POL208. Introduction to International Relations. 

The course introduces students to a number of key concepts and approaches in contemporary international relations. Topics include state-building, nationalism, globalization, interstate war, and the future of the global order.

POL486/2205. Global Politics of State Formation.

This intensive seminar examines the history of state formation through the prism of international forces like imperialism, globalization, and hegemonic war.

POL2812. Dissertation Seminar. 

(Full year seminar; co-taught with Carolina de Miguel Moyer)

The purpose of the dissertation seminar is to enable third-year PhD students to prepare and successfully defend a dissertation proposal. 

PCJ460/461. Causes of War and Peace.

This seminar explores factors that contribute to war and peace among states. Along the way, we will examine questions like: Is war part of human nature or is it a cultural artifact? What explains the decline of conflict between powerful states since World War II? And what are the prospects for interstate peace in the twenty-first century? We will approach these from an interdisciplinary perspective, incorporating insights from anthropology and economics in addition to political science approaches. 

POL486/2205. Democracy and the International System.

This seminar examines the role of the international system in shaping domestic reforms inside states. We will look at how global influences like wars, economic crises, cross-border diffusion, and international institutions influence regime evolution at the national level.

POL2200. Core Course: Theories of International Politics. 

The purpose of the Ph.D. field survey in international relations is to familiarize doctoral students with competing and complementary theoretical approaches to international politics, to develop their ability to assess these literatures critically, and to help students refine the theoretical foundations of their subsequent dissertations.