Undergraduate
PLSC 28710. Democracy and the Politics of Wealth Redistribution (Fall 2012; Fall 2013; Fall 2014; Spring 2017; Spring 2018)
How do political institutions affect the redistribution of wealth among members of a society? In most democracies, the distribution of wealth among citizens is unequal but the right to vote is universal. Why then have so many newly democratic states transitioned under conditions of high inequality yet failed to redistribute? This course explores this puzzle by analyzing the mechanisms through which individual and group preferences can be translated into pro-poor policies, and the role elites play in influencing a government's capacity or incentives to redistribute wealth. Topics include economic inequality and the demand for redistribution, the difference in redistribution between democracy and dictatorship, the role of globalization in policymaking, and the effects of redistribution on political stability and change.
SOSC 24502: Latin American Civilizations in Oaxaca III (Winter 2013; Winter 2017; Winter 2019)
Latin America is the most economically unequal region of the world. Social inequality compounds poverty: indigenous groups, immigrant communities, and women have long faced discrimination and varying degrees of social exclusion. Persistent inequality despite widespread procedural democracy in the region would confound thinkers such as Aristotle and Tocqueville, who argued that because democracy is the "rule of the poor," it should deliver policies that favor the poor and disadvantaged over the rich. Why does this fail to hold in Latin America? How have these countries transitioned to democracy yet failed to set policies that systematically favor the poor? With the recent rise of leftist governments in many Latin American countries, do we see the balance shifting? This course explores the origins and dynamics of inequality in Latin America, with a special emphasis on Mexico. It begins by examining the historical foundations and development of contemporary inequality in the region, followed by redistributive conflict that has influenced political and economic responses to inequality. It concludes by investigating the contemporary struggle for equality and inclusion in arenas where elite dominance persists.
PLSC 28901: Introduction to Comparative Politics (Spring 2018)
Why are humans politically organized within countries and not city-states or tribes? Why are some nations rich and others are poor? Why is inequality skyrocketing across the developed world? Why are some countries democratic and others are dictatorships, and what determines switching between regimes? Does democracy matter for health, wealth, and happiness? Why are some countries beset by civil violence and revolution whereas others are politically stable? Why do humans organize themselves in some activities and spheres of life and not in others?
This course explores these and other similar questions that lie at the core of comparative politics. Drawing on political science, economics, sociology, and anthropology, while utilizing a wealth of data and case studies of major countries, we will examine how power is exercised to shape and control political, cultural, and economic institutions and, in turn, how these institutions generate policies that affect what we learn, what we earn, how long we live, and even who we are.
SOSC 13300: Social Sciences Inquiry III (Spring 2014; Spring 2015)
The last course in the Social Sciences Inquiry sequence is designed to guide students towards the completion of their research projects. Students will become acquainted with different research methods used by social scientists. We will cover the general criteria used to construct and test theories, the standards of a good research design, the trade-offs involved in selecting a particular method, some common methodological pitfalls, as well as the application of these considerations to specific empirical studies. Ultimately, the goal is to equip students with an understanding of complexities involved in practical social science, and the skills to navigate these complexities as they write their own research paper.
Graduate
PLSC 41101. The Politics of Wealth Redistribution (Fall 2012; Fall 2013; Fall 2014; Spring 2017; Spring 2018)
How do political institutions affect the structure and scope of wealth redistribution initiatives? This graduate seminar will introduce students to the scholarly literature on redistribution, focusing primarily on recent work. We will study the causes and consequences of redistribution, focusing both on the institutions that shape incentives for governments to implement redistribution, as well as the mechanisms, actors, and international conditions that can erode government incentives or capabilities to redistribute. The emphasis of the course will be twofold: rigorously examining the inferences we can draw from existing work, and designing research that can contribute to a better understanding of the fundamental questions regarding redistributive policies.
PLSC 41203. Political Regimes and Transitions (Spring 2014; Spring 2015; Spring 2017)
Despite a shift toward democracy in much of the world, many countries have remained solidly autocratic while others are plagued by political instability. This graduate seminar will introduce students to fundamental questions in the study of political regimes: What distinguishes democracy from dictatorship? Why are some dictatorships more stable than others, and what role do institutions such as legislatures, parties, and elections play in their stability? What political and economic factors explain regime transitions, and why do transitions tend to cluster both spatially and temporally? Why do some democracies endure and consolidate while others revert to dictatorship? The course will examine how these questions are addressed in current scholarship. Throughout the course, we will pay special attention to the theoretical and empirical tools necessary to contribute to the literature on these topics.
LAWS 95902. Greenberg Seminars: Redistribution in America and Abroad (2014-2015)
The redistribution of resources is perhaps the most important -- and controversial -- task of government. In this seminar, we will consider redistribution both in America and abroad. The following are some of the issues we will examine: What circumstances prompt governments around the world to engage in redistribution? Is redistribution an effective or feasible response to rising inequality? What are the economic costs and benefits of redistribution? How do the affluent prevent greater redistribution in democracies given their relatively small numbers? The materials we will cover to engage these questions draw from law, economics, political science, and anthropology.
How do political institutions affect the structure and scope of wealth redistribution initiatives? This graduate seminar will introduce students to the scholarly literature on redistribution, focusing primarily on recent work. We will study the causes and consequences of redistribution, focusing both on the institutions that shape incentives for governments to implement redistribution, as well as the mechanisms, actors, and international conditions that can erode government incentives or capabilities to redistribute. The emphasis of the course will be twofold: rigorously examining the inferences we can draw from existing work, and designing research that can contribute to a better understanding of the fundamental questions regarding redistributive policies.
PLSC 41203. Political Regimes and Transitions (Spring 2014; Spring 2015; Spring 2017)
Despite a shift toward democracy in much of the world, many countries have remained solidly autocratic while others are plagued by political instability. This graduate seminar will introduce students to fundamental questions in the study of political regimes: What distinguishes democracy from dictatorship? Why are some dictatorships more stable than others, and what role do institutions such as legislatures, parties, and elections play in their stability? What political and economic factors explain regime transitions, and why do transitions tend to cluster both spatially and temporally? Why do some democracies endure and consolidate while others revert to dictatorship? The course will examine how these questions are addressed in current scholarship. Throughout the course, we will pay special attention to the theoretical and empirical tools necessary to contribute to the literature on these topics.
LAWS 95902. Greenberg Seminars: Redistribution in America and Abroad (2014-2015)
The redistribution of resources is perhaps the most important -- and controversial -- task of government. In this seminar, we will consider redistribution both in America and abroad. The following are some of the issues we will examine: What circumstances prompt governments around the world to engage in redistribution? Is redistribution an effective or feasible response to rising inequality? What are the economic costs and benefits of redistribution? How do the affluent prevent greater redistribution in democracies given their relatively small numbers? The materials we will cover to engage these questions draw from law, economics, political science, and anthropology.
