" In analyzing fiscal issues, conventional public finance approaches focus mainly on taxation and public spending. Policymakers and practitioners rarely explore solutions by examining the fundamental problem: the failure of interested parties to act collectively to internalize the positive externalities generated by public goods. Public finance is merely one of many possible institutional arrangements for assigning the rights and responsibilities to public goods consumption. This system is currently under stress because of the financial crisis. The first part of the class will focus on collective action and its connection with local public finance. The second part will explore alternative institutional arrangements for mediating collective action problems associated with the provision of local public goods. The objective of the seminar is to broaden the discussion of local public finance by incorporating collective action problems into the discourse. This inclusion aims at exploring alternative institutional arrangements for financing local public services in the face of severe economic downturn. Applications of emerging ideas to the provision of public health, education, and natural resource conservation will be discussed."

Small-group study of advanced subjects under staff supervision. For graduate students wishing to pursue further study in advanced areas of urban studies and city and regional planning not covered in regular subjects of instruction. 11.941 and 11.955 are taught P/D/F.

This course will introduce the student to the history of the world's major civilizations from medieval times to the early modern era. The student will learn about the pivotal political, economic, and social changes that took place in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe during this period. By the end of the course, the student will understand how many different civilizations evolved from isolated societies into expansive, interconnected empires capable of exerting global influence. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: Think critically and analytically about world history in the medieval and early modern eras; Identify and describe the emergence, decline, and main features of the Byzantine Empire; Identify the origins and characteristics of the European medieval period and describe the rapidly changing forces at work in society, the economy, and religion during this time; Identify the origins of the Aztec and Inca civilizations and assess how these empires affected socio-economic development in the Americas; Identify the origins of the Tang and Song dynasties in China and assess the impact of these empires on Chinese government, society, religion, and economy during what scholars refer to as the 'golden age'; Identify the origins of the Mongol Empire, which dominated much of Asia in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Students will analyze the nature of this empire created by nomads; Identify the reasons for a changing balance in the world economy in the 1400s and analyze why Europe superseded Asia as the most dominant civilization on the globe; Assess how and why the European Age of Discovery had such a large impact on the New World, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia; Identify the origins and characteristics of the Renaissance and describe its impact on European civilization as a whole; Identify the origins of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation in Europe and assess how this movement altered the social, political, and religious fabric of Europe; Identify the origins of colonial Brazil and New Spain. Students will also be able to assess the impact of Spanish and Portuguese colonization on the New World, Africa, and Europe; Identify the origins of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires and assess the unique characteristics of these dynasties and their impact upon Asia and the world; Identify the origins of the Atlantic slave trade, assessing how this forced migration of peoples affected Africa, Africans, Europe, and the New World; Analyze and describe the Asian trading world, the Ming dynasty in China, the ĺÎĺĺĺŤwarring states,' and early modern eras in Japan; Analyze and interpret primary source documents from the medieval period to the early modern era using historical research methods. (History 221)

This course serves as an introduction to American government and politics. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Explain the major purposes of government; Distinguish between different forms of government and democracy, underscoring the American political system.; Differentiate between American political ideologies, particularly conservative and liberal, and attitudes about the scope of government; Analyze the roots of the American political system, the failure of the Articles of Confederation, and the adoption of the Constitution; Discuss the fundamental principles of the American political system, such as separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism; Define the term 'public opinion' and explain how it is measured in American politics; Define the major factors of political socialization in American society; Describe American political culture and values and discuss their connection to social and demographic characteristics; Describe how the media influences the American public and political behavior; Evaluate the role of the media in the American political system; Discuss the various modes of participation available to individuals in the American political system; Outline the evolution of suffrage in American political history; Compare political participation rates in different types of American elections (i.e. presidential vs. congressional) and in relation to participation rates in other democratic countries; Explain the role of political parties in the American political system; Trace the evolution of political parties in the United States; Compare the major ideological differences between the modern Republican and Democratic parties today; Distinguish between different types of campaigns and elections; Explain the process of electing a president; Evaluate the role and strategies of interest groups in American politics; Account for the increase in and importance of interest groups in the American political system; Outline the history and structure of the Congress (House of Representatives and Senate); Analyze the factors that influence the outcomes of Congressional elections; Explain the legislative process and how a bill becomes a law; Describe the importance and role of the committees in Congress; Compare procedural and organizational differences between the House and Senate; Analyze the sources of presidential power and how the powers of the president have evolved overtime; Assess the role of public opinion polls and approval ratings and their impact on presidential power; Define the executive branch and the bureaucracy; Trace the evolution of the bureaucracy and bureaucratic reform; Assess the impact of the bureaucracy on public policy making; Outline the history and structure of the judicial branch; Explain the origins and importance of judicial review; Describe the nomination process for federal and Supreme Court judges and how it has changed overtime; Evaluate the role and impact of the Supreme Court in American society; Distinguish between civil rights and civil liberties; Explain the history and importance of the Bill of Rights; Examine the rights protected under the First Amendment and key Supreme Court cases that have defined these First Amendment rights; Discuss the various viewpoints on the Second Amendment; Analyze the 'right to privacy' and its origins and discuss Supreme Court rulings on privacy; Explain the process of incorporation and extending the Bill of Rights to the states; Trace the history and outcome of the Civil Rights Movement; Differentiate between de jure and de facto segregation; Discuss the process of expanding civil rights to other minorities and women; Evaluate the history and impact of affirmative action; Distinguish between different types of public policy; Describe the four main steps of the policymaking process; Explain theories of economic policy and their implementation in American politics throughout history; Discuss the budget process and key components included in the budget; Examine the major objectives and outcomes of United States tax policy; Trace the history and development of social public policy in the United States; Assess the creation, evolution and future of Social Security; Evaluate welfare reform and its impact on society; Evaluate federal education reform and the role of the federal government in creating education policy; Outline the key players and institutions in the foreign policy-making process; Discuss the history and current goals of United States foreign policy. (Political Science 231)

Comparative politics is the systematic study and comparison of the world's political systems. The course begins by discussing the factors and categories of analysis that political scientists and important international institutions like the World Bank, NATO, and the United Nations use regularly; it ends by comparing and contrasting governments from five different regions of the world: the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Define the chief characteristics of a nation state; Identify and explain various comparative methodologies used to compare various political systems; Distinguish between unitary, federal, and confederal governmental models; Compare and contrast political cultures in selected countries; Compare and contrast political socialization in selected countries; Describe and explain patterns of representation and participation in selected countries; Compare and contrast the roles and functions of political parties in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of interest groups in selected countries; Identify and explain governance and policy-making in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of the executive in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of the judicial branch in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of the bureaucracy and the policy process in selected countries; Describe and explain the political economy and development in selected countries; Identify and explain political challenges and changing agendas in selected countries. (Political Science 221)

Introduction to Sociology 2e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories, which are supported by a wealth of engaging learning materials. The textbook presents detailed section reviews with rich questions, discussions that help students apply their knowledge, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. The second edition retains the book’s conceptual organization, aligning to most courses, and has been significantly updated to reflect the latest research and provide examples most relevant to today’s students. In order to help instructors transition to the revised version, the 2e changes are described within the preface.

" This course is designed for students seeking a fundamental understanding of Japanese history, politics, culture, and the economy. "Raw Fish 101" (as it is often labeled) combines lectures, seminar discussion, small-team case studies, and Web page construction exercises, all designed to shed light on contemporary Japan."

Microeconomics will ground you in - surprise - basic microeconomics-how markets function, how to think about allocating scarce resources among competing uses, what profit maximizing behavior means in industries with different numbers of competitors, how technology and trade reshapes the opportunities people face, and so on. We will apply economic ideas to understand current economic problems, including the housing bubble, the current unemployment situation (particularly for high school gradutes), how Google makes its money and why healthcare costs are rising so fast.

This course will introduce the student to the history of Latin and South America from the early 19th century, when many Latin and South American colonies declared their independence from European rule, to the present day. The student will learn about the major political, economic, and social changes that took place throughout Latin and South America during this 200-year period, such as efforts by independent Latin and South American nations to create stable economies in the 19th century, political and economic conflicts between independent states and European imperial powers, the emergence of violent left-wing and right-wing political and social movements in the 20th century, and the developmental challenges that many Latin and South American nations face today. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Analyze and interpret primary source documents from the 19th and 20th centuries using historical research methods; Think critically about the history of Latin and South America from the 19th century to the present; Analyze how the peoples of Latin and South America attempted to organize viable nation-states following independence from Spanish and Portuguese colonial rule; Assess how the United States used economic imperialism to control the economic and political development of the nations of Latin and South America; Identify the origins of the 1910 Mexican Revolution and assess the political, economic, and social impact of the revolution for the people of Mexico; Assess the role that Latin and South American nations played in the global economy in the 19th and 20th centuries; Analyze the role that cultural agents such as the Catholic Church played in the development of Latin and South American nations; Identify the role played by women, indigenous peoples, and Afro-Latinos in the social and political development of Latin and South America; Identify the political and economic factors that led to the emergence of political dictatorships in many Latin and South American nations in the early 20th century; Assess how Cold War struggles between capitalist and Communist ideologies influenced political life in the nations of Latin and South America and led to the rise of repressive, authoritarian regimes in the 1970s and 1980s; Identify important contemporary political, economic, and social trends in Latin and South America based on an analysis of the region's history; Analyze and interpret primary source documents from the 19th and 20th centuries using historical research methods. (History 222)

These workshops cover personal finance topics. The participants will learn how to make decisions about home buying vs. renting and financial planning. Workshop discussions will include budgeting, basics of investment fundamentals, and basic economic principles, such as understanding interest, business cycle, and inflation.

Analyzes the impact of trade and financial flows and regional integration on the domestic politics of advanced industrial states. Pressures for harmonization and convergence of domestic institutions and practices and the sources of national resistance to these are examined. Cases include European Union and West European states, US, and Japan. This is a graduate seminar for students who already have some familiarity with issues in political economy and/or European politics. The objective is to examine the ways in which changes in the international economy and the regimes that regulate it interact with domestic politics, policy-making, and the institutional structures of the political economy in industrialized democracies.

Continued study of the language, literature, and culture of Spanish-speaking countries. Materials are from Spain and Latin America and include films, short stories, novels, plays, poetry, and journalistic reports in various media.