Gender is a complicated social construct to say the least; one that is central in how we see ourselves and others, and one that determines many social, political, economic, and cultural lives and activities. While this is not a course on feminist theory, we willuse feminist theoretical frameworks to think about the hidden and obvious ways gender shapes our daily and political lives, not just in the United States but globally.
We will address some of the following questions: Why are there fewer women being represented at the government? Why is there a wage gap according to gender and how are we addressing such discrepancy? How do economy, class structures, and globalization come into play with gender across the world? How does the construction of gender, including constructions of femininity and masculinity, affect security and warfare? How does race intersect with gender?
This course looks at the origin of human rights, the development of major human rights treaties, and the establishment of a human rights regime. Although ideas around human right have existed for centuries, conceptualizing it and incorporating them into legal documents have been the product of recent work and effort. Nevertheless, human right remains highly contested, whether it is because it challenges national sovereignty or its universality is still up for debate. Throughout the course, we look at the historical roots of human rights values, we go over some major international treaties on human rights, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and we debate salient issues in the field, such as cultural VS universal rights and the division between civil and political rights on the one hand, and social, economic, and cultural rights on the other. Moreover, we take a regional approach and assess and analyze the implementation of human rights principles and treaties in the African context.
This course is designed to introduce students to key historical and contemporary issues in Sub-Saharan Africa, on a diverse range of topics, ranging from state formation, democracy, to civil society and religion. Despite the large number of countries with different histories and cultures comprising the region, Sub-Saharan Africa is often simplified as a place of civil wars, ethnic violence, corruption, and poverty. The narrow selection of topics covered by the media and our general lack of interest therefore neglect the variety of landscapes, political systems, economic growth, and society-religion relationships, among others. Throughout the course, we will analyze the debates surrounding the region to better understand its complexities.
We will first examine colonialism, decolonization and state formation as part of our historical approach. We will then explore the legacies of colonialism as seen in the contemporary political, economic, and social systems. Finally, we will delve into some aspects of civil society.
Africa has often been ignored by the International Relations subfield of political science, while political science mostly analyzes Africa from a comparative politics lens. Yet, with 54 states, Africa has much to teach us about International Relations, not just in terms of theories of IR but also in practice. This class will therefore examine the international relations of African states, including relations between African states, African states and the major powers outside of the continent, African states and regional institutions such as the African Union and the European Union, among others. We will especially view colonialism as an IR phenomenon and therefore a lens through which to understand and explain how IR has shaped Africa and how Africa has shaped IR in return. We will do this by exploring Africa through issues on conflict, gender, China's growing role, human security, climate change, Islamist militancy, and international political economy.
Through this course, students will immerse themselves in the learning, study, research, and writing of the role of women in different contexts on the African continent and beyond. While the course does not aim at discussing in details every aspect of women’s lives in the region; it nonetheless deals with various issues pertaining to the gendered practices and thoughts of the continent.
Africa is often depicted in our Western media in a less than flattering way, focusing on negative aspects, such as civil conflicts, epidemics, lack of resources, and human rights abuses. While these certainly remain facts and reality in many African countries, they nevertheless provide a limited and narrow perspective on the everyday lives of its inhabitants, and ignore the diversity of issues and actors within the region. Especially when it comes to women in Africa, the main discourse is that they are victims of their circumstances, and subjects without agency, whether it is by being submitted to female genital mutilation or being abducted by terrorist groups. This course strays away from such preconceptions and examines the various issues surrounding women in Africa, including political participation, conflict, women’s rights as human rights, African feminism(s), civil society and migration.
Fifty years since the International Women's Year in 1975, what has changed for women across the world? How do women find agency in a world that constantly victimizes them? This course examines women, women's issues and women's rights from a global and transnational perspective. Through discussion, close readings of scholarly and popular texts, analysis and reflection, students will explore how global intersectionalities of race, culture and identity influence women's political and social participation in the Global South.