Militarism: Costa Rica and the USA

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Costa Rica constitutionally abolished its military in 1949, the first country in the world to do so. This is a point of pride in Costa Rica, and it has allowed for significant investment in social programs. The Costa Rican “model” of demilitarization merits close study. By contrast, the USA has the largest defense budget in the world, spending well over $1 trillion each year in military expenditures. This course will study the concept and history of “militarism,” and the histories of these two systems.

US Interventions in Central America

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is a US foreign policy class focused on examining United States military and CIA interventions in Central America since World War II. US interventions in Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador will be examined. Topics addressed include: 1.) major theories of imperialism, and other theories explaining US interventions, including the diversionary theory of war, 2.) past and present policy debates over intervention (Should the US intervene? What does the US gain? How did elites argue for intervention at the time?

Music and Politics in London

This course explores the relationship of music to politics, primarily in the US and UK contexts. You will read about, write about, and listen to music from across genres and political moments including labor and civil rights songs, blues, R&B, hip hop, and pop, and you will analyze the political contexts in which these forms of music are produced, performed, and consumed.

Climate Science and Policy in Sāmoa

Despite producing just 0.02% of global emissions, the Pacific is disproportionately impacted by climate change. In this course, you will learn about Indigenous and Sāmoan perspectives and responses to climate change with a particular focus on art and activism. Being immersed in Sāmoa itself, you will see first-hand impacts of climate change and on the ground adaptations.

Political Parties and Elections in the U.K. and Ireland

This course centers on two crucial components of the U.K. and Irish political systems: political parties and elections. This course will provide students with the analytical tools to compare and contrast the electoral systems of both countries, as well as the more decentralized aspect of political parties. This class will also include weekly film showings and excursions. 

European Sustainability Policies

In this course you will cover the history, the political economy and the economics of European sustainability policies from the 1970s to the present. The introduction will define the key concepts of sustainability and the European business environment. The second part will make the link between energy policies, energy saving and eventually environmental protection at the beginning of the development of an environmental conscience. It will consider the major elements of environmental policies and the key documents in the respective sectors.

Immigration, Nationalism and Border Politics in Spain and Morocco

This course is designed to provide in depth study regarding the history of immigration to Spain in general, its repercussions on society, and the relationship between Spanish and Moroccan communities in Spain and Morocco. We will study the historical and present day migratory movement of Moroccan citizens toward the Iberian Peninsula. This migration has been present for centuries, and still is today, creating one of the oldest and numerous communities in Spain. Commercial, political and labor relations have always been important, and will be studied along with borders and foreign relations.

Introduction to Chinese Government, Politics and Policy

This is an introductory course on contemporary Chinese politics, government and public policy for international students. This course examines China from a variety of perspectives to enlighten our understanding of China today. All through the course, we will try to tackle the following questions: To what extent did the communist/revolutionary legacy affect reform-era politics and policy in China? Why has China been able to achieve such significant economic growth in the past three decades?

Law, Society and Politics in Comparative Perspective

This course is ideal if you have an interest in social sciences—in particular, history, sociology or political science—or in law. It is designed as an undergraduate class, but the variety of students taking this course typically ranges from first-year students to post-graduate students. This experiential diversity provides unique opportunities for you to learn from your classmates.

Contemporary European Politics

The objective of this course is to provide a good understanding of the numerous political and economic challenges the European Union faces today. Based on a good fundamental knowledge of geographic, economic and demographic realities of Europe, the course will be strongly focused on the current state of the Union, between attempts at institutional reform, the sovereign debt crisis, and the issues surrounding monetary union and the stability pact. It will also revise some major policies and have a critical assessment of current attitudes and strategies towards European integration.
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