Senior Seminar: Political Theories of Land, Property, and Territory
Politics majors are required to take one of the sections of Politics 495 in fulfillment of their senior comprehensive obligation. They therefore should have met or be in the process of meeting all requirements for the major. This course critically examines the narratives we employ to relate to the land that we are (not) on, with special attention paid to the notions of property and territory. Upon what foundations could a piece of land be transformed into property/territory, who is allowed to make claim to property/territory, and on what grounds? How do these claims re-configure the relationship between people and land? Could we envision alternative relationalities beyond the logics of property/territory, and translate these theories into concrete policies and practices? To address these questions, the course covers the discourses of property in political economic thought, the debates over territory in political theory and international law, and alternative imaginaries as present in environmental political theories and Indigenous political thought. The course will ask students to connect these intellectual traditions to contemporary policy debates and political contestations over land and space. Enrollment is restricted to Politics seniors. (Political Theory Subfield)
Senior Seminar: Comparative Constitutions of America
Politics majors are required to take one of the sections of Politics 495 in fulfillment of their senior comprehensive obligation. They therefore should have met or be in the process of meeting all requirements for the major. An exploration of comparative constitutional law which is the study of similarities and differences between the constitutional systems of different countries, this course will focus on constitutions in "America" - defined as the entire continent including North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The class will compare constitutional norms, government structures, judicial systems, civil rights and civil liberties to understand different patterns in the law. We will use a historical approach as well as dive into scholarly work in the field. We will also analyze topics such as separation of powers, human rights, and the structure and function of different governments across nations. Enrollment is restricted to Politics seniors. (Comparative Politics and Public Law Subfields)
Senior Seminar: American Democratic Institutions and Representation
Politics majors are required to take one of the sections of Politics 495 in fulfillment of their senior comprehensive obligation. They therefore should have met or be in the process of meeting all requirements for the major. In democratic states, institutions should provide a means through which citizen interests gain representation. However, in practice, institutions often do not successfully meet this ideal. In the United States, the very idea of “institutions” has become politically charged. Some Americans revere them, placing deep faith in the courts, Congress, and the Constitution itself as stabilizing forces that hold the republic together. Others view institutions with suspicion, seeing them as corrupt, elitist, or obstructive to popular will. Yet institutions are what keep any representative government functioning. They are the scaffolding that allows democracy to endure, even amid polarization, protest, and profound disagreement.
This course invites students to examine how well American institutions fulfill their representative purpose and how they have changed in a period of democratic backsliding. As a capstone seminar, we will move broadly across the subfield of American politics, drawing on the full range of courses and approaches students have encountered during their time in the major. We will consider legislatures, the judiciary, the bureaucracy, parties and interest groups, social movements, and American federalism as potential pathways for citizen voice and access to power. When do these institutions live up to their democratic promise, and when do they fall short? Why do some citizens and groups succeed in securing representation while others remain excluded or ignored? What might make American institutions more responsive and resilient in an era of institutional erosion and a second Trump administration?
Through shared readings, discussion, and independent research, students will analyze how political institutions shape representation in practice. In the most simple terms, we will investigate when American democratic institutions work, when they fail, and why. Enrollment is restricted to Politics seniors.(American Politics Subfield)