Open to all majors for summer term.

This course examines the historical foundations and evolution of UN human rights treaties and the bodies that uphold them. With an eye to modern crises, this course critically evaluates the impact and effectiveness of international human rights law, providing students an enhanced understanding of the complexities involved in protecting and promoting human rights globally.

This course examines contemporary trade conflicts through the lens of international political economy (IPE), with a particular focus on tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and the World Trade Organization dispute settlement system. Students will study key trade policy instruments including antidumping measures, safeguard measures, and national security based trade restrictions and analyze how states use these tools in practice. By the end of the course, students will develop a practical understanding of how trade law, state power, and political interests shape global trade conflicts.

The balance of power in contemporary states suggests that the legislative, judicial, and executive branches check one another to prevent the concentration of power. However, the rise of executiveive leaders seeking unchecked power has challenged the role of courts as central actors of this balance. Drawing from literature and cases from the U.S., Latin America, and the international human rights system, this course analyzes the role of courts at both the national and international levels, the structural problems of the judicial system, the multiple constraints judges face in doing their job, the biases in judicial behavior, and the causes and consequences of non-compliance with judicial decisions.

From the Olympics to the World Cup, sports are more than games, they are arenas for identity, protest, and international politics. This course examines how nations use mega-events as soft power, how athletes and fans turn competition into activism, and how controversies over human rights, corruption, and sportswashing reveal deeper struggles over democracy and authoritarianism. Case studies range from Cold War boycotts and apartheid protests to recent debates over Qatar, Russia, and Paris 2024. Students will analyze the politics behind global sporting events, trace how sport intersects with nationalism, diplomacy, and inequality, and evaluate whether athletics can drive social change.

Social media has transformed the way politics works. But what are the real effects of these technologies on democracy? Do they increase political participation or fuel polarization? Do they spread misinformation or facilitate information sharing? This course examines the relationship between digital media and politics. We analyze how platforms affect political behavior, public opinion, and democratic processes. Students will explore important contemporary issues, including digital activism and social movements, political polarization, misinformation, surveillance, and digital populism. Through cross- country comparisons, this course will provide tools for understanding the opportunities and challenges that digital technologies pose for democracy. Students will apply course concepts through practical analysis of recent digital activism campaigns, exploring how movements strategically use different platforms and when online activism translates into offline political change.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to critically evaluate the political effects of social media and understand the affordances offered by different platforms and how they matter for political behavior. Students will also reflect on the future of democracy in the age of algorithmic media.

This course takes a creative lens on Latino/a/x politics by using music and popular culture as entry points into political life. The course will provide a general overview of Latino/a/x politics scholarship, and leverages media for deeper analysis of its themes. From various music genres such as reggaeton, salsa, and tejano, as well as selected films we will explore how media and artists put themes of immigration, race, gender, belonging, and resistance on display as relevant to Latino/a/x politics. The course emphasizes critical analysis and discussion, highlighting how politics is interpreted, narrated, and represented in everyday culture.

As polarization and inequality rise and democratic institutions face increasing strain, science fiction offers a lens for examining core issues in American politics through imagined political worlds. Through novels such as Fahrenheit 451, Dune, and Parable of the Sower, students analyze participation, power, inequality, and democratic limits and apply those insights to contemporary American politics.