Global Arc

We protect expressive liberty in the US even when it takes the form of racist hate speech, pornography, and (much) lying: Should we follow other countries and permit more restrictions on harmful speech? Or will that undermine truth-seeking and other values? Can we rely on the restraining effect of social norms? Should universities restrict more campus speech? And what should we - as political communities and universities - honor and memorialize? How should we balance the recognition of heritage and the inclusion of people from diverse cultures? Seminars will often include debates. Active weekly participation required of all.

This seminar explores constitutional and legal issues posed by the attempted secession of eleven states of the Federal Union in 1860-1865 and the civil war this attempt triggered. Issues to be examined include the nature of secession movements (both in terms of the constitutional controversy posed in 1860-1861 and modern secession movements), the development of the "war powers" doctrine of the presidency, the suspension by the writ of habeas corpus, the use of military tribunals, and abuses of civil rights on both sides of the Civil War.

Academics and policymakers increasingly recognize that political factors can affect economic performance in developing countries. This seminar covers recent scholarship pertaining to the politics of economic underdevelopment from an international relations perspective. We will focus on how political processes affect economic performance from both a "macro" and "micro" perspective, including such factors as: institutions, historical legacies, colonialism, political regimes, sources of poor governance (e.g., corruption, ethnicity, civil conflict, religion), and the role of geopolitics, foreign aid, and international trade.

This course will examine the history, contemporary reality, and likely future of higher education, especially in the United States but also abroad. We will consider the changing and often conflicting ideals and aspirations of parents, students, instructors, and administrators from Plato's Academy to Christian institutions in the European Middle Ages to American athletic powerhouses today, seeking answers to fundamental practical, economic, and political questions that provoke vigorous contemporary debate.

This course covers recent research on the role of political institutions (macro and micro) in economic development. We first introduce the concept of political distortions (e.g., patronage and state capture) that allow those in power to distort market competition and public investments. We then provide a wide range of reforms that may curb such distortions and improve democratic governance. This includes campaign finance laws, improvement in government transparency, bureaucratic reforms, and public deliberation. The course will be imbedded in the activities of the Institutional Experimentation Lab (IEL) of the Department of Politics.

This seminar considers a range of issues in philosophy of law within the United States, with particular focus on major thinkers, schools of thought, and controversies of the 20th and 21st centuries, although with occasional reference to sources outside of the American context when needed. Topics will include: formalism and realism, positivism, proceduralism, liberalism, natural law jurisprudence, varieties of originalism, postmodern jurisprudence, developments of critical legal studies, and common good constitutionalism.

American law vigorously protects free speech. But many argue for greater government regulation of speech, particularly "hate speech". Social media and speech at universities present additional challenges, some of which have involved Princeton itself. And what about "cancel culture" and other social controls on speech? Are these healthy limits or stifling constraints? This course explores the justifications for protecting speech, focusing on the freedom of inquiry - the freedom to pursue knowledge and truth. It asks students to think about speech's value and its legal protection in historical perspective and today.

Course will examine the political development, principles and practice of Abraham Lincoln, and especially grass-roots politics in the 19th century Republic, the international context of liberal democracy in the 19th century, the war powers of the presidency, the contest of Whig and Democratic political ideas, the relation of the executive branch to the legislative and judicial branches, diplomacy, and the presidential cabinet.

POL 300 aims to introduce students to elements of good research design in political science. POL 300 consists of three components: The weekly lecture covers topics in research design. The weekly precept discusses lecture materials and prepares students to complete problem sets. The practicum applies principles of research design to one of several specific topic areas. Practica are led by faculty instructors with expertise in the topic area who will teach students how to design and carry out a specific independent research project. POL 300 is open to Politics juniors only and designed to complement the Fall Junior Independent Work requirement.