How does American government really work? Is it as dysfunctional as many people claim, and if so, why? This course examines the structure and function of the presidency, Congress, and the judiciary as established by the Founding Fathers. It also reviews the importance of political parties and elections, the issues that define the differences between the two major parties, and the changing nature of both U.S. domestic and foreign policy over the past forty years.

An introductory survey of Western political thought from Plato to modern times, defining the fundamental issues of politics and their relation to the enduring problems of civilization.

This course introduces students to important theoretical approaches to the analysis of international relations and applies these approaches to a number of historical and contemporary issues. A sample of topics covered include the causes of war, international institutions, the Cold War, globalization, nuclear weapons, terrorism, and human rights.

Explores competing meanings of "democracy"; examines the evolution and expansion of democracies and democratization since the 1970s, and the recent and emerging challenges to democracies today.

Today's global, IT-connected world is increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks and fast-moving threats from criminals, terrorists, and foreign governments. How do the public and private sectors deal with this security environment? In what ways does cyber security by the U.S., the European Union, and the United Nations compare? How do organizations react to rapidly changing cybersecurity threats?

This class will examine the policy debates over cybersecurity, cyberwarfare, drones, critical infrastructure protection, cyber crime and cyberterrorism, and the national, public-private, and international responses to meet these growing security threats. The course draws primarily on case studies, and no prior or technical knowledge is required.

This course is intended to introduce students to the great sweep of political history and culture in two self-styled exceptionalist countries that share so many political values yet are so fundamentally different. Prior introductory courses in Politics and French are helpful but not required; no prior knowledge is assumed.

A combination of lectures, discussions, and internships arranged for students in congressional offices and committees. Interested students must fill out the form on the internships page of the Politics Department's website.