USC Schedule of Classes

Basic concepts of world affairs for non-majors. Development ofcompetency to understand and critically evaluate global relationsand international events, stressing empirical approaches. Not available for major credit.

Exploration of the major social, political, economic, religious, and philosophical disagreements that exist between scholars, leaders, and citizens concerning today's most serious environmental issues and problems. Not available for credit to environmental studies majors and minors.

Comprehensive introduction to contending theoretical and analytical approaches; development of critical, evaluative, cognitive, and analytical competencies regarding historical and contemporary issues.

Introduction to theoretically oriented research approaches and designs; emphasis on the logic of argumentation.

Introduction to historical research methods with an emphasis on historical texts and modes of discourse.

Economic and political concepts necessary to the understanding of the modern global economy. Topics include international trade, foreign investment and migration.

The focus is intelligence to improve the making of policy, with attention to collection; overt and covert, operations; domestic intelligence; and oversight in democracies.

Examines the strategies for managing global issues in the post Cold War period. Explores ways that international institutions, national governments and non-state actors work separately and together to provide order and control over complex international issues areas. Issues that will receive attention could include financial and monetary relations, trade and foreign investment, preservation of the environment, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, population and migration, terrori

The emergence of international organizations as a permanent feature in world politics; role of the United Nations Organization as well as regional international organizations.

Analysis of recent events, forces, and conditions in the international political system.

Interdisciplinary study of the pursuit of peace, including causes of wars, arms races, conflict resolution, peace movements, nonviolent resistance, and peace with justice.

Africa remains the world's poorest region; why? since when? will it remain so? tentative answers drawn from a number of disciplines.

Examines the role of investment in Mexican economic development focusing on both traditional sources of loans, grants and investment as well as less traditional modes of finance.

Examines the politics of managing the global environment. The nature of ecosystems, commons problems, population and resource utilization problems along with biodiversity and global governance are emphasized.

The U.S. economy and political-economic institutions in comparative perspective; economic diplomacy and policy; role of trade barriers, exchange rates, foreign aid, energy, foreign investment.

The international financial and monetary regime, its evolution and the problems facing it today

Exploration of questions and concepts in international economics and politics, especially as they relate to flows of trade, capital, people, and problems across borders.

Sources, consequences, challenges to China's economic growth, including rural and urban economies, entrepreneurship, central and local governments, inequality, trade, investment, finance, demographics, and the environment.

Origin, concepts, realities, and ideals of the non-aligned movement, focusing on the United States' role in the developing world.

Overview of Tsarist and Soviet experience as background to detailed examination of the political, economic and ideological forces behind contemporary Russian foreign policy.

Critical perspectives on U.S. relations with the Middle East, including the discourses surrounding democracy and globalization.

Introduction to problems and issues in the Middle East today: religio-ethnic rivalries, conflicting nationalisms and ideologies, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Middle East oil.

Examines Latin America's experience with democracy emphasizing events since the 1980s. Analyzes the roles of interest groups, ideology, domestic politics, bureaucratic processes, perceptions and analogical reasoning.

Examination of diplomatic and moral relationships between sovereign states and transnational non-state actors, both benevolent (humanitarian groups and philanthropies) and malevolent (mercenaries, pirates and terrorists).

Key concepts in international security studies; historical evolution of international warfare and diplomacy; contemporary international security issues.

Modern and post-modern perspectives on changes in the inter-state system, relations among cultures and civilizations, the conditions of ecologically sustainable human development.

Focuses on the international politics of resolving crises. Application of theories of conflict and negotiation in a UN Security Council Simulation.

Introduction to key security trends in the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing strategic competition between U.S., Russia, and China; regional military capabilities; rise of neutrality politics.

(Paris Semester only) Historical overview of interactions between Muslims and Europeans. Islam: origins, history and circumstances that led to its revival. France's immigration policy.

Intensive internship experience in international relations professional areas with academic research component (may be repeated for credit different semesters)

Collaborative research projects under faculty supervision. Regular skills training and professionalization workshops.

Causes of war; means of prevention and consequences of war.

In-depth exploration of archaeology and heritage issues in the Middle East and their implications for politics and practice in modern Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

The domestic and international sources of Chinese foreign policy; political, military, and economic issues in China's relations with its neighbors.

Intermediate statistical computing and data visualization in R. Focus the on graphical presentation of complex statistical relationships. Students create publication-ready figures for actual faculty research projects.

Should environmental issues be treated as threats to security? Survey of recent literature explores global environmental politics using a security framework. Recommended preparation: Environmental studies course work.

Introduction to important economic issue areas that are understood as security-related in the contemporary world: population, food, trade, debt, etc.

Economic approaches and political processes are used to explain observed international trade policy choices. Topics covered include globalization, regionalism, labor standards, the environment and sanctions. Recommended preparation: Micro- and Macroeconomics.

Factors determining the feasibility, desirability and limits of economic globalization; the dynamics triggered by the Global Financial Crisis and the backlash against Globalization.

Critical discussion of alternative approaches explaining the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy: domestic politics, organizational processes, group dynamics, individual personality and perception.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.