Political Science

This course provides an introductory survey of post-war Japanese international relations, with particular emphasis on the development of the US-Japan alliance and the evolution of relations between Japan and neighboring Asian states. It begins with a study of the making of the San Francisco System, and then concentrates on the major events that shaped the history of Japan up to the years after the Cold War. Through the analysis and explanation of historical events, particular efforts are made to place those events that relate to Japan in the context of transformations in the structure of wider international relations. 

This course develops an increased knowledge and understanding of the nature of international politics in the Asia-Pacific, and the conceptual and theoretical issues relating to those politics. It equips students with basic skills to analyze foreign policy of major powers and explain the role of regional institutions. Students discuss central concepts relevant to international politics of the region, apply theories of international relations to analyze the dynamics of Asia Pacific politics, and analyze the foreign policy of major powers in the Asia-Pacific. Discussions include the roles of ASEAN and small states in shaping regional architecture and debate effectively as a team. This course has a pre-requisite of Introduction to Public Administration & Policy (HA1003).

This course examines concepts and perspectives in mental health and distress, including social perspectives and service-user-based knowledge, with regard to issues of human rights and social justice. This course includes historical perspectives; ideologies of institutional and community care; key concepts in mental health; social and intersectional perspectives; service-user/survivor knowledge; epistemic and social injustice; Mad studies; and human rights in mental health.

The course covers theoretical and comparative approaches to key topics including electoral and party systems, voter choice and turnout, models of voting behavior, public opinion, and political behavior through a gendered lens. Throughout the course, students identify and describe various types of electoral and party systems, distinguish between the different theoretical models of voting behavior, and relate those models of voting behavior to country case studies. 

This course explores the interconnected spheres of paid employment, unpaid labor, and care and welfare in order to understand the politics of contested UK reforms in international and comparative perspective.

This course performs a comparative study of the U.S and Japan to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities their leaders face. The course covers the Presidential System on the United States and the Parliamentary System of Japan; Political Parties; Electoral Processes and Elected Members; Women in Politics, and Bureaucracy and Policymaking.

The Egyptian legal system is considered according to its present structure and historical development including institutions, processes, laws, and the courts. There is special emphasis on developments in constitutional law and the role played by the constitution in the political context of present day Egypt. The course also offers an introduction to Islamic jurisprudence in the classical doctrine, in the pre-modern Egyptian legal system, and in contemporary Egypt.

This course provides an overview of the major human rights treaties, customary norms, international institutions, and mechanisms of enforcement, while at the same time encouraging a critical stance, which questions the role and effect of human rights in a world of distress and inequality.

The course provides students with the sociological-empirical analysis of societal phenomena, such as integration, acceleration, polarization, fragmentation and social action, such as conflict, protest, critique, social mobilization, and claims-making. It also introduces the students to a range of methodological approaches to the study of society/social actors in interaction with politics, law, and the economy. The course enhances the student's capacity and skills to analyze society, social actors, and social problems by using sociological and interdisciplinary instruments.

The course is divided into 3 parts:

In the first part, the course provides an introduction to political sociology, its main sociological theories, concepts, and forms of analysis. Political sociology will be explored through main themes including power and authority, conflict in society, forms of mobilization, societal actors and civil society, and interaction with state (and international/transnational) institutions as well as economic actors.

In the second part, the course provides a specific (and critical) attention to forms of (innovative) data gathering, measurement, ranking, the usage of big data, and the potential downsides to the collection and uses of big data. The course critically discusses formatting, codification, quantification, measurement, rankings, forms of surveillance and control, performance indicators, and auditing.

In the third part, the course explores specific case-studies around four themes: Rule of law and democracy; Human rights, crime, surveillance, and justice; Market economy, the digital world.

This course aims to develop an in-depth understanding of what public policy is and why government involvement in solving collective problems is accepted. The course reviews definitions and practical examples of public policy and of the policy process (agenda setting, formulation, implementation, and evaluation), making use of several examples from China, East Asia, and Europe.  

This course is divided into two parts. The first part consists of lectures, discussions, and a policy data workshop to gain theoretical and data knowledge on public policies. The second part of the course is more interactive and consists of lectures, students’ presentations, a field trip, and a video projection. This part focuses on specific policies at the center of current public debates, such as economy, labor market and migration, environment, education, health care, housing, and welfare.