Political Science

This course demonstrates how the political mobilization of law can be analyzed from a sociological perspective. At the intersection of the sociology of law and the sociology of mobilizations, it shows how the "weapon of law" constitutes an essential dimension of contemporary mobilizations. The place of law in the repertoires of collective action is examined: its scope, its limits, and the historicity of its uses. The course looks at various forms of mobilization, both in France and abroad, such as anti-colonial struggles, feminist mobilizations, trade union struggles, the defense of freedoms, and mobilizations in favor of the environment.

This course shows students that nature and politics are totally intertwined. This is the case in two ways. First, the natural world has been shaped and governed by human action for thousands of years. Second, humans themselves are part of nature, always being shaped, changed, limited, and enabled by the non-human (or more-than human?) world. Since all human action and the intimate entanglements between the human and non-human world are suffused with power relations, they are, by definition, deeply involved in politics. This course delves deeper into the implications of thinking about nature through a political lens. Students are introduced to ideas about the ways the natural world relates to nationalism, colonialism, power, violence, belonging, spirituality, ethics, care, time, food, and embodiment. 

 

This course examines how images of the “Old World” were constructed in the United States to define the nation in contrast with the political and cultural traditions of Europe. The tension between the American ideal of exceptionalism and adherence to an essential “Europeanism” continues to affect transatlantic relations. Students examine how these contrasting collective images were transformed during the twentieth century as the United States became a global power that influenced Europe. The course considers the following: which images of Europe have dominated American public discourse; how the geopolitical, political, and economic changes during the American Century affected the way Americans re-positioned themselves towards the Old World. After studying the literature, students explore one case study in a small research project.

An introductory course providing students with a broad overview of political science as a social science discipline, this course seeks to cover the basic principles of political theory, comparative politics, and international relations over the course of the semester. The course covers a wide range of topics, from political theory, ideologies, nations and states, the government, interest groups and society, elections, political psychology, political violence, international relations, and global politics. The goal of the course is to introduce key concepts and ideas in political science, and to encourage students to explore these concepts further through other courses or by themselves.

This course provides a survey of the geography and geopolitics of Europe throughout history. It considers how Europe was created and the contents significance on a global scale.

This course introduces the politics and international relations in Korea, including some of the major developments in Korea’s contemporary history. It covers the complicated ways in which domestic politics, national division, and international relations intersect with each other. The course also provides opportunities to critically discuss contemporary political issues so that students may identify major political forces affecting them and their implications for Korea and their neighbors. The course aims to equip students with political knowledge and intellectual tools with which they can better understand the politics and international relations in Korea and Northeast Asia in the past and the future. 

This course begins by discussing the notion of “international community,” the Middle East, and how this part of the world has always been described as dominated by external actors. It examines how, since the Iraqi quagmire, the United States as the other actors of the “international community” seem to be unable to prevent a regional tilt towards a sense of chaos conveyed by the failure of the “Arab springs,” the crumbling of the modern States and borders, the growing autonomy of the local actors, and the emergence of new transnational non-State actors such as al-Qaeda and more recently the Islamic State. The course considers the actors' identities, the current situation of crises more and more threatening for international security (particularly for the European Union), and highlights key points of understanding.

This course focuses on the relationship between religion and politics. To untangle this relationship, the course examines the role of four core processes – globalization, nation-state formation, colonialism, and gender – in giving shape to contemporary relations between politics and religion. In the first place, it offers a sweeping historical survey, starting with imperialism, the French and Haitian Revolutions, and modern state formation. This leads to contemporary geopolitics, religious nationalism (Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Confucian), and socio-cultural contests (over sexuality, abortion, education, and migration). The central goal is to understand how recurring questions of the political community (who has power, how, and why?) are informed by and inform struggles over the place, role, and nature of religion.  Questions are addressed in an interdisciplinary fashion, where politics, history, and religious studies encounter one another. The course consists of interactive lectures and seminar-style discussions, including ones that are student-organized and student-led.

This course introduces fundamental concepts and theories of public administration as well as an overview of issues and practices related to the public administration. The course focuses on the environment, values, and core functions of public administration. It explores: (1) how various government agencies run; (2) dynamics between government and politics, and (3) relationships between government, market, civil society, and citizens.

This course reviews the history of Western international society and its global expansion, placing the development of the League of Nations and the United Nations (UN) in this historical context. The course particularly focuses on the role of Japan in any international organization.  

The course introduces students to the theory and history of international organizations, seeking to understand the following four subjects: (1) International Society, Rationalism or the English School as the third paradigm of International Relations in contrast to Realism and Liberalism; (2) the historic developments of Western international society and international organization; (3) the political dynamism behind the creation of the League of Nations and the United Nations (UN), and (4) the historic significance of a global liberal order.