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Courses

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

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  • CAS PO 307: Public Opinion in American Politics
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) 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.
    • 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.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 309: The Politics of Gender and Identity in the US
    This course explores the complexities of gender and sexuality in American Politics, with a focus on how gender anxieties are reflected within nationalist and populist discourses throughout the Trump era. Effective Spring 2026, this course fulfills a single requirement in the following BU HUB area: Ethical Reasoning.
    • Ethical Reasoning
  • 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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS PO 316: Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO 111 OR CASPO 141) - 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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PO 317: American Campaigns and Elections
    Explores the nature of political campaigns and elections in the United States. We learn about how voters make decisions, how campaigns influence election results, and how the broader set of electoral structures and rules influence these outcomes. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Teamwork/Collaboration, Social Inquiry II.
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS PO 320: Special Topics in Public Policy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Topics vary. May be taken multiple times for credit providing the topic is different.
  • CAS PO 321: Foundations of American Public Policy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO 111 or 151). - This course investigates the social and political roots of US public policies. We use historical perspectives and social scientific analysis to shed light on the seemingly unique American solutions to pressing social and economic problems. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Historical Consciousness
  • CAS PO 322: The Politics of Science, Care, and the Environment
    Undergraduate Prerequisite: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - This interdisciplinary course explores political conflicts over environmental problems as conflicts over science and care. Content ranges from concrete cases of U.S. environmental challenges (toxic exposure, wildlife in suburbs), to environmental political theory and the politics of climate change. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Creativity/Innovation
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS PO 324: Comparative Public Policy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO141 OR CASPO151) - Comparative study of the public policies of advanced societies in such areas as health training, unemployment, poverty, and budget. Explores why countries develop different solutions to policy needs, and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of various national approaches.
  • CAS PO 327: Non-State Actors in International Relations
    Examines the important role of non-state actors in international relations. Non- state actors include subnational governments, international organizations, multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, religious groups, violent groups, for-profit security firms, social movements, and grassroots organizations.
  • CAS PO 328: North-South Relations
    Employs a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the relations between the industrialized nations of the "North" and the developing nations of the "South." Addresses historical and current issues in North-South relations, including trade, investment, migration, regional economic integration, and the environment.
  • CAS PO 329: International Political Economy
    Emphasizes the dynamic interaction between politics and economics to understand and explain historical and contemporary issues in international political economy, including international monetary, trade, investment, financial, and environmental relations. Considers emerging challenges and structures in the international political economy. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 330: Special Topics in Comparative Politics
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Topics vary. May be taken multiple times for credit providing the topic is different.
  • CAS PO 331: Comparative Political Economy
    Undergraduate prerequisite: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or WR 120) - Introduces students to comparative political economy from a historical perspective, covering the early development of capitalism, industrialization, the welfare state, and the evolution of industry regulation, continuing to topics like deindustrialization, economic stagnation, and the rise of economic inequality. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS PO 332: Civil Wars
    Prerequisites: CASPO 171 or CASIR 271. - Civil wars are the dominant form of political violence in the world. This course draws on a methodologically diverse body of research to examine the causes, durations, and outcomes of civil wars. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU HUB areas: Critical Thinking, Social Inquiry 2.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 333: Democratic Erosion
    Trends in American and European politics have engendered fears about a turn toward authoritarianism where it was once unthinkable. This course explores the causes and consequences of democratic erosion, helping students to put recent developments into comparative and historical perspective. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Research and Information Literacy
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 334: Political Violence
    Explores the concept of political violence and the dynamics of violent political behavior. Critically examines the causes and consequences of political violence around the world. Topics include civil war, government repression and disciplining, electoral violence, riots and demonstrations, vigilante and intercommunal violence. Comparative perspectives with a particular emphasis on the Global South. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 336: Voting Rights
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PO 111 or CAS PO 151 - Examines voting rights in the United States, including the social, legal, and political movements that have affected who has the right to vote; how that right is exercised; and current legal and political developments. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Historical Consciousness
  • CAS PO 338: Urban Politics of the Global South
    The majority of the world's population now lives in cities. Course explores the origins and history of cities in global south (Latin America, Africa, Asia), with particular attention to colonialism and its effects on contemporary inequality and democracy. Looks at questions of citizenship, governance, informality, democracy, and the role of civil society, in dealing with challenges of urban inequality and climate change. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Social Inquiry I

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