Political Science Seminar Offerings – Fall Semester 2008
PS321 Seminar: Power, Governance, and Soveriegn State – Anthony Lott
WRI (International Relations)
The historical emphasis on the institution of sovereignty has long been a cornerstone of international relations theory. Recently, however, IR theorists have become increasingly aware that the transborder flow of ideas, people, money, and goods has altered our traditional understanding of the state system. Some, like Susan Strange, argue that “the territorial boundaries of states no longer coincide with the extent or the limits of political authority over economy and society.” If this is the case, then Political Scientists need to re-define our understanding of the sources of political authority and governance. If the state no longer exists at the center of political life, then how are we to conceive of the world in which we live? What does the global process of economic, cultural, and political integration mean for peoples around the world?
PS350 Sem: Immigration/Citizenship - Katherine Tegtmeyer Pak
WRI (Comparative Politics)
Mexicans dying as they try to enter the US, Moroccans dying in attempts to enter Spain. Europeans reluctant to accept Turkey's EU bid out of fear of more migrants. Britons worried that migrants fuel terrorism. Headlines pointing to these and similar events around the world draw our attention to the topic of transnational migration. This course introduces students to the political dimensions of the human drama of migration, by moving beyond media coverage and politicians’ rhetoric to consider the political processes shaping migration. We will study entry control and integration policy in advanced industrial countries that receive immigrants (or not), and the political activities of the migrants themselves. Throughout we will be particularly concerned with the relationship between political process and social theory, specifically addressing how sovereignty, national identity, citizenship, and gender are articulated in the politics of transnational migration.
PS384 Sem: Religious Commitment and Political Authority – Douglas Casson
WRI (Political Theory)
In this course we will examine the tensions that exist between religious commitment and political authority. Using current debates about the role of religion in political life as our jumping off point, we will turn back to the “radical enlightenment” of seventeenth century Europe. By exploring various aspects of what might be called “the theological-political problem” in the early modern era, we will assess the origin and character of political authority in the west. We will compare the early modern responses of Baruch Spinoza, John Locke, and Blaise Pascal with contemporary responses. Along the way we will ask how these theoretical arguments might relate to our practical understanding of religion and politics in the modern world.