 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
|
Course Descriptions
Core Courses470.602 – Government & PoliticsThis course is an introduction to government and politics through the study of the government of the United States. All governments combine coercion and legitimacy. In a stable and legitimate system of government, coercion is hardly noticed. Government comes to be seen as a source of benefits. The purpose of the course is to look behind institutions, practices, and benefits to appreciate how, for what, and for whom we are governed. We shall examine some of the major institutions of American government, some of America's political processes, and some of the key forces competing for power in the U.S. to see how decisions in the areas of economic, social and foreign policy are reached. 470.604 – Methods of Social Inquiry (Note: This course is replaced by 470.805 Pre-Thesis beginning in the Summer of 2008 and thereafter) Contemporary social scientists make extensive use of quantitative methods. At the same time, the information needed by them often cannot be obtained in or reduced to numerical form. This course focuses on a number of quantitative and qualitative techniques for the collection and analysis of information. In addition to the more conventional statistical techniques, students learn how to make use of historical data archives, how to conduct oral histories, and how to engage in participant observation. Practical applications demonstrate the efficacy of the various methods. 470.695 – Proseminar: Essentials of Public and Private Management This is the core course for the MA/MBA program in Government. The purpose of the class is to help equip students to operate effectively in both the public and private sectors. The class will cover three major topics: (1) an overview of managing public and private organizations, with special attention to their differing missions, capabilities, and environments, (2) a survey of important relationships between the public and private sectors, and (3) the need for improved coordination between the public and private sectors to achieve important public purposes. Students will be encouraged to make the course an interactive one and to share their personal knowledge in the context of the issues discussed. Students will be expected to complete a significant paper on a relevant topic approved by the instructor. 470.800 – Research & Thesis Directed research in an appropriate subject determined in consultation with the student's adviser is the focus of this final course. Students are expected to propose research topics based on their classwork and/or on material derived from professional experience. Class meetings are designed to give guidance in the clarification of issues, collection of data, assembly of various parts, and the final writing of the thesis. Graduation is subject to approval of the thesis by the thesis committee. Students may enroll in this course only after they have completed all other nine courses required for the degree; another course cannot be taken concurrently with it. 470.800 Research and Thesis is offered in all three terms—in the summer, fall, and spring—to provide as much scheduling flexibility as possible. 470.850 – Pre-Thesis: Research Design The purpose of this core course in the Government Program is for students to refine their thesis topic, develop their research design and complete a working outline for their thesis. Students will begin to research and write their thesis during this class in earnest. The course format is working sessions focused on specific research-oriented tasks. Emphasis will be placed on completing the literature review and methodology sections of the thesis. Students will also complete by semester end a preliminary chapter of their thesis papers. Elective Courses470.302 – Introduction to Graduate Work in GovernmentThis course is an introducution to graduate work and will not count toward your degree, but is designed to help students maximize their performance and excel in graduate studies. The course will combine classwork with one-on-one advising and tutoring. The course will cover such topics as research, writing, citation, argument, using evidence, study habits, and managing a graduate-level workload. Teacher and student will meet at the beginning of the semester to assess areas of greatest need and tailor the course to meet them. 470.605 – Economics, Interdependence and Security The course will provide a systematic overview of basic concepts in macro and microeconomics, economic theory and several important issues areas including: international monetary economics, world trade, development, the economics of the environment and global welfare. This course has no prerequistes. 470.606 – American National Security This class explores the complex global political environment in which the US pursues its interests. The purpose of the class is to provide a comprehensive examination of the political, economic, social and environmental challenges which shape and constrain the policy options open to decision makers. Topics explored include: Terrorism, WMD, Conventional Threats, Civil War, Economic Stability and more. 470.608 – Public Policy and the Policy Process This course is designed to introduce students to the public policy making process, to the basics of policy analysis, and to the substance of some of today's major policy debates. The first half of the course focuses on establishing a framework in which to analyze public policy formulation within the United States. The class also review s the tools for developing and implementing policy. The second half of the course turns to policy analysis of some critical contemporary issues. Building on earlier readings, we will study current debates in economic/tax policy, education, health care, social security, and national security. 470.609 – Leadership Skills in the 21st Century This course will assist leaders in identifying their personal approach to leadership; provide tips on motivating staff by building trusting relationships and shoring up their credibility; suggest influence and persuasion strategies that leaders need to employ when working with bosses, colleagues, direct reports, and critical stakeholders, including funding agencies; develop strategies to build effective work teams; and consider approaches to montior organizational performance in an ongoing fashion. 470.610 – American Political Thought This course explores the founding principles—their origins, rationale, and adequacy—of American government. Students consider the philosophical moorings of our political institutions and follow the debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in order to assess the manifestation of these principles in our political culture. One of the major questions investigated is whether the principles embodied in America 's founding are sufficient to ensure the health of our liberal democracy or whether, as suggested by de Tocqueville, we need to enlarge the Founders' vision with a "new political science." 470.611 – American Conservative Political Thought This course examines the different strands of American conservative political thought. Readings from Edmund Burke, Leo Strauss, Michael Oakeshott, Russell Kirk, T.S. Eliot, Friedrich Hayek, and others help students to delineate the intellectual foundations of modern conservative thought. Students focus on the trajectory of American conservative political thought from the founding to the present and compare Southern conservative, neoconservative, religious conservative, and libertarian writers. 470.612 – Bureaucratic Politics (formerly Politics Inside the Administrative State) This course investigates the politics of organizational management in the federal executive establishment. Topics include administrative history, public law, the co-managership of the president and Congress, the role of central managerial agencies, the world-view of agency chiefs, government corporations and enterprises, third-party management, quasi-governmental institutions, and current issues of concern to the management of the federal bureaucracy. 470.613 – Political Theory and Social Policy (formerly Social Justice and Social Policy) This course examines the longstanding controversies in political theory—such as need, equality, fairness, personal responsibility, the family, and the role of government, the market, and voluntary organization—and their expression in contemporary American social policy. Thinkers explored include Max Weber, Milton Friedman, John Rawls, Sheldon Wolin, and Lawrence Mead. Policy areas examined include welfare reform, "compassionate conservatism," "faith-based initiatives," and "living-wage" campaigns. The course provides students an intellectual framework for understanding the theoretical and political dimensions of contemporary social policy. 470.614 – American Liberal Political Thought This course examines the development of American liberalism, beginning with its intellectual foundation in 17th- century Europe and ending with contemporary American liberal thought. Readings are from John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Stuart Mill, Woodrow Wilson, John Dewey, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., John Rawls, Betty Friedan, Ronald Dworkin, and others. Students consider what it means to be a "liberal" today. 470.616 – Law of Public Institutions Since laws determine the missions of federal departments and agencies and their ability to carry out these missions, it is crucial that students of American government have a solid understanding of these laws. Focusing on specific institutions and cases, students become familiar with major laws, regulations, procedures, judicial decisions, and their practical consequences for the operation of the federal government. Students also investigate the relationship of government to the private sector. 470.617 – The Courts as Agents of Change Americans traditionally have viewed the courts as—in the words of a constitutional scholar—"the least dangerous branch of government." They are seen as reflectors, not agents, of change. But in an age of government downsizing, the role of the courts bears renewed examination. Students explore the historical and philosophical roots for the notion that American courts, and the lawyers who appear before them, can and should make law and policy, and the alternatives to this function. Students consider prominent areas of public policy that have been shaped by the courts. Such areas include public policy regarding civil rights, family and domestic law, environmental and safety regulation, and the regulation of business and commerce. At the end of the course, students are asked to evaluate the implications of the courts' involvement in important current policy issues such as the regulation of the tobacco and computer industries. 470.618 – Congressional Policymaking This course deals with the origins of legislation and how bills are processed through subcommittee, committee, and floor activities. Students are introduced to the many variables that influence the progress of a given bill. Students discuss House and Senate leadership and the ways in which congressional leaders contribute to overall policy outcomes. 470.619 – State Politics and Policymaking This course provides an introduction to the form and function of state governments around the United States and the issues they are currently facing. During the semester, the course explores the interplay between the U.S. Congress and State Legislatures, the ways in which policies enacted by state government impact our daily lives, and the intricacies of the political process at the state level. Special emphasis will be placed on key issues currently being debated in many state capitals pertaining to gay marriage, gambling, health care, higher education, transportation infrastructure and the environment. A visit to the Maryland General Assembly for a visit with the Governor and legislative leaders might be arranged. 470.620 – Environmental Policymaking in the Global Economy (formerly Environmental Law and Politics) Governments and companies around the world are changing the ways in which they address environmental protection. In the United States , the costly and burdensome implementation of the command-and-control system of environmental regulation devised in the 1970s continues to spur innovative alternatives. These alternatives rely on "beyond compliance" incentives for businesses and mechanisms to conserve government resources while reaping measurable environmental benefits. Students in this course examine the different policy approaches being taken domestically and internationally and determine if they are sufficient to address the environmental issues posing the greatest challenges to the planet. Problems investigated include climate change and chemical risks in our food, water, and workplace. Pollution prevention and sustainable development programs, such as the voluntary ISO 14000 environmental management standards, are examined. The impact of the "greening" of the global economy on general business practices and public policy responses is also assessed. 470.621 – Public Policy and Participatory Government The drive toward greater participation in our democracy continues. More openness in the administrative process has resulted in more openness in the policymaking system. Citizen suits, increased use of referenda, and right-to-know legislation have had consequences in each of the branches of government. Students in this course are introduced to the historical background of participatory democracy. They then explore the specific kinds of participation possible in the modern technological age. Case studies of policy areas such as health care and environmental protection help to assess what more participation and more public access mean for the policy process and our system of representative democracy. 470.622 – Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Policymaking This course examines the role of interest groups in American politics and how they seek to influence public policymaking. The media and many Washington observers believe interest groups and lobbyists exert too much influence; many political scientists take an opposite view. This course weighs each position. Other topics include the role of PACs and grassroots programs; the tactics and techniques employed by Washington lobbyists; the influence of foreign interests; recent lobbying reforms and the need, if any, for further reform. 470.623 – Money and Politics Many consider money to be the root of all evil in politics. They believe campaign contributions distort elections and corrupt Congress, leading to favors for corporations, the rich, and other special interests. Such critics say money is destroying democracy in favor of the rule of a wealthy elite. These criticism led Congress to pass laws regulating money in politics in 1974 and 2002. This course will examine both normative and empirical questions about money in politics. The normative side will focus on values like equality, electoral integrity, and freedom. The empirical part will consider what scholars have discovered about money in politics (including the effects of money, the role of political parties, and presidential fundraising), what Americans believe about money and politics, and how regulations have worked. Guest speakers will discuss and debate the role of money in politics and policymaking. 470.624 – Business and Human Rights in the Global Economy Corporations operating around the world today are finding their overseas business practices subject to greater scrutiny from human rights and other civil society groups and, at times, national governments and international organizations as well. An understanding of, and strategy for addressing, the implications of this changing business environment is critical to those making policy decisions within corporations, non-governmental groups, and many parts of government. This course will examine the different facets of the evolving relationship between business, civil society, and government with an eye toward identifying ways to respond effectively to new policy challenges. 470.625 – Developing Institutions for Democracy This course is designed to explore issues in comparative public administration from an international perspective. This segment focuses on public administration technical assistance to the emerging democracies in Eastern Europe . Particular attention is given to the countries of Slovenia, Czechoslovakia, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, and others emerging from the former socialist and communist regimes. The course emphasizes the link between public administration reform efforts, their success and failure, and the establishment of democracy. The instructor has recently returned from the Republic of Macedonia where she was responsible for the national government reform efforts in civil service, ethics, administrative procedures, and citizen participation. 470.626 – Understanding the Media No one who works inside the beltway, whether in government or the private sector, can escape the impact of the mass media. This course helps students understand the role and practices of the news media. It teaches critical skills in analyzing and interpreting the news and in assessing its impact on government and public policy. Students explore media ethics and First Amendment issues and hear from several guest lecturers who share their expertise. 470.627 – Government and the American Economy Many Americans believe that there was a time when citizens were free of government controls. But there always have been significant government controls, which in our day we call public policies. This course analyzes major economic policy tools and their advantages and disadvantages. It provides an overview of issues confronting the American economy today including productivity, employment, international trade, and distribution of wealth and incomes. Students explore specific policy tools available to influence economic outcomes, among them monetary and fiscal policy, trade regulation, grant making, entitlement spending, and specialized interventions such as health care. 470.628 – Primaries, Caucuses, Conventions and the General Election: The 2008 Road to the White House (formerly Parties, Campaigns, and Elections) In January 2008 the actual voting begins to choose the Democratic and Republican nominees for president.The New Hampshire Primary and the Iowa Caucus begin the lengthy process to the presidency followed by the majority of other states holding primaries in late January and early February.This course will take a first hand look, analysis and discussion of the process as it unfolds. Each student will focus on a specific presidential candidate to decide what issues, tactics, and goals he or she needs to pursue as they navigate the primary and caucus process on the road to his or her party’s presidential nomination.Looking ahead, the class will focus on the role of the national political conventions in picking the party’s nominee and plan platform committees focusing on domestic and foreign policy issues the class believes will emerge form the conventions. The process of choosing a vice-presidential candidate as well as how tactics, objectives, and strategies for the general election are likely to change after the conventions will also be discussed. 470.629 – The Politics of Health Care Policy This course introduces students to the political actors and influences that determine the nature of health care policy. Particular emphasis is placed upon the following areas: the debate over public versus private provision of health care; the availability of health insurance; health promotion; harm reduction; the role of alternative and complimentary medicine; and proposed reforms to the current system, from adoption of a so-called “single payer” system to medical and health savings accounts. The obesity epidemic is featured as a real-time case study in the interaction between science and politics. To improve their ability to perform comparative analysis, students are introduced to other nations' health care systems. Particular emphasis is placed upon Canada 's Medicare system and the United Kingdom 's National Health Service. 470.630 – Government and the Credit Markets: Problems and Solutions (formerly Government, Banking, and the Financial System) Credit markets are in turmoil and policymakers fear a spillover to the larger economy. Policymakers are rushing to enact changes in the mortgage market and for credit cards, student loans, and other credit products. We will look at key issues: Why did lenders make many loans that borrowers could not repay? How does the subprime mortgage market work? What about the rest of the mortgage market? What are special needs of low-income and first-time borrowers? How do credit rating companies work? What protections do consumers need? How do we deal with many homeowners facing foreclosure? What are benefits and costs of reform proposals? 470.632 – Defense Policy I (formerly Defense Policy) Today's military is undergoing dramatic transitions from its Cold War force structure to the force structure suited to an interwar period with respect to great power conflict. This course provides students with an understanding of defense policymaking in a period characterized by strategic uncertainty. It poses the question of whether the United States is producing a smaller Cold War military or a different force aligned with present needs. The course pays particular attention to the character, organization, and equipment of the uniformed services, the civilian leadership in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the senior uniformed leadership in the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and congressional and executive office participation in the budget process. Course materials respond to current events. 470.634 – Foreign Policy in the Age of Global Terrorism (formerly Foreign Policy) This course examines the key challenges facing U.S. foreign policy in the new international security environment of the 21st century. Foremost among these challenges are the threats of global terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the increasing prospects for terrorists groups to acquire such weapons. The various strategies and policies of the United States for coping with these threats are evaluated, including consideration of the constraints that act to impede realization of U.S. objectives. Case studies of coercive diplomacy are given special attention as are U.S. efforts to build international security regimes and regional security structures. The rise of radical Islamic fundamentalism is given sustained attention. Other topics considered in the course include the increasing role of the United States in the politics of Central Asia ; the emergence of serious rifts in the transatlantic alliance; the growing concerns of the United States regarding the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran ; and the U.S. role in promoting democracy abroad. 470.635 – Executive Politics and Policymaking The founders may have envisioned Congress as the premier branch of the federal government, but in the 20th century the president and the executive branch have typically occupied that position. This course examines presidential and bureaucratic power in the American political system. Students explore the political and policymaking dynamics at the top executive levels and within the bureaucracy. They also investigate the factors that account for variations in the power exercised by officials and consider the relationship between the executive branch and other centers of power in American politics. Finally, students will learn the processes and tools utilized by policymakers in the executive branch. In the final part of the course, students will participate in a simulation that will offer them the opportunity to see firsthand how the policymaking process operates in the executive branch. 470.636 – Political Communications: The National Stage This course teaches the skills to both participate in and understand modern media and examines how communications influence public opinion. Guest speakers with senior-level experience in modern communications policy will discuss their roles in how the media and communication strategies influence public opinion. The course will address competitive writing, communications strategy, communication planning and execution, news analysis, and basic rules of media relations. A comparison of executive and legislative branch communications and strategies, the importance of visuals in modern communications, and how communications has changed over time will also be examined. 470.638 – Negotiating as a Leadership Skill Conflict is part of organizational life. People in public sector agencies and nonprofit and for-profit organizations disagree over the meaning of regulations, the use of financial resources, office space, leave time, and many other issues. Managers must have the ability to diagnose disputes and to negotiate effectively to resolve conflicts. This course provides the theoretical background and conceptual framework needed for successful negotiation and mediation. Through presentations and discussions students become familiar with the tools necessary for conflict resolution in their agencies and organizations. Analysis of a party's interests, identification of the necessary style, awareness of communication skills, and planning and feedback are part of the process of becoming an accomplished negotiator. Students practice their negotiating skills by getting involved in hypothetical cases. 470.639 – The Nature of Nonprofits: Culture, Governance, and Management This course examines the nature and culture of nonprofit organizations. Students consider the strengths, constraints, and unique characteristics of a sector that has captured surprisingly little attention from policy analysts, but upon which government and the public increasingly rely for social services, education, and health care. Case studies help to illustrate and define the decision-making processes, management, and operational style of this important part of the nation's service delivery infrastructure. 470.640 – Media And Politics Will the media rule the next presidential campaign? With firsthand testimony from veteran reporters and political operatives, this course will illuminate the interaction of journalism and politics that has transformed the way Americans choose their presidents. The lectures and readings will demonstrate that practitioners of both professions bear responsibility for the flaws of the modern system. From the seminal year of 1968 to the Bush-Gore cliffhanger of 2000, students will analyze the lessons of past struggles for the White House and use them as a prism for viewing the early skirmishes of the incipient campaign of 2004 and, more broadly, as a guide to a fuller understanding of national politics. 470.641 – Government By Contract: The 20th Century Reform of American Government, Its Legacy, and the Future (formerly From Government to Governance: Privatization, Contracting Out and the New Public Service) Halliburton, Blackwater, CACI – contractors in the mess halls, on the battlefield, in Abu Ghraib prison.On the homeland security front, stories of contractor reliance also were front page news – the Coast Guard betting its future on an out of control multibillion dollar contract, a 70 million dollar contract to hire baggage checkers ballooning to $700 million, and a contract to bring FBI case management into the 21st century almost grinding the FBI to a halt. In fact, today’s federal reliance on private contractors to perform the basic work of government is neither an accident nor a recent development.It is the predictable and predicted product of a great mid-20th century reform in American government.This course will examine the past and the present of this ongoing reform, place it in historical and comparative (cross-country) perspective, and provide students with an opportunity to consider and debate the paths that Congress, the President and citizens may take to assure that the public interest is served as private actors increasingly perform the work of government. 470.644 – Democracy and Its Modern Critics Much of international politics in the last century can be described as a conflict between liberal democracy and its modern critics. During this period the values and political structures of liberal democracy have been extended to more parts of the world then ever before. Yet the same era also saw the emergence of powerful challengers to liberal democracy from both the right and the left. The resulting clash of ideologies defined such conflicts as World War II and the Cold War. In this course we will survey the intellectual roots of Fascism, National Socialism, Communism. We will also examine the question of Islam and democracy looking at both its proponents and its radical critics in the Islamic world. Through this study we will gain insight into the doctrines and appeal of ideologies that have provided the dominant challenges of American foreign policy. Among those whose writings we will examine are Karl Marx, V.I. Lenin, Benito Mussolini, Carl Schmitt, Charles Maurras, Syed Qutb, Ali Shariati, Muktedar Khan, and Ruhollah Khomeini. 470.645 – The Budgetary Process The federal budget process is an enormously complex mixture of administrative routines and mechanisms designed to bias decisions, avoid blame, or reduce conflict. This course explores the structures of federal budgeting in terms of its varied goals and in the context of the wider governing process. The course will review the budgetary process in both the executive and congressional branching, as well as the interaction of those two systems. In order to gain understanding of the difficult policy choices and political pressures policymakers face, students will be asked to do a simulation of a budget process within the executive branch. The role of entitlements, scoring issues, and tax policy will be examined in the context of the debate over budget policy. The course will start with a short primer on finance theory. 470.646 – Social Welfare Policy What are the rights of the poor? What should they be? What has been the role of government in mediating the contradiction between poverty and equality? What should it be? This course will examine these and related questions through a focus on income policy for the poor from 1900 to the present. Readings will consider the constitutional invisibility of poverty; stratification within the welfare state; the interaction among poverty discourse, poverty policy, and regulation of the poor; and legal, political, and ethical claims for a right to economic assistance. This course will be framed analytically by an intersectional approach to legal and policy responses to poverty over time. 470.647 – International Security and America's Role in a Troubled World This course examines the changing requirements for global security and considers the response of the U.S. to meet new kinds of threats. Using domestic policy debates as a backdrop, students explore U.S. security objectives that include strategic and military dimensions but also economic and environmental concerns. In a world that is becoming increasingly interdependent, ethnic nationalism, international migration, and environmental and economic mismanagement pose new challenges to the world community in general and to the only remaining superpower in particular. This course focuses on the various kinds of international and regional organizations required to meet the global community's need for security. Students also consider how American foreign policy and diplomacy can make an effective contribution. 470.648 – The U.S. and the European Union: Allies, Partners, or Rivals In our age of increasing transatlantic tensions and troubles the course, "The U.S. and the European Union: Allies, Partners or Rivals?," will analyze, discuss and debate the importance of the vast business, economic, political and cultural relations that exist between the U.S. and the major European nations and between the U.S. and the EU. The world's largest trade and investment partnership is between American and European companies. The flow of trade across the Atlantic is enormous and profitable for both sides. The course will look at the trade, business and economic component of the transatlantic partnership and the rivalries that also exist. American foreign policy towards the European Union and towards the U.K. , France and Germany and the Eastern European nations will be explored. We will look at how America and Europe have grown apart in many ways since the disagreements over the Iraq War. The Cold War kept us together but today the external threat is from terrorism. How are we working together to combat terrorism? The European Union is a strange and unique type of government. The course will study the history of the European Community from its beginnings in the 1950's to its becoming the European Union of today with its own currency, the euro, and its evolving foreign policy. We will look at the inner workings of the EU and see how the European Commission makes trade and foreign policy. We will meet with European Commissioners and other high ranking EU officials through field trips to Rome and other European capitals. We will go to Rome and meet with senior Italian government officials to discuss their role in the EU, Italian foreign policy and U.S. foreign policy and Italy. 470.649 – The Constitution and the Separation of Powers (formerly Politics of Government Reform) This course considers a fundamental characteristic of American constitutionalism: the manner in which ambition is made to counteract ambition in our constitutional structure. Students will undertake advanced study of the nature and scope of the constitutional powers of the three branches of the federal government and their relationship to, and interactions with, one another. The course will consider judicial review and the authority of Congress to place limitations upon court jurisdiction, as well as conflicts between the President and the Congress. In particular, significant time will be devoted to inter-branch controversies concerning the content and execution of federal legislation, control of the administrative state, fact-finding and investigative oversight, the allocation of foreign policy and war powers, and impeachment. The course will draw on lessons from constitutional case law and historical materials, and will encourage students to contemplate the role of both the courts and the political process in resolving disputes between the branches. 470.650 – The American Experience Post 9/11 (formerly American by Experiment and Design) From the Founding Fathers to the denizens of today's think tanks, a central question for American government has been whether "good government" can be established by "reflection and choice" or whether societies are destined to depend on "accident and force." Beginning with the drafters of the Constitution, a document that was to initiate a "great experiment," and continuing through the Progressive Era, the New Deal, and the Great Society, lay and professional experts—including prominent Johns Hopkins graduates and faculty such as Woodrow Wilson, and John Dewey—have sought to provide intelligence, purpose, and method to the course of government. The end of the Cold War and 9/11 may again bring America into a new age of great experimentation. 470.651 – Corruption and Other Pathologies of Government A disturbing number of governments in the world are bad; they are corrupt, tyrannical, incompetent, or destructive. Authoritarian, self-serving leaders misallocate national resources, steal elections, terrorize citizens, and line their own pockets. Social programs are neglected and the will of the people ignored. Corruption becomes a way of life. Democracy and the rule of law are frustrated, and pathological policies and practices are made legal. Regulations, instead of protecting the public, become instruments of tyranny and petty bureaucracy. How do these things happen? How do we tell them when and why governments become "pathological"? The nature of such pathologies will be examined and frameworks for evaluation presented, drawing on theoretical work, as well as real life international examples and case studies from the U.S. and around the world. Most important, the course will analyze how government pathologies can be prevented, mitigated, or resisted. Various practical means for the detection and reduction of corruption will be examined. 470.652 – International Comparative Government Valuable lessons can be learned about governing from the experience of other countries as, for example, from the radical changes in the former Soviet bloc, the evolution of less developed countries, and the extraordinary experiments in government in China , India , and Russia . This course deals with the crucial problems of public management, including economic development, social services delivery, public regulation, and performance of governments themselves. Students compare U.S. practices with those in other countries, and discuss the practical problems of delivering public services in environments far more difficult than in the U.S. Students examine new approaches to government efficiency, shifts of roles to the private sector, intergovernmental devolution, and management innovation as they are tested in governments around the world. 470.653 – Contemporary Russian Politics This course examines the collapse of communism, focusing on the pivotal role of the loss of faith in the Soviet ideology. It examines the moral vacuum bequeathed to Russia by communism and the failure of the post-Soviet reformers to establish a state based on law. Finally, it will consider the rise of a business criminal elite in Russia and its takeover of the machinery of the state, leading to the impoverishment and demoralization of the great majority of the population. 470.653 – Contemporary Russian Politics When the pro-communist coup aimed at saving the Soviet Union collapsed in August, 1991, Yuri Karyakin, a Russian literary critic, said, 'For the first time in this century, God has smiled on Russia.' This course will examine the fall of the Soviet Union, arguably the most important event of the second half of the twentieth century, and the rise of the new Russian state. Beginning with the moral ideas that gave rise to communism, it will examine the nature of the Soviet Union, the sources of its power and also its critical although often underestimated weaknesses. It will also examine the fate of post-democratic Russia, including the rise of organized crime and the consolidation of the new authoritarianism that exists today. The course will examine the meaning of the Russian attempt to create 'heaven on earth,' an attempt with lessons for dealing with the religious and secular fanaticism that threatens the world today, as well the requirements of a transition from totalitarian domination to a political system that is democratic in more than just name. 470.654 – Government and the Global Economy This course seeks to give students a thorough understanding of the economic and political forces that have shaped what states, both historically and presently, can and cannot do in the world economy. The focus is both historical and analytical, beginning with state responses to the Great Depression in the 1920s and ending with the development of new sources of uncertainty and crisis in the "globalized" institutions of banking, finance, and trade of the present era. 470.655 – Multinationals and Governments in the Age of Globalization (formerly Democracy, Development, and Globalization) Multinational corporations seem to rival national government in their power and influence, yet Microsoft can be humbled by obscure government lawyers at home and abroad. The battle of wills between the private sector and government continues but now is often eclipsed by the requirement of the global economy. International arrangements such as the Doha Round, free trade agreements and global environmental treaties, seek to dictate corporate and government action. International conventions and the organizations they engender, compel industry and government to engage in extensive lobbying and expend significant resources. New responsibilities have devolved on business managers and government professionals to acquire expertise in obscure treaty language, become versed in complex jargon and recite global acronyms without hesitation. This course seeks to help prospective corporate managers and government leaders navigate this globalization minefield. 470.656 – The American Presidency This course examines the historical and institutional development of the American presidency. We will pay particular attention to the growth in executive powers, institutional capacities, and public expectations associated with the "modern" presidency. In addition, we will consider how shifting partisan alignments and political contexts have shaped presidential leadership from George Washington to George W. Bush. 470.657 – Politics,Media, and Presidential Campaigns 470.657 – Politics, Media, and the Presidential Elections When it comes to electing a president, how well do the news media play their part? This course will attempt to answer the question by monitoring day-to-day coverage of the 2008 presidential election as it unfolds. News and political professionals involved with the campaign will debate their roles and responsibilities. The course will look at how well the news media are doing in providing essential information on the candidates and the issues facing the nation they aspire to lead. Once the election is over, the course will critique the overall coverage and suggest what needs to be changed for the next election. Students will make case studies with special scrutiny given to what happens when the media itself become an issue in the campaign. The course will review the coverage of the pre-primary and primary campaigns and utilize selected readings and newsclips from previous elections to illuminate the 2008 campaign. 470.658 – Religion and American Political Culture The relationship between religion and politics in the American context is one of peculiar complexity in the American context. This course has 3 main objectives: 1) to examine in general terms the role of religion in American public and political life as reflected in the debates concerning the use of religious symbolism and discourse in the public sphere; 2) to analyze how religiously informed moral argument has helped to shape public debate on key issues of public policy including the issues of civil rights, abortion, war and peace, and economic policy; and 3) to provide the necessary historical and philosophical context to help understand the present day intersection of religion and politics, and to see how previous generations of Americans approached similar problems. 470.660 – Foundations of Law & Justice This is a survey course that examines the conflicting demands, roles, and choices that face law enforcement in a democratic society. This critical analysis explores the challenges confronting the senior practitioner, as well as those that policymakers in the area of law enforcement must consider. It examines such areas as recruitment, training, socialization, the police subculture, management and organization, ethics, police deviance, minorities in law enforcement, and the use of force. 470.661 – Constitutional Law This survey course is designed to introduce students to the foundations of our constitutional system and constitutional analysis. Discussions will focus on the law as well as related policy, political, and societal implications of constitutional interpretation. The course will explore such areas as the roles and powers of the branches of federal government, separation of powers, federalism, and the commerce clause. It will also cover individual rights, due process, equal protection, church and state, and economic liberties. 470.662 – The Theory and Politics of Terrorism This course is designed to allow the criminal justice professional, policymakers, and others to understand better the impact of terrorism on political and governmental institutions. Terrorism is a tool used by some by some groups to achieve social change. This causes consternation for government and society as a whole because it disrupts the basic social contract. Acts of terrorism have two sets of victims: those immediately affected by the act and the entire society which loses a sense of security and confidence that governmental institutions can maintain social order. The emphasis of the course is both a descriptive and an analytical approach to terrorism. This course will examine areas such as terrorism as a crime, the history of terrorism, the rise of modern terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, cyberterrorism, terrorism and the media, and the impact of terrorism on national security policy. 470.663 – Administering Homeland Security Working with other agencies, the new Department of Homeland Security must protect the country from a broad range of potential threats. High performance is essential. How should the government carry out its responsibilities? How should the federal government coordinate with healthcare providers and state and local public health departments? What are the tradeoffs between citizen rights and homeland security? How can the federal government work with private organizations to protect important national infrastructure and systems? This course will take a "tools of government" approach to these and other questions of administering homeland security. 470.664 – War, Humane Behavior, and Morality This course examines the nature of war and its relationship to morality. It is not a course in either philosophy or theology; rather it assesses case studies drawn from history and literature to address issues that penetrate to the heart of war and its relationships to humane behavior and morality (if any). Assigned books include The Western Way of War; War and Peace; We Were Soldiers Once...and Young; A War to Be Won, Fighting the Second World War; The Peloponnesian War; The Trojan Women; Dereliction of Duty; and Downfall. This course is part of the Aitchison Public Service Undergraduate Fellowship in Government program offered by Johns Hopkins in Washington , D.C. , beginning fall 2003. 470.667 – The Administrative State: How Washington Regulates The regulatory process is neither simple nor straightforward. Congress writes the laws, which authorize or require the federal agencies to act (or prohibit them from acting). This course will explore why Congress delegates to the agencies, how much it may delegate, and how it influences the use of the power it has delegated. Most of the federal agencies are in the executive branch of the government, headed by the president; the rest are so-called independent regulatory agencies. How much authority does the president have in appointments and removal and in policy guidance, and what means does he use to exercise that power? What are the procedural requirements the agencies must follow in developing regulations? What are the substantive requirements (e.g., the role of science and economics)? What influence does the public have, including the general public, the states and local governmental entities, and the special interests? The course will conclude with the role of the courts, which ultimately must decide questions of statutory interpretation and constitutional law. (Cross-listed with the Biotechnology Program) 470.669 – Seminar in Homeland Security Administration The United States faces a broad range of threats. Major homeland security efforts include border security, immigration control, protection of infrastructure, biodefense, and incident response. This course will explore these and other selected topics in depth. Students will be expected to produce an advanced research paper on an approved topic relating to homeland security. By the end of the class students will have a good picture of the process of administering homeland security—our progress, and shortcomings in critical areas. Prerequisite: completion of a course on administering homeland security or instructor approval. 470.670 – Government and Strategic Communications The federal response to Hurricane Katrina was the largest, fastest and most effective in our nation's history. Yet, because responding agencies failed to execute a strategic communications plan almost every American believes that Katrina is synonymous with government failure. This class will examine each of the four realms of the strategic communications: public affairs, information operations, public diplomacy, and psychological operations. It will address how they are integrated into government policy and make use of detailed cases studies of the use or misuse of strategic communications during the War in Iraq , The Global War on Terrorism, and Hurricane Katrina. Students will develop a thorough understanding of the government's strategic communications infrastructure as well as how communications plans are designed and executed. In addition, students will explore how the structure of the current media environment can enhance or ruin even the best laid plans. 470.671 – Criminal Law and the Constitution This course will survey major themes related to substantive criminal law and to constitutional criminal procedure. The first portion of the course will consider the government’s constitutional and political authority to control undesirable behavior by defining criminal law. Through the use of doctrine, case law , and illustrative crimes such as homicide, rape, and theft, the course will examine the criminal act, intent, causation, attempts and inchoate offenses, justification and excuse, and competing rationales for and theories of criminal punishment and sentencing. The second portion of the course will examine the Constitution’s procedural limits upon the government’s ability to investigate and detect crime. This will include study of searches and seizures, confessions and interrogations, and provisions for the right to counsel, as expressed in the Bill of Rights and Fourteenth Amendment and articulated in the opinions of the United States Supreme Court. 470.674 – Administrative Law This survey course will cover the foundations of administrative law, such as the role of administrative law in the U.S. legal system and the basis of authority of administrative agencies vis-à-vis the legislative and judicial branches of government. Topics of inquiry will include the rulemaking, investigatory and adjudicatory powers of agencies; due process; scope and implementation of open government laws; judicial review of agency actions; and doctrines of exhaustion, finality and ripeness. Discussions will include consideration of case-law development, policy implications, and political influences of agency actions. 470.675 – Politics, Language, and Culture of the Arab World An introduction to Arabic politics, language, and culture as a foundatin for understanding today's Arab world. This course provides students with an introduction to Arabic language and an appreciatoin of Arab political and economic structures, literature and art in the light of recent political, economic and social changes. 470.677 – Governing in China and America: Comparisons and Bridges Everyday Americans open newspapers and other media to find articles about China's remarkable accomplishments and the problems that it still faces. Everyday the Chinese learn about developments in the United States from television or through other media. Yet, China remains a mystery to most Americans and America remains a land of dreams for most Chinese. In the globalizing world, Chinese and Americans increasingly use the same words to discuss issues of the day, but the meanings of the words may differ. This course will bring together students and scholars from two leading universities to provide an introduction to one another of China and American domestic politics and government, of Sino-American relations, and of the way in which scholars and students in China and America see their own countries and one another's countries. The course features interactive teleconferences with a graduate class at Fudan University's Center for American Studies in Shanghai , China . In addition to the teleconferencing, the course will be taught on-line, but also feature a number of guest speakers. 470.678 – Governing in Mexico and America: Trade, Migration and Security The "immigration issue" with Mexico is being hotly debated as America continues to struggle with immigration policy reform in the post-9/11 era. Other important policy areas of mutual interest to Mexico and America as neighbors are trade, security, environmental and energy issues. This course will explore and compare the government and politics of each country and important cultural differences impacting their governing styles and attempts at cooperation to address critical policy areas. The course will include at least 6 videoconference sessions with faculty and students at CIDE University in Mexico City. There also will be one videoconference session connecting the class with both CIDE and Fudan University (Shanghai, China) to discuss trade and global governance issues which are of interest to all three nations. 470.679 – America and the Globe: Critical Policy Issues There are a number of critical global issues that students of government and policy need at least a basic knowledge of in order to work with senior policymakers and participate meaningfully in governmental policy decision making. Students will be exposed in each class to an issue of major global significance with the intention that enough foundation is established that further independent study of it can build upon that. While the class will not go into an in-depth analysis on any particular subject, it will provide students with a basic level of knowledge of issues that are critical to understanding today's global environment. Topics will include: the global finance system, terrorism, international trade, pandemics, climate change, energy supply, and integrating emerging world powers. 470.680 – 21st Century Conflict This class will examine the origin and course of currently raging conflicts and try to make some reasoned predictions on the likelihood and direction of armed conflict in the future. Students will start with a survey of the true nature of war and the morality of conflict. From that basis, the class will move on to a brief overview of wars in the 21st century and how they set the conditions for current conflicts. An in-depth study of current conflicts will include, but not be limited to: the Global War on Terrorism, ethnic/tribal war in Africa, narco-wars in South America and an analysis of the war and insurgency in Iraq. The course will also examine current international stressors that could potentially spark future armed conflicts. Finally, the course will examine the policy choices that could forestall these conflicts along with what can be done to help post-conflict nations and failing states from falling back into the conflict-trap 470.684 – Legislative Language and Policymaking This course examines the process of drafting legislation and the consequences of legislative language in the implementation and adjudication of federal policies. Focusing on the various stages of the legislative process, this course considers the expert and political sources of the legislative language in the U.S. Congress and the importance of language in coalition-building for policy passage. Examining the interactions of Congress with the other branches of government, the course also considers how presidents, the executive branch, and the judiciary interpret statutory language. 470.686 – Contemporary Congressional Politics What are the political forces that shape the contemporary Congress and how does Congress, in turn, re-shape American politics? This course considers how political, social, and technological changes outside the institution help to explain contemporary congressional politics. Topics include: Congress’s role in the separation of powers; its responsiveness to interest groups, ideology, and partisanship; competitiveness in congressional elections and constituency representation; and contemporary media politics. The course will also discuss the 2006 congressional election outcomes and the resulting changes in Congress. 470.687 – Political Psychology The field of political psychology applies psychological theories and methods to the study of political behavior. This course will survey psychological approaches to politics by applying psychological research on attitudes, personality, emotion, group processes, memory, cognition, and decision making to the study of political behavior. Specific course topics include: attitude formation, attitude change, decision heuristics and biases, personality, political leadership, voting behavior, public opinion, political communication, groupthink, inter-group conflict, and stereotypes. All course topics will be approached from both theory-driven and applied perspectives. 470.688 – Political Institutions and the Policy Process Bridging the divide between political science theories of policymaking and the actual workings of the policy process in the institutions of national government, this course examines the individual contributions of each of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government as well as the interactions and struggles between those branches. How do these various institutions set the policy agenda, develop and deliberate policy alternatives, make authoritative policy decisions, and implement those decisions? In what ways are the interactions between these institutions best considered conflict or cooperation? Also, how do outside actors and institutions -- the media, interest groups, public opinion, parties and campaigns -- affect policymaking in these various institutional settings? Drawing on the Constitutional design and historical development of these institutions as well as contemporary practice, this course examines the purposes, processes, and outcomes of policymaking from an institutional perspective. 470.689 – Growing Apart? America and Europe in the 21st Century The tension between the United States and Europe over the war in Iraq, as well as the casting of an "Old Europe," a "New Europe," and a "go-it-alone" America has brought into sharp relief that the two major high income centers of the world economy may be following very different paths of development, politically, economically, and culturally. This course surveys how America and Europe are both similar and different, and how, despite the supposed homogenizing effects of globalization, those differences are actually becoming more, rather than less, pronounced over time. The class will examine how the U.S. and Europe have, sometimes developed along similar lines, and sometimes developed along quite different lines; politically, economically, and culturally. This course traces these developments and surveys what why this historical moment seems to be one of "growing apart" and what still holds them together despite such differences. 470.690 – Political Campaigns and the Media The purpose of this course is to understand the important interaction of politics and the media during political campaigns. Issues that eventually become policy when a candidate is victorious and wins office, usually were identified during a political campaign to win votes from various constituencies. The course will examine how the candidate decides on particular topics to stress and how the media decides to cover or not cover certain topics in the campaigns. The class will focus on particular foreign policy issues such as the War on Terrorism and the war in Iraq. It will also examine how the candidates, staffs, consultants, and the media handle these topics. Students will be involved in the presidential candidate press forum that the Government Program is co-sponsoring with SAIS and the Financial Times. Students in the class will be allowed to attend the "press-only" conferences and will have an opportunity to write profiles of the candidates in that forum that will be published on the Transatlantic magazine website. Guest speakers will include political campaign directors, consultants, and political journalists. Students will look inside political campaigns and how they operate from beginning to end and look inside media newsrooms to see how they decide to cover campaigns. The class also examines how campaigns and the media often use one another and at the same time can be adversaries. 470.691 – Digital Citizenship This course will explore the technological and political implications of digital identity, its relation to various models of national identity and the emerging forms of political participation based, in part, on the increasing important of social software and related tools. We will examine the differences between digital identity and "conventional" identity (an aggregate model instead of a genealogical and geographical based model) and the transition into a digital environment (biometrics, etc.). Special emphasis will be given to the political and cultural factors shaping the conception of identity. 470.692 – Military Strategy and National Policy "War is the extension of politics by other means." This course aims to understand how and why states use force in pursuit of their national interest. This class will study the classical theories of warfare, including Clausewitz and Sun Tzu. Case studies in warfare from the 19th and 20th centuries will be used to develop a model of how states have traditionally used war to accomplish their political aims. In addition, the technological and political shifts of the last decade will be explored to determine what they imply about how states can and will use force in the future as a part of their comprehensive national security policies. 470.694 – White Collar Crime This course explores the internal workings of the individuals, corporations, and government agencies that abuse their fiscal responsibilities and societal privileges. The definition(s) of white-collar crime, other issues such as victimization, enforcement, and the sanctioning of organizations and individuals will be addressed. Students will examine and discuss important issues concerning punishment for those that commit white-collar crime and the debate between corruption and accepted business activity. 470.696 – Western Military Thought One of the things that makes interagency cooperation difficult and often contentious in the Global War on Terrorism is that the military culture is so distinct and separate from other government institutions that they often fail to understand each other. At a time, when we are making Herculean efforts to understand our potential enemies it is just as critical to examine the warrior culture that is such a big part of all governmental interactions today. This course will examine how the military culture of the West developed in the 2,500 years since the Greeks defeated an invader from the east, and how these ideas and traditions continue to manifest themselves in current Western military institutions. As Victor Hanson has pointed out, in numerous books, the way the West fights wars means the only thing a Western army has to fear is another Western army. Students will be able to appraise the correctness of that belief and whether it still applies in the context of the 21st Century. 470.697 – Nuclear Weapons and US Foreign Policy This course examines the foreign policy of the United States in the nuclear age. Consideration is given to the closing days of WWII when nuclear weapons were used against Japan; the decades of the Cold War, the Cuban missile crisis, the Vietnam War; and the contemporary era in which U.S. foreign policy is driven by concerns about nuclear weapons in the hands of rogue states and militant jihadists. Various theories and models of foreign policy decisionmaking are tested against the reality of empirical cases. 470.698 – The Politics of Food This course examines the politics of food at the local, national, and global level. The production and consumption of food offers a unique lens into a range of political phenomenon including interest group politics, the role of science in policymaking, and the dynamics of regulatory policy in the U.S. and abroad. Course topics include: the politics of agricultural subsidies, struggles over genetically modified foods, government efforts at improving food safety, and issues surrounding obesity and nutrition policy. This course can count toward the Homeland Security Concentration. 470.699 – The Seen and Unseen This course will cover the traditional history of Washington – the city as symbol and capital. Its founding, the federal and monumental core, the several wartime expansions, and its evolution into a world center will be explored. Additionally, the course will focus on the unusual qualities of the living cities such as the curious relationship between its citizens and the government over time, as a crucible of social struggles reflecting the realities of the nation. Through readings, guest speakers, and field trips, from Pierre L’Enfant to Marion Barry and beyond, the course will take a broad look at the history, politics, and culture of this unique entity. There is no Wednesday symposium requirement for this class. 470.700 – Islamic Fundamentalism Islamic Fundamentalism in the Middle East. A survey of the history and diversity of fundamentalist and radical Islamic movements in the Arab World. We will examine the history of the major movements, their theology and their radicalization as well as key differences between Sunni and Shia groups. Some of the issues we will examine in the seminar: What role will these movements play in the political future of the region? How do they negotiate with the diaspora in the West? What are the prospects for at least some of these groups to evolve into legitimate political players in the Arab World? What are the West's perception of Islamic Fundamentalism? 470.701 – The Death Penalty and American Criminal Justice This course examines the use, legitimacy, and legality of the death penalty in the American criminal justice system. Students will consider the moral, political, and penological justifications for the death penalty as criminal punishment, as well as the arguments against its employment. In addition, the course will involve a study of the constitutional law that has developed to regulate capital punishment, including the constitutional requirements of individualized sentencing and guided jury discretion; proportionality and the evolution of categorical prohibitions for certain classes of criminal offenders, such as rapists, the mentally retarded and mentally ill, and offenders under the age of 18; and challenges to the method of execution. Finally, the course examines the prospects for legislative reform or abolition, and the adequacy of alternatives to capital punishment. 470.702 – Introduction to Law and Legal Methodology This course is taught by a sitting federal trial judge and introduces students to the fundamentals of legal analysis. Students will interpret the Constitution, statutes and case law. The course will cover how the federal court system works and will read and dissect several Supreme Court, circuit and trial court decisions. Students will learn how to "brief" a case to extract its essence and will understand what the holding and the principles articulated by the court are as well as the procedural posture of the case. The objective of the course it to train students in the fundamentals of how to approach the study of law. 470.704 – Strategies in Insurgent and Asymmetric Warfare This course explores strategies in insurgent and asymmetric conflict from both insurgent and counter-insurgent perspectives. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, theoretical approaches to the problems of insurgency, people's war and guerilla war are explored. In the second part, detailed case studies of insurgent and asymmetric conflicts are examined to see how close reality approximates theory and more importantly, what worked, what did not, and why. Case studies include: 470.705 – The Majesty of the Law: The Judicial Process in America This course considers the philosophical underpinnings of the judiciary, including its origins in Article III of the U.S. Constitution and its reliance on foundational principles of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. The class will examine the placement of the judiciary within the American policy, focusing heavily on the concepts of separation of powers and federalism. In this context, we will consider the relationships between the 470.706 – Federalism: The Dynamic Interplay Between the States and Capitol Hill State governments are the laboratories of policy innovation and in turn often fuel action at the federal level. There are many meaningful lessons from successes in state government policymaking that could be informative to policymakers on Capitol Hill. What is the nature of the relationship between legislators on the federal level and legislators on the state level? What are the incentives or disincentives for Members of Congress to interact with state legislators or vice versa? This course will address the general principles of federalism, then interplay between Congress and the state legislatures and the role that state legislatures play in shaping and driving policy discussions on Capitol Hill. The class ill provide an in-depth analysis of specific policy issues that are currently debated on both Capitol Hill and the state legislatures in order to facilitate a comparison and critical examination of the public policy debate at the federal and state levels. A visit to the Maryland General Assembly for a visit with the Governor and legislative leaders is planned. 470.707 – Asian Politics: Challenges and Opportunities As the 20th century came to a close, many scholars and commentators predicted that the new century would become the Asian century. The prediction was based on economic expansion, political maturization and population growth in 470.708 – Public Diplomacy and Arab Public Opinion What are the factors shaping public opinion in the Arab world and how can the U.S. best communicate with a growing and diverse population increasingly perceived as hostile to it. This course will examine various public diplomacy efforts by the U.S. government in the Middle East, such as radio and television broadcasts and cultural exchange programs, and their reception by the Arab public as measured by public opinion and the reaction of the Arab press. How much U.S. public diplomacy efforts differ from the current views in the Arab press and how the impact or influcence of these diplomatic efforts can be measured will be examined and assessed in the course as well. 470.709 – Smoke-Filled Rooms: The Politics of Tobacco Regulation This course is designed to provide students with a historical, medical, and sociological perspective on tobacco and the role it has played in public health campaigns and popular culture in our society.Students will read and debate books, articles, and studies that explain how tobacco policy is designed, advocated, and administered.Particular emphasis will be placed upon the following topics:tobacco legislation, including FDA regulation; tobacco marketing; the anti-tobacco movement; the health aspects of tobacco use worldwide; demographic patterns of tobacco use; tobacco taxation; public education; strategies for tobacco control, including behavioral and pharmacological support for individuals as well as legislation to restrict sales and use; and models of addiction, treatment, and prevention.The course is a case study of a multi-faceted domestic policy issue. 470.710 – The Politics of Foreign Policy Former Secretary of State James Baker entitled his memoir “The Politics of Diplomacy” which is an indication of his views of how foreign policy is made.Foreign policy in the United Stateshas its origins not only in the nation’s vital interests and national security, but also in politics.This course will examine how campaign issues often formulated by political advisors becomes the foreign policy of the country and will study how future foreign policies of the winning candidate for the White House are based on what many only view as campaign rhetoric.It will explore the history of American foreign policy from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush and to the presidential candidates in 2008 to determine how politics plays a role in foreign policy.The course will also look at the phenomenon of Americans electing former governors without much foreign policy experience to the White House and study how these new presidents get up to speed on international relations.The 2008 presidential campaign will serve as an example of how the candidates try to win the approval of various voting blocs and how this can translate into foreign policy in the future. 470.711 – Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy This course examines the role that intelligence plays in the formation of national security policy.The course explores the forces and events that have shaped U.S. intelligence.It examines the steps involved in producing intelligence from requirements through collection, analysis and the actual making of policy.The role of intelligence in the major intelligence issues facing the United States today will be discussed as well.The main text for the course will be Dr. Lowenthal’s book of the same title published by CQ Press which has been called the “best introduction to the role of the U.S. intelligence community in the national security policy-making process.” This course counts toward the Homeland Security Concentration. 470.712 – The American Civil Trial This course, taught by a sitting federal trial judge, will introduce students to the trial as a critical element of the American legal system.Using a civil trial as a model, students will explore the procedures leading up to trial – motions practice and discovery – and the format of the trial itself, from opening statements to evidentiary issues, direct and cross examination, expert testimony and closing argument.Students will read excerpts from actual trial and pretrial proceedings and summaries of some noteworthy American trials.The course will give students a practical understanding and a unique perspective of the workings of the American legal system. 470.714 – Policymaking in the U.S. and Latin America: Perceptions and Misconceptions The course will introduce students to major political trends in Latin America and the state of U.S. relationships with countries in the region. The design is for 4 class sessions to be held in Washington before a week-long seminar at CIDE University in Mexico City. CIDE University (www.cide.edu) is a world class research and teaching institution in Mexico and is home to a MA degree program similar to our MA in Government Program in its emphasis on combining the study of theory with a focus on the development of practical professional skills. In addition to guest lectures by CIDE professors, public figures based in Mexico City will address the class, and there will be visits to the Mexican Congress and government agencies, Latin American embassies, and major cultural and historical sites. After returning to DC, students will complete a final paper to fulfill course requirements for the class. The DC class sessions will introduce students to Latin America and US-Latin American relations (highlighting Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Guatemala). The course will cover both the history of the countries and the U.S. relationship with each. Classes in Mexico will focus on Latin American integration, security, politics, and US-Latin American relations. There may be other lectures by a Guatemalan scholar on migration and Uruguayan and Argentinean scholars on hemispheric issues. Field trips will include visits to embassies, trips to meet with Mexican Congressional staff and with key government agency staff (e.g., at the transparency institute, electoral institute, foreign ministry, presidential staff). If possible, we will have one trip outside Mexico City for a class discussing center/regional issues (possibly Michoacan). Cultural trips will include going to "Bellas Artes" (Mexico's Kennedy Center), the pyramids, and the historical downtown of Mexico City.
Thesis470.888 – Thesis Continuationnon-credit; required (beginning Summer 2007) for those who have completed all of their course work including the Research and Thesis class, but are still working on their thesis. Details of this offering will be posted soon.
|
Calendar