International Relations

• CAS IR 375: International Law and Organizations
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS IR 271/PO 171 or IR 230 or IR 349, or IR 350. - International law and international organizations are central to the conduct of international relations, generating both cooperation and conflict. This course provides a historical and theoretical introduction to the rules, principles, and institutions of public international law.
• CAS IR 376: History of American Foreign Relations since 1898
  Analysis of the history of American foreign policy from the perspective of the changing world and regional international systems; emphasis on the effect of these systems and the impact of America on the creation and operation of international systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
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  • Historical Consciousness
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS IR 377: Global South Asia
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASWR150 OR CASWR151 OR CASWR152) - What were the characteristics of U.S. foreign policy in South Asia during the Cold War? What was U.S. response in the various interstate wars in the region, particularly the 1962 war, the 1965 war, the 1971 war and the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan? What are the long-term trends that we can infer from studying the Cold War history of the region that allow us to draw policy lessons for understanding the current foreign policy and security issues in South Asia? These are some of the questions that this course will examine. No background in South Asia is required for taking this course. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • Historical Consciousness
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS IR 378: Intelligence in a Democratic Society
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASIR271) - The intelligence process and its role in democratic societies; the organization and functions of the U.S. intelligence community; techniques of intelligence collection, analysis, counterintelligence and covert action; assessment of problems and attempted solutions in the United States and other democracies. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS IR 379: Civil-Military Relations: Theory and Practice
  Examines the tension between political leadership and the military force in the U.S. and the world. Students analyze civil-military relations theory and history, and the responsibilities of the military, civilian leadership, and the public. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS IR 382: Understanding the Modern Middle East
  Provides an introduction to the Middle East and North Africa region. Surveys the region's historical political development throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, exploring themes of colonial and imperial encroachment, state formation, statebuilding, institutional development, and state-society relations. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Historical Consciousness
• CAS IR 390: International Political Economy
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - 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.
• CAS IR 395: North-South Relations
  (Meets with CAS PO 328.) 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 IR 399: Fundamentals of Global Money
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Examines financial globalization through the lens of the "money view," focusing on the cash inflows and outflows of all private and public actors in the global economy. Applies this analysis to issues including development finance, shadow banking, and financial crises. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry I.
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  • Quantitative Reasoning I
  • Social Inquiry I
• CAS IR 400: Topics in International Relations
  Examines various aspects of international relations. May be repeated for credit if topics are different. Topic for Spring 2024. Section A1: Technology & Global Governance. Critiques traditional state-centric approach to global governance in which international organizations such as the United Nations and World Trade Organizations develop rules which nation-states follow. Examines alternative approach, “experimental governance,” which involves using new technologies to link up local initiatives working to solve global problems.
• CAS IR 401: Pardee School Honors Thesis I
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing; permission required. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g ., WR 100 or WR 120) - IR 401 is the first semester of the two-semester Honors Program for students in any of the Pardee School's majors (Asian Studies, European Studies, International Relations, Latin American Studies, and Middle East & North Africa Studies). Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS IR 402: Pardee School Honors Thesis II
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing; permission required. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g ., WR 100 or WR 120) - IR 402 is the second semester of the two-semester Honors Program for students in any of the Pardee School's majors (Asian Studies, European Studies, International Relations, Latin American Studies, and Middle East & North Africa Studies). Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS IR 410: Latin America Today: An Interdisciplinary Approach
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing; or sophomore standing with consent of instr uctor.; First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines the historical roots and contemporary realities of Latin American cultural, political, social and economic challenges. Brings to bear insights of classical and contemporary scholarship from multiple disciplines and traditions to provide deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the region. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Historical Consciousness
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS IR 411: Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Latin America
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing. - Meets with CAS PO 566. Examines a range of historical and contemporary conflicts and wars in Latin America, both internal and regional, examining their causes and consequences, and the most important factors that explain how they were resolved or why they persist.
• CAS IR 425: Seminar: Women and Social Change in the Developing World
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - (Meets with CAS SO 420.) Studies women in nonindustrial countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, stressing empirical research, theory, and methodology. Comparisons between regions and with industrial countries. Focus on sex segregation, female labor force participation, migration, fertility, family roles, and women and political power.
• CAS IR 426: NGO Management and Leadership
  Examines roles and methods of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in social change and international development. Reviews theory and practice of NGOs in development, NGO strategies, and internal management. Students will engage directly with international development NGOs. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Social Inquiry II
• CAS IR 428: International Negotiations
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines principles particularly relevant to negotiations among governments, the legal underpinnings of international agreements, negotiating dynamics, the unique characteristics of multilateral negotiations, and the challenges of mediation. Active participation in practical simulations is integral to the course.
• CAS IR 432: Public Diplomacy
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASIR330) and junior standing or consent of instructor. - Public diplomacy is the principal way in which states engage with overseas publics. The course examines the principles, functions, and practices of public diplomacy, as well as how they are affected by technological and political change.
• CAS IR 452: Topics in European Politics and Culture
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing and consent of instructor. - Meets with CAS PO 539. Explores European politics through the lens of culture, focusing on critical moments and memory across time in Spain, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Eastern Europe, Balkans, UK, and more, using materials from literature, film, the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
• CAS IR 453: Forced Migration and Human Trafficking: Virtual Policy Incubator
  Causes and impact of forced migration and human trafficking. Role of conflict and state formation; emergence of international human rights and domestic asylum laws; role of international organizations, private sector and security forces in both combating and enabling human trafficking.