Regular

In this course, we will examine conflict, peace, and conflict resolution in contemporary international politics. We will interrogate what we mean by concepts such as peace, conflict, and violence, the different forms that these phenomena can take, and how we can measure their occurrence. We will discuss theoretical explanations for why individuals and groups have disputes, why these actors choose to use violence (or not) in these disputes, and ways in which violent disputes can be resolved peacefully.

GVPT 388A (online) studies the different psychological and political aspects of terror. We engage in this study in an intensive three-week workshop that combines films dealing with various approaches to terror and readings that demonstrate the role of terror both within the self, the community and the state.

This course engages students in experiential learning of the Maryland legislature. The course will involve an exploration of the lawmaking process (i.e. policy analysis), combined with policy advocacy.

The course surveys (a selection of) the literatures on identity across types and political outcomes. These literatures, on ethnicity, religion and gender have, by and large, evolved in isolation from each other.1 Furthermore, within each literature scholars have mostly studied separately the role of identity in shaping non-violent and violent political outcomes. The course starts by pondering the conceptualization, measurement and analytical role of ethnicity, religion and gender across identity types, with special emphasis on variance within identity across time and space.

The purpose of this course is to explore the various facets of the First Amendment. Why protect speech and the practice of religion? Are these “special?” What is speech? What is religion? Do rights to speech and religion trump other rights?

Despite a flourishing research agenda that increasingly considers complexity and implements theory, foreign aid is often misunderstood by well-meaning policymakers or misconstrued by those with an agenda. This course is designed to provide perspective on the empirical realities of foreign aid. We will dive into the recent research on the causes and effects of aid, especially as they relate to politics and economics. The goal is to understand when foreign aid works and why it sometimes backfires, in order to craft better aid policy as practitioners and better research as scholars.

This course is an advanced seminar on nonviolent resistance. Students are expected to gain an understanding of the major causes, dynamics, and consequences of nonviolent resistance. Additionally, students will learn how to interpret and evaluate social science research. The course will focus on both theoretical approaches to nonviolence and the scientific study of nonviolence. The course will also explore empirical trends in nonviolent resistance.

An introduction to local government and politics in the U.S. context. The course explores the evolution of local jurisdictions, particularly cities, and the politics of local level decision making.