Courses

• CAS PO 243: Introduction to Public International Law
  (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
  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 in a European Context
  Examines Spanish national identity alongside minority national identities within Spain such as the Basque and Catalonian peoples. Compares the case of Spain with other national minorities across Europe. Examines non-state nationalisms from historical and contemporary perspectives.
• CAS PO 246: Democratization: Its History and Future Challenges
  Meets with CAS IR 391E. Comparative perspective on the history of democracy and democratization. Explores conditions, catalysts, and processes of democratic change with a focus on current trends in the democratization debate. Special focus on Iran as a case study.
• CAS PO 247: Politics, Nations, and Identity in the New Europe: Switzerland and the European Union
  (Meets with CAS IR 418 E.) Examines Switzerland in the context of European history through a structured comparison with France and Germany. Discusses the Swiss role in the history and rationale of the EU, the current eurozone crisis and plans for enlargement, and questions of migration.
• CAS PO 248: Comparative European Politics: France and Beyond
  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.
• CAS PO 260: The Australian Political System
  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.
• CAS PO 280: American Policy-Making in the Global Era: International Trade, Finance, Innovation, and the Global Corporation
  (Meets with CAS IR 324E.) Examines American international economic decision-making in a changing global economy. Addresses current theories of International Political Economy with respect to trade, finance, and the development of global corporations. Explores how American policy shaped the post World War II global economy.
• CAS PO 300: Special Topics in American Politics
  Topics vary. May be taken multiple times for credit providing the topic is different. Two topics are offered Fall 2018. Section A1: Bombs and Bombshells: Gender and Political Violence. Delve into the world of Black Widows and Demon Lovers. Using empirical research, case studies, and drama, this course separates fact from fiction to examine gender and its intersections between recruitment, motivations, and conditions under which women behave violently. Also offered as CAS WS 304 A1. Section B1: War on Drugs. Examines the modern history of the United States' "War on Drugs," exploring both the international and domestic implications of the U.S.'s counter narcotics policy.
• 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. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 317.
• CAS PO 302: Congress and Its Critics
  Is Congress the "broken branch"? Can it be fixed? How congress works; legislative process; interactions with other branches; congressional elections; campaign finance; how Congress has changed and may evolve in the future. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the title "The Legislative Process in America" that was previously numbered CAS PO 311.
• CAS PO 304: The Judicial Process
  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. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 315.
• 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. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 324.
• CAS PO 307: Public Opinion in American Politics
  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. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Social Inquiry I
• CAS PO 309: Women and Politics
  (Meets with CAS WS 350.) 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. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 342.
• CAS PO 313: The Politics and Policy of HBO's The Wire
  HBO's television series The Wire is used to explore politics and policy. A number of interdisciplinary topics are covered, including the war on drugs, urban elections, bureaucracy, rational choice theory, and the decline of American cities. Also offered as CAS AA 313 This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS PO 314: Election Campaign Practicum
  Learn about elections and campaigns by participating in an electoral campaign (at least 5 hours a week) and framing and integrating that experience with critical reading of high quality research and journalism and investigation of current election-related data.
• CAS PO 316: Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
  How many people are affected by the criminal justice system? What is the relationship between crime and race? What criminal justice policies, if any, should change? In this course, students grapple with these questions. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Social Inquiry I
  • Ethical Reasoning
• CAS PO 320: Special Topics in Public Policy
  Topics vary. Topic for Spring 2019: Local Public Policy, Analysis, and Research. Focuses on local government, contemporary local public policy challenges, and methods for doing policy research. Students collaboratively work on real local government policy projects resulting in a report back to municipal officials.
• CAS PO 321: Foundations of American Public Policy
  Investigates the social and political roots of U.S. policy solutions. Cross-national comparisons and historical perspectives are used to shed light on seemingly unique American solutions to pressing social and economic problems. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 343.

Back to full list of College of Arts & Sciences