The following courses are instructed by Liu Institute Faculty:
INDS 530A, sec. 006: Global Sustainability and Security: Writing and Publishing
Peter Dauvergne
Enrolment: Graduate Students, by application only (please see the procedures in course outline below). Maximum Enrolment: 15.
This seminar has four primary objectives. First, it traces through key books some of the most important interdisciplinary debates on global sustainability and security, providing participants with the opportunity to discuss big-picture themes. Second, it offers an opportunity to study and practice the art of powerful writing, reflecting in particular on why some books have been especially influential on global debates. Third, it provides support to co-author a journal article as part of an interdisciplinary team, submit this article for review in an academic journal, receive feedback from a peer review process, and, if all goes well, publish a co-authored academic journal article. And fourth, it explores how to communicate academic research to a range of audiences, providing support and guidance to sole-author and publish a 1000-3000 word piece, such as an op-ed, book review, videotaped speech, policy brief, or nonfiction video. Click here for course syllabus.
RMES 500G: Climate Change: Global Challenges and Local Responses
Hisham Zerriffi & Milind Kandlikar
Not Offered 2009-2010 Academic Year
Enrolment: Graduate Students (or advanced undergraduates with instructor approval)
Climate Change has emerged as the most complex environmental challenge facing the planet. On the one hand, changes in global climate are likely to have significant impacts in many parts of the world, and while a small number of regions / sectors may benefit many others could be devastated. On the other hand, reducing greenhouse gas emissions poses significant technological, economic and political challenges. Reductions of greenhouse gas gases will be made in the presence of incomplete information and continued scientific and economic uncertainty. Changes in human behaviour and technological innovations of the magnitude needed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions may be difficult to achieve. This course focuses on how the global challenge results in local effects and local opportunities and challenges. It will provide students with a ‘hands-on’ perspective on local responses. Click here for course syllabus.
POLI 322: Japanese Government and Politics
Yves Tiberghien
By any yardstick, Japan is one of the most important countries in the world: second largest economy, first country outside Europe and North America to industrialize, most important US ally in Asia, largest aid donor in the world, largest and most established democracy in East Asia. Yet, its political system and its decision process are among the most poorly understood in the world. To many outside observers, the lengthy proceedings of the Diet, the sequence of ever-changing Prime Ministers, and the odd policy outputs are just too mysterious to be explained in simple sentences. The aim of this course is to uncover the mysteries of the Japanese political system and to use the tools and theories of political science to understand its workings and outputs. Click here for a previous course syllabus; any changes for the 2009-10 syllabus will be small.
POLI 321A: Chinese Politics and Development
Yves Tiberghien
This course unravels some of the most fascinating questions of political science through a look at Chinese political processes over the Mao, Deng, and modern periods. The course will start with a historical overview, then analyze the Mao years, before spending more than half on the reform period. A particular focus will be given to the challenges of China’s interactions with globalization.Click here for a previous course syllabus; any changes for the 2009-10 syllabus will be small.
POLI 464C: Problems in International Relations. Current Debates on (Economic) Globalization
Yves Tiberghien
Does Globalization represent a fundamental break in international politics ? How did it come about and what was the role of politics? Has globalization changed the role and power of states? Have citizens lost the ability to make crucial social choices through the domestic democratic process? This seminar explores the range of current political debates on globalization. It seeks to unpack the various components of globalization so as to identify their precise nature, origins, and diverse consequences. The seminar also aims at separating out purely economic phenomena from social and political processes. It emphasizes the role of politics, both at the domestic and international levels, and identifies areas where political choice is crucial. This seminar thus probes the intersection between international relations and comparative politics and tests theories from both sub-fields over a range of critical issues of international political economy. Click here for a previous course syllabus; any changes for the 2009-10 syllabus will be small.
POLI 513: Current Debates in Comparative Political Economy: Globalization and the Democratic Dilemma
Yves Tiberghien
Does Globalization represent a fundamental break in international politics ? Has globalization changed the role and power of states? Is globalization forcing a convergence among the types of capitalist systems? This course explores the changing nexus between state and market in the context of globalization. It focuses on the evolving role of the state as a mediator between domestic constituencies and global economic forces and unpacks the ongoing tension between wealth and democracy. Please note that this course was previously POLI 516. Click here for a previous course syllabus; any changes for the 2009-10 syllabus will be small.
INDS 502S and SPPH 523 (co-listed): Global Health and Human Security
Jerry Spiegel
The course examines critical issues in global health that are fundamental to achieving human security but generally lie outside the scope of international security studies; and explores a range of global driving forces that have great influence on health but generally lie outside of examinations of health status. Topics include poverty, equity and non-medical determinants of health; global change, communicable & non- communicable disease; environmental health; conflict and war; governance / capacity at the global, national and local levels. Click here for details on applying and here for course syllabus.
POLI 461: The Politics of Humanitarianism
Erin Baines
Increasingly, humanitarians intervene in violent intra-state conflicts to protect civilians, provide assistance and to promote stability and peace, often working alongside militaries to do so. This arguably blurs and therefore compromises traditional humanitarian principles and potentially, increases civilian vulnerability and fuels war economies. On the other hand, if humanitarian aid can feed war, so too can it feed peace. Through readings and exercises, this course will guide students through various debates, actor responses as well as the policy options and challenges facing humanitarians today. Click here for course syllabus and to visit the course website.
WMST 403: Gender, Peace and Security
Erin Baines
This course examines how aspects of armed conflict and peacebuilding are gendered processes with differential impacts on men and boys, women and girls. Students will be provided learning opportunities to analyze empirical data and apply theoretical models to a range of case studies. This course will be on Term 1, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:30 pm. Click here for course syllabus and to visit the course website.
WMST 503: Transitional Justice
Erin Baines
After mass atrocity, how do individuals and societies face the past and learn to live together again? This question has captured the imagination of scholars, activists and policy makers in recent decades. In this course, we will examine from a gender perspective the ideas, assumptions, mechanisms and processes in transitional justice: from trials, truth commissions, reparations, memorials, to local communal rituals. Students will develop case study approaches to their topic and be involved in theoretical and practical discussions. Click here for course syllabus and to visit the course website.
RMES 500E: Energy & Rural Development
Hisham Zerriffi
Not Offered 2009-2010 Academic Year
Currently there are approximately 1.5 billion people in the world without access to electricity and 2 billion people without access to modern cooking fuels, primarily in rural areas. Even those with access to modern energy services are often faced with inadequate supplies, poor quality energy, and high prices. Exploring and understanding the complex linkages between current energy use, changes in rural energy and human welfare is the focus of this course.
BRDG 500/600: Thesis and Journal Seminar
Milind Kandlikar
This course provides a structured forum for presenting and discussing research initiatives at all stages: design, execution, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination. It is attended by Bridge fellows (masters and doctoral students, post-docs, and practitioners), faculty committee members, and other Bridge faculty members. Click here for further information.
GEOG 329: Introduction to Political Geography
Philippe Le Billon
The heritage of political geography; the spatial structure of political organization including regional and global structures.
GEOG 519: Environment, Development and Security
Philippe Le Billon
Analysis of environment-development-security linkages in relation to livelihoods and conflicts in poor countries, with a focus on Africa.
GEOG 496: Geography of Africa
Philippe Le Billon
A critical introduction to social, political and economic geographies of Africa from pre-colonial times to the present, with a focus on contemporary environmental and development issues.
GEOG 520: Themes and Interpretive Issues in Modern Human Geography, Graduate Seminar
Philippe Le Billon
POLI 369B: Issues in International Security: Arctic Sovereignty and International Relations
Michael Byers
The Arctic is changing at an unprecedented rate due to climate change, decreasing world supplies of oil and gas, and a rush to secure claims to sovereignty and jurisdiction. This upper year lecture course will examine a range of related issues in geopolitics and international law, from Hans Island to the Northwest Passage to competing claims to Arctic Ocean seabed. The role of the Inuit and other Northern peoples will be carefully considered, as will the military, science and environmental dimensions. Click here for the course website.
POLI 563A: International Organization: Current Issues in Global Politics and International Law
Michael Byers
This graduate seminar will examine breaking developments in global politics and international law. These developments could include military actions overseas, major trade disputes, international criminal prosecutions or prominent diplomatic initiatives. Current and controversial subjects will be explored and debated in a fully interdisciplinary manner. Prior knowledge of international law is recommended but not required. Students will contribute directly to the choice of topics and selection of readings. They will also take what they learn and implement it through policy-directed action. Click here for a previous year's course outline.
Page updated: June 11 2009
