Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po)

This course introduces the sociology of the state in the Middle East and North Africa region in a historical and comparative perspective. It explores the dynamics that have framed the establishment of state bureaucracies from the former Ottoman, Persian, and Mughal empires, as well as their transformations throughout the political changes of the 20th century, to shed light on the working of contemporary states in the Middle East and North Africa region. While providing an institutional history of the region, the course introduces theoretical resources to study the state and actors that compose it and addresses how modes and patterns of political change (colonization, independences, revolutions) shape the design, staffing, and, ultimately, functioning of states.

Combining history with current affairs, this course examines the rise of the global drug regime and considers its present-day governance lessons. It covers how the anti-narcotics system was constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries through a specific historical process, beginning with the opium wars and culminating in a UN-centered global system; and with what consequences. The course evaluates various historical drug regimes, including the full tolerance once practiced in the United States and United Kingdom, the Asian opium monopolies, and the Portuguese decriminalization of possession. It considers contemporary challenges to prohibition, such as cartel violence, the opioid epidemic, marijuana legalization; and finally, paths for reform.

This course approaches crucial topics such as migration, conflict, and development from a gender perspective. The course explores gender as a framework for socio-political analysis; presents an overview of different theories and concepts relative to gender-differential impact in policies and practices in development, conflicts, and migration; identifies the relationship between gender and power, and between gender and the social order; analyzes how masculinities and femininities are constructed in times of peace, conflict, and war in access to resources, the implementation of development policies, and in migration policies; and assesses the implications of international policies and initiatives aimed at “mainstreaming gender” in peacekeeping, international development, and migration. The course includes interdisciplinary approaches (law, gender studies, anthropology, politics, economics) and analyzes international legal instruments, tools, and specific cases, as well as their implementation at the regional and national level. It also focuses on practical tools and experiences such as gender-sensitive project planning, use of legal instruments as advocacy tools, claiming women's rights in different areas of development (land, water, food security, food sovereignty, education, health), and migration and conflict studies.

This is an intermediate level French language course for students who have previously completed two or more semesters of French. Building on the basics of the language and utilizing good listening comprehension skills, the course builds students’ confidence in their ability to communicate. It focuses on understanding expressions and common vocabulary relevant to one’s persona life, including family, purchases, surrounding environment, studies, and work. The course builds skills to understand advertisements, announcements, and simple clear messages; read short, simple texts; and find specific predictable information in common documents such as short advertisements, brochures, menus, and timetables; understand short simple personal letters and emails; communicate during simple, habitual tasks that demand only an exchange of simple, direct information on subjects and activities that are familiar; have brief exchanges, using a series of sentences or expressions to describe in simple terms family or other people, living circumstances, education, and current or recent professional or academic activities; write notes and simple, short messages; and write a personal letter or email that is focused and structured, such as a thank you letter.