The evolution, structure, functions, problems and performance of the United Nations and its specialized agencies are emphasized. This course explores the linkages between politics and economics in the international arena. Students will research a specific topic of global significance as a means for grounding the theories of the course in the context of a current policy issue. A survey of political thought from Plato to Rousseau. A survey of political thought from Hobbes to the present.
Some emphasis is given to the special role of education in democratic thought.
May be repeated for different topics, up to 6 hours. Recommended for students in their sophomore year. A study of the process of public opinion formation and change among mass public and elites in the United States. Normative and empirical issues involving the measurement of public opinion and its impact on public policy will also be considered. Case studies will emphasize the many variables that influence policy formulation.