Identity and Conflict in South Asia In this course we will examine political development and conflict in South Asia through the concept of identity. South Asians take on a variety of identities -- ethnic, religious, linguistic, caste, national, etc. These identities often form the basis of political mobilization and both inter- and intrastate conflict.  We will study the general concept of identity, including how identities are constructed and used, and then specific manifestations in South Asia. We will also examine the question of whether these identities were constructed during colonial or post-colonial times, or have an earlier basis. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/

Euro-Atlantic Relations In this course we’ll examine the history, status, and future of US-European security relations, with a special focus on the consequences of the war in Ukraine.  The learning process will include lectures, class discussions, guest speakers, a role-playing exercise, and a final policy paper.  Issues covered include: persistent and evolving aspects of the “transatlantic bargain;” relations with Russia after its aggression against Ukraine; Islamic State threats and Middle East turmoil; Middle Eastern and European refugee issues; impact of 9/11 and Iraq crisis; US-European relations under the Biden administration; relations between NATO, the European Union and the UN; alternative transatlantic relations futures. The instructor’s 2020 Defense of the West: Transatlantic Security from Truman to Trump will be the core text. International Relations and Foreign Policy /Stan Sloan, a former senior U.S. government intelligence, foreign and defense policy expert, and research manager, has for the past 18 years taught courses on Euro-Atlantic Relations and American Power in the Middlebury Winter Term.  He is the author of numerous opinion and journal articles, monographs, book chapters and books, including De-Trumping U.S. Foreign Policy: Can Biden bring America back? (2021); Defense of the West: Transatlantic Security from Truman to Trump (2020) and transatlantic traumas: Has illiberalism brought the West to the brink of collapse? (2018)./

The Politics of International Humanitarian Action Humanitarian intervention has emerged as a new moral imperative that challenges traditional concepts and practices in international relations. In this course we will consider how a range of actors--international organizations, states, NGOs--understand the concept of humanitarian intervention and engage (or not) in humanitarian actions. We will examine a variety of policy choices, including aid and military intervention, through case studies, including Somalia, Kosovo, and Rwanda. The goal of the course is to enable students to assess critically the benefits and challenges of a humanitarian approach to global politics.

Bureaucracy How did 9-11 happen?  Why did the U.S. believe Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction?  What went wrong with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?  Answering these questions requires an understanding of bureaucracies in the American political context -- the subject of this course.   It begins with an overview of the nature of bureaucracies and theories for their formation, followed by an examination of bureaucratic actors (managers, operators, and executives) and the context within which they work. It concludes with an attempt to assess bureaucratic effectiveness. Case studies of particular bureaucracies, including those involved in the War on Terror, Iraq and Hurricane Katrina, are included to sharpen analyses.

Data Science Across Disciplines In this course, we will gain exposure to the entire data science pipeline—obtaining and cleaning large and messy data sets, exploring these data and creating engaging visualizations, and communicating insights from the data in a meaningful manner. During morning sessions, we will learn the tools and techniques required to explore new and exciting data sets. During afternoon sessions, students will work in small groups with one of several faculty members on domain-specific research projects in Anthropology, Biology, Classics, Political Science, and Statistics. This course will use the R programming language. No prior experience with programming is necessary. (Not open to students who have taken STAT 0118, STAT 0201, ANTH 1230, BIOL 1230, CLAS 1230, ECON 1230, ECSC 1230, ENVS 1230, FMMC 1230, GEOG 1230, HARC 1230, HIST 1230, JAPN 1230, LNGT 1230, MATH 1230, NSCI 1230, PSCI 1230, SOCI 1230, STAT 1230, or WRPR 1230.)  ANTH/LNGT 1230: In this section we will explore indigenous political voice in unexpected places. The data we will analyze will consist of bilingual Apache-English and Maidu-English stories, songs and speeches originally recorded by anthropological linguists in the early twentieth century as examples of traditional culture. Students will use R to search this corpora for how indigenous contributors were also making claims on the future in their address to the researcher and to wider anticipated audiences.  BIOL/ECSC 1230: In this section we will work with data collected by elephant seals equipped with oceanographic instruments in the Southern Ocean. Depending on your interests, you can approach the project from different angles: students focusing on biology will explore where the seals travel and what drives their movements, while those interested in earth science will investigate the temperature and salinity profiles gathered during their dives. Working in teams, you’ll combine these perspectives to build a fuller picture of both seal ecology and the oceanographic processes that shape their environment. Along the way, you’ll practice manipulating and visualizing different types of data including maps of seal tracks, temperature and salinity profiles, and cross-sections of ocean properties. We will also bring in satellite  and autonomous float data to place seal activity and the data they collect in a broader context. By the end, you’ll have a sense of how these different data sources fit together and what unique insights we gain from using seals as oceanographers.  CLAS 1230: In this section students will gain hands-on experience with a variety of natural language processing and text mining techniques by exploring the writings of the ancient historian Plutarch, who lived during the first and second centuries AD.  We will focus on the biographies of "great men" in Plutarch’s Lives, which chronicles the history, morals, and virtues of major figures who played parallel roles in ancient Greek and Roman society. The public domain English translation from Project Gutenberg will serve as our main corpus; however, students with a background or interest in Ancient Greek can work with the text in the original language. Using the R programming language, students will transform unstructured text into quantitative data for statistical analysis and morphosyntactic parsing. We will also apply machine learning models to our data to reveal underlying patterns in large amounts of text. No prior experience with R is necessary.  PSCI 1230: Who votes in elections? Who attends protests? Why? In this section we will use the tools of data science to explore these and other questions about political participation in the Americas. We will examine engagement in different forms of participation and the demographic, economic, social, and other factors that shape participation. The class will introduce students to the basics of survey research and the study of political participation.  Students will complete a final group project showcasing the concepts and tools learned in class.   STAT 1230: In this section students will dive into the world of data science by focusing on invasive species monitoring data. Early detection is crucial to controlling many invasive species; however, there is a knowledge gap regarding the sampling effort needed to detect the invader early. In this course, we will work with decades of invasive species monitoring data collected across the United States to better understand how environmental variables play a role in the sampling effort required to detect invasive species. Students will gain experience in the entire data science pipeline, but the primary focus will be on data scraping, data visualization, and communication of data-based results to scientists and policymakers.

The Media and Minorities In this course we use techniques developed by Middlebury’s Media Portrayals of Minorities Project lab to examine how the media portray identifiable groups. These techniques enable quantitative and qualitative analysis of digital news to better understand how different types of groups--such as, for example, immigrants, refugees, Muslims, Jews, Latinos, Chinese, Africans, or others--have been portrayed in the US and international media. Students in this class will contribute to ongoing publication projects of the lab, and will have the opportunity to pursue their own research topics. Student projects will culminate in research papers that may form the basis for further independent work or for senior theses. 3hrs. seminar (Comparative Politics)

Africa in the World In this survey course students will learn to situate Africa in the context of globalization. To do this, we will probe three main questions: (1) How has globalization shaped African political systems? (2) How has it shaped African societies and cultures? and (3) What development challenges and opportunities has globalization generated for the continent? To answer these questions, we will delve into experiences from Algeria, Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda. Reflection papers, class participation, in-class quizzes, and exams will help gauge students’ learning.

Online Trust & Safety Why did YouTube ban my channel? What is the difference between X/Twitter and Bluesky? With over two thirds of the global population on the internet, questions of how online communication technology actually works - and who is in control - have never been more salient to questions of power and governance. The new professional and academic field of “Trust and Safety” has emerged with the practice of “content moderation”: the task of enabling online speech while also preventing harms, ranging from political violence to mental health crises to misinformation. In this applied, practitioner-led course, we will explore how business, government, and NGOs shape 21st century social technology; observe how companies build and operate their platforms; and tackle the challenges of content moderation at scale.  Abe Katz led trust and safety initiatives at Meta (Facebook), including making changes to feed ranking algorithms and managing high-profile content moderation crises during COVID and global elections. He now leads the “Safety By Design” work at Discord and teaches Public Policy at Duke University.

Colonialism, Imperialism, and Nationalism* In this course we will investigate major issues and debates associated with such modern political ideologies as colonialism, imperialism, nationalism, and totalitarianism. The key questions that will be raised are 1) whether the colonized ought to adopt violence as a method of resistance to colonial wrongs and 2) whether nationalism is a necessary path toward emancipation from imperialist domination. After addressing these theoretical issues, we will turn to a specific topic in political ideology that contemporary politics is facing: radical Islamism. To what extent can this ideology be viewed as a “legitimate” form of anti-colonialism? Is radical Islamism merely an excuse for the establishment of authoritarian governments? We will analyze these issues through the voices of some radical Islamists, their liberal critics, and critical commentators on the liberal perception of Islam.  Shinkyu Lee is a political theorist with special interest in conflict and peace studies. He is currently a visiting assistant professor of politics at Oberlin College./

Protest Music in Comparative Perspective In this course we will examine how marginalized populations around the world use music to interpret, explain, and respond to political, racial, socioeconomic, and gendered inequities.  Because music is produced for a wide audience, it is important for the construction of group identity and a useful means of protest. We will discuss the domestic politics of countries such as Nigeria, Jamaica, the U.S., and Brazil by reading the literature of comparative politics, sociology, and critical race and gender theory.  Our discussion of these topics will help us better understand how power in various forms is used to repress, and how music challenges existing hegemonies.

International Law In this course, we analyze key concepts that underpin how scholars and practitioners examine the rules that assist and constrain international actors (states, businesses, activists, and individuals). We analyze legal issues and cases involving sovereignty, human rights, trade and investment law, use of force, and environmental treaties.

African Government Sub-Saharan Africa has been described as being in a state of permanent crisis, a place where disorder and chaos reign and states are chronically weak. How do political systems form and thrive under such conditions? What accounts for their survival in the face of tremendous political, economic, and environmental challenges? We will investigate the distinctive characteristics of African political systems, the different governance models throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, and the types of public goods or public ills these systems have produced. We will also have the opportunity to more deeply appreciate the real-life consequences for displaced Africans through a service-learning component.

Contemporary Conflicts in the Middle East The Middle East is known to be one of the most conflict-ridden regions of the world. In this course we explore the contemporary conflicts in the region and the basic motivation of major actors. Specifically, we will study the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the wars in Yemen and Syria, and the Kurdish question in Syria and Turkey. We will study the causes and consequences of these conflicts at the regional and global level.

Leadership: Politics and Personality What difference do leaders make? Are leaders born or made? What accounts for effective leadership? Do answers to these questions change when the social, cultural, and political context varies? This course will approach the subject of leadership from a multidisciplinary perspective, focusing on (1) the individual personalities and values of leaders; (2) the relationship of leaders to the institutions they serve; (3) the role of the state and cultural context in which the leadership is exercised; and (4) the process of leading.

Introduction to Text as Data Computational tools that identify patterns in language and text increasingly help us understand the world. In this course we will explore several of the most common types of text-as-data analyses, such as collocations, keywords in context, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis. Students will work in teams throughout the semester to apply these tools to understand media coverage of a group or topic of their choice. This course is designed to be accessible to students in the social sciences, humanities, and arts as well as being of interest to computer science, math, and science students.

Seminar on the U.S. Congress The U.S. Congress is the most powerful political institution in the nation, and one of the least popular.  To understand why, this course examines theories of representation and how they relate to the contemporary Congress; the historical development and institutionalization of the Congress; the roles of parties, candidates, media, and money in Congressional elections; the legislative process, including roles of committees, interest groups, parties, congressional leaders, and presidents; the impact of representational and policy-making processes on the nature of legislation enacted by Congress; and Congress in comparative perspective.

Who Elected Big Tech? There is public awareness that technology is delivering unprecedented opportunities while simultaneously undermining privacy, equity, and democratic values. An unprecedented shift in the balance of power between multinational industry and national governments has been a necessary condition for these new challenges. How else could a freely elected American president be silenced by Google, Twitter, and Facebook?  How else could Facebook’s Instagram be exposed as knowingly causing harm to teenagers without government penalty? How did America reach the point where Big Tech has the capacity to mount foreign policies? What consequences for social justice follow from that transfer of power in a global economy of multinational companies and diverse workforces? By first exploring these questions together, students will be well prepared for pursuing independent research projects. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/

The American Presidency This course examines the development and modern practice of presidential leadership. Focus is on presidential decision-making, changes in the structure of the presidency as an institution, differences among individual presidents, and the interaction of the president with other major actors, including national governing institutions (executive branch, Congress, courts), interest groups, media, and the public. The course includes an historical overview of the evolution of the presidency, and examines changes in the electoral process.

Weapons of Mass Destruction Technological development has brought human civilization to the point at which we can destroy ourselves in a matter of hours using weapons of mass destruction. What effects do these weapons have on political, and social behavior? Do WMDs deserve their own classification, or is human behavior consistent regardless of the weapon? We explore the technology, political theory and policy that has risen around the prospect of human annihilation. This course includes a college-funded, week-long trip to the Middlebury in DC offices in Washington, DC. Travel takes place the last week of Winter term. Students should contact Professor Yuen directly for approval to register for the course. (not open to students who have taken PSCI 0242 or equivalent)

Politics of India This course provides students with an introduction to the history and politics of India, one of the most diverse, populous (home to more than one-seventh of the world’s population), and important developing countries in the modern world. This course proceeds chronologically, beginning with ancient Indian (South Asian) civilization, the Mughal Empire of the medieval period, the British colonial experience, Independence, Partition, and contemporary politics, including rising development, as well as the growth of Hindu nationalism.

Modern Political Philosophy In this course. we will study: Machiavelli (Prince, Discourses); Bacon  (Advancement of Learning); Hobbes (Leviathan); Locke (Second Treatise);  Spinoza (Theological-Political Treatise); Montesquieu (Spirit of the Laws);  Rousseau (Social Contract); Burke (Reflections); Kant (Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Perpetual Peace); Hegel (Introduction to Philosophy of History); Marx (Communist Manifesto, German Ideology, Capital); Nietzsche  (Beyond Good and Evil); Heidegger (Question Concerning Technology).   We will examine modernity's rejection of ancient thought, its later replacement of nature by history as the standard for right, and its subsequent rejection of any standard of right. Other topics include religion, freedom ofspeech, and the separation of powers. (PSCI 0101 or PSCI 0107 or PSCI 0317, or PSCI 0333, or waiver) 4.

African Politics This course surveys the challenges and possibilities that Sub-Saharan Africa presents in our era of globalization. We will look at the process of state formation to appreciate the relationships between historical legacies and political and economic development. Themes include state formation, democratic governance, sustainable development, and Africa in world affairs. Topics such as colonial rule and national responses, authoritarian rule, ethnic politics, the debt burden, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and natural resource politics will be discussed. Case studies from English-, French-, and Portuguese-speaking Africa will be used to illuminate such relationships. 3 hrs lect/disc. (Comparative Politics)/

The Political Development of Western Europe In what ways are the political systems and politics of France, Germany, Italy, and Britain similar? In what ways do they differ? How might we explain these patterns? This course attempts to answer these questions through comparative investigation of the processes and consequences of economic and political modernization in these nations from the feudal period to the 21st century.

Reactionary "mentalités" How did the reactionary worldview emerge and how does it continue to evolve to adapt to present and future circumstances? We listen to those who first imagined it as well as those who brought it to life to answer this question. We converse with reactionaries in three handpicked historical periods: the French revolution, the interwar period, and present day America. Using the “mentalités” approach we listen to reactionary philosophers, politicians and main street activists speak of their experiences with financial and political turmoil, war, revolution and social anomie and connect the dots between high and low reactionary culture.

On Tyranny In this course we will study tyranny, which has been called “a danger coeval with political life” (Leo Strauss). To understand that statement and how technology and ideology have changed tyranny, we will read classic works from political philosophy and literature (Plato’s Apology of Socrates, Republic VIII-IX and Charmides; Xenophon’s Hiero, or On Tyranny; Machiavelli’s Prince; and Shakespeare’s Macbeth) and modern works (Carl Schmitt, The Concept of the Political; Leo Strauss on Xenophon, followed by Alexander Kojeve’s Commentary and Strauss’s Restatement; Heidegger, “Question Concerning Technology”; Hannah Arendt’s Origins of Totalitarianism, vol. 3; and writing by one tyrant).

International Politics What causes conflict or cooperation among states? What can states and other international entities do to preserve global peace? These are among the issues addressed by the study of international politics. This course examines the forces that shape relations among states, and between states and international regimes. Key concepts include: the international system, power and the balance of power, international institutions, foreign policy, diplomacy, deterrence, war, and global economic issues. Both the fall and spring sections of this course emphasize rigorous analysis and set theoretical concepts against historical and contemporary case studies.

American Constitutional Law: The First Amendment This course focuses on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the first amendment freedoms of speech, press, and religion.  After starting with the philosophic foundations of these first amendment freedoms (Mill, Locke), students will read the major Supreme Court decisions concerning these rights.  Class assignments in the form of oral arguments and briefs and/or options will enable students to take the part of lawyers and judges.

Authoritarian Legality “Authoritarian legality” is used to describe the role of legal institutions in non-democracies. Scholars frequently distinguish between rule by law – where law and courts are wielded instrumentally – and rule of law, where government is beholden to the law. In autocracies, the former is assumed to prevail. However, the legal reality in autocracies is seldom so clear-cut. In this course we will explore the role of law and courts and the nature of rights in authoritarian regimes. Among the topics we will address are law and legitimation, legal institutions and accountability, legal mobilization, and the relationship between law, markets, and society, with a particular emphasis on political development and change in contemporary dictatorships.       Comparative Politics

Are the Gods Dead? Secularization Theory Worldwide This course is structured around one of our most distinguished but contested social science theories: secularization, or the thesis that modernization weakens religion. In this course, we will read classic and contemporary versions of the secularization thesis from various social science disciplines, evaluate whether secularization has occurred in a number of cases around the world, and consider whether this theory deserves to still hold a central place in social science.

International Diplomacy and Modern South Asia In this course we will examine current political and economic issues in the countries of South Asia - Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan. We will first examine the background of the South Asian region in general (pre-colonial and colonial eras) and of South Asian countries after independence. We will look at specific interstate and intrastate issues, focusing on the combined quests for political stability and economic development. Students will look at topical issues from the perspective of an officer working in a U.S. Embassy or in a U.S. foreign policy agency. The course will combine rigorous academic understanding of the region with current policy issues. Readings will include both academic studies and contemporary policy/issues papers.

The Politics of Money and Finance Governments’ choices on money-related matters deeply affect people’s lives. Stock market crashes, inflation, debt, and unforeseen currency fluctuations can scar society. Conversely, if stock markets, inflation, debt, and currencies are all well-managed, prosperity can be created. One of the central aims of governments across the world is to do just that - manage these issues in order to promote economic growth. In this course, we examine the choices governments face in the pursuit of that and, what leads them to make the choices they do, and what kinds of choices have historically been the most successful.

International Environmental Politics What happens when the global economy outgrows the earth's ecosystem? This course surveys the consequences of the collision between the expanding world economy and the earth's natural limits: shrinking forests, falling water tables, eroding soils, collapsing fisheries, rising temperatures, and disappearing species. We will examine how countries with different circumstances and priorities attempt to work together to stop global environmental pollution and resource depletion.

Contemporary Chinese Politics This introductory course provides students with a background in how the party-state political system functions, and then investigates the major political issues in China today. We will focus first on economic reform issues, such as income inequality, the floating population, and changes in the socialist welfare model, and then on political reform issues, such as the liberalization of news media, NGO and civil society activity, protest and social movements, environmental protection, and legal reform. China is a quickly changing country, so students will focus on analyzing current events but also have an opportunity to explore a topic of interest in more detail.

Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy We will study some classic works in ancient and medieval political philosophy: Plato (Laws, RepublicApology, Republic, Gorgias, Protagoras, Meno); Aristotle (Ethics, Politics, Rhetoric); Cicero (Republic, Laws), Maimonides (Guide to the Perplexed), Aquinas (Summa Theologica, Summa Contra Gentiles), Alfarabi (The Political Regime).

Reading Herodotus “Herodotus of Halicarnassus here displays his inquiry, so that human achievements may not become forgotten in time, and great and marvelous deeds—some displayed by Greeks, some by barbarians—may not be without their glory; and especially to show  why the two peoples fought with each other.”  So begins Herodotus’ “Inquiries,” aka “Histories.”  Herodotus’ accounts of Egypt, Scythia, Lydia, Babylonia, Mesopotamia, and Libya (books I-IV) lay the foundation for his account of the Persian Wars (V-IX).  The relation between Greekness and human freedom emerges as the theme of that war.

Transitional Justice This course examines how democracies reckon with former authoritarian regimes and their legacies. Measures adopted to overcome the legacy of large-scale human rights violations include apologies, amnesties, trials of perpetrators, truth commissions as well as restorative justice. Case studies from Asia, Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and the US help us understand the forces and factors that shape the difficult choices: to prosecute and punish versus to forgive and forget. Course readings supplemented by documentaries and fiction films illuminate the dilemmas societies confront to provide accountability for the victims, bystanders and perpetrators.

The Rise of Asia and US Policy In this course we will study what is arguably the most important strategic development of the 21st century: how the rise of Asia presents security challenges to the region and the United States. Drawing from international relations scholarship, the course will focus on foreign policy challenges and potential responses. These challenges include both traditional security and nontraditional  areas such as water and the environment. We will integrate the analysis of these issues in South, East, and Southeast Asia with study of the policy process, in part  through simulations and role-playing exercises.

Qualitative Methods in Political Science This seminar offers a broad introduction to qualitative methodology with a focus on comparative methods for the analysis of a relatively small number of cases (small-n). This course will enable students to create and critique qualitative research designs in political science. The course focuses on recent methodological writings and includes several substantive examples from various subfields. Topics covered include causal inference, case studies, cross-case comparison, typological theory, case selection, process tracing, counterfactual analysis, and set theory. We will also discuss approaches to multi-method research and the use of mixed methods in political science.

Guns, Drugs, People: The Illicit Economy in the Global Perspective In this course, we will focus on patterns of illegal activity in the international economy. Students will study phenomena such as illegal trade in arms, animals, and drugs, and the trafficking and smuggling of human beings. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the systematic analysis of the illicit global economy. Students will be taught to examine the causes of illicit markets, the actors involved ( entrepreneurs, consumers, governments), and how markets respond to efforts to combat them. The objective is for students to understand the phenomenon and its drivers, and to translate this understanding into a critical evaluation of current policy approaches.

Globalization, Terrorism, and Global Insurgency How does globalization change the nature of terrorism and create a global security environment characterized by a series of hybrid asymmetric threats? What are the connections between organizations, conflict regions, and the developed world? This course will focus on at least four modules that link aspects of globalization to global counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and counterproliferation policy: 1) migration, immigration, and the movement of people, 2) illicit international markets and financing, 3) global communications, and 4) the connections between international relations, foreign-policy, and political violence worldwide. Skill development will focus on policy evaluation and analysis, oral briefings, collaborative project management, and collaborative policy strategy papers.

What Can I Say? Free Speech v. Racist Speech in the United States and Europe In this course we will delve into the politics and law surrounding issues of racist speech in the United States and Europe. We will look at the development of speech doctrines in the post-World War Two era, drawing on well-known case studies from American constitutional history, as well as European examples such as the Danish Cartoon Controversy and Holocaust denial cases. Through comparison across time and countries, we will debate the appropriate limits on racist speech in different contexts.

Game Theory for Political Science How do candidates for political office choose their platforms? Why do some conflicts lead to war while others do not? What legislation will legislators introduce? These and many other compelling questions of political behavior often use game theory as a tool to study strategic, or interdependent, decision-making. Students will learn basic concepts of game theory and how to apply them to a range of political phenomena. To succeed, students need only a solid background in algebra. Students who have taken ECON 0280 cannot register for this course. (Any political science course)

The Politics of the U.S. Congress Introduces students to the analysis of Congress and congressional policy-making. Considers how congressional elections, institutions, and policy hang together roughly in equilibrium. Focuses on the internal organization of Congress-committees, parties, House and Senate leadership, rules and norms, and congressional staff. Analyzes the power of Congress relative to the president, the bureaucracy, and the courts, specifically in the policy process. Investigates how unified and divided party control of the government affects legislation in the House and Senate. Finally, applies congressional theories to determine the fates of specific policy proposals in Congress.

Frontiers in Political Science Research Nothing is more controversial among political scientists than the topic of how to study politics. In this course, we consider a variety of advanced techniques for studying political phenomena, including statistical methods, game theory, institutional analysis, case study techniques, experiments, and agent-based modeling. We will work with concrete examples (drawn from major political science journals) of how scholars have used these techniques, and consider the ongoing philosophical controversies associated with each approach. Students will have the opportunity to conduct original research using a method and subject of their choosing.

Conservation and Environmental Policy This course examines conservation and environmental policy in the United States. In order to better understand the current nature of the conservation and environmental policy process, we will begin by tracing the development of past ideas, institutions, and policies related to this policy arena. We will then focus on contemporary conservation and environmental politics and policy making—gridlock in Congress, interest group pressure, the role of the courts and the president, and a move away from national policy making—toward the states, collaboration, and civil society.

The Future of Great Power Relations Will America’s global preeminence endure in the 21st century? Will Russia, Japan, and the European Union decline while other powers grow more influential? In this course we will explore the future global balance of power and prospects for cooperation and conflict among the world’s great powers. Topics include the rise of China and India; the changing nature of American power; the causality of global power shifts and their implications for cooperation or competition on issues such as energy security, cyber security, nuclear nonproliferation, UN Security Council reform, intervention in the Middle East, and Sino-American relations.

Ideology and Power in the History of US-Latin America Relations This survey course will examine the historical interaction between different forms of power in the construction of the current hegemony of the United States over Latin America. In addition to the traditional political and economic actors that shaped the core of the relations, the construction of the U.S. hegemony also involved non-state actors and various forms of cultural dynamics that strengthened the power discourse: state cultural diplomacy, “money doctors,” or film and media enterprises, among others built references such as “sister nations,” “backyard subordinates,” or “strategic partners,” whose load of elements of identity—gender, ethnicity, tradition—complemented traditional power politics.

Water Conflict in Vietnam and Thailand Students will research water conflict between China, Vietnam, and Thailand through extensive field research in both Vietnam and Thailand. Specifically, students will conduct group interviews exploring water politics and conflict transformation comparing the two countries, such as how do they secure Chinese investment but also balance local environmental and water use concerns to avoid conflict over scarce water resources? How do they strike a balance between their economic dependence on China and security dependence on the US? How have the China-led Lancang Mekong Cooperation group (LMC) and the US-led Mekong River Commission (MRC) competed as multilateral institutions governing water politics in the region? How do they strike a policy balance between meeting energy demand and mitigating negative social and environmental impacts of dam-building? How do they coordinate various interests and impacts between the upstream and downstream states through regional institutions? Studying these important questions will help students learn more about water politics in the region as well as tools and methods of conflict transformation, while also deeply immersing themselves in local politics and culture in each country.

The Media and the Marginalized In this course we will study major elements of media analysis such as gatekeeping, agenda-setting, priming, framing, media tone, and media effects. We will then review how these elements have been applied in coverage of marginalized groups in developed democracies such as the United States and those of Western Europe. We will focus on groups identified by immigration status, race or ethnicity, religion, LGBTQ status, and sex. Students will develop skills to interpret and analyze articles about marginalized groups in light of theories of media studies, culminating in a research project of their choice.

Love and Friendship in Literature and Philosophy  Love and friendship are important topics for understanding the best human life and its relationship to the best regime. We will study Plato’s Phaedrus and Symposium; Aristotle’s Ethics; essays on friendship by Montagne and Bacon; Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra and another play; Rousseau’s Emile; a Jane Austen novel, and Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. We will also watch two movies: The Philadelphia Story and Anna Karenina. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1030) (Political Theory)/

U. S. National Elections In this course we will analyze national elections in the United States. Topics covered will include party systems, electoral realignment, voting behavior and turnout, candidate strategy, the nomination process, the legal framework for elections, the Electoral College, gender, race and ethnicity, the media, the Internet, and U.S. elections in comparative perspective. Although the focus will be on the upcoming congressional and presidential contests, earlier elections will be studied for insight into continuity and change in American electoral politics.

The U.S. Politics of Race, Gender, and Class Race, gender, and class have long shaped American politics. They have formed the basis for social movements, have structured institutions, and have affected the way political actors–from voters to activists to elected officials–have made their day-to-day decisions. What do political scientists know about the roles that race, gender, and class play in politics, separately and together, and what do we yet have to learn?

Politics of International Migration, Borders, and Migration Controls Currently, both forced and voluntary migration is at historic highs. Simultaneously, immigration control is becoming a global phenomenon. The rise of border control contrasts with the vulnerability of many migrants today. This course will give an overview of migration and forced migration, and then look at issues and rationales in migration control from a comparative perspective. The questions we will ask are: What drives migration? What are the historical roots of migration? What is the purpose of immigration control? What are the politics of migration control in comparative perspective? This course incorporates various levels of analysis (international, national, subnational, transnational) and draws on interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks. Students will gain an understanding of migration and the legal frameworks governing the process. Students will then explore how migration relates to state sovereignty, human rights, and international law. Students will also interrogate the process of creating immigration policies, and the actors and stakeholders driving this process. (International Relations and Foreign Policy) /This course is part of the Axinn Center for the Humanities’ Mellon Foundation Public Humanities Initiative./

American Constitutional Law: The Federal System This course examines the development of American constitutionalism through study of Supreme Court decisions. Every major topic but the bill of rights (see PSCI 0306) is covered. Using the Sullivan and Gunther Constitutional Law casebook, we begin with judicial review and then study the development of legal doctrines surrounding the commerce clause, the due process and equal protection clauses of the fourteenth amendment, and the separation of powers. Recent cases focus on affirmative action and federal protection of civil rights. Interpretive books and essays are considered, as time permits. A mock court exercise is anticipated.

Introduction to Comparative Politics This course offers an introduction to the comparative study of political systems and to the logic of comparative inquiry. How are different political systems created and organized? How and why do they change? Why are some democratic and others authoritarian? Why are some rich and others poor? Other topics covered in this course include nationalism and political ideologies, forms of representation, the relationship between state institutions and civil society, and globalization. The goal in this course is to use comparative methods to analyze questions of state institutions -- how they arise, change, and generate different economic, social, and political outcomes.

International Political Economy This course examines the politics of global economic relations, focusing principally on the advanced industrial states. How do governments and firms deal with the forces of globalization and interdependence? And what are the causes and consequences of their actions for the international system in turn? The course exposes students to both classic and contemporary thinking on free trade and protectionism, exchange rates and monetary systems, foreign direct investment and capital movements, regional integration, and the role of international institutions like the WTO. Readings will be drawn mainly from political science, as well as law and economics.

How Democracies Die After years of expansion since the end of the cold war, democracy now is in retreat. From young democracies in the developing world to bastions of liberal democracy in Western Europe and North America, democratic political systems are under mounting pressure. What are the fundamental features of this recession? What are the driving forces behind global democratic backsliding? Why do people support autocrats? In this course we will tackle these questions and discuss an array of factors that contribute to global democratic recession including the role of the political elite, failing institutions, eroding norms, and the role of ordinary people. In so doing we will delve deeper into economic and social causes of this decline. Our focus will span from global trends to individual cases such as Venezuela, Turkey, Hungary, India, the United States, and the Philippines. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1544) 3 hrs. Sem.

Grand Strategy and Statecraft In this course we will assess the theory and practice of grand strategy and statecraft – the overarching vision states have for their role in the world and the means with which they pursue this vision. Student learning will be guided by the following questions: What is the purpose of a grand strategy? What factors influence the formulation of grand strategies? What are the consequences of different grand strategies? We will conduct a comparative study of grand strategies over time and across countries with an emphasis on the connections between the goals of the strategy and the tools of statecraft used in its pursuit.  Students will write a final paper that crafts a grand strategy for a leader confronting a real strategic challenge in a contemporary or historical case.

Basic Problems in Political Philosophy In this course we will focus on the writings of Plato, Aristotle, and Kant to examine different formulations of theory and practice.  We will read Plato’s Meno, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, and Sophist; from Aristotle’s Ethics, Physics and Metaphysics; Kant’s, Critique of Pure Reason, Foundations of the Metaphysics or Morals, and Perpetual Peace; concluding with parts of Rawls’ A Theory of Justice.  We will be examining the following questions: What can we know and how do we know it? How should we live and how is that related to what we can know? A previous course in political philosophy or philosophy is recommended. Students will write two short papers and a final essay on topics to be assigned.  A previous course in political philosophy or philosophy is recommended.

Political Economy of the Middle East In this course we will study the complex relationship between economics and politics in the Middle East. We will use the theoretical and empirical toolboxes of economics and political science to better understand the joint evolution of political and economic structures/institutions and its implications for development and political make-up. We will address the following questions: What are the political underpinnings of divergent economic development and underdevelopment in the region? What is the role of the state and industrial policy in promoting economic modernization? What are the consequences of greater state involvement in pursuing industrial policy? Is there a political or economic resource curse? Main themes of the course include close relations between state and private business, crony capitalism, the military-industrial complex, international trade, human development, and inequality in the context of the Middle East.

Pan-African Political Philosophy In the late 1890s and early 1900s, a network of intellectuals from the Black Diaspora, horrified by the continued expansion of European colonialism into Africa, emerged to explain major developments in world politics. As they argued, colonialism replaced indigenous systems with European-style states, structured the international political economy, and shaped the emergence of contemporary racial divisions. We will read philosopher Charles Mills’s The Racial Contract, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey among others to ask: How did racism shape capitalism? What are the metaphysics of racial identity? Can Black people find liberation in post-colonial states? We will see how pan-African philosophy adapted to international events, such as the end of WWI, WWII, the UN, and eventual independence from colonialism. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1308.) Political Theory

Ecocriticism and Global Environmental Justice Many global environmental problems—climate change, biodiversity, deforestation, clean water, and transboundary waste movement—are ineffectively managed.  In this course we will take a critical look at these failures and ask: do existing norms and attitudes make effective, sustainable environmental management more difficult?  In doing so, we will examine institutions and phenomena such as the sovereign nation-state, free market capitalism, and the authority of scientific knowledge. We will ask whether sustainable management is compatible with these institutions and phenomena, or whether they contribute to environmental injustice, racism, political marginalization, and gender and class inequity by studying contemporary and historic examples.

Intelligence Analysis and National Security Decisionmaking In this course we will examine the public record on how US policymakers incorporate intelligence into their national security decisionmaking, including assigning readings from books and news articles. We will discuss challenges of basing national security decisions on incomplete information and the perils of politicizing intelligence to support desired policy outcomes. We will also examine publicly available sources on the intelligence analysis process, including resources such as The Psychology of Intelligence Analysis (Heuer). Students will engage in assignments to identify a potential policy decision, craft a key intelligence question relevant to the decision, apply publicly available information on how to craft an analytic story, and then use publicly available information on how to brief the intelligence analysis during a mock policy meeting.  Phillip Consentino '00 recently retired from the Central Intelligence Agency after more than 25 years in the Directorate of Analysis. Phillip served as a counterterrorism analyst, managed analysis on extremist radicalization, South America, and China, and as the managing editor of the President's Daily Brief.

Gender and International Relations Many issues facing international society affect, and are affected by, gender.  Global poverty, for example, is gendered, since 70% of the world's population living below $1.25 per day is female. Women are far more vulnerable to rape in war and water scarcity, and they are moreover globally politically underrepresented.  In this course we will use theories of international relations, including realism, neoliberalism, and feminism, to study how international society addresses (or fails to address) these challenges through bodies such as the UN and treaties such as the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Political Communication How are media and communications technology re-shaping politics?  From a global comparative perspective—ranging from the United States to Asia—this course will survey the historical development of communications, the role of media in shaping public opinion and behavior, the impact of new media, and the rise of transnational satellite TV.  Conceptually, the course will assess the importance of communications for understanding authoritarianism, democracy, and foreign policy.  We will develop general comparative frameworks for understanding the growing importance of communications in the information age, while clarifying the limitations of media for shaping polities.

Left, Right, and Center In this course, we shall examine liberalism, conservatism, socialism and their competing conceptions of freedom, equality, the individual, and community. We shall consider the origins of these ideologies in early modern political theory and shall afford special attention to the connection between thought and politics.  Authors may include John Locke, Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, Alexis de Tocqueville, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott, and Friedrich Hayek.

Human Rights in Global Politics Does the pursuit of human rights promote world peace or generate conflict? In this course we will investigate the status of human rights in global politics. We will examine theoretical arguments about the universality of human rights, the dominance of liberal human rights regimes, and the compatibility of restorative justice and human rights. We will discuss contested cases such as the “Asian Values” critique of human rights, the Responsibility to Protect (against mass atrocities) doctrine, and the work of Truth and Reconciliation commissions. Through the course, students will acquire the skills needed to analyze the impact of human rights on political actors in the international arena. (Not open to students who have completed PSCI 0237)

Economic Warfare and Threat Financing In this course we will analyze how terrorist organizations fund their operations, and the strategies they use to disrupt financial networks.  We will explore revenue streams—from illicit trade to cryptocurrency—and examine U.S. and multilateral sanctions frameworks, including the United Nations and FATF. Students will gain practical knowledge in law enforcement, diplomatic, and intelligence tools for countering terrorist finance, and through structured analytic techniques—such as weighted‐criteria assessments, decision trees, causal‐flow mapping, and formal logic—learn to evaluate risk, trace hidden networks, and develop evidence‐based policy recommendations. By the end of the semester, students will be equipped to dissect funding mechanisms and craft clear, actionable judgments to weaken terrorist financing. International Relations  Jason Blazakis is Professor of the Practice at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and the founding Director of the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism (CTEC), where he leads cutting-edge research on violent extremism, terrorist financing, and digital radicalization while engaging policymakers and practitioners worldwide. Drawing on nearly two decades of government service—including leadership roles at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Intelligence Community—his scholarship and policy work have shaped multinational counterterrorism strategies and informed United Nations and FATF initiatives. Prof. Blazakis is sanctioned by the Russian Federation for his writing, research, and testimony (to Parliament and U.S. Congress) on Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Political Philosophies of Cosmopolitan and Nationalism Political communities unite and divide human beings into separate groups. Can anything justify or explain these divisions? Is there a form best suited to human flourishing and happiness? To the scope of our moral and political obligations? To our identities as co-nationals, compatriots, or cosmopolitans? We will focus on theorists of the late Enlightenment: Smith, Rousseau, Herder, Kant, Fichte, Tocqueville, Mill, Mazzini, Acton, and Weber. We will also read more recent works by Rawls, Walzer, Beitz, Nussbaum, Scruton, and Manent and selections from the ancient Stoic tradition. (PSCI 0101 Or PSCI 0204 Or PSCI 0262 Or PSCI 0317 Or PSCI 0318 Or PSCI 0414 or by waiver) 3 hrs sem.

How to Win the Argument: Rhetoric and Democracy Arguments shape the progress of free society. From "Four score and seven" to "never surrender," to "I have a dream," we celebrate the power of rhetoric to motivate political action. Yet rhetoric can mislead as well, and its techniques appear to involve a form of manipulation. In this class, we will examine the "arts" of rhetoric, and the philosophical debates surrounding the role of rhetoric in politics. Readings include political speeches (Lincoln, Churchill, King), plays (Aristophanes, Shakespeare), ancient philosophies of rhetoric (Plato, Aristotle), and modern theories of speech and "public reason" (Mill, Rawls). We will prepare and practice public speech-making in class, and we will compose and revise our own analytical and rhetorical prose.

American Public Policy This course examines the functioning of the entire United States political system, with an emphasis on the policies or outcomes of this political system. The first part of the course will examine the context in which policy is made (e.g., history, capitalism, liberalism). The second part of the course will focus on the policy-making process. We will examine the major stages of the policy process: agenda setting, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation. The third and final part of the course will focus on specific policy areas, such as education policy and health care policy.

Introduction to American Politics This course introduces the institutions and practices of American government and politics. The aim is to give students a firm understanding of the workings of and the balance of power among the American Congress, President, bureaucracy, and court system. We begin with the Constitution, which provides the set of founding principles upon which the American government is based. We then look at how American citizens make decisions about politics. Finally, we examine how political institutions, interest groups, parties, elections, and legislative bodies and rules aggregate diverse, often conflicting preferences and how they resolve or exacerbate problems.

Chinese Political Economy Over the past 30 years China has undergone a tremendous transition. The purpose of this course is to consider the extent to which China's experience has challenged theories of market reform. First, we will examine the role of the state in Chinese economic development and market systems more broadly. Second, we will analyze challenges in Chinese state-society relations, from public service provision to protest, that have emerged after such rapid economic growth. Finally, we will discuss the political implications of the Chinese state's responses to these issues in terms of authoritarian durability and governance.

The American Political Regime This is a course in American political and constitutional thought. The theme, taken from de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, is the problem of freedom. The first half covers the American founding up through the Civil War and the "refounding." This includes de Tocqueville, Madison's Notes on the Debates in the Federal Convention, the Federalist-Anti-Federalist ratification debate, Supreme Court decisions (Marbury, McCulloch), writings of Jefferson, Calhoun, and Lincoln. The second half considers basic problems in American politics, such as race, gender, foreign policy, and education. Readings include a novel, de Tocqueville, and Supreme Court decisions (Brown, Frontiero, Roe, Casey, Grutter, Lawrence).

Global Civil Society: Towards the Globalization of Human Rights? This course examines the growing and changing roles of non-governmental actors in international politics. We will begin by asking whether there is such a thing as a global civil society and examining its components. We will then focus on specific issue areas of civil society activism, including human rights, women’s rights, the environment, humanitarian aid, racism, and migrants and refugees. The course aims at providing students with both a conceptual and empirical framework so they can form an opinion about the existence, functions, transformative potential, and challenges faced by civil society activism in an increasingly globalized world.

Ethnic Conflict Experts regard ethnic divides as causing everything from nationalist violence to democratic breakdown to economic stagnation. In this course we will engage the most prominent recent and classic research into the relationship between ethnicity, conflict, and peace. Readings will include leading works in a wide variety of theoretical and empirical traditions, including comparative political science, rational choice, comparative history, sociology, and anthropology. Empirical material includes cases from many parts of the world.

Russian Politics In this course we will study politics in the Russian Federation. We will begin by placing Russian authoritarianism in historical context: first, we will examine the rise of communism under late Tsarist rule; then, we will turn to the evolution of Soviet rule, culminating with the collapse of the USSR and its dissolution into successor states. In the remainder of the course, we will explore politics, economics, and governance in the contemporary Russian state. Throughout, we will use the lenses of law and institutions, political economy, state-society relations, and nationalism and identity to understand evolution and continuity in Russian politics.

The American Presidency In-depth examination of the exercise of presidential leadership from a normative and empirical perspective. What are the sources of presidential power, the constraints on its use, and the implications for the American political system? The focus is on the leadership strategies of the modern presidents (FDR through Obama).

International Politics of the Middle East In this course we will study the evolution of the inter-state system in the Middle East. Using contemporary International Relations (IR) theories we will examine the influence of great powers, regional states, transnational movements, and regional organizations on state interests, ideology, religion, and the region's political economy. Questions to be addressed will include: which levels of analyses are most helpful in understanding the complexity of Middle East politics? Which of the IR theories--realist, liberal, or constructivist-- best explain inter-state relations in the region? What other approaches may be useful in this endeavor?

Might and Right Among Nations What role does justice play in international politics? What role should it play? Does it pay to act justly in the conduct of foreign affairs? In this course, we will examine the place of ethical considerations in international politics. Drawing upon major works of political theory, we will pay special attention to the relationship between justice and necessity, the ethics of war and deception, and plans for perpetual peace. Authors will include Thucydides, Cicero, Augustine, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Rousseau, Montesquieu, Kant, Weber, Woodrow Wilson, and Michael Walzer.

War and Peace What causes conflicts between states and within countries? What factors facilitate or impede their resolution? In this course we will examine interstate and intrastate conflicts and the challenges faced in resolving them, from both practical and theoretical perspectives. Employing some of the most prominent theories on war, and more recent theories of bargaining, negotiation, and conflict, we will draw upon a range of case studies to illustrate and evaluate the theoretical dynamics of conflict and conflict resolution.

Climate Change and the Markets of Tomorrow In this course, we will examine how new technologies and capitalism can be leveraged to fight climate change with a particular focus on green energy, plant-based meats, and electric vehicles. We analyze how these markets are evolving and what public policies can do to help them advance more quickly. The course takes an intentionally international approach and should be especially interesting to IPEC, PSCI, and ENVS majors. This course counts as a social science cognate for ENVS majors with foci in the natural sciences, humanities, or arts.

Vermont Government and Politics Vermont is the second smallest state in America. Its state government is similarly small and accessible. How does it work? Does it work well? Are there lessons for other states that didn’t fare as well as we emerged from the Great Recession? Are there lessons Vermont can learn from other states? This course will offer an insider's perspective on the political landscape and governmental system of our host state. We will learn about the state's political history, meet with those involved in the process, and discuss the intricacies of state government and how the political system affects it. (American Politics) /James Douglas, ‘72, successfully sought the office of Governor in 2002 and was inaugurated as the 80th Governor of Vermont in January, 2003.  He was re-elected in 2004, 2006, and 2008./

Political Economy of Security How do governments pay for wars? What are the security implications of financial crises? Can economic coercion replace military coercion? In this course, we will critically examine a broad set of ideas, arguments, and research on topics at the nexus of international political economy and international security. We begin with foundational scholarship on the connections between the domestic economy and state power before turning to the economic means with which states wage war, including the arms trade and war financing. Next, we will examine how the economy is used in pursuit of security goals. We will discuss research on the weaponization of economic and financial ties between states, including financial sanctions. Finally, we will examine scholarship on the economic implications of states’ pursuit of their security interests. (PSCI 0304 or by waiver) 3hrs. sem.

Political Islam In this course we will survey the central questions in studies of political Islam, focusing on the emergence of Islam as a political force in the contemporary period.  Discussion will center on the following core topics: (1) the nature of political Islam and Islamic interests; (2) how Islamic political movements develop; (3) why Islamic political movements flourish or fail; (4) how Islamic interests are expressed in the political arena; and (5) what types of political systems are most compatible with politicized Islam? These questions will be addressed by looking at the general history of the contemporary Islamic resurgence and by examining case studies on Egypt, Algeria, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Introduction to Political Philosophy What is politics and how should it be studied? Is there a best regime? A best way of life? How are these two things related, if at all?  Can we gain knowledge of such topics? We will examine these questions through a study of some or all of the following texts: Plato, Apology of Socrates, Republic; Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Politics; Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War; St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Summa Contra Gentiles; Machiavelli, The Prince; Hobbes, Leviathan; Locke, Second Treatise on Government; Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality Among Men; Marx, The Communist Manifesto, The German Ideology,  Capital; and Weber, Science as a Vocation.

Politics of the Middle East and North Africa  This course is an introduction to important themes, concepts, and cases in the study of Middle Eastern and North African politics.  We will examine key political issues in the region, focusing primarily on developments since World War II and issues of relevance to the region today.  For the purposes of this course, the region is defined as the countries of the Arab world, Israel, Turkey, and Iran. The first half of the course introduces major themes in Middle Eastern politics.  These include state development, nationalism, revolution, authoritarian rule, the petro-state, the Arab-Israeli conflict, conflicts in the Persian Gulf, civil conflict, the rise of Islamism, and attempts at liberal reform.  The second half of the course examines how these themes have affected political development in a number of key cases.  Primary cases include Egypt, Israel, Iran, Morocco, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.   Students will have the opportunity to individually assess other countries of personal interest in the region.

American Environmental Politics In this seminar we will examine various aspects of environmental politics in the United States. Topics to be covered include how society seeks to influence environmental policy (through public opinion, voting and interest groups,) and how policy is made through Congress, the executive branch, the courts, collaboration, and through the states. Policy case studies will vary from year to year.  Students will write a major research paper on an aspect of U.S. environmental politics.

Social Capital, Social Networks and Trust: in Israel and in the United States This course will introduce students to Social Capital, and the components that go along with it: Social Networks, Trust, and Social Norms. Additionally, we will discuss the role of social capital in various substantive areas including Democracy, Civic Engagement, Community, Education, Economy. Based on academic literature, videos and lectures we will explore various perspectives, manifestations and effects of Social Capital, mainly in Israel and in the US. The ultimate aim is to enable students to understand the theoretical definitions, conceptualizations, and typologies of social capital and its components, and how to relate theory to the real world by learning to use the practical side of it and to develop and use it according to needs of individuals, communities, and organizations.

Contentious Politics in Asia In this course we will compare protest, social mobilization, and contentious politics across Asia.  While some have argued that "Asian values" cause harmonious and stable political systems, we will start from the premise that contentious politics in the region reflect the same dynamics seen elsewhere throughout history.  However, as with all countries, the specific institutional and cultural context often shapes particular forms of contention.  Empirically, we will focus on key regions including East and Southeast Asia as well as the domestic and international dimensions of activism.

Digital Regression Digital technologies are increasingly being used by governments, and in particular authoritarian governments, to manipulate, surveil, and censor the public. Once considered a “liberation technology” that might enable citizen activism and protest, social media and other online platforms have evolved into sites of political contestation where state and non-state actors vie for influence, attention, and control. In this course, we explore the role of digital media in sustaining, moderating, and sometimes threatening authoritarian rule. By the end of the course, students will have acquired a better understanding of how digital technologies serve (or don’t serve) state objectives, as well as greater awareness of the interplay between digital media, politics, and civil society.  Matt DeButts is a PhD Candidate in Communication at Stanford University, and former LA Times correspondent based in Beijing, China./

International Politics and WMD In this course we will examine the international ramifications of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons use. What is a weapon of mass destruction (WMD)? How have WMD changed the way states behave toward international conflicts and within international crises? How has the development of these weapons influenced the policies states have adopted in response? Beyond these questions, major course themes include the threats of proliferation and the highs and lows of weapons reduction initiatives.

The Politics of Taxes Who gets taxed and how much they get taxed is at least as much a political decision as an economic one. Additionally, the ways governments tax their citizens (and how much they tax them) vary widely between different countries. Moreover, the purpose underlying governments’ use of taxes ranges from fighting inequality to incentivizing various behavioral changes. In this course we will examine sales taxes, wealth taxes, corporate profits, income taxes and the politics around those taxes in a variety of national contexts. (Comparative Politics).

New Left, New Right: The Politicization of Class, Gender, Race and Sexuality in Latin America This course explores how issues of class, gender, race, and sexuality are being politicized in contemporary Latin America, where the historical definitions of “Left” and “Right” as well as the political practices of collective actors are being redrawn. The Left has abandoned Marxism; the neoliberal Right left technocratic cosmopolitanism for radical xenophobia; and new alternatives seem to lie between Left-wing and Right-wing populism. Political cleavages and new forms of activism have emerged around issues of feminism, masculinity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, and class, and through coalitions and new social movements that are addressed through film, literature, pop-communication, and street practices.

The Politics of Virtual Realities How has technology changed our politics? Are those changes all for the good? In this course we will explore the political, legal, and normative implications of the Internet for liberal democracy. We start with the US Constitution and explore arguments that it cannot by itself prevent the Internet from becoming a domain of manipulation rather than of freedom. How can we uphold the ideals of liberty and equality? And, since cyberspace has no country, whose laws should govern it? Cases will include President Obama's campaign and governance strategies, Google's activities abroad, cybersecurity, virtual war, and the WikiLeaks controversy.

The Political Economy of Drug Trafficking This course examines the political economy of drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. How have transnational drug markets evolved, and why? What effects has narco-trafficking had on the political, economic, legal, financial, and social systems of producer, consumer, and transshipment countries? What policy responses are available to combat it? How should we weigh alternative policy options? Examination of these issues centers on source countries in Latin America's Andean region, the chief transshipment country (Mexico), and the principal consumer country (the US). Attention also is devoted to the drug trade's effects on American society and criminal justice system.

The Trial of Socrates In the year 399 BCE, Socrates was put to death by the most sophisticated and enlightened city the ancient world had ever seen. In this course we will study Socrates’ trial and execution from the point of view of both philosophy and law. From the point of view of philosophy, we will closely read Plato’s dialogues depicting his persecution and death: the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. In reading these dialogues, we will seek to understand the reasons why the Athenians persecuted Socrates, what this means for the fate of iconoclasts in all times and places, and what it says about the good life for a human being. From the point of view of law, we will compare the Athenian legal commitments at the center of Socrates’s trial—juries, religious liberty, and the death penalty—to modern America’s, through a week of law-school style reading of the leading United States Supreme Court cases on these issues.  Samuel Hage is a PhD candidate in Philosophy at Tulane University. He received his BA from Middlebury College in 2016 and an MA from St. John’s College in 2020. Jeffrey Hetzel is a practicing attorney and former law clerk for Judge Kevin Newsom of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He received his BA from Middlebury College in 2014 and his JD from Stanford Law School in 2020. He has litigated before the United States Supreme Court and argued before federal courts of appeals.

American Political Tradition In this course we will study the theoretical ideas that informed the creation and development of America’s political system and consider some of the major contemporary challenges to the maintenance of American democracy. We will afford special attention to the political thought of the American Founders, the place of religion in public life, the nature of written constitutions, and the role of America in the world. This course will emphasize serious conversation about important texts and documents. Authors will include James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, the Anti-Federalists, Montesquieu, Alexis de Tocqueville, Frederick Douglass, John C. Calhoun, William Lloyd Garrison, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Croly, Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Russel Kirk, Milton Friedman, William Brennan, Sandra Day O'Connor, and Antonin Scalia.

Federalism, State and Local Politics What are the unique political opportunities and constraints facing state and local governments?  How have these changed over time?  In this course we examine the relationships between different levels of government in the U.S. federal system, considering the particular tasks and dilemmas facing states and cities, and scrutinizing the complex interactions between governments that characterize federalism in the United States.  Topics include local political culture, intergovernmental grants, state parties, and state political economy. Vermont, New York, and California will receive special scrutiny.

Caileigh Glenn

Luis Camacho

James Douglas

Nadia Horning

Allison Stanger

Claudio Gonzalez-Chiaramonte

Alex Lyford

Matthew Dickinson

Gary Winslett

Sam Hage

María Casullo

Margaret Hanson

Jeffrey Lunstead

Erik Bleich

Amy Yuen

Michael Kraus

Stanley Sloan

Natalie Chwalisz

Ines Pousadela

David Allen

Murray Dry

Bert Johnson

Phillip Consentino

Sebnem Gumuscu

Ed McMahon

Jessica Teets

Christopher Klyza

Michal Strier

Jeff Hetzel

Shinkyu (James) Lee

Cihan Artunc

Orion Lewis

Jason Blazakis

Kemi Fuentes-George

Sarah Stroup

Mark Williams

Francisco Seijo Maceiras

Abe Katz

Keegan Callanan

Ajay Verghese

Daniel Fram

Read 754 reviews for Political Science courses at Middlebury College. Find the best Political Science professors and courses.  Discover your new major today!

Gary Winslett is a perfect professor for this course. He is very passionate about the subject and has a lot of cool analogies and takes on things. There were no exams, only three projects ,including a group oral exam, group paper, and group presentation. It was fun to be able to work with others, but it might be hard to coordinate if your schedule is extremely packed. The content was super interesting and covered a broad amount of international issues/topics. There was lots of reading assigned, but he went over many of the important ideas and events in class lecture, so it was manageable. 

I took this class in Fall 2025 as my FYSE. Murray Dry is one of the most enthusiastic and passionate professors in this school. He really knows what he is teaching and is extremely knowledgeable. The books covered in the class are mostly interesting and engaging. It is a mix of philosophy books (Plato and Aristotle) and literature (Pride and Prejudice, Midsummer Night's Dream...). His grading for papers is extremely strict and you lose points with every gramatical mistake. Very enjoyable though and you get to learn a lot from him.

Professor Bleich was very passionate about the subject, and well organized. He was excited to discuss about projects and was ready to help during office hours! As the syllabus noted, it is crucial to keep up with your work and not fall behind! If you are on top of your work(from the start) you will most likely be able to do over half of your homework in class for the first half of the semester. Although I had minimal background in computer science the Jupyter notebook we used for the text analysis was clearly catered towards an audience with no previous knowledge. The whole semester you will be working in the same group and topic you choose in the second week of classes, so choose wisely. There was a ton of outside work to do during the last few weeks with multiple assignments and deadlines (about 7-8 hrs a week). All said I really loved this class, especially if you are potentially interested in data science/computer science. 