Winter 2012
20512. Political Representation. The notion of political representation lies at the center of government in the United States and much of the rest of the world. In this course, we will examine the features of political representation, both in theory and practice. We will ask (and possibly find ourselves struggling to answer!) such questions as: What is political representation? Should we have a representative system as opposed to something else like direct democracy? Should representatives look like those they represent, or is that no necessary? How do things like congressional redistricting, electoral competition, and term limits affect representation? Do constituents' preferences actually translate into policy in the United States, and if so, how? These are only a few of the important quetions we'll be asking this quarter. A. Fairdosi. (B)
20662. Individual, Mass, State: The Crisis of the Subject in the Weimar Republic. (=SCTH 20662, GRMN 20612). This course will examine the changing status of the individual subject under the political, social, and cultural pressures of the Weimar Republic. Through readings of political, philosophical, and literary texts from the Weimar era, it will investigate whether the "individual" is still a valid cultural concept in modernity, to what extent the mass has replaced the individual in cultural self-understanding, and what forms of politics arise when these questions are posed. The course will engage with the competing intellectual and political discourses surrounding the rise of European fascism generally and National Socialism in particular. Readings will include selections from Ernst Jünger, Oswald Spengler, Sigmund Freud, Georg Lukács, Siegfried Kracauer, Carl Schmitt, Adolf Hitler, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Stefan George, Gottfried Benn, and Robert Musil. James McCormick. (A)
20712. The Comparative Politics of Latin America. Latin American countries have a rich political and economic history. Today, most of the countries in the region are democracies with stable-yet feckless-economies; decades ago these countries were governed by the military and/or hegemonic parties and experimented with different economic development strategies. This course will give an overview of the region, various countries and the processes of change. The themes we will cover include the historical trajectories of Latin America, political and economic development, democratization, institutional design, and problems of political representation. We will explore these themes through a number of methodological and theoretical perspectives. Most of the readings will be drawn from political science, but we will also draw on relevant literature from other fields. M. Viedma, J. Hernandez Company. (C)
21810/39000. Global Justice. (= HMRT 39000, LLSO 21810) What duties do states and societies have beyond their borders? Are obligations of justice global in scope? What is the moral standing of states? This course will examine theories of global distributive and political justice, controversies over cosmopolitan democracy, and theories of human rights, in light of global social structures and international inequalities. We will consider contemporary arguments in political philosophy, sometimes in conversation with texts in the history of political thought. Authors will include Immanuel Kant, John Rawls, Thomas Pogge, Amartya Sen, Thomas Nagel, Iris Marion Young. J. Pitts. (A)
23100/53100. Democracy and the Information Technology Revolution. (= LLSO 27101) The revolution in information technologies has serious implications for democratic societies. We concentrate, though not exclusively, on the United States. We look at which populations have the most access to technology-based information sources (the digital divide), and how individual and group identities are being forged online. We ask how is the responsiveness of government being affected, and how representative is the online community. Severe conflict over the tension between national security and individual privacy rights in the U.S., United Kingdom and Ireland will be explored as well. We analyze both modern works (such as those by Turkle and Gilder) and the work of modern democratic theorists (such as Habermas). M. Dawson. (B)
PLSC 23710. Non-Violence and Human Rights: Conjunctions and Incongruences of Means with Ends. (=HMRT 23710) Human Rights defenders have used various methods in the process of challenging governments to live up to their responsibilities to fulfill and protect human rights. This course explores the role, potential and limitations of non-violence as appropriate means in these efforts. Against the backdrop of a consideration of means and ends in Kantian ethical theory, we will review the origins of the philosophy of non-violence, and the legal/political origins of the international human rights regime. After reviewing several historical cases, we will look at theoretical and practical restraints on non-violent movements. We will consider the Machiavellian consequentialist formulation "the ends justify the means" in contrast to Gandhi's assertion that, "as the means, so the end." The course concludes with a practical consideration of several violent and non-violent contemporary human rights conflicts. S. Bevel. (A)
25101/35101. Three Erotic Dialogues: Plato, Xenophon, Plutarch. An exploration of the moral, political, psychological, theological, and philosophical significance of erotic phenomena through reading three classical dialogues on eros: Plato's Symposium, Xenophon's Symposium, and Plutarch's Erotikus. N. Tarcov. (A)
25800. Losers. (LLSO 25417) This is a course that reads and analyses some of the texts of 19th and 20th century writers who wrote on social, political and economic problems and were important in their own time and who have had significant influence on their successors but are not included in the canon." Some of the writers we will examine are: DeMaistre, LaSalle, Frederick Douglas, Sidgewick, Spencer, William James, Sorel, and Hannah Arendt. B. Silberman. (A)
26109. Core Values of the West. PQ: Prior courses in Western Civ., European or American history, or intellectual history. This course will examine the fundamental values of liberal Western democracies, including freedom of speech and religion, equality under law, individual autonomy, religious toleration, and property rights, among others. We will consider what these values mean, their historical origins and development, and debates about them in theory and in practice. The class will be divided between lectures, which present each topic, and discussions. C. Lipson. (A)
26702. Political Participation. (=LACS 26702) The course will examine the broad theoretical subject of political participation by using empirical evidence from party rallies. Why do parties conduct rallies? Why do voters participate in rallies? What is the relationship (if there is one) between voter turnout at rallies and elections? Will parties continue conducting rallies in the mass media era? We are going to examine these questions by studying classical theoretical works about political participation, and empirical works about rallies in authoritarian, semi-authoritarian, and democratic regimes in West and Eastern Europe, the United States, and Latin America. M. Szwarcberg. (C)
26800. Insurgency, Terrorism, and Civil War. This course provides an introduction to asymmetric and irregular warfare. From Colombia to Afghanistan, non-state armed organizations are crucially important actors. We will study how they organize themselves, extract resources, deploy violence, attract recruits, and both fight and negotiate with states. We will also examine government counterinsurgency and counterterrorism policies, peace-building after conflict, and international involvement in internal wars. Case materials will be drawn from a variety of conflicts and cover a number of distinct topics. This course has a heavy reading load, and both attendance and substantial participation in weekly discussion sections are required. P. Staniland. (D)
26912/36912. Contemporary European Politics. Europe is in flux. From immigration to the Greek financial crisis, European governments and societies are dealing with levels of social and economic change not seen since the end of the Cold War. The prospects for European integration and the European Union are dimming. At the domestic level, welfare states are undergoing retrenchment and societies are growing more unequal. Classic policy solutions for earlier social and political problems appear ineffective in solving new ones. This course surveys some of the issues affecting contemporary European politics today by placing them in comparative perspective. Topics include the European Union, the Euro, immigration and the role of Islam in contemporary European society. S. Siegel. (C)
27301/37301. Weimar Political Theology: Schmitt and Strauss. PQ: By advanced consent only. This course is devoted to the idea of "political theology" during the interwar period in 20th century Central Europe. We will focus specifically on the writings of and the intellectual exchange between Carl Schmitt and Leo Strauss, two authors who considered the extent to which both serious intellectual endeavors and political authority require extra-rational and transcendent foundations. Students are expected to come to the first session having read Schmitt's Political Theology in its entirety. J. McCormick. (A)
27500/37500. Organizational Decision Making. This course examines the process of decision making in modern, complex organizations (e.g., universities, schools, hospitals, business firms, public bureaucracies). We also consider the impact of information, power, resources, organizational structure, and the environment, as well as alternative models of choice. J. Padgett. (B)
28615. Politics and Human Nature. PQ: Third- or fourth-year standing. Class limited to fifteen students. This course explores commonalities among psychoanalytic theory, Buddhism, and studies of emotions and brain physiology, particularly as they relate to questions of the self and political life. In addition to exploring each of these theories, we investigate particular questions (e.g., inevitability of conflict, dynamics of obedience and authority, emotional power of ideology, and non-Western understandings of human consciousness). E. Oliver. (A)
28800/48800. Introduction to Constitutional Law. (=LLSO 23900) This course is an introduction to the constitutional doctrines and political role of the U.S. Supreme Court, focusing on its evolving constitutional priorities and its response to basic governmental and political problems, including maintenance of the federal system, promotion of economic welfare, and protection of individual and minority rights. G. Rosenberg. (B)
29300/49300. Seminar on Humanitarian Intervention. B. Pape. (D)
30300. Survey of American Politics. A survey of some of the main themes, topics and approaches in the study of American politics and government. E. Oliver, B. Sinclair. (B)
34700. Political Economy of China. This course offers a set of tools for analyzing Chinese economic development and reforms. Our focus will be on how economic and political institutions have changed and how those changes affect the behavior of citizens, consumers, and businesses. We seek to understand the patterns of institutional transformation by examining legacies of the past, political and economic campaigns, leadership transitions, as well as China's integration with the world economy. Topics covered include reforms in industrial governance, financial supervision, market regulation, and state-business relations; variations across regions and industrial sectors; the integration of Hong Kong into China; Taiwan and China; and China's international trade strategy. All major topics are examined with a view to their international implications. D. Yang. (C)
36100. Civil War. PQ: Enrollment will be limited and by consent of the instructor. Enrollment will be decided after first class. Civil war is the dominant form of political violence in the contemporary world. This graduate seminar will introduce students to cutting edge scholarly work and to the task of carrying out research on internal conflict. We will study the origins, dynamics, and termination of civil wars, as well as international interventions, post-conflict legacies, and policy responses to war. A variety of research approaches will be explored, including qualitative, quantitative, and interpretive methods, micro- and macro-level levels of analysis, and sub- and cross-national comparative designs. Our emphasis throughout will be on designing rigorous research that persuasively addresses important questions. P. Staniland. (D)
37000. U.S. Courts as Political Institutions. (=LAWS 51300) PQ: There is a REQUIRED PRELIMINARY MEETING for anyone interested in taking this seminar. It will be held on Tuesday November 1st, 12:25 - 1:30, in Law School Seminar Room D (feel free to bring your lunch). Enrollment in the seminar is strictly limited and any student who wishes to be considered for admission to the seminar must attend the meeting. If necessary, a lottery will be run. Please contact me with any questions. g-rosenberg@uchicago.edu. This seminar examines the ways in which United States courts affect public policy. Questions include: How do the procedures, structures, and organization of the courts affect judicial outcomes? Are there interests that courts are particularly prone to support? What effect does congressional or executive impact, including judicial selection, have on court decisions? What are the difficulties with implementation of judicial decisions? G. Rosenberg. (B)
40200. The Moral Psychology of Liberalism. (=MAPS 45200) Liberalism is today often presented as a philosophy of governance and not a philosophical account of human flourishing. A well-ordered constitutional democracy, on this view, assures all persons the freedom to pursue their individual goods in a way consistent with the like freedom of everyone else. Whether those persons choose to live autonomously or heteronomously, by the light of their own reason or in response to some extra-rational orientation, is not the proper object of state interference. Liberal political philosophers have then set themselves the task of improving our current practices, chiefly by ensuring that the rightful demands of different groups and individuals are properly recognized and accommodated within the juridical structure we share. And yet, this legal-institutional understanding leaves obscure the affective and psychological dispositions that incline us to support such arrangements. Why is it that, when faced with an important moral or political conflict, we think it desirable to give each side a fair hearing, to assess the validity of different claims by the application of commonly-acknowledged and duly-warranted criteria, to allow for continued disagreement provided that all parties agree to abide by the rules and preserve their differences within civil bounds? How have we become the kind of persons who can sustain these liberal practices? What personal transformations may be necessary in non-liberal civil societies, insofar as they wish to reproduce institutional practices similar to our own? We'll read a range of classic and contemporary texts, including Larmore and Appiah on liberal identity; Nussbaum and Shklar on the liberal imagination; Ortega y Gasset and Montaigne on liberal excellence; Locke and Voltaire on liberal rationalism; Diderot on liberal friendship; and J.S. Mill on liberal character. C. Cyrenne.
40610. Seminar on International Security Affairs. This course introduces students to a selection of the principal literature that forms the foundation of contemporary international security affairs. It is organized around four general subject areas: The international system and war, crises and war, the conduct of war, and the outcome of war. Each week, our purpose will be to critically assess the strengths and limits of the central arguments of the readings, on their own terms. Students preparing masters and PhD theses and for PhD preliminary exams will find this approach particularly useful. Specific weeks will include: Preventive War, Reputation and Deterrence, Targeting Civilians, Violence in Civil Wars, Relative Decline and War, and Why Armies Fight, among others. R. Pape. (D)
44110. The Politics of Value Pluralism. (=MAPS 44100) The idea that our moral commitments may be irreducibly plural, conflicting, and incapable of rational arbitration has attracted a large and increasing attention among political theorists and philosophers. If true, this "value pluralism" raises significant challenges for both the practice of politics and the normative foundations of political authority. How can we engage our fellow citizens rationally, for example, if we do not share their moral assumptions, aims, or evidentiary authorities? What room is left for normative arguments from consent, if we no longer assume that diverse citizens thereby express the same moral commitment to autonomy or individual respect? If difficult moral questions permit more than one right answer, will that encourage practices of toleration and generosity, or the brute force of majority preference? This seminar will ask what value pluralism really means, what evidence we have for it, and what consequences it entails for a liberal politics. C. Cyrenne.
44612. Political Economy of Corruption and Development. Limited enrollment, interested students please email instructor at asimpser@uchicago.edu. This course is a graduate-level seminar covering recent theoretical and empirical research, organized around the following questions. First, what are the consequences of corruption for socio-economic development? Does corruption help or hinder it? Second, what are the causes of corruption? Is corruption affected by political and economic institutions, regime type, bureaucracy, resource endowments, or culture? Third, why has corruption varied over time within a country or state? On the empirical side, the course will emphasize issues of measurement and inference: how can one draw reliable conclusions about these questions, and what are the pitfalls along the way? The empirical readings encompass qualitative, quantitative, observational, and experimental approaches. A. Simpser. (C)
45601. Theories of Capitalism since Veblen. (=SOCI 50083) This class surveys the evolution of big picture portraits of the political economy of modern capitalism. The emphasis is on perspective and theoretical pre-occupation as much as it is on the history of advanced political economies. Are there themes that perennially preoccupy scholars as they seek to stylize the dynamics of their time? How can we understand changes in preoccupation and shifts in emphasis? Thematically the course will be concerned with the way each of the works characterizes the relationship between economy, society and polity; how they conceive of processes of reproduction and change; and how they locate their arguments in historical narratives of development. Authors to be read include: Veblen, Keynes, Hayek, Schumpeter, Baran & Sweezy, Galbraith, Chandler, Schonfield, Piore & Sabel, Womack, Jones & Roos, Rajan & Zingales, Hall & Soskice and Davis. G. Herrigel, A. Abbott. (C)
45800. Politics/Ethics and Terror. (=RETH 45800) J. Elshtain. (A)
50300. The Just War Tradition. (=RETH 44800) J. Elshtain. (A)
50705. Law and Political Thought: Neoliberalism and Its Critics. (=LAWS 70705). What is neoliberal thought, what are neoliberal policies, and what are the major critiques that have been leveled against neoliberalism? These are the questions we will explore in this course, focusing both on the primary texts that are generally associated with neoliberalism (e.g., Hayek and Friedman), as well as the most important critical attacks on neoliberalism (e.g. Harvey, Peck, Klein, and Sen). The term neoliberalism is often misunderstood, although it is nothing more than a neologism that combines the term "neo" (which means the revival of an older thing) with the term "liberalism" (which refers to early liberal economic thought). In this course, we will study the concept in depth in order to get a firm understanding of its theoretical and practical implications. B. Harcourt. (A)
57200. Social Networks. This seminar explores the sociological utility of the network as a unit of analysis. How do the patterns of social ties in which individuals are embedded differentially affect their ability to cope with crises, their decisions to move or change jobs, their eagerness to adopt new attitudes and behaviors? The seminar group will consider (a) how the network differs from other units of analysis, (b) structural properties of networks, consequences of flows (or content) in network ties, and (c) dynamics of those ties. J. Padgett. (E)
