Courses

The links below contain course descriptions and syllabi to the courses I have taught in the past or will teach in the near future.  

Introduction to International Politics

This course introduces students to the study of international relations (IR).    The course begins with an overview of IR as a discipline. We then examine various levels of analysis and theoretical perspectives on global politics, such as Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, and Critical  Theory. The second half of the course applies these concepts to such issues as war and peace, the politics of economic relations, international organizations and law, sustainability and the environment, and human rights.

U.S. Foreign Policy

This course provides an introduction to the study of U.S. foreign policy. Topics include the role of power, interests, and norms within the international system, interplay among the various foreign policy arms of the U.S. government; the role of interest groups, public opinion, and the news media in the making of foreign policy; changing beliefs and ideas regarding the United States and its place in the world; the U.S. role in forming and managing international institutions; and current debates regarding the future of U.S. foreign policy.

Middle East Politics

This course provides an introduction to the politics, society, and culture of the Middle East, with specific emphasis on the Arab world starting in 1917. In this course, we will discuss and debate some of the most intransigent and controversial problems facing the contemporary Arab world, including democratization, authoritarianism, political Islam, the oil economy, foreign intervention, gender relations, civil war and insurgency, and other topics.