02 - Absolutism and the State
The rise of absolutism in Europe must be understood in the context of insecurity attending the religious wars of the first half of the seventeenth century, and the Thirty Years' War in particular. Faced with the unprecedented brutality and devastation of these conflicts, European nobles and landowners were increasingly willing to surrender their independence to the authority of a single, all-powerful monarch in return for guaranteed protection. Among the consequences of this consolidation of sta
01 - Introduction
The course will concern European history from 1648 to 1945. The assigned readings include both standard historical texts and works of fiction, as well as films. Although the period in question encompasses many monumental events and "great men," attention will also be paid to the development of themes over the long term and the experiences of people and groups often excluded from official histories. Among the principle questions to be addressed are the consolidation of state power, the formation
VU undergrads present research on presidential appointments
Two Vanderbilt undergraduates had the rare opportunity to present their research findings on the influence of patronage on presidential appointments and government performance at the 2010 Midwest Political Science Association Conference.
Listen: Implicit bias against Latinos affects all immigrants, Vanderbilt research shows
Research by political scientist Efren Perez offers insight into the intense opposition among many voters to passing any type of immigration reform. He conducted an original survey-experiment to demonstrate that the participants had an automatic negative attitude toward Latino immigrants that shaped their immigration judgments in general. Listen to That’s Vanderbilt with Efren Perez.
Court of common pleas: The National Archives, CP40 - 1399-1500
The records of this central common law court for the fifteenth century; records held by The National Archives with the class of CP40. Hitherto unpublished, the database was first produced as part of the AHRC-funded 'Londoners and the Law' project (AHRC AR119247). It was further augmented by the 'London women and the economy before and after the Black Death' project (ESRC RES-00-22-3343) and with funding from the Marc Fitch Fund.
Getting Away With Murder: State Violence and Impunity in Phatthalung, 1972-1975
In February 1975, student activists exposed a series of brutal murders of citizens by Communist Suppression Operations Command and other state security forces that had taken place two-and-a-half years earlier in Phatthalung province in mid-southern Thailand. The thang daeng, or 'red drum,' killings gained their name from the method of killing employed. Accused of engaging in Communist activities, or tacit support for them, citizens were arrested, or simply taken, in large sweeps across districts
21H.907 Trials in History (MIT)
This seminar examines a number of famous trials in European and American history. It considers the salient issues (political, social, cultural) of several trials, the ways in which each trial was constructed and covered in public discussions at the time, the ways in which legal reasoning and storytelling interacted in each trial and in the later retellings of the trial, and the ways in which trials serve as both spectacle and a forum for moral and political reasoning. Students have an opportunit
World War I and the changing face of gender roles
In this lesson students will assess the political, economic, social, and cultural effects of the war on the women's movement.
The Power of Advertising - John Hegarty
John Hegarty, of global advertising agency BBH, has been behind a number of the last 25 years most successful advertising campaigns. He talks about the power of advertising.
Faith and Politics in a Diverse Society - Baroness Amos
Baroness Valarie Amos’s political career began in 1981 where she worked in Equal Opportunities, Training and Management Services until 1989. She was a co-founder of Amos Fraser Bernard, and director (1995-1998) where she advised the South African Government on public service reform, human rights and employment equality.
She was created a life peer in 1997 by Tony Blair. From 1998-2001 she was a government whip in the House of Lords. She was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Fo
22.312 Engineering of Nuclear Reactors (MIT)
This course covers the engineering principles of nuclear reactors, emphasizing power reactors. Specific topics include power plant thermodynamics, reactor heat generation and removal (single-phase as well as two-phase coolant flow and heat transfer), and structural mechanics. It also discusses engineering considerations in reactor design.
Is ITV in Trouble? - Jim Godfrey
Jim Godfrey, ITV’s director of corporate affairs, is leaving in March after three years to set up his own PR agency. Godfrey, a former Labour special adviser, said he intended to specialise in political campaigns and branding with his new company, which will have ITV as its first client when it launches in July. He is a former special adviser to Patricia Hewlett when she was the trade and industry secretary. Before that he was director of communications for leading think-tank, the Institute fo
The Role of Football in Development - Africa Day - Oneyachi Wambo
Oneyachi Wambo runs Score4Africa, celebrating the power of football to transform lives for the better. The Score4Africa awards ceremony is to celebrate African footballers and was staged at the House of Lords in 2008.
In this Coventry Conversation, Oneyachi talks specifically about the role of football in development.
21H.001 How to Stage a Revolution (MIT)
21H.001, a HASS-D, CI course, explores fundamental questions about the causes and nature of revolutions. How do people overthrow their rulers? How do they establish new governments? Do radical upheavals require bloodshed, violence, or even terror? How have revolutionaries attempted to establish their ideals and realize their goals? We will look at a set of major political transformations throughout the world and across centuries to understand the meaning of revolution and evaluate its impact. By
Is there a Crisis in World Journalism? Dr Fred Mudhai
Okoth Fred Mudhai is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Global Media/Communication at Coventry University, UK. He has written research papers and memos on ICT and politics as a member of the IT and Civil Society Network of the IT and International Cooperation Program, US Social Science Research Council (2003-2005). At the Tunis (2005) World Summit on the Information Society, he received a Media Award by Panos London and Global Knowledge Partnership. He was also a category runner-up in the 2007
21M.621 Theater and Cultural Diversity in the U.S. (MIT)
This course explores contemporary American theatrical expression as it may be organized around issues of gender and cultural identity. This exploration will include the analysis of performances, scripts, and video documentation, as well as the invention of original documents of theatrical expression. Class lectures and discussions will analyze samples of Native American, Chicano, African American, and Asian American theater, taking into consideration the historical and political context for the
The Power of Advertising - John Hegarty
John Hegarty, of global advertising agency BBH, has been behind a number of the last 25 years most successful advertising campaigns. He talks about the power of advertising.
The Middle Class Bent at Radio 4? - Mark Damazer
Mark (born 15th April 1955) is the controller of Radio 4 and BBC 7 in the United Kingdom. He trained at ITN in 1980. He joined the BBC World Service as a current affairs producer in 1981. From 1982-4, he worked at ITV on TV-am, returning to BBC News in 1984. He joined Newsnight as an editor in January 1986. In August 1988, he became deputy editor of the Nine O’Clock News, becoming editor in 1990. In 1994, he became Editor of Television News Programmes, then Head of (what became) Current Affai
Is ITV in Trouble? - Jim Godfrey
Jim Godfrey, ITV’s director of corporate affairs, is leaving in March after three years to set up his own PR agency. Godfrey, a former Labour special adviser, said he intended to specialise in political campaigns and branding with his new company, which will have ITV as its first client when it launches in July. He is a former special adviser to Patricia Hewlett when she was the trade and industry secretary. Before that he was director of communications for leading think-tank, the Institute fo
17.812J Collective Choice I (MIT)
This is an applied theory course covering topics in the political economy of democratic countries. This course examines political institutions from a rational choice perspective. The now burgeoning rational choice literature on legislatures, bureaucracies, courts, and elections constitutes the chief focus. Some focus will be placed on institutions from a comparative and/or international perspective.
