as the possibilities for economic reform under conditions of weak political institutions. Considers the bases of democratization and economic prosperity in terms of interests, institutions, and ideas.
*Government 1115 (formerly Government 2205). Collective Action, Protest Movements, and Politics
Catalog Number: 5508
Grzegorz Ekiert
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Reviews the contemporary literature on collective action, protest, and social movements. Focuses primarily on political factors facilitating protest, repertoires of contention, the role of cultural factors and the construction of identities through collective action, and methods of studying collective action. Cases will be drawn from different regions and historical periods.
Government 1166. The Politics and Government of Canada
Catalog Number: 8996
Pierre Martin (Université de Montréal)
Half course (fall term). M., W., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 5
A survey of politics in contemporary Canada, presenting that country’s political institutions and processes in comparative perspective. The course addresses issues in Canadian politics as puzzles that pose a challenge for political analysis, including: Why does Canada have a more extensive welfare state than the United States? Why is Canadian politics so fragmented along regional lines? What explains the evolution of the Quebec sovereignty movement? Can there be a solution to the constitutional conundrum? Why did Canada opt for continental free trade after resisting it for so long? Is Canada becoming more like the United States?
[Government 1170. The Political Development of Western Europe]
Catalog Number: 9925
Peter A. Hall
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A survey of the creation of modern politics in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, from the feudal period to the 20th century, focusing on the causes and consequences of crucial historical developments, such as the English and French Revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, 19th century democratization, and the rise of fascism. Examines issues associated with: the development of the modern state, processes of democratization, the relationship between capitalism and democracy, and the origins of Nazism.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Government 1173. The Politics of Western Europe
Catalog Number: 0105
M. Anne Sa’adah (Dartmouth College)
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 10, and a section to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 12
An introduction to the domestic politics of Western Europe since 1945, focusing on Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. Topics include the evolution of governmental institutions and understandings of citizenship, challenges to representative politics, policy patterns, and the domestic politics of European integration.
[Government 1203 (formerly Government 2203). Political Transitions in East Central Europe]
Catalog Number: 7078
Grzegorz Ekiert
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines three critical periods in post-1945 East European politics: the imposition of communist regimes, crises of de-Stalinization, and the collapse of these regimes in 1989. The recent literature on regime change and democratization provides the framework for analysis of these developments.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Weekly meetings will be divided between lecture and discussion.
[Government 1207. Comparative Politics of the Middle East]
Catalog Number: 5232
Eva Bellin
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to the politics of the region through the study of regime type in five Middle Eastern countries. Considers the rentier patrimonial state in Saudi Arabia, the populist authoritarian state in Egypt, the praetorian exclusionary state in Syria, the (failed) consociational democratic state in Lebanon, and the cyclical democratic state in Turkey.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Government 1208. The Politics of Islamic Resurgence]
Catalog Number: 0907
Eva Bellin
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Studies the impact of Islamic resurgence on both international and intranational politics. Explores competing explanations for Islamic resurgence (cultural, economic, and political), Islamic movements in comparative perspective (with cases selected cross-regionally from Iran and Egypt to Indonesia and France), the ideological content of Islamic revival (and debates over its potential conflict with Western notions of democracy, human rights, and gender equality), the successes and failures of Islamic revolution, the politics of cultural change, and Islam as supranational movement.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 1243. Russian Politics in Transition
Catalog Number: 1982
Timothy J. Colton
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
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.
Government 1246. Comparative Politics of the Post-Soviet States
Catalog Number: 8809
Timothy J. Colton and Yoshiko M. Herrera
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 13
A comparative examination of politics and government among the 15 successor states to the Soviet Union, focusing on variation in the development of institutions, the degree of democratization, state strength, and economic prosperity. Topics include mass politics and political action institutions, nationalism and identity politics, and economic transformations since the end of the USSR in 1991.
Government 1265. East Asian Political Economies
Catalog Number: 7455
William W. Grimes (Boston University)
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 16
Why did the economies of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan grow so rapidly in the post-war period? And why do they seem so fragile now? This course will examine the economic policies, economic practices, and state-society relations that have shaped the past, present, and future of the Northeast Asian capitalist economies. It will seek to clarify the ways in which different political and economic systems deal with common problems through a careful comparative analysis of change and continuity in such areas as industrial policy, financial regulation, industrial organization, and labor relations.
Government 1295. Comparative Politics in Latin America
Catalog Number: 4241
Steven R. Levitsky
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 12
Examines the dynamics of political and economic change in twentieth century Latin America, exploring the causes and consequences of the phenomena we have conceptualized as populism, import substituting industrialization (ISI), bureaucratic authoritarianism, democracy, and neoliberalism. Examines Latin American politics from the collapse of oligarchic rule and the emergence of populism and ISI in the 1930s and 1940s to the widespread collapse of democracy and establishment of military regimes in the 1960s and 1970s, to the contemporary processes of democratization and economic liberalization. The course compares different theoretical approaches in an effort to explain both these general processes of change and important differences across Latin American countries.
[*Government 2112. Comparative Political Economy]
Catalog Number: 8251
Peter A. Hall and Torben Iversen
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A survey of several main topics and theories in comparative political economy with a focus on advanced industrial democracies. Concentrates on theories that try to explain fundamental differences in economic policy and performance across nations, seeking to establish the relative importance of institutional variables, political cleavages, partisanship and ideology with particular attention to pressures for convergence and the politics associated with ‘globalization’.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Government 2113. Social Capital and Public Affairs: Research Seminar
Catalog Number: 7051
Robert D. Putnam
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Topics in the relationship between politics and civil society in the United States.
Note: Offered jointly with the Kennedy School of Government as API-420. Meets at FAS.
[*Government 2131. Comparative Politics of Latin America]
Catalog Number: 3337
Jorge I. Domínguez
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Topics: historical paths, economic strategies, inflation and exchange rates, international explanations of domestic outcomes, authoritarian and democratic regimes, state institutions, the Roman Catholic Church, social movements, parties and party systems, and voters and voting behavior.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Government 2141. History, Institutions, and Political Analysis
Catalog Number: 6266
Paul Pierson
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A recent trend in political science has been the turn to history, as analysts ask what the investigation of earlier events and processes can tell us about the nature of contemporary politics. Course examines this body of research to clarify the pitfalls and possibilities of studying politics as a process which takes place over time. Among the themes to be explored are: ideas of path dependence and critical junctures in political development; techniques for studying the significance of timing and sequence in politics; and role of actors’ time horizons -- which may be long or short -- in shaping political processes. Places considerable emphasis on recent theories of institutional origins, development and change, because institutions are perhaps the principal instruments through which previous politics shape current politics. Readings will include a wide range of empirical and theoretical writings drawn from all the subfields of political science.
Government 2144. Issues in Comparative Political Analysis
Catalog Number: 8747
Grzegorz Ekiert and Peter A. Hall
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Intended for doctoral students undertaking research in comparative politics. Explores a range of issues associated with effective research design and sound comparative analysis including issues of measurement, conceptualization, selection of cases, establishing causal relationships, and research techniques as well as some of the deeper dilemmas of modelling a complex, multicausal world.
*Government 2155. Comparative Economic Policy-Making: Research Seminar
Catalog Number: 0332
Peter A. Hall
Half course (spring term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Explores the political and institutional dimensions of economic policy-making with an emphasis on the evolution of policy in Western Europe and contemporary efforts to cope with the problems of unemployment, welfare states and international integration.
[*Government 2160. Politics and Economics]
Catalog Number: 7780
James E. Alt and Lisa L. Martin
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Covers the political economy of policymaking and institutional change. Readings include a mixture of foundational approaches and recent research. Topics include political business cycles and voting; debt, deficits, and the size of government; political economy of trade and special interests; and monetary institutions and exchange rates.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 2162 (formerly Government 2062). Perspectives on Political Economy
Catalog Number: 1999
Robert H. Bates and Kenneth A. Shepsle
Half course (fall term). M., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
A microperspective on various topics in political economy, including the emergence and development of institutions, property rights, agency relationships, the effects of time on politics, and the role of politicians (“putting the politicians back in”).
Government 2168. Individual Opinion Formation and Societal Choice
Catalog Number: 5152
Pierre Martin (Université de Montréal)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
This seminar focuses upon how individuals form opinions when confronted with consequential political choices, notably in debates over constitutional change or international economic integration. First, the course surveys theories of individual choice, drawing on works in economics, sociology, philosophy and political psychology. Second, we will review the empirical literature about opinion formation on constitutional change (with an emphasis on Quebec and Canada) and on economic integration initiatives (NAFTA and the EU). Third, students will prepare and present an empirical study of opinion formation, relying on the statistical analysis of survey data. Some knowledge of multivariate statistical methods is expected.
[*Government 2175. Comparative Politics of the Welfare State]
Catalog Number: 6345
Paul Pierson
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Explores the factors leading to distinctive patterns of social policy across the advanced industrial societies. Particular attention paid to the impact of contemporary pressures for austerity on national welfare states, and to an exploration of the linkages between systems of social provision and distinctive national “models” of economic development.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[*Government 2197. Political and Economic Development in Africa]
Catalog Number: 9130 Enrollment: Limited to 20.
Robert H. Bates
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Students will attend lectures with SA52 and then meet for a two hour seminar. Reading and discussion will focus on the political economy of development in Africa, viewed from an historical perspective.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 2213. Comparative Politics of Post-Socialism
Catalog Number: 6876
Grzegorz Ekiert and Yoshiko M. Herrera
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A research seminar designed to define an agenda for the comparative analysis of political developments among postsocialist systems. Emphasis placed on the formation of research proposals, methods of analysis, theory-building, and the presentation of comparative empirical research.
Government 2262. Politics and Political Economy in Japan
Catalog Number: 7446
Susan J. Pharr
Half course (spring term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Explores major issues in Japanese politics and political economy in historical and comparative perspective, including the role of the ruling party, bureaucracy, and big business in policymaking; the trade-offs of a “one-party dominant” political system; the role of an opposition in such a system; and the international, sociocultural, economic, and political determinants of domestic policy choices.
Note: Open to qualified undergraduates.
Government 2284. Chinese Authors on Chinese Politics
Catalog Number: 7556
Roderick MacFarquhar
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
An examination of how P.R.C. authors have analyzed the politics of their country and comparisons with relevant Western accounts.
Prerequisite: A good reading knowledge of Chinese and previous course work on Chinese politics.
Government 2285. Political Science and China
Catalog Number: 1566
Elizabeth J. Perry
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
This graduate seminar gives students control over the secondary literature on Chinese politics, with special attention to competing theoretical and methodological approaches.
Government 1335. The Role of the Jury in a Democratic Society
Catalog Number: 6726
Edward P. Schwartz
Half course (spring term). M., W., at 10, plus a one hour section to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 3
We will examine the history and current practices of the U.S. criminal jury system. We will focus on important Constitutional cases that shaped our jury system as well as ongoing debates about jury reform. Section meetings will take the form of jury deliberations, where students will be asked to make difficult decisions about law and justice in the context of a particular case.
[Government 1340. Constitutional Interpretation]
Catalog Number: 1721
Keith J. Bybee
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
An introduction to American constitutional interpretation. Provides a historical survey of basic Supreme Court doctrines and considers the stature of the Court as a particular sort of political institution.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Government 1341. Civil Liberties
Catalog Number: 5544
Keith J. Bybee
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 16
An examination of contemporary constitutional interpretation, focusing on the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment. Specific consideration given to issues of race, gender, privacy, property, free speech, religious diversity, and political representation.
Prerequisite: Government 1340.
Government 1352. Campaigns and Elections
Catalog Number: 5665
Andrea L. Campbell
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 12
Examines U.S. congressional and presidential campaigns and elections, including candidates and the incentives and constraints they face, the role of political parties, and the evolution of the presidential nomination process. Considers how voters acquire information and make vote choices. Discussion of media coverage of elections, negative advertising, campaign finance, term limits.
Government 1360. American Public Opinion
Catalog Number: 8196
Barry C. Burden
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 12, plus a one hour section to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 14
Analyzes what Americans think about politics, why they do so, and what consequences these beliefs have on citizen behavior and system response. Investigates methods of survey research.
Government 1365. Media and Politics
Catalog Number: 8834
Ted Brader
Half course (fall term). M., W., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 5
Examines the role of the mass media in American politics. Considers the relationship between politicians, the press, and the public, and how this relationship has changed over time. Looks at media influence on the workings of government, policy making, and election campaigning. Special emphasis on theories of political communication and research on media effects. Concludes by considering how politics affects the media, ethical issues in the role of the media, and how media politics in the U.S. compare to other democracies.
Government 1525. American Political Parties
Catalog Number: 8107
Ted Brader
Half course (spring term). M., W., (F.), at 1. EXAM GROUP: 6
Analyzes the role of political parties in U.S. politics. Traces the development of parties and party systems from the country’s founding to the present day, examining how the function and organization of parties has changed and been changed by the politics of the times. Considers the influence of parties in making policy and winning elections. Serious attention is given to the part of ordinary citizens in party politics, especially the causes, consequences, and dynamics of party identification.
Government 1540. The American Presidency
Catalog Number: 4925
Matthew J. Dickinson and Roger B. Porter (Kennedy School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13
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 U.S. political system.
Note: Offered jointly with the Kennedy School of Government as PAL-115. Meets at FAS.
*Government 1582. Explorations in American National Identity
Catalog Number: 9119
Samuel P. Huntington
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
This is a limited enrollment discussion course open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Topics to be covered include: theories of identity; nationalism and ethnicity; origins, elements, and development of American national identity; immigration and assimilation; the place of religion in American self-definitions; current challenges to national identity; competing cultural and transnational identities; concepts of America as the “exceptional” or “universal” nation; prospects for a new American nationalism; the impact of changes in American identity for the American role in the world.
Government 1590. Making American Public Policy
Catalog Number: 4184
Paul Pierson
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 13
Survey of basic approaches to the study of national policymaking in the United States. What factors influence the identification of policy problems, the setting of agendas, and executive legislative decisions? How does the distinctive structure of American political institutions affect the policymaking process? Course balances a review of theoretical approaches to public policy analysis with detailed case studies on environmental, health, and budgetary policy.
Government 2322. The U.S. Congress and Lawmaking
Catalog Number: 4572
David C. King (Kennedy School)
Half course (fall term). M., W., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 4, 5
How does the U.S. Congress really work? This course blends theory and practice to train anyone who may someday work in or lobby the U.S.Congress. The course is an in-depth exploration of legislative rules and procedures, how legislators make their decisions, and how citizens can best influence those decisions. Students practice what they are learning through a simulation, then analyze their experiences in a term paper. Dozens of current legislative staffers and several elected officials first learned about legislatures through this course, though it now also includes an optional Ph.D.-level component, offered through the Government Department. Ph.D. students write a publishable piece of original research evaluating a current set of theories.
Note: Offered jointly with the Kennedy School as PAL-210. Meets at the Kennedy School.
Government 2358. Congress and Legislative Politics
Catalog Number: 8984
Barry C. Burden
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Surveys the vast literature on the U.S. Congress with some comparisons to other legislatures. Topics include committees, elections, parties, leadership, rules, and roll call voting.
[*Government 2490. Educational Politics and Policy]
Catalog Number: 3399
Christopher Jencks (Kennedy School) and Paul E. Peterson
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Analyses of controversies in research on educational policy and government with special interest given to urban schools.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Permission of instructor required for all students who are not degree candidates in the FAS Department of Government. Offered jointly with the Kennedy School of Government as HLE-348. Meets at the Kennedy School.
Government 1730. War and Politics
Catalog Number: 6806
Stephen Peter Rosen
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
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.
Government 1748. Terrorist Movements in International Relations
Catalog Number: 8404
Louise M. Richardson
Half course (fall term). M., W., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Examines the philosophical and historical antecedents of contemporary terrorist movements and theoretical efforts to explain these movements. Explores in detail several movements in different parts of the world and compares their goals, tactics, financing, organization and achievements. Explores the relationship between democracy and terrorism and analyzes the counter-terrorism strategies of states acting unilaterally and multilaterally.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Government 1773. Japan in the World Political Economy
Catalog Number: 0947
William W. Grimes (Boston University)
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 12
Examines Japan’s changing role in the world political economy through a consideration of both domestic issues (Japanese corporate system, industrial and financial policy, and policy making) and foreign economic relations (trade, aid, and finance). What have been the developmental costs and benefits of various economic and political structures? Does the Japanese economic "model" inherently create conflicts with economic partners?
Government 1780. International Political Economy
Catalog Number: 0272
Lisa L. Martin
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
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.
Government 1785. American Foreign Economic Policy
Catalog Number: 0155
J. Lawrence Broz
Half course (spring term). M., W., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Surveys theories of foreign economic policy and assesses their usefulness in explaining patterns of American foreign economic relations, past and present. Topics included the domestic and international politics of U. S. trade policy, the management of exchange-rate relations, policies toward American multinational corporations operating abroad and policies toward foreign multinationals operating in the United States, the international debt crisis, and foreign aid policy.
Government 1790. U.S. Foreign Policy
Catalog Number: 8282
Paul A. Papayoanou (University of California, San Diego)
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
This course examines the making of U.S. foreign policy, covering the historical record from the founding of the United States to the present. The focus is primarily on relations with the Soviet Union/Russia and Western Europe during the Cold War, although various issues in post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy are also covered. The course analyzes basic facts, themes, and issues, highlighting the influence on foreign policy of: (1) power considerations; (2) domestic politics in the United States and in other countries; (3) domestic and international economic factors; and (4) credibility concerns.
Government 1800. Globalization and Its Discontents
Catalog Number: 8592
Stanley Hoffmann, Thomas L. Friedman, and Michael J. Sandel
Half course (spring term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
How is globalization changing domestic and international politics? Are global markets and media drawing us together or driving us apart? Is the new global capitalism good or bad for democracy? The course will explore the consequences for international conflict, national sovereignty, cultural diversity, and political identity of a world in which national boundaries count for less than they once did.
Government 1905. International Relations of South America
Catalog Number: 2164
Monica E. S. Hirst (FLACSO-Buenos Aires)
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 16
Examination of main trends in South American international relations in post 1945, with emphasis on three shaping factors: political regime and foreign policy patterns; relations with the United States; developments in intra-regional relations. Special attention to post-cold war changes underlying the impact of democratization, economic reforms, regional integration initiatives and security cooperation.
[Government 1982. Chinese Foreign Policy, 1949–1998]
Catalog Number: 8908
Alastair Iain Johnston
Half course (fall term). M., W., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Introduction to the descriptive history of China’s international relations with special focus on different theoretical explanations for changes in foreign policy behavior (e.g. polarity, history, ideology, leadership, bureaucracy, among others). No prior background in China or international relations theory required
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
*Government 2720. The Politics of International Monetary and Financial Relations
Catalog Number: 5442
Jeffry Frieden
Half course (fall term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Covers two interrelated topics. The first is the political economy of international finance: sovereign lending, international banking, international financial integration. The second is the politics of international monetary relations: monetary regimes, inter-state monetary interactions, national macroeconomic policy.
[Government 2721. Political Psychology and International Relations]
Catalog Number: 5404
Stephen Peter Rosen
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
This course will examine the relevance of the findings from experimental psychology to the behavior of individual decision makers in international relations. Topics will include prospect theory, attribution theory, and evolutionary psychology.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Kennedy School as ISP-303.
Government 2726. The Use of Force: Political and Moral Criteria
Catalog Number: 7160
Stanley Hoffmann and J. Bryan Hehir (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
This seminar will examine normative discourse about the use of force. Primary attention will be paid analytically and historically to the “Just-War/Just-Defense” ethic. Readings and lectures will assess the ethic in light of challenges to it from the tradition of non-violence and from the nature of modern warfare. The Just-War ethic will then be assessed in light of three cases: nuclear strategy, hi-tech conventional war, and interventions.
Note: Open to qualified undergraduates. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 2853, and with the Kennedy School of Government as ISP-340. Meets at FAS.
Government 2732. Critical Perspectives on Critical IR Theory
Catalog Number: 0725
Alastair Iain Johnston
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Introduction to constructivist, critical, and feminist IR theory. Focus is on how one does empirical work setting out from these perspectives and what, if anything, is new about the research that has been produced so far. Prior training in IR theory strongly recommended.
*Government 2755. International Political Economy
Catalog Number: 7392
J. Lawrence Broz
Half course (spring term). M., 12–2. EXAM GROUP: 5, 6
A graduate-level introduction to the theoretical and empirical literature on the political economy of international trade, monetary, regulatory, investment and environmental policies.
[*Government 2761. International Organization]
Catalog Number: 8442
Lisa L. Martin
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
International politics increasingly means institutionalized interaction among states. This course examines the sources and effects of international institutions. It draws on institutional theories from many fields: international relations, American politics, economics. The purpose is to generate topics for research.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
*Government 2784 (formerly Government 2788.). Global Politics in the Post-Cold War World
Catalog Number: 1915
Samuel P. Huntington
Half course (spring term). W., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
Reviews the emerging patterns of conflict in post-Cold War global politics, focusing on the relations among the major powers, the roles of economic, military, and “soft” power, weapons proliferation, and ethnic conflicts. An effort will be made to evaluate to what extent post-Cold War global politics can be explained by such theories as neo-realism, the end of history, economic integration, transnationalism, and the clash of civilizations.
Note: Open to qualified undergraduates.
[Government 2790. Central Issues of American Foreign Policy]
Catalog Number: 3567
Graham T. Allison, Jr. (Kennedy School) and Robert D. Blackwill (Kennedy School)
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Examination of central issues of American foreign policy today. What developments pose principal challenges and opportunities for US policy? What are priority US national interests? In foreign policymaking, how are national, domestic, and bureaucratic interests and perspectives adjudicated and amalgamated? For a dozen central issues at the top of the post-Cold War agenda, analysis of the international environment, identification specific policy options, consideration of pros and cons, reflection on processes for choice and action. Course seeks to combine operational assignments and conceptual/theoretical writings that help clarify choices. Students both learn about current issues and how to analyze issues and present them in option memos.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Kennedy School of Government as ISP-202. For this year only, students who plan to take this course must cross-register under the Kennedy School number, ISP-202.
[Government 2791. Comparative Foreign and Security Policy]
Catalog Number: 0588
Alastair Iain Johnston
Half course (fall term). Tu., 12–2. EXAM GROUP: 14, 15
Focus is on the theory, methods, and data used in the empirical analysis of the foreign security policies of states. Examines the sources of state preferences, the structural and domestic constraints on state action, and foreign policy change. Prior training in IR theory strongly recommended.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Government 2797. International Security
Catalog Number: 4029
Paul A. Papayoanou (University of California, San Diego)
Half course (spring term). Th., 12–2. EXAM GROUP: 14, 15
This seminar reviews major theoretical approaches in security studies and examines important substantive issues in the field. It covers the traditional theoretical literature in security studies-such as that on arms races, the security dilemma and the offense-defense balance, civil-military relations, deterrence, and the balance of power-as well as political economic and (advanced) game-theoretic approaches. The course also grounds theoretical discussions with analysis of important empirical issues-particularly the two world wars and the Cold War-to give students an understanding of some of the most prominent historical issues in the political science literature and of the historiography of the 20th-century great-power system. The seminar is centered around four themes in particular: linking theory and history; the links between domestic and international politics; the relationship between economic and security factors; and the use of a strategic logic and/or game theory.
Government 2886. The International Relations of Post-Soviet States
Catalog Number: 0811
Celeste Wallander
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
The course is a survey of the theoretical approaches to the study of Soviet foreign policy, which will cover approximately half the semester. In the second half of the course, we will assess those theories, as well as approaches from international relations studies, for their value in understanding continuity and change in the foreign policies of the Soviet successor states.
*Government 2900. U.S.–Latin American Relations
Catalog Number: 8020
Jorge I. Domínguez
Half course (fall term). W., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
A study of political and economic relations between the U.S. and Latin American countries, and of the international relations of Latin America, since 1945. Attention also given to foreign policy decision making in the U.S. and Latin America, and to alternative approaches to the study of international relations and foreign policy.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Government 2910. Brazil’s Foreign Policy in the Post-Cold War
Catalog Number: 1237
Monica E. S. Hirst (FLACSO-Buenos Aires)
Half course (spring term). M., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
Analysis of the interaction between domestic interest and international pressures in Brazil’s current foreign policy. Provides an overview of Brazil’s main course of action in 20th-century international affairs. Focuses upon current economic and political challenges for Brazil in global and regional affairs. Explores the influence of state and non-state actors in the shaping of the Brazilian national agenda. Focuses on Brazil’s approach toward specific topics such as environmental and human rights diplomacy, multilateralism, regional integration, and international security.
*Government 3000a. Reading and Research Seminar
Catalog Number: 4143
Members of the Department
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.
[*Government 3005a. Research Workshop in International Relations: Comparative and International Political Economy]
Catalog Number: 1934
Jeffry Frieden 1627 (on leave spring term), Peter A. Hall 7272, Lisa L. Martin 1048 (on leave spring term), and Steven Vogel 1766
Full course (indivisible). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[*Government 3005b. Research Workshop in International Relations: New Approaches to Security Studies]
Catalog Number: 1016
Kurt Dassel 3678 (spring term only) and Stephen Peter Rosen 2721 (on leave fall term)
Full course (indivisible). Hours to be arranged.
Research workshop for advanced graduate students working on dissertation proposals in security studies.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
*Government 3006. Research Workshop in Comparative Politics: The Performance of Democracies
Catalog Number: 0910
Susan J. Pharr 1518, Eva Bellin 3446, Robert D. Putnam 6193, and Theda Skocpol 1387
Full course (indivisible). W., 4–6.
This advanced workshop will focus on problems of democracy and democratization, broadly defined, including both American and comparative cases. Participants will discuss recent examples of research from a range of methodological traditions and will present their own work-in-progress. Students at all stages of the research process, from preliminary prospectus drafting to thesis completion, are welcome.
*Government 3007. Research Workshop in Positive Political Economy
Catalog Number: 0968
James E. Alt 1593, Robert H. Bates 1251, Yoshiko M. Herrera 1622, Sylvia Maxfield 2560, Edward P. Schwartz 3215, and Kenneth A. Shepsle 1421
Full course (indivisible). W., 4–6.
*Government 3008. Research Workshop in Political Theory
Catalog Number: 1704
Harvey C. Mansfield 1731 and members of the Department
Full course (indivisible). Th., 4–6.
*Government 3009. Research Workshop in Applied Statistics
Catalog Number: 8142
Gary King 1723, John Barnard 1916, Jasjeet Singh Sekhon 2244 (on leave spring term), and Christopher Winship 3189
Full course (indivisible). W., 12–2.
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.