POL 296 - Special Topics in Global Politics

FDR: SS2
Credits: 3 in fall and winter, 4 in spring

Prerequisites vary by topic. Meets the global politics field requirement in the politics major. A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level. Topic, hour, and instructor are announced prior to registration. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.

Spring 2017, POL 296-01: Special Topic in Global Politics: The Final Frontier: The Politics of Space Exploration and Colonization (4). Prerequisite: POL 105 or instructor consent. This course introduces students to the practical and theoretical politics of space exploration. Topics range from the global political importance of the historical space race to the public policy challenges of contemporary space flight to the speculative political forms that will shape human colonization efforts. Conceptually, students consider the place of contemporary institutions and ideas such as democracy, the United Nations, and the balance of power in a global politics that extends beyond Earth. Scholarly readings from political science and history are supplemented by works of science fiction as well as material from the field of futures studies. (SS2) O’Dell.

Winter 2017, POL 296A-01: Special Topics in Global Politics: NATO: Origins and Future of the Transatlantic Alliance (3) Prerequisite: POL 105. This course examines the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military and political alliance of western states that has shaped global politics for over six decades. Readings and activities explore the historical and conceptual foundations of the transatlantic community, its place in the domestic politics of its member states, and its geopolitical future. Particular attention is paid to the challenges currently facing NATO, including the problem of burden-sharing within the alliance, Russia’s renewed assertiveness, and the developing situation in Turkey. Other topics include: the transatlantic policy community (NGOs), NATO and the 2016 American elections, and NATO’s complex relationship with the European Union. (SS2) O’Dell.