21A.348 Photography and Truth (MIT)
Still photography, a practice and form of expression that has worked its way into every facet of social life and every culture in the world, is considered here from the perspectives of history and social science. We will discuss the uses and functions of pictures; how they are to be understood and interpreted; whether they have clear-cut content and meanings; how they shape and are shaped by politics, economics, and social life.
17.202 Graduate Seminar in American Politics II (MIT)
This is the second in a sequence of two field seminars in American politics intended for graduate students in political science, in preparation for taking the general examination in American politics. The material covered in this semester focuses on American political institutions. The readings covered here are not comprehensive, but it is sufficiently broad to give students an introduction to major empirical questions and theoretical approaches that guide the study of American political institu
SP.721 D-Lab: Development, Dialogue and Delivery (MIT)
D-Lab is a year-long series of courses and field trips. The fall class provides a basic background in international development and appropriate technology through guest speakers, case studies and hands-on exercises. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in an IAP field trip to Haiti, India, Brazil, Honduras, Zambia, Samoa, or Lesotho and continue their work in a spring term design class. As part of the fall class, students will partner with community organizations in these count
17.523 Ethnicity and Race in World Politics (MIT)
Discerning the ethnic and racial dimensions of politics is considered by some indispensable to understanding contemporary world politics. This course seeks to answer fundamental questions about racial and ethnic politics. To begin, what are the bases of ethnic and racial identities? What accounts for political mobilization based upon such identities? What are the political claims and goals of such mobilization and is conflict between groups and/or with government forces inevitable? How do ethnic
17.405 Seminar on Politics and Conflict in the Middle East (MIT)
This course focuses on evolution of contemporary politics and economics. The subject is divided into four parts:
Context: historical and strategic perspectives, theoretical issues, and sources and forms of conflict;
Continuity: detailed analysis conflicts systems and their persistence, as well as regional competition and recent wars – focusing on specific countries and cases;
Complexity: highlighting situation specific strategic gains and losses; and
Convergence: focusing future co
Back-bench rebels
Philip Cowley, Reader in the University’s School of Politics and International Relations, was recently nominated for the Times Higher young researcher of the year award. In this podcast, Philip discusses his research into back bench rebellions within the British parliament. Philip describes his research as practical politics, linking academic research to the real world of political debate. Since the British Labour party’s re-election with a reduced majority of 66 MPs in May 2005, some back b
Behaviour, Decisions and Markets: module syllabus
Module outline for a course on Behaviour, Decisions and Markets, as taught by Miguel A. Fonseca and Dieter Balkenborg, University of Exeter. The aim of this module is to enable students to examine economic theory from a behavioural perspective, and highlight instances where standard economics predicts actual choices correctly and instances where it does not. Students will be introduced to recent behavioural theories that have emerged to explain the empirical observations, and will discuss the im
17.522 Politics and Religion (MIT)
This graduate reading seminar explores the role of religious groups, institutions, and ideas in politics using social science theories. It is open to advanced undergraduate students with permission of the instructor.
21A.340J Technology and Culture (MIT)
This course examines relationships among technology, culture, and politics in a variety of social and historical settings ranging from 19th century factories to 21st century techno dance floors, from colonial Melanesia to capitalist Massachusetts. We will be interested in whether technology has produced a better world, and for whom.
STS.038 Energy and Environment in American History: 1705-2005 (MIT)
A survey of how America has become the world's largest consumer of energy. Explores American history from the perspective of energy and its relationship to politics, diplomacy, the economy, science and technology, labor, culture, and the environment. Topics include muscle and water power in early America, coal and the Industrial Revolution, electrification, energy consumption in the home, oil and U.S. foreign policy, automobiles and suburbanization, nuclear power, OPEC and the 70's energy crisis
17.20 Introduction to the American Political Process (MIT)
This course provides students with an introduction to the basic institutions of American government, especially as established in the constitution, and with an introduction to currents of thought among social scientists about the workings of U.S. politics. This is a communication intensive course. As such you are required to write at least 20 pages - that's the C.I. requirement - and participate in class discussions.
17.910 Reading Seminar in Social Science: International Political Economy (MIT)
This course examines the politics of international economic relations. We begin with a discussion of the analytical "lenses" through which we can view the global economy. We then examine the politics of trade policy, multinational corporations, and international monetary and financial relations. We will also examine third-world development, communist transition, and the debate over "globalization." Finally we will explore the fight against terrorist financing and money laundering, the proper rol
17.506 Ethnic Politics II (MIT)
This course is designed mainly for political science graduate students conducting or considering conducting research on identity politics. While 17.504 Ethnic Politics I is designed as a primarily theoretical course, Ethnic Politics II switches the focus to methods. It aims to familiarize the student with the current conventional approaches as well as major challenges to them. The course discusses definition and measurement issues as well as briefly addressing survey techniques and modeling.
Henry Laurence, Karofsky Faculty Encore Lecture, Common Hour September 12, 2008
"You Can't Say That! Keeping Terrorists, War Crimes and Gay Marriage off TV." Henry Laurence is an associate professor of government with a joint appointment in Asian studies at Bowdoin. He teaches courses in Japanese and comparative politics, media and politics, and international political economy. In 2007–2008 he was a research associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University. He is currently writing a book on broadcasting politics that compares the BBC, PB
China Lecture Series: "Elections and Chinese Understanding of Democracy"
Associate Professor of Political Science at Duke University, Tianjian Shi specializes in comparative politics with an emphasis on political culture and political participation in Chinese politics. He is the author of Political Participation in Beijing (Harvard University Press, 1997).
Reunion Lectures 2006: Church & State
During Reunion Weekend 2006 Paul Franco, professor of government, discussed the relationship between religion and politics, and examined the implications and complications of the separation of church and state in the context of recent Supreme Court cases.
Infant mortality increases in minority populations
Hope Kelly reports on an alarming increase in the infant mortality rate in Boston. Kelly reviews the statistics. She notes that the infant mortality rate among African Americans is 2.5 times the infant mortality rate among whites. Kelly adds that the increase in the infant mortality rate was most pronounced in the Roxbury neighborhood. Kelly interviews Dr. Bailus Walker (Commissioner of Public Health). Walker says that the increase in the infant mortality rate is the result of a cutback in socia
A Crisis in Human Rights: Genocide in Darfur and Beyond
Focusing on the crisis in Darfur, the speakers will offer a comprehensive view of how and why a conflict evolves into a full-fledged genocide. The Darfur genocide has involved not just the outright immediate killing of people, but also the creation of conditions that have made life impossible by chasing people out into the desert and destroying their homes, villages, food supplies and livelihoods. Speakers will present eyewitness accounts of events on the ground in Darfur as well as academic res
European Civilization from the Renaissance to the Present Fall 2008
This course is an introduction to European history from around 1500 to the present. The central questions that it addresses are how and why Europe--a small, relatively poor, and politically fragmented place--became the motor of globalization and a world civilization in its own right. Put differently how did "western" become an adjective that, for better and often for worse, stands in place of "modern." Our approach will be broadly cultural, and we will consider politics, economics, society, reli
Back-bench rebels
Philip Cowley, Reader in the University's School of Politics and International Relations, was recently nominated for the Times Higher young researcher of the year award. In this podcast, Philip discusses his research into back bench rebellions within the British parliament. Philip describes his research as practical politics, linking academic research to the real world of political debate.
Since the British Labour party's re-election with a reduced majority of 66 MPs in May 2005, some back benc
