Upper-Level Courses That Cross-Subfields
GOVT 20.02
Foundations of Political Economy
Course Description:
The basic assumption of “political economy” is so widely taken for granted that the term itself is no longer widely used. It is that liberal freedoms are nested in market relations—a society of choices—and that educated people cannot understand the responsibilities of government if they do not understand the ways market economies work and grow. Similarly, market relations cannot be understood without government’s legal frameworks and protections. We use the term government and “commonwealth” interchangeably because we expect government to advance the actions of free people creating wealth—not just rich and propertied people, but all who benefit from economic development and growth. As Adam Smith put it, it is the responsibility of the “sovereign” to “facilitate commerce-in-general.”
GOVT 20.05
Revolution, Reform and Reaction: The Cold War in Latin America (Identical to LACS 50.10)
GOVT 20.09
Populism and Democracy in Europe
Course Description:
This course aims to familiarize you with post-WWII European politics and is divided into two sections: European political systems, and the European Union.The first section analyzes the political institutions of European countries through a comparative approach. We will focus on political parties, identity politics, electoral systems, and systems of government. The second section analyzes the history and institutions of the European Union, and discusses important issues and challenges, including enlargement, the eurocrisis, and Brexit. Throughout the course, we will explore the impact of populism on politics in Europe, and what this means for the quality of democracy both within countries and the EU.