July 2 - July 27
This course is an introduction to the study of domestic political institutions, processes, and outcomes across and within countries. The course surveys key concepts and major theoretical contributions in the field of comparative politics, including the challenges for democratization and democratic consolidation, the possibility of revolution, how countries vary in their political and electoral institutions and why these variations matter, and the power of social forces such as ethnicity, culture, and social capital. Country cases are drawn from different regions of the world and historical periods to ground students in the set of tools of comparative analysis.

May 21 - June 15
This course provides students with the background and conceptual tools they need to understand contemporary international relations. The course will introduce students to the wide range of issues that make up the study of international relations, including the workings of the state system, the causes of international conflict and violence, and international economic relations. Students will be introduced to the literature in a broad way, to make them familiar with the main theoretical traditions in the field. Students will be asked, as much as possible, to read original texts, rather than a textbook. Time permitting, we will also examine topics of particular current interest, such as the evolving nature of power in the post-Cold War environment as well as special global challenges like nation-building and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

July 2 - July 27
This introductory course is designed to provide students with the history, background and analytical tools to understand and analyze contemporary international issues among states. The course will cover the wide range of issues involved in the field of international relations including the modern theoretical debates such as neorealism and neoliberalism, the causes and effects of international conflicts, and economic development and globalization. In addition, we will also explore important topics in the 21st century such as transnational terrorism, international law and human rights, global warming, financial crises, and the rise of China. The ultimate goal of this course is to develop critical thinking concerning issues in world politics.