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International Relations

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  • CAS IR 461: American Grand Strategy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); junior standing o r consent of instructor. - Traces the United States' engagement in world affairs by evaluating U.S. grand strategy - its theory of how to 'create' security for itself in an often-threatening world. Using history and theory, identifies changes in U.S. strategy and evaluates policies today. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 468: War and Revolution
    Explores crises of legitimacy that led to six world altering revolutions and wars that changed the international system: the Protestant Reformation and wars of religion, and wars of revolution in France, Russia, Nazi Germany, China, and Iran.
  • CAS IR 480: Political Economy of Human Development
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines human development in low- and middle-income countries from applied economics perspective. Topics include: (1) economic growth, inequality, and poverty; (2) health, nutrition, and education; (3) agriculture, environment, and resource management; and (4) social and political factors in economic development. Also offered as GRS IR 680 A1. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Quantitative Reasoning II
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS IR 491: Directed Study
    Directed study in international relations.
  • CAS IR 495: Internship in International Relations and Regional Studies
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: successful completion of the application process and acceptance into a n internship. - This course complements an internship opportunity outside of Boston University. Provides a framework for understanding the relationship between academic studies, pre-professional development, and work experiences. Emphasizes the link between academic and career goals. Course is repeatable for credit for a maximum total of 4 credits, of which only 2 can be counted toward the major.
  • CAS IR 500: Topics in International Relations
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines aspects of international relations. May be repeated for credit if topics are different. Topics for Fall 2024. Section A1: Technology & War. How do countries make choices between military technologies? How do they use them? What about emerging technologies? Examines the drivers behind countries' development of military technologies, how they operationalize them, and why they sometimes restrict them. Section B1: Financing Development in Africa. Canvases the set of development challenges that the countries in Africa face and the avenues and opportunities for mobilizing the necessary financing in order to meet the region's development goals. Section C1: Global History of Military Occupation. Analyzes the theory and practice of military occupation from the early nineteenth century through the US invasion and occupation of Iraq. Considers political, legal, cultural, and military aspects of occupation through comparative examination of a series of case studies. Section D1: Global Trade & Development. Provides deep understanding into the impact of global trade on socio-economic development, emphasizing the role of global and regional institutions. Special attention is given to the transformative rise of global supply chain trade and its intricate links to development outcomes. Section E1: China and the Political Economy of Global Development. Covers the path and trajectory of China’s international economic engagement and interactions with global economic institutions, with case studies in Africa, Latin America, Asia. Focuses on China’s role in institutions such as the IMF, the G20, and Multilateral Development banks. Topics for Spring 2025. Section A1: Latin America and International Law. It is widely believed that over the past two centuries Latin America has been exceptionally committed to developing and implementing international law. This course interrogates this notion through a range of historical and contemporary topics and controversies. Section B1: Weapons & War in Europe. Examines the politics, history, and technologies surrounding security and defense on the European continent—with an emphasis on weapons procurement. It analyzes the evolution of these policies in EU and among key players, including France, Germany, and UK. Section C1: Africa Development: Policy & Practice. Provides deep understanding of the theories, challenges, opportunities and strategies for promoting development in Africa through structural change that students will encounter in their careers as international relation professions as well as in the broader policy world. Section D1: The Politics of History and Historical Memory. Explores the politics of history. Topics include the legacies of World War II and communism, war crime tribunals and truth commissions, reparations for war crimes and human rights violations, and how the past is commemorated in public spaces. Section E1: Development Financing. Introduces the role of development finance institutions in fostering economic and social development. Examines the operating model for development finance institutions (DFIs) and the changing operating environment with special focus on DFIs operating in Africa. Section F1: Identity, Culture & Practices of Conflict Resolution in Africa. Introduces conflict resolution practices in Africa. The causes of conflicts, the types of disputes in the continent, and their relation to political economy, history, identity, and culture. Explores traditional approaches and modern techniques of peacebuilding and conflict-resolution practices.
  • CAS IR 501: Conflict and Cooperation in Asia
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Meets with CAS PO 554. Investigates patterns of conflict and cooperation in South and East Asia surrounding issues ranging from water resources and health to borders and war. Analyzes how such issues contribute to instability in the region, as well as methods of cooperation.
  • CAS IR 503: The U.S. in the Middle East
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing. - Meets with CAS PO 503. Examines the historical development and present status of the United States' association with the Middle East: American commercial, economic, political, military, and humanitarian interests in the area and their interaction.
  • CAS IR 504: Politics of the Arabian Peninsula and Persian Gulf
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: Limited to juniors, seniors, and graduate students. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Graduate Prerequisites: Limited to juniors, seniors, and graduate students. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Meets with CAS PO 577. An in-depth examination of the political, economic, and societal evolution and interactions of states and non-state actors in the Persian Gulf and Arabian. Critically assesses dominant political narratives. Considers factors ranging from politics and history to demography and resources. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 505: Arms Control and Proliferation of Weapons
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar ( e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Examines why and how arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation have become important issues in modern diplomacy. Analyzes the progress made in concluding global and regional agreements, verification and compliance techniques, and their role in post-Cold War security issues. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 506: India and the World: The Foreign Policy of a Rising Power
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior, senior, or graduate standing; or qualified sophomores with con sent of instructor. - Today, India is a nuclear power with a huge and growing economy. This, along with the rise of China and 9/11, has catapulted India into the international limelight. This course examines India's rise, focusing on its foreign policy and international role.
  • CAS IR 510: Comparative Immigration and Racial Politics
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: Senior Standing or consent of instructor. - Examines immigration policies and domestic racial hierarchies across world regions and regime-types. Role of immigration and racial hierarchy in economic development, state formation, nationalism, and electoral politics in three largest migrant-receiving regions: North America, Western Europe, and the Persian Gulf.
  • CAS IR 511: The Middle East Today
    A critical survey of the rise and development of modern nations, states, and economies in the Middle East and North Africa since 1900. Provides context and perspective essential for understanding contemporary issues (e.g., peace process, gender relations, religion's roles, democracy).
  • CAS IR 516: Intelligence and Homeland Security
    Introduces students to the interplay of intelligence and homeland security by answering questions such as: Who threatens? How and why do they threaten? Who protects the homeland? How do they protect us? What ethical framework should we apply? Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • CAS IR 517: Balkan Politics and International Relations
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First-Year Writing Seminar ( e.g., WR120) - Examines history and current state of international relations and security issues in the Balkans. Addresses both intra-Balkan relations and Balkan states' security options, with particular focus on EU, European security architecture, NATO, and the role of Russia and China. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 519: People Power in Global Politics
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Explores how everyday people shape global politics, drawing on classic studies of political anthropology as well as more recent examples of transnational and digital activism.
  • CAS IR 520: The State and Public Purpose in Asia
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: juniors & seniors in Internat'l Relations, Pol. Science, and Asian Stu dies who have completed the 1st-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR100 or 1 20) & Writing, Research & Inquiry (WR150, 151, 152). - Meets with CAS PO 550. Comparative exploration of the economic and political institutions of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, drawing on political and economic theory. Addresses how relationships among state, business, and labor have affected industrial development and contemporary economic activity. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 521: Congress and National Security
    Examines the role and influence of Congress on the intelligence agencies of the US, Congress's oversight of intelligence collection, counterintelligence, covert action and surveillance in relation to the executive powers. Explores the influence of espionage on national security policy.
  • CAS IR 523: Cybersecurity and U.S. National Security
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: open to juniors and seniors in International Relations and Political S cience who have completed the First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or 120) and Writing, Research & Inquiry (WR 150, 151, 152). - It is highly recommended that students have previously taken a 200 or 300-level IR course. Students who have not met these requirements need instructor approval to take this course. Addresses the challenge of cybersecurity in times of war and peace, with particular focus on U.S. national security. Explores cyber weapon systems and doctrine, the problem of attribution, and "gray zone" issues including information operations and election interference. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS IR 525: 21st Century Deterrence: Nuclear, Space, Cyber
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines the challenges of deterrence in an era of multipolarity, proliferation, and technological change, with a particular focus on nuclear weapons, the militarization of space and cyber warfare. Analyzes strategic planning and posture reviews and their consequences for deterring adversaries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Teamwork/Collaboration

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