21L.707 Arthurian Literature and Celtic Colonization (MIT)
The course examines the earliest emergence of stories about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in the context of the first wave of British Imperialism and the expanded powers of the Catholic Church during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The morphology of Arthurian romance will be set off against original historical documents and chronicle sources for the English conquests in Brittany, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland to understand the ways in which these new attitudes towards Empir
17.914 International Politics in the New Century - via Simulation, Interactive Gaming, and 'Edutain
This workshop is designed to introduce students to different perspectives on politics and the state of the world through new visualization techniques and approaches to interactive political gaming (and selective 'edutainment'). Specifically, we shall explore applications of interactive tools (such as video and web-based games, blogs or simulations) to examine critical challenges in international politics of the 21C century focusing specifically on general insights and specific understa
21F.404 German IV (MIT)
This course focuses on development of interpretive skills, using literary texts (B. Brecht, S. Zweig) and contemporary media texts (film, TV broadcasts, Web materials). The emphasis is on discussion and exploration of cultural topics in their current social, political, and historical context via hypermedia documentaries. It also covers further refinement of oral and written expression and expansion of communicative competence in practical everyday situations.
21W.747 Rhetoric (MIT)
This course uses the study of rhetoric as an opportunity to offer instruction in critical thinking. Through extensive writing and speaking assignments, students will develop their abilities to analyze texts of all kinds and to generate original and incisive ideas of their own. Critical thinking and original analysis as expressed in writing and in speech are the paramount goals of this class. The course will thus divide its efforts between an examination of the subject matter and an examination o
17.881 Game Theory and Political Theory (MIT)
Increasingly, political scientists are using game theory to analyze strategic interactions across many different settings. Each of the sub-fields, to differing degrees, has seen game theoretic concepts enter its vocabulary, and students entering the profession will need to understand the potential and limits of game theory. This course aims to give students an entry-level understanding of the basic concepts of game theory, and how these concepts have been applied to the study of political phenom
21W.730-4 Expository Writing: Analyzing Mass Media (MIT)
This course focuses on developing and refining the skills that will you need to express your voice more effectively as an academic writer. As a focus for our writing this semester, this course explores what it means to live in the age of mass media. We will debate the power of popular American media in shaping our ideas of self, family and community and in defining social issues. Throughout the semester, students will focus on writing as a process of drafting and revising to create essays that a
17.878 Qualitative Research: Design and Methods (MIT)
This seminar explores the development and application of qualitative research designs and methods in political analysis. It considers a broad array of approaches, from exploratory narratives to focused-comparison case studies, for investigating plausible alternative hypotheses. The focus is on analysis, not data collection.
8.20 Introduction to Special Relativity (MIT)
This course introduces the basic ideas and equations of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. If you have hoped to understand the physics of Lorentz contraction, time dilation, the "twin paradox", and E=mc2, you're in the right place.AcknowledgementsProf. Knuteson wishes to acknowledge that this course was originally designed and taught by Prof. Robert Jaffe.
Christopher & Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - What the Bible Teaches us About Robotics
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is renowned as the architect of the idea of "flow" in creative work, and recognized as one of the world's leading researchers on positive psychology. His son, Christopher, works at the intersection of new technologies, media, and the arts. He currently directs the MIT Media Lab's Computing Culture group, as well as the MIT Center for Future Civic Media.
A featured event of the "Play makes life worth living" theme semester collaboration with support from Arts Engine, Un
21M.734 Design for the Theater: Scenery (MIT)
This course will examine theory of scenic design as currently practiced, as well as historical traditions for use of performance space and audience/performer engagement. Four play scripts and one opera or dance theater piece will be designed after in-depth analysis; emphasis will be on the social, political and cultural milieu at the time of their creation, and now.
11.948 The Politics of Reconstructing Iraq (MIT)
This course is being offered in conjunction with the colloquium The Politics of Reconstructing Iraq, which is sponsored by MIT’s Center for International Studies and Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Fundamentally, the course focuses on contemporary post-conflict countries (or in-conflict countries) and the role of planning and reconstruction in building nations, mitigating conflicts, reshaping the social, spatial, geopolitical, and political life, and determining the country&rsquo
11.487 Urban Public Finance in Developing Countries (MIT)
This readings-based course analyzes the structure and operation of government systems in developing countries, with particular emphasis on regional and local governments. Major topics include: the role of decentralization in national economic reform programs, the potential impact of decentralized governments on local economic development, determination of optimal arrangements for sharing fiscal responsibilities among levels of government, evaluation of local revenue and expenditure decisions, an
11.484 Project Appraisal in Developing Countries (MIT)
This course covers techniques of financial analysis of investment expenditures as well as the economic and distributive appraisal of those projects. The course gives special consideration to cases in the developing world. Students will engage in a critical analysis of these tools and their role in the political economy of international development. The course will cover topics such as alternative planning strategies for conditions of uncertainty; organizations and project cycle management; the p
17.960 Foundations of Political Science (MIT)
This course continues from the fall semester. The course introduces students to the fundamental theories and methods of modern political science through the study of a small number of major books and articles that have been influential in the field. This semester, the course focuses on American and comparative politics.
17.871 Political Science Laboratory (MIT)
This course introduces students to the conduct of political research using quantitative methodologies. The methods are examined in the context of specific political research activities like public opinion surveys, voting behavior, Congressional behavior, comparisons of political processes in different countries, and the evaluation of public policies. Students participate in joint class projects and conduct individual projects.
17.THT Thesis Research Design Seminar (MIT)
This seminar is for students who plan to write a senior thesis in Political Science, and is required of all MIT Political Science majors. Seminar participants will develop their research topics, review relevant research and scholarship, frame their research questions and arguments, choose an appropriate methodology for analysis, draft the introductory and methodology sections of their theses, and write a complete prospectus of the project.
21H.433 The Age of Reason: Europe in the 18th and 19th Centuries (MIT)
Has there ever been an "Age of Reason?" In the western tradition, one might make claims for various moments during Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. In this class, however, we will focus on the two and a half centuries between 1600 and 1850, a period when insights first developed in the natural sciences and mathematics were seized upon by social theorists, institutional reformers and political revolutionaries who sought to change themselves and the society in which they lived. Thr
12.570 Seminar in Geophysics: Mantle Convection (MIT)
This cross-disciplinary course aims to understand the historical development and the current status of ideas and models, to present and question the constraints from the different research fields, and to investigate if and how the different views on mantle flow can be reconciled with the currently available data.
12.570 Seminar in Geophysics: Thermal and Chemical Evolution of the Earth (MIT)
The main objective of this cross-disciplinary course is to understand the historical development and the current status of ideas and models, to present and question the constraints from the different research fields, and to investigate if and how the different views on mantle flow can be reconciled with the currently available data.
17.407 Chinese Foreign Policy (MIT)
This lecture course provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the international relations of the People’s Republic of China. China’s foreign relations during the Cold War as well as contemporary diplomatic, security and economic issues will be examined to identify and explain China’s foreign policy goals and their implementation since 1949. Throughout, this course will investigate the sources of conflict and cooperation in China’s behavior, assessing competin
