Faculty Bios: You can view bios for many WWS faculty in the WWS faculty directory. Please note, not all faculty have bios posted and faculty who will be teaching at WWS for the first time may not yet be listed.

Blackboard: All WWS courses have a Blackboard course web site. You can access these sites by going to the Blackboard login page and searching for the course you would like to access, or you can click on the course titles below which will take you directly to the specific course site after logging in.

Graduate Section of WWS 317: Race and Public Policy
D. Massey

Syllabus
Analyzes the historical construction of race as a concept in American society, how and why this concept was institutionalized publicly and privately in various arenas of U.S. public life at different historical junctures, and the progress that has been made in dismantling racialized institutions since the Civil Rights Era.

Graduate Section of WWS 461: China's Foreign Relations (Also POL399)
T. Christensen

Syllabus
This course will review and analyze the foreign policy of the People's Republic of China from 1949 to the present. It will examine Beijing's relations with the Soviet Union, the United States, Southeast Asia, and the Third World during the Cold War, and will discuss the future of Chinese foreign policy in light of the end of the cold War, changes in the Chinese economy, and the post-Tiananmen legitimacy crisis in Beijing. Graduate students will be expected to explore the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research.

502: Psychology for Policy Analysis and Implementation
J. Darley, E. Pronin, A. Todorov

Syllabus
This course covers basic concepts and experimental findings of psychology that contribute to an understanding of the effects of policy on human behavior and well-being. Also covered are psychological factors that affect the formulation, communication, and execution of policy. Topics include a descriptive analysis of boundedly rational judgment and decision making, a consideration of social motives and attitudes, and an introduction to the ways in which agents influence and negotiate with one another, including an examination of the psychological roots of conflict.

505: Financial Management in the Corporate and Public Sectors
A. Shrager

Syllabus
This course has been designed to introduce graduate students in public and international affairs to certain principals and analytic tools widely used in the financial manage­ment of organizations, be they privately or publicly owned. The course is based on the premise that future civil servants should be familiar with this subject matter, either because they may be involved in the financial management of public agencies, or negotiate financial contracts with the private sector, or regulate financial management in the private sector.  

508b: Econometrics and Public Policy: Basic
G. Lord

Syllabus
Provides a thorough examination of statistical methods employed in public policy analysis, with a particular emphasis on regression methods which are frequently employed in research across the social sciences. This course emphasizes intuitive understanding of the central concepts, and develops in students the ability to choose and employ the appropriate tool for a particular research problem, and understand the limitations of the techniques. Prerequisite: 507b.

508c: Econometrics and Public Policy: Advanced
J. Rothstein

Syllabus
Discusses the main tools of econometric analysis, and the way in which they are applied to a range of problems in social science. Emphasis is on using techniques, and on understanding and critically assessing others' use of them. There is a great deal of practical work on the computer using a range of data from around the world. Topics include regression analysis, with a focus on regression as a tool for analyzing non-experimental data, discrete choice, and an introduction to time-series analysis. There are applications from macroeconomics, policy evaluation, and economic development. Prerequisite: grounding in topics covered in 507c.

512b: Macroeconomic Analysis: Basic
J. Klumpner

Syllabus
Covers the theory of modern macroeconomics in detail. Focus is on the determination of macroeconomic variables - such as output, employment, prices, and the interest rate - in the short, medium, and long run, and addresses a number of policy issues. Discusses several examples of macroeconomic phenomena in the real world. A central theme will be to understand the powers and limitations of macroeconomic policy in stabilizing the business cycle and promoting growth.

512c: Macroeconomic Analysis: Advanced
R. Benabou

Syllabus
This course offers a broad treatment of macroeconomic theory and policy issues, using the formal methods of modern macroeconomics. Topics will include long-run growth and development, labor, consumption, savings and investment decisions, the role of expectations, short-run fluctuations and stabilization policy, inflation and unemployment, trade and exchange rates. The course is advanced, so that: (i) having had some introductory course in macroeconomics is a prerequisite, and an intermediate-level one is best; (ii) the course requires a solid command of microeconomic theory (511 c or d) and good comfort with algebra and calculus. While the broad menu of topics is similar to that of WWS 512b, this class delves more deeply into specific issues, models and controversies, and tackles analytically more challenging material. It thus relies much more on lecture notes and journal articles than on the textbook, which serves primarily as background reading and a starting point for the study of each topic.

515b: Program & Policy Evaluation
J. Grossman

Syllabus
This course introduces students to evaluation. It explores ways: to develop and implement research-based program improvement strategies and program accountability systems; to judge the effects of policies and programs; and to assess the benefits and costs of policy or program changes. Students study a wide range of evaluation tools; read and discuss both domestic and international evaluation examples and apply this knowledge by designing several different types of evaluations on programs of their choosing. Prerequisite: 507b/c or instructor's permission.

515c: Program & Policy Evaluation (C-Track)
D. Peikes, A. Rangarajan, C. Trenholm

Syllabus
This course introduces students to evaluation using more advanced quantitative techniques than are covered in 515b. It explores ways: to develop and implement research-based program improvement strategies and program accountability systems; to judge the effects of policies and programs; and to assess the benefits and costs of policy or program changes. Students study a wide range of evaluation tools; read and discuss both domestic and international evaluation examples and apply this knowledge by designing several different types of evaluations on programs of their choosing. Students also apply these tools empirically with Stata, using data from several large-scale impact evaluations. Prerequisites: 507c & 508c or instructor's permission.

516a: Topics in Law: The Rule of Law
K. Scheppele

Syllabus
This course will consider the role of law in government and ask: When is a state constrained by law and when it may legitimately change or ignore the law by which it is bound? We will use a range of materials from fiction to court cases, from legal theory to political history, as we ask whether the rule of law is a value in itself, and whether there are any legitimate exceptions to it. In large measure we will proceed by negative example, considering cases from the US: Abraham Lincoln’s conduct during the Civil War, Franklin Roosevelt’s economic emergency, the exigencies of the Cold War, Nixonian exceptionalism, and the “war on terror” after 9/11. We will also consider comparative examples: the Russian Revolution and Stalinism, the collapse of the Weimar constitution and Nazism, and the radical breaks from communism in the “revolutions” of 1989 and beyond. In the international arena, we will look at the Nuremberg Trials and the Kosovar War.

522: Microeconomic Analysis of Domestic Policy: Basic
I. Kuziemko

Syllabus
Examines a series of major issues of policy designed to illustrate and develop skills in particularly important applications of microeconomics. Topics will include education and training, the minimum wage, mandated benefits, affirmative action, the theory of public goods and externalities, and the basic theory of taxation. Prerequisite: 511b.

525: Microeconomic Analysis of Government Activity
A. Mas

Syllabus
Analyzes government involvement in "market failures"; externalities (corrective tolls for congestion, environmental damage); "natural" monopolies (infrastructure- telecommunication, electricity-regulation and pricing); efficiency and equity aspects of excise and income taxes; and alternative social security structures and reform proposals in the U.S. and other countries. Prerequisite: 511c.

528a: Domestic Policy Analysis: An Historical Approach to U.S. Foreign Policy
B. Simpson

Syllabus
This seminar will introduce MPA and MPP students to U.S. foreign policy history and approaches. The seminar aims to demonstrate the utility of historical analysis for consideration of contemporary foreign policy challenges. Topics to be explored include global trade, nuclear policy, military intervention, decision making, development and foreign assistance, human rights, Congress and bureaucracies, the presidency and war, diplomacy, international institutions and the Cold War.

528c: Domestic Policy Analysis: Education Policy
G. MacInness

Syllabus
Considers the economic and policy issues involved in some of the major education reform proposals under discussion in America today. The passage of the "No Child Left Behind" Act in January 2002 provided an important watershed event in educational reform, and the ramifications of its implementation are only beginning to be understood. After some basic tools and approaches are covered, we consider many of the leading issues in education policy at the national, state, and local levels.

528d: Domestic Policy Analysis: Work, Citizenship, and the Welfare State
N. Zatz

Syllabus
This seminar will examine the connections between work and citizenship in the modern welfare state.  At times, citizens claim a right to work, workers assert a right to citizenship, and the state demands that its citizens work.  Work sometimes offers an alternative to the nation state as a site of community membership, and it can relegate people to second-class citizenship.  At issue throughout are basic questions about the foundations of solidarity and freedom, the relationship between economic and political status, and about how social policy interacts with differences of gender, kinship, race, class, and disability.  The topical emphasis will be on antipoverty policy, labor regulation, social insurance programs, and immigration policy.  The approach will be interdisciplinary, including scholarship in history, sociology, political theory, and law.  Students will write either a series of response papers or a substantial research paper.

528e: Domestic Policy Analysis: Leadership Theory and Practice
P. Marciano

Syllabus
This course will provide a solid basis in leadership theory and help students develop their own leadership skills. In addition to a wide array of readings on leadership, both academic and "real world," each student will be actively engaged in creating and implementing a community service project. Through this project, students will experience the core components of leadership; namely, creating a vision and enrolling others in that vision. Students will be supported and coached by the instructor during their project and will come to understand how their own personality impacts their leadership style. This course will require a great deal of initiative and high level of commitment.

534: Land Use Policy and Planning
D. Kinsey

Syllabus
Examines theory and practice of land use policy and planning in the US. Explores concepts of sprawl and smart growth, then examines land use plan making, law, and regulation. Analyzes land use programs and issues at diverse levels of government, including state smart growth programs, regional agencies, fair share and inclusionary housing programs, open space conservation, and big city planning and redevelopment. Also analyzes the roles and interactions of executive agencies, courts, experts, advocates, property owners, profit-oriented and nonprofit developers, and citizens in land use issues.

535: Planning Methods
T. Wright

Syllabus
This course introduces a set of concepts and tools that are widely used in the practice of urban and regional planning. The focus is on developing an operational understanding of the models, techniques and data used in such applications as regional economic and demographic projections, cost-benefit analysis, and land use analysis. Emphasis is also placed on the limitations of the methods.

538: Politics and Policy Making in Metropolitan Areas 
J. Trounstine

Syllabus
Analyzes political life in urban areas. Considers institutional arrangements of city politics, the role played by diverse communities in governance, and the intersection of local, state, and national governments in the policy process. Specific attention is given to several issue areas: economic development, fiscal management, welfare, culture politics, and education.

540: Urbanization and Development (Also SOC575)
M. Montgomery

Syllabus
Examines the origins, types, and characteristics of cities in less developed countries and the ways in which patterns of urbanization interact with policies to promote economic growth and social equity. Readings and class discussions address three areas: a) a history of urbanization in the Third World; b) an analysis of contemporary urban systems, demographic patterns, and the social structure of large Third World cities; c) a review of the literature on urban dwellers with emphasis on the poor and their political and social outlooks. (Fulfills URP requirement.)

542: International Economics
S. Weyerbrock

Syllabus
Survey course in international economics for non-specialists. The first half covers microeconomic topics such as trade theory and policy, multilateral trade negotiations and regional economic integration. The second half addresses macroeconomic topics such as current account imbalances, exchange rates, and international financial crises. The course stresses concepts and real-world applications rather than formal models. Prerequisite: 511b, 512b concurrently.

543: International Trade Policy
G. Grossman

Syllabus
Evaluates arguments for and against protection and adjustment assistance and considers topics chosen from the following: non-tariff barriers, dumping, embargo threats and trade warfare, and the political economy of trade policy formation. Special attention is given to trade problems of the less-developed countries, including North-South trade relations and commodity price stabilization. Prerequisite: 511c.

547: The Conduct of International Diplomacy
R. Hutchings

Syllabus
Offers a comparative look at the making and implementation of policy in the international arena. It explores key concepts and theories concerning national interest, negotiation, strategies of action and influence, crisis management and conflict resolution, and it applies those concepts via case studies and simulations in diplomacy, counter-terrorism, foreign assistance, and security policy.

556a: Topics in IR: Mediating International & Internal Conflict
F. Vendrell

Syllabus
On the basis of concrete international mediation experiences in Central America, Haiti, Cambodia, Burma, East Timor and Afghanistan, the course will discuss the various means of assisting in the settlement of disputes, the choice of mediators, the timing of mediation, and the difference between interstate and intrastate conflicts. The course will focus on the role played by the UN, analyzing the roles of the Secretary-General and of its Inter-Governmental organs, the role of "Friends", the different roles of mediation and fact-finding, the tension between principles and morality and between impartiality, objectivity and neutrality.
 

556b: Topics in IR: Empires and Imperialism (Also POL587)
J. Ikenberry/A. Kohli

Syllabus
This course will systematically situate America’s ‘informal empire’ in a comparative and historical context. A major point of comparison will be colonial empires of the 19th and the early 20th century, of Great Britain, Japan and France. We will study how America’s informal empire is similar to and how it differs from old colonial empires. We will take stock of the historical origins of US foreign policies (the Monroe Doctrine, Open Door Policy, and the post-WWII settlement, including the establishment of the Breton Woods system and the UN). The focus, however, will be on the more recent US role in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Specific topics will include British colonialism in India and Nigeria, and Japanese colonialism in Korea. The second half will focus on the global activities of the US, likely to include the US role in Vietnam, Chile, and Iraq.

556c: Topics in IR: International Strategy (Also POL580)
T. Christensen

Syllabus
Analyzes and compares national security strategies, military doctrine, alliance policies, and foreign economic policy. Examines how international structure, domestic politics, leadership psychology, etc. contribute to policy outcomes. Studies how strategies act as stabilizing or destabilizing influences in the international system. Topics include great power strategies before the two World Wars, American Cold War containment strategy, China's Cold War strategies, and factors for stability and instability since the end of the Cold War.

556e: Topics in IR: Russia and the EU
G. Bustin

Syllabus
The seminar will examine the recent evolution and the basis in coming years for the institutional and strategic relationship between the EU and the Russian Federation. We will analyze the features of the EU's foreign/security policy machinery and the current state of EU/ Russian relations, including the existing Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and its likely replacement in 2009. We will also assess the official strategy papers produced by both Brussels and Moscow in order to articulate their respective goals for the relationship. Areas for special concentration include energy policy and reciprocal dependence of the two sides, issues arising in the "border areas" (Ukraine, Georgia -- in light of the 5-day war --, Azerbaijan, etc..), the EU's interest in encouraging democracy and civil society, reciprocal investments in private and public sectors, and the broader political dimension, including the relations of each side with the US, China and other international actors,  and the implications of such third-party relationships for their mutual relations.

556f: Topics in IR: US Diplomacy & the Other Middle East: The Gulf, the Peninsula and its Neighbors (Also NES559)
B. Bodine

Syllabus
This seminar will examine the political, social, economic and strategic dynamics within The Other Middle East, the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and their primary neighbors, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and India. The seminar will explore the context and complexities of the regional actors, how recent US policies have affected these states and the impact of the Iraq War on the region and on US influence and options. Topics will include the role of religion, the growth of knowledge-based globalized economies, public diplomacy; the history of Saudi-Iranian relations, and the rise of regional actors, particularly Iran and India.

562b: Economic Analysis of Development: Basic
J. Hammer

Syllabus
Introduction to the processes of economic growth and development. The course examines various theories of development; poverty and inequality measurement; and the role of markets for credit, labor and land, as well as education and health, in development. The role of public policy will be considered within each of these topics. The course may also cover topics such as foreign aid, commodity pricing, and tax policy. (Prerequisites: 511b; 512b can be taken concurrently.)

562c: Economic Analysis of Development: Advanced
K. Hoff

Syllabus
This course considers theories and evidence to explain processes of economic development. The course examines theories of economic growth, and the two-way links between development and poverty, inequality, social institutions, and the family. We will also examine policy debates on education, health, and social policy, and governmental and international aid. (Prerequisites: 507c, 511c)

564: Topics in Econ: Poverty, Inequality and Health in the World (Also POP504)
A. Deaton

Syllabus
About well-being throughout the world, with focus on income and health. Explores what happened to poverty, inequality, and health, in the US, and internationally. Discusses conceptual foundations of national and global measures of inequality, poverty, and health; construction of measures, and extent to which they can be trusted; relationship between globalization, poverty, and health, historically and currently. Examines links between health and income, why poor people are less healthy and live less long than rich people. Prereqs: 507 and 511. 

565: State, Society and Development
L. White

Syllabus
Explores the relation of development to regime types, authority, culture, and social integration. The syllabus includes recent sources, as well as long-standing texts in social theory by such authors as Madison, Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Polanyi, Schattschneider, Huntington, Geertz, W.A. Lewis, and Hirschman.

568: Economics of Health in Developing Countries
J. Hammer

Syllabus
This course examines health and healthcare in developing countries from the perspective of public economics. Topics include the determinants of health – those influenced by policy and those that are not; approaches to setting priorities for public policy; market and government failures that characterize the sector; equity and efficiency implications of alternative policies; incentives faced by medical care providers in different systems; implications of applying these principles in country contexts; the potential contribution of the international community and technological progress.

572a: Topics in Devt: Making Schools Effective in Developing Countries
M. Lockheed

Syllabus
This course is designed to help students understand what lessons for improving schools in developing countries can be gleaned from the empirical literature. First, it will review the evidence regarding the quality of education in developing countries. Second, it will consider various models of school effectiveness, and will examine the evidence related to the impact of various school inputs, including teacher quality and school management, on student learning. Finally, it will examine the evidence linking control of schools, including parent and community participation, with better student learning outcomes.

572b: Topics in Devt: Policy Implications of Globalization (Also SOC577)
M. Centeno

Syllabus
Explores the historical background of globalization including previous examples of this phenomenon. Proceeds with an overview of competing contemporary theories of the causes and consequences of globalization. Discusses the types of data required for analysis of the policy implications of globalization and how these can be utilized. Emphasis on the use of transactional data using network analysis. Students will use primary sources and databases in discussions of policy areas including trade, migration, security, media, etc. No formal training in statistics, database management, or networks required.

572d: Topics in Devt: Democracy, Violence and Citizen Security (Also POL524)
D. Yashar

Syllabus
With the third wave of democracy, militaries have been sent back to the barracks; insurgencies have been demobilized; and police and judicial systems have been reformed to promote and defend civil liberties. In the wake of these reforms, we have seen a significant decline in human rights abuses by many states and armed rebels, alongside a strengthening of formal democratic institutions. However, the contemporary democratic era has also witnessed the rise in new forms of violence, including rising homicide rates, the growth of parastatal organizations, and complicit or weak security agencies. What is the relationship between violence and democratization? Why have new forms of violence peaked in some places and not others? This course will address violence in third-wave democracies in Latin America, Africa, and Eurasia by looking at theoretical debates, empirical patterns, and normative implications. We will evaluate competing theoretical discussions of the role of violence in state building; analyze newly democratized cases in light of if/how/why they have (un)successfully secured citizen security; and finally, debate democratic policy options in light of the oft-cited tension between public order and civil liberties.

576b: Regional & Country Studies: From State Formation to State Collapse
H. Soifer

Syllabus
This course offers an in-depth assessment of the state. It begins with the definitional question, and explores different approaches to the state. We will then proceed to historical analysis of the rise of states in Europe, the U.S. and other world regions. The third component of the course explores the relationship between states and societies, focusing on cases from Europe, Africa and Latin America. Finally, the course explores the extent of state weakness around the world, and explanations for variation in the strength and stability of states.

582d: Topics in Econ: Evaluating Empirical Studies for Public Policy
D. Lee

Syllabus
For every important policy issue, decision-makers will be faced with the results from numerous data-based analyses. Often, perhaps because the issue is controversial, various studies will give very different answers. How can they decide which studies are reliable or unreliable? This course introduces students to a disciplined approach to evaluating the credibility of empirical studies. The goal is to develop the ability to identify the crucial assumptions that are made to justify the inferences made from the data, and also to explore ways of assessing the validity of those assumptions, and hence the studies' conclusions. We will discuss the various "research designs" -- experimental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive -- on which empirical analyses are based, primarily in the context of labor market policies in the U.S., but examples in other areas-- environmental economics, health, and political economy--will be discussed as well. One of the main texts would be: "Myth and Measurement: The New Economics of the Minimum Wage", by David Card and Alan Krueger. Prerequisite: 508c.

582e: Topics in Econ: Energy Economics
A. Craft

Syllabus
This course examines the economics behind many issues related to energy use, including the investment and use of renewable and non-renewable resources, energy conservation, deregulation of energy markets, transportation, and energy independence. In addition to lectures on the economics of each of these subtopics, we will discuss current policy options.

582f: Topics in Econ: Financial Markets and Public Policy
E. Golding

Syllabus
Examines financial markets from both a theoretical and policy perspective. Topics include modern portfolio theory, financial asset pricing theories such as the Capital Asset Pricing Model, the Arbitrage Pricing Theory and derivative security pricing theories; key issues in corporate finance such as capital budgeting, capital structure and corporate governance. While modern finance is one of the more technically demanding areas of economics, course imparts the important concepts without a high level of mathematical rigor; the case format is used extensively. Prereq: 511c/instructor's permission.

586d: Topics in STEP: Global Environmental Governance
M. Oppenheimer

Syllabus
Examines international law and governance in the context of environmental problems. Considers the need for regulation under conditions of scientific uncertainty in issues such as climate change, bovine growth hormones, GMOs, fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and ozone depletion. Explores the efficacy of diverse regulatory approaches, mechanisms for scientific advice to policymakers and participation by business firms and NGOs. Considers intersections between environmental regulation (both domestic and international) with trade, investment, and multilateral development and aid programs.

586f: Topics in STEP: Information Technology & Public Policy (Also COS586)
E. Felten

Syllabus
Information technology plays an ever-growing role in our lives, our economy, and our government, putting pressure on existing policy arrangements and raising entirely new policy issues. This course will examine a range of infotech policy issues, including privacy, intellectual property, free speech, competition, regulation of broadcasting and telecommunications, cross-border and jurisdictional questions, broadband policy, spectrum policy, management of the Internet, computer security, education and workforce development, and research funding. Assignments will consist of weekly reading, weekly writing assignments, and a final project. This course is suitable for students without any special technical background.

587: Research Workshop in Population
Staff

Syllabus
Individual research projects involving demographic analysis related to issues in population policy or, occasionally, participation in the research conducted at the Office of Population Research. Prerequisite: Survey of Population Problems (SOC 571/ECO 571)

594a: Policy Analysis: The Evolution of the International Monetary System (Session I)
P. Kenen

Syllabus
This course will review the evolution of the international monetary system since the Second World War. It will focus on the roles of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the US dollar, but will also examine the origins and functioning of the European Monetary Union, the emerging-market crises of the 1980s and 1990s, the international financial turmoil that began in 2007, the key role of the oil-producing countries, including Russia, and the outlook for monetary cooperation between China and its East Asian neighbors. In the last three weeks of the course, students will be asked to present brief oral reports on some of these matters.

594b: Policy Analysis: Lessons from OECD Social Policies (Session II)
A. Adsera

Syllabus
How do patterns of poverty and social exclusion differ in the OECD countries, compared to the U.S.? This course is organized along the lines of the life course, focusing first on poverty and deprivation among the very young, proceeding to problems of education, then examining aspects of family formation/household structure, and labor market participation. We conclude with a discussion of old age poverty. Within each segment, the course explores policy choices made by different kinds of countries (e.g. Nordic social democracies, liberal states, etc.) in dealing with these problems and then asks to what extent the lessons we learn from them are transferable to the U.S. context.

594c: Policy Analysis: Agricultural Development and Biotechnology (Session I)
S. Shantharam

Syllabus
The world is facing an unprecedented agricultural crisis and a looming food security disaster.  In order to achieve sustainable agricultural development and to protect the environment, the world needs the best science and technologies that are available.  Genetically Modified (GM) crops have been successfully grown for over a decade now.  However, controversies surrounding safety, environmental impacts, and other socio-economic issues such as Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and affordability have created real policy dilemmas.  This course will provide factual, empirical and evidence based knowledge and information on agbiotech policy issues.  Some of the issues to be covered include:  crop biotechnology and transgenesis; evolution and role of regulatory policies in biotechnology development;  and policy instruments to address basic biosafety and environmental issues of GM crops.

594d: Policy Analysis: Humanitarian Crises (Session II)
E. Schwartz

Syllabus
This course will examine the efforts of the international community, and the United Nations in particular, to respond to humanitarian, recovery and reconstruction challenges posed by both natural and man-made disasters. We will assess the effectiveness of efforts to incorporate early warning and other natural disaster prevention measures into recovery and development planning and practices; the success of the UN’s Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in managing disaster response and the record of humanitarian agencies in providing relief; and the role of the UNDP and other agencies in managing the transition from relief to development. We will also examine new mechanisms to promote post-conflict reconstruction, such as the Peacebuilding Commission and Peacebuilding Support Office at the United Nations, and assess efforts to address security requirements in environments where a ceasefire or the signing of a peace agreement has not put an end to conflict.

594f: Policy Analysis: Political Economy of Education Finance (Session II)
T. Romer

Syllabus
Providing primary and secondary education absorbs over 20% of state and local government expenditures in the U.S. The magnitude of spending needs and the large disparities in economic capabilities across school districts create great challenges for financing public education. Financing schools has become an arena for debate not only about education but also about redistribution. This course studies the political, legal, and economic challenges involved in education finance and the diverse ways being attempted to cope with them.

594h: International Macroeconomics (Session II)
P. Krugman

Syllabus
Examines issues in open economy macroeconomics and international finance. Topics include current account behavior and capital flows, exchange-rate determination and dynamics, international financial market integration, macroeconomic policy under fixed and floating exchange rates, international policy coordination, and the history of the international monetary system. Special attention is given to the analysis of financial crises. Prerequisite: 512c or instructor's permission.

594i: Policy Analysis: GIS for Public Policy (Session I)
W. Guthe

Syllabus
This course is designed as a practical introduction to the use of computer mapping (Geographic Information systems) for policy analysis and decision-making. Students learn MapInfo through examples of map applications. Students are expected to complete exercises and a final project applying GIS to a policy issue.

594j: Policy Analysis: Health & Nutrition in Developing Countries (Session II)
N. Cameron

Syllabus
Human growth has been described as “a mirror of society” in that the process of growth and development is exquisitely sensitive to environmental factors. The rate at which we grow and our tempo of development are directly related to the attainment of genetic potential and environmental factors that modify that potential. This course will be aimed at the non-biologist and will initially cover the biology of growth and the examination of critical periods of susceptibility to environmental insult. Other topics will include the impact of social and economic factors, the nutritional and epidemiological transition, and child growth in relation to health and disease in developing countries.

594k: Policy Analysis: The Development Challenge of HIV/AIDS (Session I)
K. Hansen

Syllabus
This seminar will review the origins of HIV, the multiple impacts of AIDS, the reasons for sustained global neglect, the foundations of effective prevention and treatment programs, and the urgent need to improve monitoring and evaluation. Special attention will be given to the role of social factors in the epidemic. Beyond AIDS itself, the course will explore broader themes of the promise and the pathologies of the policy-making process, especially related to global public goods. Course participants will examine the growing number of institutions (both traditional and new) engaged in combating HIV and consider whether the world is better positioned to avert a resurgence of this pandemic or the emergence of the next analogous threat. The seminar will require active class participation, one in-class presentation, and a paper on a topic of each student’s choosing.

594l: Policy Analysis: Military Force Planning & Decision Making (Session II)
M. Meese

Syllabus
This course introduces important issues of conventional force planning and military decision making. It includes discussion of service cultures, doctrines, capabilities, and limitations. The course broadly covers strategy, planning, readiness, force projection, employment, and logistics throughout the spectrum of conflict, including conventional war, the global war on terrorism and peacekeeping operations. Through theoretical and doctrinal readings and examination of selected case studies, the course provides background essential for those involved in the study and practice of national security decision making.

594n: Policy Analysis: The Role of the U.S. Congress (Session I )
M. Edwards

Syllabus
Course examines how the Constitutional framework divides federal authority, how that shapes the role of Congress, and whether Congress is suited to undertake those responsibilities in the 21st Century.

594o: Policy Analysis: How to Win Elections (Session I )
M. Edwards

Syllabus
The most important decisions of American democracy--whether to go to war, how much each citizen will be taxed, who will sit on the Supreme Court, how much support the government will provide to its neediest citizens—ultimately these crucial decisions are made by those relatively few men and women who have been elected to public office. This is a course for those who want to win one of those important decision-making positions, or those who want to learn how to elect others who share their perspectives and their priorities. We will focus on the fundamentals of raising money, organizing precincts, framing campaign messages, getting voters to the polls. We will study real campaigns and discuss the ethics of campaign fundraising, negative advertising. Mickey Edwards served as a Member of Congress from the 5th district of Oklahoma from 1976 to 1992.

594p: Topics in IR: Terrorism and Political Violence 
S. Simon

Syllabus
This course will investigate the sources of violent extremism, and survey selected instances of it, from d iverse disciplinary perspectives. The conditions that favor radicalization, the circumstances in which it results in terrorism, and the justifications for violent action will also be analyzed. The course will examine the role of terrorism in the strategies of states and subnational groups. Students will evaluate the nature and effectiveness of counter-terrorism policies in the United States, western Europe and Middle East. Finally, the future of terrorism and particularly the terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction will be explored.

594r: Policy Analysis: Management of Public Organisations (Session II)
R. Keevey

Syllabus
The purpose of this course is to help equip students with knowledge of management and leadership concepts to perform successfully and responsibly in public organizations. The course will begin with a discussion of the nature of public administration and move to some concepts on organizational theory, organizational structure, administrative reforms and decision-making mechanisms. We will also examine the people side of government organizations as well as management and leadership roles within organizations. Recent management innovations in the federal government will be discussed and considered. Case studies are examined to provide real life context for the course content

597: The Political Economy of Health Systems
U. Reinhardt

Syllabus
This course explores the professed and unspoken goals nations pursue with their health systems and the alternative economic and administrative structures different nations use to pursue those goals. The emphasis in the course will be on the industrialized world, although some time may be allocated later in the course to approaches used in developing countries, depending on student interest. 

598: Epidemiology
R. Brookmeyer

Syllabus
Areas of focus include measurement of health status, illness occurrence, mortality and impact of associated risk factors; techniques for design, analysis and interpretation of epidemiologic research studies; sources of bias and confounding; and causal inference. Also includes foundations of modern epidemiology, the epidemiologic transition, reemergence of infectious disease, social inequalities in health, and ethical issues. Examines the bridging of "individual-centered" epidemiology and "macro-epidemiology" to recognize social, economic and cultural context, assess impacts on populations, and provides important inputs for public health and health policy. (Prereq: 507b/c or advanced statistics)