POLS 395 Special Topics in Politics
Topics vary semester to semester. Specific topics may satisfy different Core Program requirements.
Political Economy of Climate Change
This course will explore the political economy of climate change, examining how climate politics is shaped by the economic consequences of decarbonization, interest groups, and international governance challenges. We will analyze the history of climate policy across major economies, study how interest groups, including fossil fuel and renewable industries, shape climate governance, and examine the challenges of international coordination on climate policy. We will explore the flow of climate finance, the political economy of green industrial policy, and how the distributional consequences of decarbonization drive political conflict. We will also analyze climate politics in the Trump administration, including policies and executive actions weakening climate regulations, and assess responses from states, companies, and the international community to these developments. Students will apply course concepts through class mini-conferences, policy memos, and other assignments. This course fulfills the second-stage writing requirement for the Politics major.
Prerequisite
POLS 101