Jeremy Caddel

In this class we will focus on the procedures and institutions that shape US foreign policy decisions. This is neither a course on international relations theory nor a history of US foreign policy. Rather, this course examines the domestic politics surrounding US foreign policy decisions. How do public opinion, electoral politics, and interest groups shape foreign policy? Which branch controls foreign policy-the president, Congress, the courts? Or is it ultimately the foreign affairs bureaucracy that pulls the strings? We will examine these topics through reading and writing assignments, class discussion, and simulations to promote deeper understanding and build practical skills.

What is international law? Does it really constrain governments? If so, how? In this class we will examine these questions through a mixture of political science and legal theories. Students will become familiar with the major theories in both disciplines and be introduced to the basic tenets of public international law. Students also will develop basic skills in legal research by reading and briefing cases from international tribunals and through an international law moot court simulation. Enrollment priority given to IAS majors: section 01 is only for Global Studies majors; section 02 is for non-Global Studies majors.

Since 9/11, many of the most controversial political debates in the US have originated foreign relations and national security. What is the proper balance of power between the president and Congress? How do we balance security and civil liberties? To what degree should international agreements constrain US policy choices? This course will examine both the legal and political answers to those questions. The course will mix a law school approach, with emphasis on reading and analyzing primary legal materials (judicial opinions, statutes, etc.), and a social science approach, with emphasis on empirical political science literature. Students will build skills in legal analysis and an understanding of the legal and political theories that shape US foreign relations and national security policy.