298. Experimental Courses
State and Local Government
State and local government is the pursuit of direct democracy and self-governance, as Alexis de Tocqueville observed in his seminal 1835 book Democracy in America. The American political system is a federal system with many components of state and local government. In this course, we will chronicle the development of state and local governments from the beginning of direct, local government as Tocqueville observed. First, we will study the political environment of state constitutions, federalism and political culture. Then, we will examine the political inputs, including interest groups, political parties and public opinion. Next, we will explore the political institutions that are comprised of the executive, legislative and judicial branches in state and local government. Last, we will analyze timely public policies in metropolitan areas of the New England region. A variety of case studies will be examined.
Environmental Public Policy
Environmental Public Policy provides an intensive introduction to the contemporary environmental policy issues and debates in the U.S and global contexts. We will pay particular attention to the political, social and economic institutions and actors that shape the policymaking process and implementation of environmental public policy. Specific public policy dilemmas will be presented in class in a debate style including policy areas related to climate change, transportation, energy and pollution. Other environmental policy controversies will critically be examined including areas related to environment justice, hazardous waste, natural resources and population growth. The course concludes with an analytical case study on sustainability and greening efforts on college campuses.