New GVPT Course Available for Spring 2016

The department of Government and Politics has added a new upper-level course for the Spring 2016 semester. GVPT409L/808E: Transnational Relations and Non-state Actors is a graduate level course that is now open to undergraduate GVPT students. Students should expect to complete extensive reading and writing assignments, but note that undergraduates in the course will be given different assignments from the graduate students. That is, the workload for undergraduates in the course will be similar to other 400-level GVPT courses. 

If you are interested in registering for GVPT409L, please read the description below and edit your schedule through the drop/add tool on Testudo. To sign up as an undergraduate, you must sign up for the undergraduate course number, GVPT409L. 

GVPT409L/GVPT808E Transnational Relations and Non-state Actors

Professor Virginia Haufler

Mondays 3:30-6:15pm 1111 Tydings 

Transnational relations—not inter-state relations—are a growing feature of world politics. They involve a growing variety of non-state actors—non-profit organizations, advocacy groups, transnational corporations, international associations, diasporas, private militaries, criminal and terrorist networks, and others. They also include politics among sub-national elements of government, and government agencies. This seminar introduces students to the concept of transnationalism and debates over its significance, and analyzes the growing role of different actors in shaping outcomes across diverse issue areas. We will explore the factors that account for the emergence of transnationalism, the strategies of non-state actors and trans-governmental actors, and their accountability and impact. Topics will include the growth of global governance, public-private partnerships, and the concept of world society. Examples are drawn from security, environment, health and other issue areas. The course will be taught as a combined undergraduate/ graduate seminar, focusing on the theoretical and empirical literature relevant to this topic.