Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

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  • CAS IR 501: Conflict and Cooperation in Asia
    Meets with CAS PO 554. Investigates patterns of conflict and cooperation in South and East Asia surrounding issues ranging from water resources and health to borders and war. Analyzes how such issues contribute to instability in the region, as well as methods of cooperation.
  • CAS IR 503: The U.S. in the Middle East
    Meets with CAS PO 503. Examines the historical development and present status of the United States' association with the Middle East: American commercial, economic, political, military, and humanitarian interests in the area and their interaction.
  • CAS IR 504: Seminar: The Persian Gulf/Arabian Peninsula
    Meets with CAS PO 577. The Persian Gulf/Arabian Peninsula system as a major focus of international concern. An in-depth examination of the political, economic, and societal evolution and dynamics of these states: their interrelationships; superpowers', European, and Japanese policies toward them.
  • CAS IR 505: Arms Control and Proliferation of Weapons
    Examines why and how arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation have become important issues in modern diplomacy. Analyzes the progress made in concluding global and regional agreements, verification and compliance techniques, and their role in post-Cold War security issues. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 506: India and the World: The Foreign Policy of a Rising Power
    Today, India is a nuclear power with a huge and growing economy. This, along with the rise of China and 9/11, has catapulted India into the international limelight. This course examines India's rise, focusing on its foreign policy and international role.
  • CAS IR 507: Islam and Politics
    Investigates the origins and practices of prominent Islamists and grassroots Muslim political movements. Emphasis is on the coevolution of states and religious movements, the emergence of religious democrats, the dynamics of transnational mobilization, and recognizing politics in unusual places.
  • CAS IR 510: Comparative Immigration and Racial Politics
    Examines immigration policies and domestic racial hierarchies across world regions and regime-types. Role of immigration and racial hierarchy in economic development, state formation, nationalism, and electoral politics in three largest migrant-receiving regions: North America, Western Europe, and the Persian Gulf.
  • CAS IR 511: The Middle East Today
    A critical survey of the rise and development of modern nations, states, and economies in the Middle East and North Africa since 1900. Provides context and perspective essential for understanding contemporary issues (e.g., peace process, gender relations, religion's roles, democracy).
  • CAS IR 512: Global Resource Geopolitics
    Students explore in-depth the relationship between conflict, natural resources, development, and security, and practice developing solutions to complex problems. Analyzes the most contentious themes in the political economy of resources: violence, population, energy, and agro-food production. Also offered as CAS GE 506.
  • CAS IR 513: Bureaucracy and Governance: A Comparative Inquiry
    (Meets with CAS PO 525.) Bureaucracy is not only credited with underpinning economic development but also blamed for corruption and inefficiency. Exploring both theory and comparative development, this course looks at some of the most basic and important issues informing our understanding of governance.
  • CAS IR 514: Empire and Power: British Foreign Policy, 1782-Present
    Meets with CAS HI 533. Examines the evolution of British foreign policy over time as well as the nature of Great Power rivalry. Key themes include formulation of national diplomatic strategies, policy coordination, diplomatic vs. military considerations, alliance politics, and policy over-stretch.
  • CAS IR 516: Intelligence and Homeland Security
    Introduces students to the interplay of intelligence and homeland security by answering questions such as: Who threatens? How and why do they threaten? Who protects the homeland? How do they protect us? What ethical framework should we apply? Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
  • CAS IR 518: Gender and War
    (Meets with CAS PO 583.) Examines gender constructions in world politics. Topics include gender biases in international relations theories, female and male roles in war, and rape as an instrument of warfare. Also assesses roles of women as leaders, actors, and objects of foreign policy.
  • CAS IR 519: People Power in Global Politics
    Explores how everyday people shape global politics, drawing on classic studies of political anthropology as well as more recent examples of transnational and digital activism.
  • CAS IR 520: The State and Public Purpose in Asia
    Meets with CAS PO 550. Explores how noncommunist Asian governments have attempted to advance public purpose, and how organizational factors in countries' governments affect their ability to do so. These questions are addressed in a comparative framework, considering theory and cases. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Critical Thinking
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 521: Congress and National Security
    Examines the role and influence of Congress on the intelligence agencies of the US, Congress's oversight of intelligence collection, counterintelligence, covert action and surveillance in relation to the executive powers. Explores the influence of espionage on national security policy.
  • CAS IR 522: Politics of Nuclear Weapons
    This course examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. It analyzes the "global atomic marketplace" with a particular focus on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 525: 21st Century Deterrence: Nuclear, Space, Cyber
    Examines the challenges of deterrence in an era of multipolarity, proliferation, and technological change, with a particular focus on nuclear weapons, the militarization of space and cyber warfare. Analyzes strategic planning and posture reviews and their consequences for deterring adversaries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS IR 526: National and Homeland Security Law
    This course examines national and homeland security law as the balance between the state's requirement for security juxtaposed against civil liberties. We study the Constitution, judicial cases, and other primary sources focusing on specific topic areas. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 527: Political Economy of China
    Meets with CAS PO 548. How did China implement economic reform? What were the progresses and limitations? How is China's political-economic development influencing the global system? Discussions are conducted in a comparative perspective. Countries of reference include Japan and India.

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