Courses
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CAS HI 363: Early Chinese History
From the Bronze Age to the seventeenth century, China changed dramatically yet maintained political and cultural cohesion, unlike any other civilization. This course explores both diversity and unity in early Chinese society as well as their historical legacies. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area(s): Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking. -
CAS HI 367: The Odd Couple: China and the USA, 1776 to the present
The USA, a bastion of capitalism, and China, the largest communist state on earth, are the two major global powers today. It was not always this way, and the course will map three centuries of this complex historical relationship, filled with mutual admiration and misunderstanding. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Creativity/Innovation. -
CAS HI 506: The Transformation of Early New England: Witches, Whalers and Warfare
Explores how religious schisms and revival, warfare with native Americans, political revolution, and commercial development transformed New England from a Puritanical agricultural society into an urbanized, industrial society by the outbreak of the American Civil War. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I. -
CAS IR 230: Fundamentals of International Politics
Introduction to basic concepts of international politics: the state system and types of states, modern ideologies, legal frameworks of international transactions, and political regions. Also raises key issues such as population, the environment, war, and international law. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. -
CAS IR 242: Globalization and World Poverty
(Meets with CAS SO 242.) Globalization and world poverty; how and why over 80% of the world remains poor and inequality increases despite economic modernization and democratization. Addresses urbanization, immigration, religion, politics, development politics, foreign aid, women, drugs, environment, food security. Special attention to Latin American, African, and Asian experiences. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning. -
CAS IR 251: Introduction to Comparative Politics
Undergraduate core course. Meets with CAS PO 151. Examines different patterns of political development and contemporary politics in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Introduces the comparative method in political science and competing theories of political development and political change. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS IR 271: Introduction to International Relations
Explores major issues in international relations, including conflict, cooperation, and governance. Addresses dominant international relations theories and their application. Investigates state system, international law and organization, transnational actors, state behavior, and globalization. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS IR 275: The Making of Asia
This course provides undergraduates with a broad introduction to diversity and development in Asia Pacific. Part I introduces historical and political legacies in Asia, focusing on the rise and decline of a China-centric and a Japan-centric order in East Asia. Part II focuses on political-economic developments in Pacific Asia after WWII. Part III focuses on the 1997/8 Asian financial crisis and its impacts on individual countries in the region as well as their transnational politics. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS IR 330: Diplomatic Practice
The course is designed to get students familiarized with the "art of the possible," emphasizing how diplomatic practice has evolved so far. Students will be able to understand how foreign policy is formulated and promulgated and how diplomacy works on a daily basis.They will demonstrate a clear understanding of the role and importance of multilateral diplomacy/international organizations (liberalism) in today's world and examine how multilateral diplomacy functions. Students will be able to grasp the core principles of diplomatic negotiations and demonstrate them in the simulations. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration. -
CAS IR 349: History of International Relations, 1900-1945
What were the causes and the consequences of the two World Wars? What was the nature of political, economic, and military relations among the major powers of the world from the beginning of the twentieth century to the end of the Second World War? What was the effect of domestic factors (political, economic, religious, and ideological) on the foreign policies of individual states? Seeking to provide a genuinely multinational perspective on world affairs, this course will assess the ways in which powerful nation-states in this period competed and cooperated in the international system. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. -
CAS IR 350: History of International Relations since 1945
What are the causes and consequences of the global Cold War? How was the twentieth-century international system transformed by East-West conflict, North-South disparity and South-South cooperation and competition? What lessons can be drawn from this recent past? These are some of the questions that this course will examine. The course will contextualize present-day international and regional conflicts and cooperation in the recent past, collectively analyze primary source documents, and discuss policy implications. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. -
CAS IR 365: Rise of China
How has China risen economically in the last four decades? How different was the Chinese economic model compared to other Asian nations and western models? In what aspects has China's political system been changed or unchanged during its economic rise? what opportunities and challenges are presented with the economic rise of China in the region and in the world? The course offers foundational knowledge on China's economic reform, domestic politics, and global implications, evaluates public and policy debates, and applies the process and methods of social research. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. -
CAS IR 368: Contemporary East Asian Economics
Meets with CAS EC 368. An introduction to the economic history and institutions of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. Topics include structural change, trade, labor markets, corporate organization, financial systems, and macroeconomic and industrial policy. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS IR 373: Global Governance and International Organization
Provides an overview of major theoretical perspectives on the creation and function of international organizations, comparative case studies of selected organizations, and an examination of present and future roles of international organizations in selected issue areas. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS IR 376: American Foreign Policy Since 1945
Analysis of the history of American foreign policy from the perspective of the changing world and regional international systems; emphasis on the effect of these systems and the impact of America on the creation and operation of international systems. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II. -
CAS IR 377: U.S. in South Asia since 1947
What were the characteristics of U.S. foreign policy in South Asia during the Cold War? What was U.S. response in the various interstate wars in the region, particularly the 1962 war, the 1965 war, the 1971 war and the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan? What are the long-term trends that we can infer from studying the Cold War history of the region that allow us to draw policy lessons for understanding the current foreign policy and security issues in South Asia? These are some of the questions that this course will examine. No background in South Asia is required for taking this course. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. -
CAS LC 212: Fourth Semester Chinese
Review of structure and grammar, practice in conversation and writing, introduction to reading. Satisfactory completion of CAS LC 212 fulfills the CAS language requirement. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS LC 216: Chinese Reading and Writing 2
Intensive course covering second-year Chinese in one semester for students who speak Mandarin. Training in listening and speaking, but emphasis is on reading and writing; aspects of students' Chinese heritage are also explored. Satisfactory completion of CAS LC 216 fulfills the CAS language requirement. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS LC 250: Masterpieces of Classical Chinese Literature (in English translation)
Panoramic overview of three thousand years of Chinese literature from its beginnings to the threshold of modernity. Discusses masterpieces of one of the world's oldest continuous traditions in their cultural context and in the context of literatures around the world. Carries humanities divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. -
CAS LC 251: Masterpieces of Modern Chinese Literature (in English translation)
Modern Chinese literature tells stories of trauma, accommodation, and resistance. It offers private and public records of tumultuous transitions. This course focuses on great works of transformative importance. Authors include Lu Xun, Wang Meng, and Jin Yong. Carries humanities divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
