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Political Science

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  • CAS PO 111: Introduction to American Politics
    Undergraduate core course. Study of the national political structure; emphasis on Congress, the executive, administrative agencies, and the judiciary. Relations between formal institutions, parties, and interest groups. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PO 141: Introduction to Public Policy
    Undergraduate core course. What are public policies? Where do they come from? What are their effects? In this course, we grapple with these questions. We also examine the question: how do the politics of public policy affect racial and economic inequality? Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PO 151: Introduction to Comparative Politics
    Undergraduate core course. Meets with CAS IR 251. Examines different patterns of political development and contemporary politics in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Introduces the comparative method in political science and competing theories of political development and political change. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PO 171: Introduction to International Relations
    Undergraduate core course. Explores major issues in international relations, including conflict, cooperation, and governance. Addresses dominant international relations theories and their application. Investigates state system, international law and organization, transnational actors, state behavior, and globalization. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PO 191: Introduction to Political Theory
    Undergraduate core course. Fundamental questions of political life are addressed by analyzing works of political philosophy. Historical and contemporary events and issues illustrate and complicate analysis of conceptions of authority, justice, liberty, and equality. Many definitions of government, law, and rights are considered. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • CAS PO 220: Britain and Europe: A New Beginning?
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in London Internship Program. - What is Britain? What is Europe? Where did Brexit come from, and where could it go? Understand the origins and evolution of the United Kingdom's complex relationship with Europe, and with (as well as within) the European Union. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Historical Consciousness.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Historical Consciousness
  • CAS PO 280: American Policymaking in the Global Era: American Grand Strategy and Decision Making in a Rapidly C
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Washington, DC Internship Program. - The United States is no longer the unrivaled global superpower. While it remains the most consequential actor in the international system today, it is not the only voice that matters, and U.S. policymakers must contend with competition from rising powers and global organizations. The aim of the course is to put these debates in a global context by giving you an overview of international relations, grounding you in the many factors that influence international decision making in Washington, and providing you with a sense of how key parts of Washington work to address the challenges we face today. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • CAS PO 300: Special Topics in American Politics
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Topics vary. May be taken multiple times for credit providing the topic is different. Topic for Fall 2023, Section A1: American Political Thought. Introduces students to major traditions and theories of American political thought, including liberalism, republicanism, abolition democracy, and settler colonialism. Explores contemporary issues in American politics, such as economic inequality, reparations, gun rights/gun violence, and originalism. Topic for Spring 2024, Section S1: State and Local Governments. Looks at the most visible and impactful forms of government for most Americans. Students engage with a variety of sources and activities to better understand the finances, functions, and politics of state and local governments.
  • CAS PO 301: Presidential Leadership
    Presidential power and functions; relations with Congress, political party, and the public; personality and leadership; and comparative study of selected presidents. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 302: Congress
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) or consent of instructor. - The United States Congress is the most studied branch of U.S. Government, and central to our understanding of policy, elections, and representative democracy. The purpose of this course is to examine two fundamental questions: (1) what do Members of Congress do and why and (2) how do the individual and collective actions of Members of Congress explain national policy? Throughout, we will debate the common criticism that "Congress is broken'' and consider its effectiveness as an institution. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 303: It's a Free Country: Civil Liberties in America
    An accessible introduction to American civil liberties. Students will read a sampling of key Supreme Court cases about issues including speech, religion, privacy and equality. They will understand the key the debates, considerations, and decisions about old and new civil liberties challenges in the U.S. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • CAS PO 304: The Judicial Process
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the judicial process. Topics include the role of lawyers and judges, the structure of the court system, juries, and legal reasoning. Primarily intended for students who have little or no exposure to law courses. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PO 306: Media and Politics in the United States
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111) or consent of instructor. - Examines changes over time in the American polity's assumptions about what the press ought to do. In particular, relates our understanding of the press's role to contemporary media developments including technological changes, corporate media ownership, and the re- amateurization of journalism. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 307: Public Opinion in American Politics
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) or consent of instructor. - Public opinion is a central component of democratic politics; in this course we study public opinion in the United States. In addition to this substantive focus, the course is intended to foster the development of two skills: critical reading and rigorous, careful and clear writing. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 308: The Politics of Race and Ethnicity
    Combining research from history, political science, sociology, and economics, this course examines the role of race and ethnicity in shaping American politics and policy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry II
  • CAS PO 309: Women and Politics
    Readings, discussion, and field research on issues of women's relationship to the processes of political influence, change, and empowerment. Analysis of public policy related to women and children.
  • CAS PO 313: The Politics and Policy of HBO's The Wire
    HBO's television series The Wire is used to explore politics and policy. A number of interdisciplinary topics are covered, including the war on drugs, urban elections, bureaucracy, rational choice theory, and the decline of American cities. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry II
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS PO 316: Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) - How many people are affected by the criminal justice system? What is the relationship between crime and race? What criminal justice policies, if any, should change? In this course, students grapple with these questions. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PO 320: Special Topics in Public Policy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Topics vary. May be taken multiple times for credit providing the topic is different.
  • CAS PO 321: Foundations of American Public Policy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO 111 or 151). - This course investigates the social and political roots of US public policies. We use historical perspectives and social scientific analysis to shed light on the seemingly unique American solutions to pressing social and economic problems. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Historical Consciousness.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Historical Consciousness

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