Government

This course assesses the intellectual credibility of human rights. Why would human beings have such rights, and what rights, exactly, do they have? These questions take us straight into foundational questions about morality that are becoming increasingly important in a politically and economically more interconnected world. The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Science course Ethical Reasoning 11. (4 credits)

Citizenship is one of the few devices for countering the centrifugal forces of pluralism. Can it succeed in the face of competing demands on our loyalty and competing sources of identity? This course explores the concept of citizenship, traces its historical evolution, and discusses the special challenges of citizenship in the face of multiculturalism, ethnicity, race, gender, religion, and globalization. Professor Feldman lectures from Burlington, Vermont using videoconferencing technology. This approach allows for a real-time interactive discussion between the instructor and the students. (4 credits)

Muslims are the largest religious minority in Western Europe. From the Madrid and London bombings to the cartoons crisis, doubts have arisen regarding the ability of these newcomers to integrate into European societies. This course analyzes the religious, cultural, and political situation of Muslims in Europe and discusses their accommodation to secular Western cultures. The course relies on primary documents from Muslim religious authorities and intellectuals, such as fatwas, along with novels, surveys, and scholarly research on Muslims in different European countries. In light of recent radical acts from Muslims in the United States, it also includes a comparison with Islam in the US. (4 credits)

This course seeks to provide students with a comprehensive introduction to Congress. The first half of the course addresses the nuts and bolts of how Congress operates in terms of foundational theories, the committee system, congressional elections, and congressional procedures. In the second half of the course we apply this knowledge to an exploration of how and why Congress pays attention to certain issues rather than others. Students are encouraged to view Congress not only as an institution unto itself but also as an institution that interacts with a variety of actors to shift public policy. The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Government 1310. (4 credits)

Although today it has become painfully obvious that housing is vital to the well being of the United States, policy makers have long understood the importance of providing ordinary Americans with adequate affordable homes. Yet the creation of federal housing policy has been tumultuous. At the outset in the 1930s, proponents of government intervention battled champions of free enterprise over the best way to provide the American masses with shelter. Since then, ideological and political struggles produced an array of low-income housing programs ranging from public housing to tax credit financing. In recent years, federal policy championed the sale of houses to families of ever lower incomes, a policy which some now charge caused the surge of mortgage foreclosures that precipitated the current recession. This course traces the evolution of housing policy, especially low-income housing programs, in the United States. It explores the factors—including ideology, race, reformers (often women), and lobbyists—that have shaped this crucial component of social policy and in so doing illuminates the character of the American welfare state. (4 credits)

Can states work out cooperative solutions to problems of human injustice and environmental degradation? What is the record of the United Nations in conflict management? What has been the impact of World Bank programs on the alleviation of poverty? Why are the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization regarded as necessities by some and as obstacles by others? These are some of the questions addressed in an exploration of the potentials and limitations of international organizations in the world system. (4 credits)

This course introduces students of international relations to the main concepts of public international law. Topics include the state, treaties, peaceful conflict resolution, the law of the sea, human rights, and the law of international organizations. (4 credits)

This course examines the role of nuclear weapons in US and international security. In addition to familiarizing students with the types and effects of nuclear arms, the course considers several topics, including the history and future of nuclear strategy, the control and reduction of nuclear weapons, and the dilemmas of nuclear proliferation. The course is about the politics of nuclear weapons and does not require any specialized technical background. (4 credits)

Since 9/11, no Islamic concept has raised more debates and questions than jihad, a term that is now in common use in western languages. Paradoxically, jihad is widely misunderstood, often equated with arbitrary violence, holy war, or with Al-Qaeda's fight against the West. The purpose of this course is to describe and analyze the different meanings and theories of jihad in the Islamic tradition. We discuss the differences between holy war, just war, and jihad. We trace jihad from its origins in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and trace its evolution. The course reviews the use of jihad in Muslim empires and contemporary state systems, and analyzes the modern concept of jihad in movements like Hamas and Hezbollah. The course also considers major thinkers and theologians who have influenced the modern use of jihad, from Ibn Taymiyah to Mawdudi and Said Qutb. We review the current use of jihad by movements like Al-Qaeda and discuss how and why its current use by radical Islamists and suicide bombers is a clear break from its definition in the classical tradition of Islam. (4 credits)

This course provides an in-depth understanding of the Islamic Republic of Iran's complicated political system and its international politics. Highlights include the Islamic Revolution, the establishment of the theocracy, the seizure of the US hostages, the Iran/Iraq War, the emergence of parliamentary politics, and the quest for nuclear power. (4 credits)