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About our Fall 2023 courses

Courses in constitutional studies come from across the university disciplines. If you’d like to learn more about individual courses or request advising on which classes to take, please book an appointment with Associate Director Dr. Deborah O'Malley (domalle2@nd.edu) here.

Please note that seats listed under a "CNST" course number are reserved for students who have officially declared the Constitutional Studies minor. However, those courses also have a primary or parent department course number (e.g., POLS or HIST), which may or may not be open to anyone. Any course on our list is eligible for minor credit, no matter which seat a student is enrolled in (a CNST seat or otherwise). Typically, AP course credits are applied only to University requirements and electives, not toward majors or minors.

THE GATEWAY COURSE WILL BE OFFERED FALL 2023.

CLICK THE COURSE TO SEE DESCRIPTION

*updated 3.31.23

Neoliberalism and the American University
- Instructor: Cheuk, Eric
- Primary Number: AMST 30134
- CNST Number: CNST 30647
- Time: MW 12:30pm-1:45pm
Neoliberalism and the American University
- Instructor: Cheuk, Eric
- Primary Number: AMST 30134
- CNST Number: CNST 30647
- Time: MW 12:30pm-1:45pm
This course examines the recent history of the American university. It asks how the last four decades of political-economic restructuring often described as “neoliberalism” – skyrocketing personal debt, privatization of public goods, and more – have reshaped its social function and institutional structure, its labor struggles and relation to local communities. Through readings in critical university studies, ethnic studies, and American literature, we will build a conceptual vocabulary to critically engage these transformations and, in the process, ask fundamental questions about the modern university: what it is, who it is for, and what it might yet be.
Cybercrime and the Law
- Instructor: Tamashasky, Eric
- Primary Number: CDT 40220
- CNST Number: CNST 30420
- Time: TTh 5:05pm-6:20pm
CDCY- Cmp&Dgtl Tch Cybr Secrty (CDCY) CDDF- Computatnl/Digital Focus (CDDF)
Cybercrime and the Law
- Instructor: Tamashasky, Eric
- Primary Number: CDT 40220
- CNST Number: CNST 30420
- Time: TTh 5:05pm-6:20pm
Almost all crimes, or even human interactions, contain a digital component. The fact that "old" laws don't always fit "new" problems is no more apparent than in the area of cybercrimes. This course will include discussion of topics including: the methodology of typical cyber investigations, the application of the Fourth Amendment to digital evidence, and different types of cyber-specific laws enforced today. The course will also focus on the responses of both courts and legislators to the ever-evolving issues presented by computer crimes.
Int'l Law & Human Rights
- Instructor: Desierto, Diane; Gonzalez-Diaz, Maria
- Primary Number: CHR 30708
- CNST Number: CNST 30245
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
Int'l Law & Human Rights
- Instructor: Desierto, Diane; Gonzalez-Diaz, Maria
- Primary Number: CHR 30708
- CNST Number: CNST 30245
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
What role does international law have in the advancement of human rights, and how does human rights, in turn, advance international law? This course introduces university students to the general system of modern international law (e.g. its norm-generating framework involving States and non-State actors; the roles of many State and non-State authoritative decision-makers in shaping expectations of peaceful, just, and responsible behavior in the international system; its varied constellation of dispute settlement courts and tribunals, alongside the prospects and limits of enforcing State compliance with international decisions), specifically viewed from the lens of historic global, regional, and domestic challenges to human dignity that influenced the first global codification of human rights norms under the United Nations' 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, up to the present development of the current international system of protection for human rights. The course situates the framework of modern international law and civil, political, economic, social, and cultural human rights, using five examples of the historic, defining, and 'constitutionalizing moments' for the international system: 1) the international abolition of slavery; 2) the evolution from classical to modern international law in dismantling colonial empires to enshrine the self-determination of all peoples and the equality of sovereignty of all nations; 3) the outlawing of the aggressive use of force since 1929, towards the peaceful settlement of maritime and territorial disputes and the humanitarian rules applicable to armed conflict situations; 4) the establishment of international accountability of individuals and States for genocide, crimes against humanity and other human rights atrocities; and 5) the global regulation for sustainable use, shared protection, and intergenerational responsibility over natural resources (land, oceans, atmosphere, outer space).
Economy, Divine and Human
- Instructor: Doran, Kirk
- Primary Number: ECON 30160
- CNST Number: CNST 30646
- Time: MW 11:00am-12:15pm
WKCD - new Core Cathol&Discipl WKIN - new Core Integration
Economy, Divine and Human
- Instructor: Doran, Kirk
- Primary Number: ECON 30160
- CNST Number: CNST 30646
- Time: MW 11:00am-12:15pm
Economics and theology are often thought of as competing or contradictory explanations of human nature and behavior. By beginning with the theological premise that God's creation must hold together as a coherent whole, this course will instead show how economics rightly understood can illuminate our understanding of God's providential activity in the world. We will discuss the fundamental principles and insights of economics, relate them to a philosophical and theological vision of the human person in community, and show the central implications for ethics and political economy.
Law and Economics
- Instructor: TBD
- Primary Number: ECON 30200
- CNST Number: X
- Time: TTh 9:30am-10:45am
MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ
Law and Economics
- Instructor: TBD
- Primary Number: ECON 30200
- CNST Number: X
- Time: TTh 9:30am-10:45am
This class teaches how to use the basic tools and concepts of economics to analyze the economic effects of legal rules, regulations, and enforcement methods. Examples of this "economic approach" to the study of the law are taken from the basic bodies of law in a civil society: property law, tort law, contract law, and criminal law. The course also explores the role of the state in creating and enforcing a body of law that promotes economic growth and development.
Education Law and Policy
- Instructor: Schoenig, John
- Primary Number: ESS 30605
- CNST Number: CNST 30402
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
MPPE - Minor in Phil, Pol, &Econ
Education Law and Policy
- Instructor: Schoenig, John
- Primary Number: ESS 30605
- CNST Number: CNST 30402
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
This course focuses on selected legal and policy issues related to K-12 education in the United States. A central theme is the intersection of K-12 schooling and the state, with a particular focus on Constitutional issues of religious freedom and establishment, student speech and privacy, parental choice, educational opportunity, and education reform trends such as charter schools and accountability measures. Questions examined over the course of the semester include: What are the most basic obligations of the state with regard to its regulation of K-12 education? What are the most basic rights of parents in this regard? In what ways does the 1st Amendment protect - and limit - the speech and privacy rights of K-12 schoolchildren? In what ways may the state accommodate K-12 schools with an explicitly religious character? What are the Constitutional requirements with regard to religious speech or expression within K-12 public schools? To what degree is the principle of equality manifest in the form of educational opportunity? How has this changed over time? In what ways have education reform trends such as charter schooling and increased accountability changed the policy landscape of K-12 education?
Early Childhood Ed Policy
- Instructor: Fulcher-Dawson, Rachel
- Primary Number: ESS 30629
- CNST Number: CNST 30405
- Time: TTh 3:30pm-4:45pm
HPTP - Hesburgh Pgm Policy Topic ZCSC - Commnty Engagement Course
Early Childhood Ed Policy
- Instructor: Fulcher-Dawson, Rachel
- Primary Number: ESS 30629
- CNST Number: CNST 30405
- Time: TTh 3:30pm-4:45pm
This course covers the various issues relevant to the current early childhood education landscape. This includes theories of early learning and child development, policy development in the United States, the issues of inequality and the achievement gap (particularly related to K-12 Education Reform) and research on interventions or "what works" in early childhood programming. The advantage to understanding the theories of child development, the policy context and the intervention research is that it gives future teachers and future policymakers a foundational premise upon which to grow, analyze, learn and teach. Topics covered will include: Theories of Child Development (Infant Schools to Present), Head Start and the CCDBG, State Preschool, Inequality and the Achievement Gap in the Early Years and Interventions in Early Childhood (HighScope/Perry Preschool, Abecedarian and Chicago Parent Studies, Head Start Research). The goal of this class is to come away with a greater understanding of the language, the history, the goals and the possibilities in this policy area as well as its connections to other social welfare programs and to K-12 schooling. Students will become more fluent in the language of early childhood education and will gain the foundational knowledge of past and current theories, laws, policies and educational interventions.
Introduction to Public Policy
- Instructor: Mueller, Paul; Rios, Jorge
- Primary Number: HESB 20010
- CNST Number: CNST 20405
- Time: TTh 9:30am-10:45am
Introduction to Public Policy
- Instructor: Mueller, Paul; Rios, Jorge
- Primary Number: HESB 20010
- CNST Number: CNST 20405
- Time: TTh 9:30am-10:45am
Public policy could be fairly described as applied social science. This course will introduce you to the fundamentals of public policy by (1) understanding how policy is crafted, (2) detailing the linkages between public opinion and public policy, (3) appreciating how political institutions may bound policy outcomes, (4) and exploring the ability of special interests, and other parties, to shape policy outcomes all while introducing you to various tools and frameworks for approaching the study of public policy. These tools will draw from an understanding of human behavior (psychology), markets (economics), governments (political science), and organizations (sociology) and introduce you to policy analysis. We will use a case study approach to delve into current public policy controversies including healthcare, higher education finance, and infrastructure. This course acts as the primary introductory course for the Hesburgh Minor in Public Service, but is designed for students of all majors and interests.
Philanthropy & the Common Good
- Instructor: Hannah, Jon
- Primary Number: HESB 30348
- CNST Number: CNST 30423
- Time: M 6:00pm-8:30pm
CSTE - CST Elective HPVL - Hesburgh Pgm Values ZCSC - Commnty Engagement Course
Philanthropy & the Common Good
- Instructor: Hannah, Jon
- Primary Number: HESB 30348
- CNST Number: CNST 30423
- Time: M 6:00pm-8:30pm
This course will explore the roots of philanthropy in American society, the role philanthropy plays within the modern economy, and how philanthropic activity helps us create a better world and strive for the common good. The key component of the course requires students to act as a Board of Directors and use thoughtful analysis to award real grants to deserving nonprofits (a sum up to $50,000). Students are expected to come to each class prepared to discuss course readings, and to offer ideas and suggestions regarding the grant making process. Each student is also expected to complete two site visits to nonprofit organizations outside of normal class hours. Students will nominate nonprofits for awards and the class will systematically discuss, analyze, and ultimately vote to award the grants.
From Rasputin to Putin
- Instructor: Lyandres, Semion; Coleman, Cleveland
- Primary Number: HIST 30355
- CNST Number: CNST 30227
- Time: MW 12:50pm-1:40pm
HBEU - History of Europe HCT3 -HIST Cat 3:Modern Europe HIST - old Core History MESE - European Studies Course REES - Russ. & E Euro. Studies WKHI - new Core History
From Rasputin to Putin
- Instructor: Lyandres, Semion; Coleman, Cleveland
- Primary Number: HIST 30355
- CNST Number: CNST 30227
- Time: MW 12:50pm-1:40pm
This lecture course examines some of the most important events, ideas, and personalities that shaped late Imperial, Soviet, and post-Soviet periods of Russian history during the last one hundred years: from the outbreak of the First World War and the Revolutions of 1905 and 1917 through the Great Terror of the 1930s, the experience of the Second World War and the emergence of the Soviet Empire, late Stalinism and post-Stalinist developed or mature socialism, the collapse of the communist rule and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, as well as Russia's uneasy transition "out of Totalitarianism" and into Putin's authoritarianism during the first fourteen years of the twentieth-first century. The course is designed for history majors as well as for students in other disciplines with or without background in modern Russian and East European history.
17th Century England
- Instructor: Rapple, Rory
- Primary Number: HIST 30412
- CNST Number: CNST 30622
- Time: TTh12:30pm-1:45pm
HBEU - History of Europe HCT3 -HIST Cat 3:Modern Europe HIST - old Core History MESE - European Studies Course WKHI - new Core History
17th Century England
- Instructor: Rapple, Rory
- Primary Number: HIST 30412
- CNST Number: CNST 30622
- Time: TTh12:30pm-1:45pm
England's seventeenth century provides one of the most compelling epochs of human history, full of a cast of remarkable characters. Once Elizabeth I died in 1603, a new dynasty, the Scottish royal house, the Stuarts, came to the throne in the person of James VI & I. A new political dynamic ensued. Insoluble tensions arose between perceived licentiousness in high politics on one hand and puritan moral rigour on the other, between royal control of religion and a hankering after policies based on literal Biblical interpretation and also between a gaping royal treasury and public reluctance to contribute financially to the realm. These, and other factors, resulted in the unthinkable: the dissolution of the ties that had held English politics and society together. The Civil War (or "Great Rebellion", or "Puritan Revolution" depending on the interpretation favoured) that resulted gave rise to a welter of new constitutional ideas, religious experiments and virulent anti-Catholicism. These were all set loose as King and Parliament fought for domination of the country. We will pay particular attention to the figure of Oliver Cromwell, who came to command English politics both before and after the hitherto unimaginable public execution of the king (who many believed was God's anointed). We will also ask why the English after allowing their king to be executed and their toleration a substantial Interregnum subsequently restored Charles II, their erstwhile king's son, as monarch. Remarkable figures that we will encounter and evaluate include the Leveller John Lilburne, the poet John Milton, Praise-God Barebones (yes, that is a name) and the libidinous Samuel Pepys.
The American Constitution
- Instructor: Carter, Katlyn
- Primary Number: HIST 30621
- CNST Number: CNST 30022
- Time: TTh 12:30pm-1:45pm
HBNA-History of North America HCT5 - HIST Cat 5: US HIST - old Core History WKHI - new Core History
The American Constitution
- Instructor: Carter, Katlyn
- Primary Number: HIST 30621
- CNST Number: CNST 30022
- Time: TTh 12:30pm-1:45pm
The Constitution holds a unique place in American law and political culture. Not only is it the basis of the federal government, it provides the framework for political debates about all manner of controversial issues in modern America. Today, there is much talk of a "constitutional crisis" in the United States. What does this mean? How can a history help us make sense of the Constitution and of our politics? This course explores the historical context in which the American Constitution was framed, ratified, and amended over time. Together, we will ask and answer the questions of how and why it was written the way it was; how and why it gained legitimacy; and how it was put into practice and interpreted over time. The class will introduce students to central historical problems, which include: Is the American Constitution democratic? Did the Constitution codify slavery into law? Is originalism a useful and valid way to interpret the Constitution? Course readings will consist primarily of primary source material, though students will also read historical interpretations of the Constitution and the process of forming, amending, and interpreting it. The discussion-based class will empower students to think historically about the American Constitution by interpreting primary source material, building arguments about causes and effects of particular constitutional points, and intervening in scholarly dialogues about the founding and its legacy. Students will be evaluated primarily based on class participation, a short primary source analysis, a role-play activity, and a final paper.
Crime, Heredity, Insanity in US
- Instructor: Przybyszewski, Linda
- Primary Number: HIST 30634
- CNST Number: CNST 30428
- Time: TTh9:30am-10:45am
HBNA-History of North America HCT5 - HIST Cat 5: US HIST - old Core History PSIM - Poverty Studies Elect. WKHI - new Core History
Crime, Heredity, Insanity in US
- Instructor: Przybyszewski, Linda
- Primary Number: HIST 30634
- CNST Number: CNST 30428
- Time: TTh9:30am-10:45am
This course gives students the opportunity to learn more about how Americans have thought about criminal responsibility and how their ideas have changed over time. Historians contend that the 19th century witnessed a transformation in the understanding of the origins of criminal behavior in the United States. The earlier religious emphasis on the sinfulness of all mankind, which made the murderer into merely another sinner, gave way to a belief in the inherent goodness of humankind. But if humans were naturally good, how are we to explain their evil actions? And crime rates varied widely by sex and race; European women were said to have been domesticated out of crime doing. What do those variations tell us about a common human nature? The criminal might be a flawed specimen of humankind born lacking a healthy and sane mind. Relying in part upon studies done in Europe, American doctors, preachers, and lawyers debated whether insanity explained criminality over the century and how it expressed itself in different races and sexes. Alternative theories were offered. Environment, heredity, and free will were all said to have determined the actions of the criminal. By the early 20th century, lawyers and doctors had largely succeeded in medicalizing criminality. Psychiatrists now treated criminals as patients; judges invoked hereditary eugenics in sentencing criminals. Science, not sin, had apparently become the preferred mode of explanation for the origins of crime. But was this a better explanation than what had come before? Can it explain the turbulent debates in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries over variations in crime rates by race? Can it explain why men, not women, are still more likely to commit murder?
Law and Religion in US History
- Instructor: Przybyszewski, Linda
- Primary Number: HIST 30640
- CNST Number: CNST 30004
- Time: TTh 2:00pm-3:15pm
HBNA-History of North America HCT5 - HIST Cat 5: US HIST - old Core History HTRE - History of Religion WKHI - new Core History
Law and Religion in US History
- Instructor: Przybyszewski, Linda
- Primary Number: HIST 30640
- CNST Number: CNST 30004
- Time: TTh 2:00pm-3:15pm
Americans have long supported religious liberty under law, yet many also believed that only a religious people could guarantee the success of the Republic. Americans argued over how to define religious liberty, and over which particular religion best suited a republican government. Some said God had made certain people too inferior for citizenship, while others shot back that He had made all people equally capable. One man's piety was another man's oppression, one woman's equality another woman's blasphemy. We begin with the colonial era the concerns of the Revolutionary generation, look at the 19th Century's reform movements and new state institutions, then consider the Civil Rights movement of the 20th Century, and the place of religion in public schools. This discussion class will examine legal documents, like judges' rulings, and popular beliefs in political speeches and best-selling novels.
Am. Evangel. & Global Affars
- Instructor: Powell, Charles
- Primary Number: KSGA 30606
- CNST Number: CNST 30251
- Time: MW 9:30am-10:45am
X
Am. Evangel. & Global Affars
- Instructor: Powell, Charles
- Primary Number: KSGA 30606
- CNST Number: CNST 30251
- Time: MW 9:30am-10:45am
Since the end of the Cold War, American Evangelicals' political influence has increased significantly. For example, Christian Zionist have continued to contribute meaningfully to American political support for the state of Israel. Additionally, to improve human dignity, Evangelicals have established schools and promoted literacy, built clinics and dispensaries, promoted agricultural development and distributed food aid, created orphanages, and propagated values about the inherent worth of all persons. Twenty-five to thirty percent of the US population is neo-evangelical and another five to ten percent adheres to some form of evangelical theology. That means that 100 million Americans are in one way or another tied to evangelical theology and they seem to pray, think, vote, and lobby as a coalition. This course will examine the rise of American Evangelicalism and explore matters deemed important to Evangelicals: social and political affairs, global engagement, participation in public affairs, international affairs, support of Israel, political and economic development. More generally, this course offers a compelling account of Evangelicals' influence on America's role in the world. Students will learn how to engage more thoughtfully and productively with this influential religious group - a group that has been called political kingmakers! Students will also learn about the largest protestant denomination in the world - Southern Baptists - from the professor, who was a former Southern Baptist Minister and church planter.
Keeping the Republic
- Instructor: Campbell, David
- Primary Number: POLS 20101
- CNST Number: CNST 20003
- Time: MWF 3:30pm-4:20pm
WKSS - new Core Social Science
Keeping the Republic
- Instructor: Campbell, David
- Primary Number: POLS 20101
- CNST Number: CNST 20003
- Time: MWF 3:30pm-4:20pm
Back in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked what kind of government the new American Constitution created. He responded, "a republic, if you can keep it." Today, many people are asking whether the republic-and thus democracy in America-as we know it will survive. Trust is low, polarization is high, and longstanding democratic norms are being shattered left and right. Some scholars have even suggested that the US is on the brink of a new civil war. Others, however, argue that things are not as bad as they seem. This course tackles the big questions about current state of democracy in the United States. Is the US actually a democracy? (And is that different than a republic?) If so, how, when, and why did it become a democracy? Will the US remain a democracy? Finally, what role can YOU play in keeping the republic? This course is designed for students of all backgrounds and majors. Whether you have thought a lot or a little about the state of democracy in America, you are welcome in this class.
World Politics: Intro to Comp
- Instructor: Schiumerini, Luis
- Primary Number: POLS 20400
- CNST Number: CNST 20200
- Time: MWF 11:30am-12:20pm
IBCL - IBC Liberal Arts NSMA - NROTC Secrty/Miltry Aff SOSC - old Core Social Science WKSS - new Core Social Science
World Politics: Intro to Comp
- Instructor: Schiumerini, Luis
- Primary Number: POLS 20400
- CNST Number: CNST 20200
- Time: MWF 11:30am-12:20pm
Comparative politics is the study of world politics. More technically, it is the subfield of political science that uses the comparative method to study the politics within nations. The focus on politics within nations distinguishes comparative politics from international relations, another subfield of political science concerned with studying politics across nations – e.g. diplomacy, war, trade, international organizations. This course introduces students to big questions in comparative politics that are also of fundamental relevance for the world today. We will examine theories and evidence concerning three themes: States and Political Regimes, Democracy (its emergence, quality and erosion), and Development. The course focuses on substance, but we will also evaluate the quality of the evidence and theoretical logic underpinning influential ideas in comparative politics. Though the course is organized around questions, the readings and lectures will often draw on the experience of individual countries. We will also read widely, covering political science, history, economics, sociology, evolutionary biology and anthropology, and draw on specialized readings as well as clips and pieces aimed at a broader audience.
Political Theory
- Instructor: Villa, Dana
- Primary Number: POLS 20600
- CNST Number: CNST 20602
- Time: MWF 2:00pm-2:50pm
MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ PHI2 - old Core 2nd Philosophy WKSP - new Core 2nd Philosophy
Political Theory
- Instructor: Villa, Dana
- Primary Number: POLS 20600
- CNST Number: CNST 20602
- Time: MWF 2:00pm-2:50pm
This course is an introduction to political theory as a tradition of discourse and as a way of thinking about politics. The course surveys selected works of political theory and explores some of the recurring themes and questions that political theory addresses, especially the question of justice. This introductory course fulfils the political theory breadth requirement for the political science major.
The United States Congress
- Instructor: Porter, Rachel
- Primary Number: POLS 30005
- CNST Number: CNST 30404
- Time: MW 9:30am-10:45am
MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ SOSC - old Core Social Science WKSS - new Core Social Science
The United States Congress
- Instructor: Porter, Rachel
- Primary Number: POLS 30005
- CNST Number: CNST 30404
- Time: MW 9:30am-10:45am
This course is a comprehensive introduction to the workings of the contemporary U.S. Congress. We will examine who runs for and who wins seats in Congress, the lawmaking processes in the House and Senate, and the roles of parties and leaders in the two chambers. The purpose of this course is to examine two fundamental questions: (1) what do members of Congress do and why and (2) how do the individual and collective actions of members of Congress explain national policy? We will examine the process of legislating as well as the role of political parties, leaders, and interest groups. Throughout the semester, we will debate the common criticism that “Congress is broken” and consider its effectiveness as an institution. Is policymaking too partisan? Is the public’s disapproval of Congress justified?
American Political Parties
- Instructor: Wolbrecht, Christina
- Primary Number: POLS 30010
- CNST Number: CNST 30013
- Time: MW 11:00am-12:15pm
MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ
American Political Parties
- Instructor: Wolbrecht, Christina
- Primary Number: POLS 30010
- CNST Number: CNST 30013
- Time: MW 11:00am-12:15pm
Political parties play many vital roles in American politics: They educate potential voters about political processes, policy issues, and civic duties. They mobilize citizens into political activity and involvement. They provide vital information about public debates. They control the choices--candidates and platforms that voters face at the ballot box. They influence and organize the activities of government officials. Most importantly, by providing a link between government and the governed, they are a central mechanism of representation. These roles--how well they are performed, what bias exists, how they shape outcomes, how they have changed over time--have consequences for the working of the American political system.
Urban Politics
- Instructor: Fraga, Luis
- Primary Number: POLS 30051
- CNST Number: CNST 30434
- Time: TTh 11:00am-12:15pm
MPPE - Minor in Phil, Pol, & Econ
Urban Politics
- Instructor: Fraga, Luis
- Primary Number: POLS 30051
- CNST Number: CNST 30434
- Time: TTh 11:00am-12:15pm
This course introduces students to major actors, institutions, processes, and policies of substate governments in the United States. Through an intensive comparative examination of historical and contemporary politics in city governments, we will gain an understanding of municipal government and its role within the larger contexts of state and national government. Among the issues we will examine are representation, race and ethnicity, neighborhood development, and governing the multicultural metropolis.
Topics in Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- Instructor: Hall, Matthew
- Primary Number: POLS 30068
- CNST Number: CNST 30006
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ
Topics in Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- Instructor: Hall, Matthew
- Primary Number: POLS 30068
- CNST Number: CNST 30006
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
This course explores topics in American constitutional law related to civil liberties and civil rights. The course employs a variety of instructional methods including Socratic method lectures, class debates, and moot court exercises in which students play the role of lawyers and justices arguing a Supreme Court case. Students will explore the social and political struggles that have shaped freedom and equality in the United States, including debates over protest, hate speech, pornography, religious freedom, gun control, abortion, race, gender, and homosexuality.
Catholicism and Politics
- Instructor: Philpott, Daniel
- Primary Number: POLS 30654
- CNST Number: CNST 30215
- Time: TTh 9:30am-10:45am
CSTE - CST Elective MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ WKCD - new Core Cathol&Discipl
Catholicism and Politics
- Instructor: Philpott, Daniel
- Primary Number: POLS 30654
- CNST Number: CNST 30215
- Time: TTh 9:30am-10:45am
Catholicism and Politics poses the question, both simple and complex: How ought Catholics to think about the political order and political issues within it? The first part of the course will survey major responses to this question drawn from Church history: the early church, the medieval church, and the modern church. The second part applies these models to contemporary issues ranging among war, intervention, globalization, abortion, the death penalty, religious freedom, gender issues, and economic development. The course culminates in "Vatican III," where teams of students, representing church factions, gather to discover church teachings on selected controversial political issues.
Church/State/Am Constitution
- Instructor: Munoz, Vincent
- Primary Number: POLS 30662
- CNST Number: CNST 30403
- Time: MW 11:00am-12:15pm
ALSS - A & L- Social Science MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ
Church/State/Am Constitution
- Instructor: Munoz, Vincent
- Primary Number: POLS 30662
- CNST Number: CNST 30403
- Time: MW 11:00am-12:15pm
Class examines philosophical, constitutional, and political questions pertaining to religion and politics, including: Do individuals have a right to religious liberty? If so, how might that right be protected? How does the American Constitution protect the right to religious freedom? What is the proper relationship between church and state? Is religion necessary, good, or bad for liberal democracy? Readings include selections from classical, medieval, and modern political philosophy, leading cases of American constitutional law, and contemporary legal theorist and political scientists.
Liberalism and Conservatism
- Instructor: Deneen, Patrick
- Primary Number: POLS 30664
- CNST Number: CNST 30615
- Time: MW 9:30am-10:45am
MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ
Liberalism and Conservatism
- Instructor: Deneen, Patrick
- Primary Number: POLS 30664
- CNST Number: CNST 30615
- Time: MW 9:30am-10:45am
This course will explore the intellectual foundations of the constellation of ideas that have become the dominant political worldviews in modern American society. The course will focus on European sources of each tradition, as well as developments of each in America. Concepts that will be explored include progress, historicism, pragmatism, liberty, equality, diversity, cosmopolitanism, localism, tradition, prescription, authority, secularism and religion, particularly Catholicism.
Race and the Constitution
- Instructor: Barber, Sotirios
- Primary Number: POLS 40064
- CNST Number: CNST 40606
- Time: TTh 11:00am-12:15pm
X
Race and the Constitution
- Instructor: Barber, Sotirios
- Primary Number: POLS 40064
- CNST Number: CNST 40606
- Time: TTh 11:00am-12:15pm
Was the American Constitution originally a pro-slavery constitution that changed over time to a constitution that outlawed slavery and state-supported racial discrimination? Did the Civil War and subsequent developments through the civil rights acts of the 1960's represent a commitment implicit in constitutional principles from the nation's beginning? Do these constitutional principles embrace active governmental efforts to achieve an equal-opportunity society, including equal educational opportunity and an end to racism, a "private" attitude? Do constitutional principles promise a color-blind society? Or do they promise no more than color-blind governments? This course addresses these questions. Readings will include state documents like the Declaration of Independence and The Federalist Papers, the speeches of American politicians and other public figures, and decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court regarding slavery, public accommodations, education, voting, housing, and employment. Grades will be based on mid-term and final exams. Texts TBA.
Behind the Iron Curtain
- Instructor: Wang, Emily
- Primary Number: RU 33500
- CNST Number: CNST 33200
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
FNAR - old Core Fine Arts MESE - European Studies Course WKAL - new Core Art & Literature
Behind the Iron Curtain
- Instructor: Wang, Emily
- Primary Number: RU 33500
- CNST Number: CNST 33200
- Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
Was the Soviet Union a "workers paradise" or an "evil empire?" Nearly three decades after this country transformed into what we now call "post-Soviet space," the legacy of the USSR looms large in international politics and culture. This course will offer students an introduction to Soviet history through film, which Lenin famously called "the most important of the arts," and literature, which Soviet writers used to "engineer human souls." Since the 1917 Revolution, art has had a close relationship to the Soviet state. At the same time, writers and filmmakers with individualistic and even rebellious tendencies have created some of the twentieth century's greatest masterpieces, including Dziga Vertov's Man With a Movie Camera and Mikhail Bulgakov's Master and Margarita. In this class we will explore how this tense relationship between art and the state developed in the first half of the twentieth century. Since cultural context is an important lens for our analysis, each artistic work will be accompanied by historical readings about the period in which it was produced, as well as artistic manifestos and contemporary reviews, when relevant. All films will be shown with subtitles and all readings offered in English. Students of the Russian language have the option of discussing the course material in Russian once a week with the instructor in a group for an additional course credit.
Introduction to Criminology
- Instructor: Thomas, Mim
- Primary Number: SOC 20732
- CNST Number: CNST 20403
- Time: TTh 12:30pm-1:45pm
SOSC - old Core Social Science WKSS - new Core Social Science
Introduction to Criminology
- Instructor: Thomas, Mim
- Primary Number: SOC 20732
- CNST Number: CNST 20403
- Time: TTh 12:30pm-1:45pm
Introduction to Criminology provides students with an overview of the sociological study of law making, law breaking and the resulting social responses. In this class we not only look at a variety of crimes, but we also discuss the varying methods sociologists use to collect, interpret and evaluate data, as well as how we theorize about crime and punishment. We address questions such as "Why are some people or groups labeled as criminal, while others are not?" "Do laws in both their construction and enforcement serve everyone's interests equally?" "How can the communities in which people are embedded be considered as criminogenic?" "How are poverty, race, gender and other social factors related to crime?"
Core Texts in Const Gov I
- Instructor: Collins, Susan
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 30700
- Time: TTh 2:00pm-3:15pm
X
Core Texts in Const Gov I
- Instructor: Collins, Susan
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 30700
- Time: TTh 2:00pm-3:15pm
The "Core Texts in Citizenship & Constitutional Government'' course sequence offers a select group of students an opportunity to study some of the seminal texts in history and philosophy of constitutional government. Students will study classical texts with Prof. Patrick Deneen (fall) and modern texts with Prof. Vincent Phillip Muñoz (spring), including: Plato, Aristotle, the Bible, Augustine, Aquinas, Locke, Rousseau, Tocqueville, and others. Through small seminars, students will engage in a year-long conversation about justice, equality, liberty, and the rule of law. The sequence is designed for students looking for and willing to engage in deep, deliberate, and careful study of core texts of Western constitutionalism. Department approval required.
Constitutionalism Law&Pol II
- Instructor: Bambrick, Christina
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 50002
- Time: TTh 11:00am-12:15pm
MPPE -Minor in Phil, Pol &Econ
Constitutionalism Law&Pol II
- Instructor: Bambrick, Christina
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 50002
- Time: TTh 11:00am-12:15pm
In "Constitutionalism, Law & Politics II: American Constitutionalism," we shall study fundamental texts of the American constitutional and political tradition in an attempt to answer questions such as: What is the purpose of government? What is the meaning of political equality? What is political liberty and how is it best secured? Since we lack the time for a comprehensive survey of American political thinkers, we shall examine select statesmen and critical historical periods, focusing on the Founding era, Lincoln and the slavery crisis, and the Progressive era and New Deal.
The Quest for Constitutional Order in the Middle East
- Instructor: Youness, Mahmoud
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 30255
- Time: TBD
TBD
The Quest for Constitutional Order in the Middle East
- Instructor: Youness, Mahmoud
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 30255
- Time: TBD
The Arab Spring represented a moment of challenge to intransigent repressive structures and aspiration to new democratic constitutional orders. To understand this moment we need to appreciate the complex history of the region. This is a survey course that approaches the intellectual history of Islam from a very specific angle: its encounter with Western political and intellectual thought. We will be looking at the first encounter with Greek political philosophy during the formative period of Arab-Islamic thought, in addition to Early and Late Modern responses to the European military and cultural challenge. The historical/comparative structure of the course makes salient the continuities and discontinuities in the thematic treatment of subjects like reform, representation, forms of government, the role of the community, and the rule of law. Some of the case studies that we will consider include Ottoman administrative and constitutional reforms, Arab nationalism, Lebanese consociationalism, and the Iranian Revolution and its constitutional project.
Core Texts in Constitutionalism and Citizenship: Economics, Politics, and Justice
- Instructor: Foster, Luke
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 30645
- Time: TTh 12:30pm-1:45pm
X
Core Texts in Constitutionalism and Citizenship: Economics, Politics, and Justice
- Instructor: Foster, Luke
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 30645
- Time: TTh 12:30pm-1:45pm
This course in American political economy seeks to understand philosophically the relationship between politics and economics. We will begin by exploring the fundamental theories of economic life in the West through the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and Pope Leo XIII, paying particular attention to arguments for and against commercial society. We will then turn to the development of the American market and its role in shaping the character of individuals and the meaning of citizenship. Readings are drawn from, among others, Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton, Douglass, Wilson, Dewey, and DuBois. The course will end by considering the relationship between citizen and government in the contemporary United States. Throughout, we consider the ethics of the market economy, the system of production and exchange within which we live. Are its tremendous inequalities and accumulations just? How can we cultivate moderation amid consumerism? What role do virtue and leisure play in this system? Our task is to learn to produce and purchase in the service of a good life.
Race and American Constitutionalism - 1 Credit Course
- Instructor: Muñoz, Phillip; Thapar, Amul
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 33102
- Time: See Course Description
Race and American Constitutionalism - 1 Credit Course
- Instructor: Muñoz, Phillip; Thapar, Amul
- Primary Number: X
- CNST Number: CNST 33102
- Time: See Course Description
By the end of June 2023, the American Supreme Court will hand down a decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The case is likely to be one of the most consequential decisions on race and the American Constitution in recent history. This one-credit course will examine the decision and its various opinions. Prior Supreme Court precedents on affirmative action and the larger legal and political issues surrounding the case will also be addressed.

The course will be co-taught by the Honorable Amul Thapar, judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and Prof. Vincent Phillip Muñoz.

The planned schedule, which is subject to change, for the course is as follows. Evening class sessions will begin at 8:15pm, so as not to conflict with the regular class schedule.

Class Meeting dates

Sunday 8/27/23

Monday 8/28/23

Tuesday 8/29/23

Friday 10/13/23

Friday 10/13/23 Thapar Lecture

Monday 10/23/23

Tuesday 10/24/23

TBD Public event on Students for Fair Admissions