Political Science
College of Arts & Sciences
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Introduction to Comparative Politics
CAS PO 151
Undergraduate core course. 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. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking. 4 cr.
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Introduction to International Relations
CAS PO 171
Undergraduate core course. 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. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. 4 cr.
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The Politics and Policy of HBO's The Wire
CAS PO 313
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 policing and education policy; and race, politics, and poverty. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration. 4 cr.
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Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
CAS PO 316
Online offering. Considers the following questions: 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? Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking. 4 cr.
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International Political Economy
CAS PO 329
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. 4 cr.
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Catastrophe and Memory
CAS PO 394
Examines the ways in which catastrophes, both natural and social, enter into cultural memory. Goal is to understand how events that seem to defy comprehension are represented in works of art and given a place in the memory of a culture. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy. 4 cr.
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Data Science for Politics
CAS PO 399
Prereq: Any 100-level course in Political Science. Prereq: any 100-level course in Political Science. Data science is changing how we understand and study politics, policy, and decision-making. This course introduces students to the fundamental tools of data science, including collecting, modeling, and visualizing data, and how to apply these tools to study political and policy questions. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning I. 4 cr.
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Political Economy of China
CAS PO 548
Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) and junior standing or consent of instructor. Provides a historical and comparative study of China's rise domestically and internationally and introduces China's national power, local governments, globalization, finance, and strategic concerns. Students learn to evaluate scholarly and policy pieces, compile evidence, and write research reports. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II. 4 cr.