Political Science

• CAS PO 240: Paris Politique
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Paris Internship Program.
  Introduction to the political life of France, beginning with a historical overview of the French political system. Examines issues related to administrative organization, the civil service, regionalism, and France's role in the international community. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 450. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
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  • Social Inquiry I
  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
• CAS PO 242: International Organizations
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission to the Geneva Internship Program.
  The purpose of this course is to examine and problematize the way in which international organizations, governmental and non-governmental alike but the United Nations in particular, have shaped international relations and international law. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
• CAS PO 243: Introduction to Public International Law
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission to the Geneva Internship Program.
  (Meets with CAS IR 445.) Analysis of how public international law governs relations between States. Focus on the decentralized structure of the legal order and on conditions under which States can safeguard their rights. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 445.
• CAS PO 244: Small States and Security Issues
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission to the Geneva Internship Program.
  Approaches to small states' security, with focus on Switzerland. General review of foreign, security, and defense policies. Switzerland?s evolution since the Cold War. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 446.
• CAS PO 245: Nationalism in Spain within the European Context
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Madrid Spanish & European Studies Program.
  This course examines peripheral nationalist movements in Spain -Catalu?a, Galicia and Basque Country- and its political, social, economic, and cultural implications. These identities are also studied from a wider European perspective with references to the political situation in the USA. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
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  • Social Inquiry I
  • Ethical Reasoning
• CAS PO 247: Politics, Nations, and Identity in the New Europe: Switzerland and the European Union
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Geneva Internship Program.
  The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary understanding of politics, nations and identity in contemporary Europe and the role Switzerland has to play in this regard. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
• CAS PO 248: Comparative European Politics: France and Beyond
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Paris Internship Program.
  Study of the political systems of European countries and the elements of European democracies. Assessment of multiple approaches to study of social and political science from rational choice to political anthropology and the sociology of elected officials. Conducted in English. Also offered as CAS IR 305E. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Social Inquiry I
  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS PO 260: The Australian Political System
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in Sydney Internship Program.
  Examines the Australian system and its institutions. Topics include the Constitution, governor-general, republicanism, the High Court, federalism, Parliament, the Executive, the role of the bureaucracy, the party system, interest groups, and the role of the media. (Taught in Sydney, Australia.) This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 350. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
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  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
• CAS PO 280: American Policymaking in the Global Era: American Grand Strategy and Decision Making in a Rapidly Changing Global Environment
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Washington, DC Internship Program.
  The United States is no longer the unrivaled global superpower. While it remains the most consequential actor in the international system today, it is not the only voice that matters, and U.S. policymakers must contend with competition from rising powers and global organizations. The aim of the course is to put these debates in a global context by giving you an overview of international relations, grounding you in the many factors that influence international decision making in Washington, and providing you with a sense of how key parts of Washington work to address the challenges we face today. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
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  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
• CAS PO 281: Natural Resource Politics in the Andes
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Lima & Ayacucho: Understanding Contemporary Peru program.
  The politics of minerals, oils, and natural gas extraction in the Andes. History of extractive industries: colonialism, foreign investment, nationalization, privatization. The resource curse and challenges of development. Resource-based conflict and current political issues in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.
• CAS PO 300: Special Topics in American Politics
  Topics vary. May be taken multiple times for credit providing the topic is different. Topic for Fall 2023, Section A1: American Political Thought. Introduces students to major traditions and theories of American political thought, including liberalism, republicanism, abolition democracy, and settler colonialism. Explores contemporary issues in American politics, such as economic inequality, reparations, gun rights/gun violence, and originalism. Topic for Spring 2024, Section S1: State and Local Governments. Looks at the most visible and impactful forms of government for most Americans. Students engage with a variety of sources and activities to better understand the finances, functions, and politics of state and local governments.
• CAS PO 301: Presidential Leadership
  Presidential power and functions; relations with Congress, political party, and the public; personality and leadership; and comparative study of selected presidents. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS PO 302: Congress and Its Critics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PO 111 or CAS PO 141; or consent of instructor.
  The United States Congress is the most studied branch of U.S. Government, and central to our understanding of policy, elections, and representative democracy. The purpose of this course is to examine two fundamental questions: (1) what do Members of Congress do and why and (2) how do the individual and collective actions of Members of Congress explain national policy? Throughout, we will debate the common criticism that ``Congress is broken'' and consider its effectiveness as an institution. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
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  • Social Inquiry II
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS PO 303: It's a Free Country: Civil Liberties in America
  An accessible introduction to American civil liberties. Students will read a sampling of key Supreme Court cases about issues including speech, religion, privacy and equality. They will understand the key the debates, considerations, and decisions about old and new civil liberties challenges in the U.S. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
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  • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS PO 304: The Judicial Process
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PO 111 or CAS PO 141; or consent of instructor.
  Introduction to the judicial process. Topics include the role of lawyers and judges, the structure of the court system, juries, and legal reasoning. Primarily intended for students who have little or no exposure to law courses. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
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  • Social Inquiry I
  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS PO 305: United States Political Parties
  Detailed consideration of the political party as a functional organization: party leaders and followers, partisanship and electoral strategy, shifts and realignments in party politics.
• CAS PO 306: Media and Politics in the United States
  Examines changes over time in the American polity's assumptions about what the press ought to do. In particular, relates our understanding of the press's role to contemporary media developments including technological changes, corporate media ownership, and the re- amateurization of journalism. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
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  • Social Inquiry II
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS PO 307: Public Opinion in American Politics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PO 111 or CAS PO 141; or consent of instructor.
  Public opinion is a central component of democratic politics; in this course we study public opinion in the United States. In addition to this substantive focus, the course is intended to foster the development of two skills: critical reading and rigorous, careful and clear writing. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
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  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS PO 308: The Politics of Race and Ethnicity
  Combining research from history, political science, sociology, and economics, this course examines the role of race and ethnicity in shaping American politics and policy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Social Inquiry II
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS PO 309: Women and Politics
  Readings, discussion, and field research on issues of women's relationship to the processes of political influence, change, and empowerment. Analysis of public policy related to women and children.