Social Science & Policy Studies

ECON 210X. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS

This course examines the theory of international trade and the policies followed by governments with respect to trade of goods and services among nations. Theoretical considerations will include the gains from trade under classical and modern assumptions and the impact of various measures used by governments to either restrict or promote trade. Policy considerations will include U. S. trade policies and the role of the World Trade Organization. Additional topics may include trade and the environment, NAFTA, U.S.-China trade, international financial markets, and the determination of exchange rates.
Recommended background: ECON 1120.

ECON 2117. ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

Cat. II
This course investigates the effect of human activity upon the environment as
well as the effect of the environment on human well-being. It pays
special attention to the impact of production and consumption of material
goods upon the quantity and quality of environmental goods. The analysis
focuses on the challenges presented in mixed economics where markets are
combined with government intervention to manage pollution and scarcity. The
course reviews efforts to measure the costs and benefits of improving environmental
conditions and evaluates current and potential policies in terms of the
costs of the environmental improvements they may yield. Attention is also paid
to the special difficulties which arise when the impacts of pollution spill across
traditional political boundaries.
Recommended background: ECON 1110.
This course will be offered in 2016-17, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 2125. DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS

Cat. II
This course is a general introduction to the field of development economics. The
focus is on ways in which a developing country can increase its productive
capacity, both agricultural and industrial, in order to achieve sustained economic
growth. The course proceeds by first examining how economic growth and
economic development are measured and how the various nations of the world
compare according to well-known social and economic indicators. Theories of
economic growth and theories of economic development are then examined, as
are the various social and cultural structures that are thought to influence
economic progress. The inputs to economic growth and development (land,
labor, capital, entrepreneurial ability, education, technical change), and the
possible distributions of income and levels of employment that result from their
use, is considered next. Domestic economic problems and policies such as
development planning, the choice of sectorial policies, the choice of monetary
and fiscal policies, rapid population growth, and urbanization and urban
economic development are then examined. The course concludes with a
consideration of international problems and policies such as import substitution
and export promotion, foreign debt, foreign investment, and the role of
international firms. In conjunction with a traditional presentation of the above
topics, the course curriculum will include the use of computer simulation
models and games. These materials have been formulated with a simulation
technique, system dynamics, that has its origins in control engineering and the
theory of servomechanisms. As a result, students will find them complementary
to their work in engineering and science. In addition, the various development theories and simulation and gaming results will be related, where possible, to specific developing nations where WPI has on-going project activities (e.g., Costa Rica and Thailand). This course is recommended for those students
wishing to do an IQP or MQP in a developing nation.
Recommended background: ECON 1120.
This course will be offered in 2015-16, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 2135. Information Economics and Policy

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course provides an introduction to the economics, business strategies, and regulatory and legal aspects of telecommunication markets. The analysis of complex interactions between technology, Federal and state government policies, copyright legislation, and forces driving supply and demand is performed using Economic and Industrial Organization theories combined with computer simulation techniques. Topics include, among others: the economics of telephony services, cable TV, satellite communication, spectrum auctions, WLAN, and peer-to-peer file sharing. Special attention will be paid to the analysis of the latest regulatory and legal developments in the telecommunications industry. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 216X. ECONOMIC LESSONS FROM THE DUTCH GOLDEN AGE

During the 17th century, the Dutch became a world power, laying the foundation for much of our modern world. Despite the region’s scarce natural resources, the people of the Dutch Republic turned their country into the premier manufacturing, trading and financial center. The rich and the rising middle class became the main clients of Dutch artists and influenced a wide array of subjects that provide insight into everyday life in 17th-century Holland. We will use the visual arts to study the economic behavior of individuals, businesses, government, and other institutions and draw parallels to modern economies. We will learn, for example, about the tulip mania, the first documented speculative asset bubble, and discover that the Dutch were not that different from the exuberant traders of the modern stock market. The course will cover relevant topics in economic theory and will provide opportunities for students to conduct basic economic analysis. A major resource for the course will be the Worcester Art Museum’s rich holdings of Netherlandish art. On-campus PowerPoint presentations will be complemented by regular visits to the galleries as well as a visit to the Print Room.
Recommended background: None.

ECON 2910. ECONOMICS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Cat. I
This course is designed to provide an introduction to economics, an introduction to entrepreneurship, and an understanding of the linkages between economics and entrepreneurship. Students will apply these concepts to the assessment of opportunities that might arise from participation in WPI projects.
Students will engage in exploring how economics and entrepreneurship can inform opportunity assessment within an ambiguous and uncertain context. These decisions are always made with incomplete information and there is typically no single correct answer but rather multiple possible answers -- each with pluses and minuses.
Recommended background: None
Students may not earn credits for both ECON 2910/ETR 2910 and ECON 291X/ETR 291X

ECON 291X. ECONOMICS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

This course is designed to provide an introduction to economics, an introduction to entrepreneurship, and an understanding of the linkages between economics and entrepreneurship. Students will apply these concepts to the assessment of opportunities that might arise from participation in WPI projects. Students will engage in exploring how economics and entrepreneurship can inform opportunity assessment within an ambiguous and uncertain context. These decisions are always made with incomplete information and there is typically no single correct answer but rather multiple possible answers -- each with pluses and minuses.

ECON 3100. Economics of Climate Change

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). The accumulation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane are projected to increase global warming by 2 to 5 C by the end of this century with impact on the environment, economy, and society. This course explores the economic causes and consequences of climate change and potential solutions to reduce its impacts. We will assess climate change policies in the U.S and globally and use economics tools to evaluate their costs and benefits and distributional effects between poor and rich countries.

ECON 3100. Economics of Climate Change

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). The accumulation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane are projected to increase global warming by 2 to 5 C by the end of this century with impact on the environment, economy, and society. This course explores the economic causes and consequences of climate change and potential solutions to reduce its impacts. We will assess climate change policies in the U.S and globally and use economics tools to evaluate their costs and benefits and distributional effects between poor and rich countries.

ECON 3117. Environmental Economics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course investigates the effect of human activity upon the environment as well as the effect of the environment on human well-being. It pays special attention to the impact of production and consumption of material goods upon the quantity and quality of environmental goods. The analysis focuses on the challenges presented in mixed economics where markets are combined with government intervention to manage pollution and scarcity. The course reviews efforts to measure the costs and benefits of improving environmental conditions and evaluates current and potential policies in terms of the costs of the environmental improvements they may yield. Attention is also paid to the special difficulties which arise when the impacts of pollution spill across traditional political boundaries. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 3125. Development Economics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course is a general introduction to the field of development economics. The focus is on ways in which a developing country can increase its productive capacity, both agricultural and industrial, in order to achieve sustained economic growth. The course proceeds by first examining how economic growth and economic development are measured and how the various nations of the world compare according to well-known social and economic indicators. Theories of economic growth and theories of economic development are then examined, as are the various social and cultural structures that are thought to influence economic progress. The inputs to economic growth and development (land, labor, capital, entrepreneurial ability, education, technical change), and the possible distributions of income and levels of employment that result from their use, is considered next. Domestic economic problems and policies such as development planning, the choice of sectorial policies, the choice of monetary and fiscal policies, rapid population growth, and urbanization and urban economic development are then examined. The course concludes with a consideration of international problems and policies such as import substitution and export promotion, foreign debt, foreign investment, and the role of international firms. In conjunction with a traditional presentation of the above topics, the course curriculum will include the use of computer simulation models and games. These materials have been formulated with a simulation technique, system dynamics, that has its origins in control engineering and the theory of servomechanisms. As a result, students will find them complementary to their work in engineering and science. In addition, the various development theories and simulation and gaming results will be related, where possible, to specific developing nations where WPI has on-going project activities (e.g., Costa Rica and Thailand). This course is recommended for those students wishing to do an IQP or MQP in a developing nation. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 130X. SMART & SUSTAINABLE CITIES

What is a smart and sustainable city? What shapes it? How does its history influence its future? How do physical forms and institutions vary from city to city, and how are these changes meaningful? How are cities changing, and what is the future of cities? This course explores these and other questions, focusing on international cities in the late twentieth century. Two areas of focus in this seminar are the physical patterns and socio-ecological processes underpinning urban change. On the one hand, cities are characterized by spatial patterns of grey and green infrastructure from downtown and inner city to suburb and edge city; on the other, they are driven by a host of social rules and norms, as well as dynamic and increasingly unpredictable ecological processes. These questions and more are explored through lectures, readings, videos, case studies, and guest speakers.

Recommended background: None.

ENV 1500. Introduction to Geographical Information Systems

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course introduces Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a powerful mapping and analytical tool. Topics include GIS data structure, map projections, and fundamental GIS techniques for spatial analysis. Laboratory exercises concentrate on applying concepts presented in lectures and will focus on developing skills using ArcGIS. These exercises include examples of GIS applications in environmental modeling, socio-demographic change and site suitability analyses. Although the course is computer-intensive, no programming background is required. Note: Students may not receive credit for both ENV 150X and ENV 1500. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 1500. INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Cat. II
This course introduces Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a powerful mapping and analytical tool. Topics include GIS data structure, map projections, and fundamental GIS techniques for spatial analysis. Laboratory exercises concentrate on applying concepts presented in lectures and will focus on developing skills using ArcGIS. These exercises include examples of GIS applications in environmental modeling, socio-demographic change and site suitability analyses. Although the course is computer-intensive, no programming background is required.
This course will be offered in 2015-16 and in alternating years thereafter.

Note: Students cannot receive credit for both ENV150X and ENV1500.

ENV 200X. CLIMATE CHANGE: VULNERABILITY AND MITIGATION

Global environmental change, especially climate change, is already proving to be a grand challenge to societies, ecosystems, and economies. While climate change impacts vary globally, people and governments are striving to reduce exposure to environmental risks and trying to design socio-ecological responses to improve welfare. Taking climate change as a starting point, this course introduces students to a wide range of climate change conditions, human responses to those conditions, and points toward the need for deeper understanding of human-environment relationships. The course will draw from Geography, Economics, Global Environmental Change, and other cross cutting disciplines for theory and case studies. Examples of climate change risks and mitigation efforts will come from the developed and developing world and will include both urban and rural examples. Assessment techniques include small group projects, case based testing, and in class and online discussions. The course will also reinforce monitoring, evaluation, and learning techniques with students and faculty who will design desired course outcomes and procedures. At the end of this course students will be able to discuss and describe differential climate change impacts, human mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and make educated contributions to climate change mitigation policies and programs.

ENV 210X. CLIMATE CHANGE, RESILIENCE, AND THE DEVELOPING WORLD

This course will examine climate change impacts through the lens of a number of emerging engineering challenges in the developing world, now and into the future. Beginning with an overview of climate change science, students will learn how rapidly changing ecological systems in turn affect a variety of human endeavors. The course will then explore case studies of human responses to these climatic changes in different countries faced with varied ecological, political, and cultural dynamics: mitigation efforts that aim to reduce the amount of future climate change; adaptation plans that anticipate high-probability future changes; and resiliency efforts that attempt to provide the ability to respond as circumstances evolve in as-yet unknown ways. At the end of this course, students will understand that they will be required to consider and incorporate climate change science ¬– and the expanding list of consequences from rapidly changing planetary conditions ¬¬– into almost every aspect of their professional lives

ENV 2200. Environmental Studies in the Various Disciplines

ENV 220X. BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

This course will help students understand and apply concepts of resilience to build the capacity of communities to withstand disruptions associated with climate change, global pandemics, energy insecurity, and other socio-ecological crises; and to nurture robust human and ecological systems for the future. The course will explore historical and contemporary case studies, including Hurricane Katrina, the 2019-20 Australian bushfires, the novel coronavirus pandemic, and climate vulnerabilities in the City of Worcester and elsewhere, to understand the breadth of factors that give rise to disaster vulnerability and adaptive capacities. It will examine policies that govern infrastructure development, public health, and energy innovation and explore pathways for their reconceptualization. It will explore models for resilient community planning, such as climate-ready cities and sustainable communities. Ultimately, it will help students understand theories underlying community resilience and potential approaches for designing resilience into our community systems

ENV 2400. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Cat. II
This course examines how people think about and behave toward the
environment. Environmental problems can ultimately be attributed to the
environmental decisions and actions of human beings. These behaviors can in
turn be understood as resulting from the nature and limitations of the human
mind and the social context in which behavior takes place. Knowledge of the
root causes of environmentally harmful behavior is essential for designing
effective solutions to environmental problems. The goals of the course are (1) to
provide students with the basic social science knowledge needed to understand
and evaluate the behavioral aspects of such important environmental problems as air and water pollution, global warming, ozone depletion, preserving
biological diversity, and hazardous waste and (2) to help students identify and
improve shortcomings in their knowledge and decisions related to the
environment. Topics will include, but not be limited to: environmental
problems as "tragedies of the commons"; public understanding of global
warming and global climate modeling; folk biology; risk perception; intelligent
criticism of environmental claims; making effective environmental choices;
strategies for promoting pro-environmental behavior; and human ability to
model and manage the global environmental future.

Recommended background: ENV 1100.
Suggested background: PSY 1400, PSY 1401, or PSY 1402.
Students may not receive credit for both PSY 2405 and ENV 2400.
This course will be offered in 2015-16, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 2710. Designing for Climate Resilience and Justice

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). Resilience is the capacity to adapt to changing conditions and to bounce back after a disaster. Through resilience we can live, and even thrive, in the face of natural disasters. Resilience involves adaptation to the wide range of regional and localized impacts that are expected with a warming planet: more intense storms, greater precipitation, coastal and valley flooding, longer and more severe droughts in some areas, wildfires, melting permafrost, warmer temperatures, and power outages. Resilient design is the intentional design of buildings, landscapes, communities, and regions in response to these vulnerabilities. In this course, we will work to better understand what is at risk in a changing climate with more extreme and frequent disasters, the role people/companies and policies play in these disasters, who is most at risk and why, and develop resilient designs focused on practical, innovative, on-the-ground, and just solutions. Students may not receive credit for both ENV 271X and ENV 2710 This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 2800. Special Topics in Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Cat III (offered at discretion of dept/prgm). (Credits will be assigned by the instructor ranging from 1/6-1/3 unit)This course provides an opportunity for students with little to no background in Environmental and Sustainability Studies to learn about a special topic in the area. This course may be repeated for different topics.

ENV 2900. The Green Economy and Models for Alternative ForMS of Development

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course examines the limitations of traditional economic models and charts a new course for current policies and practices. To chart this path we draw upon and synthesize examples from existing alternative economies (e.g., different forms of dematerialization, hybrid organizations, solidary economy, sharing economy) .The course critically examines current paradigms of greening and seeks to expand thinking that will encompass new, alternative, and socially just conceptions of economy and economic development. A particular emphasis is laid on the spatial implications of de-growth oriented activities which partly challenge existing models and research methods in economic geography. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 300X. FIELD COURSE IN EUROPEAN URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

This course examines the European City model for urban and sustainable development policies and practices. The course has both classroom and field-based components. In class we will learn about model strategies for urban development, how they are mobilized, and the causes of differentiated implementation from place to place. During the field-based component, we will travel to Europe for a one-week to 10-day field trip where we will meet policy makers and other stakeholders in several cities in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany. Discussion and reflection time will take place each evening. Field trip expenses, transport and lodging, will be paid for by the University of Luxembourg. Each student is responsible for getting to Europe and paying a few nights accommodation before and after the trip.
Recommended background: an interest in smart or sustainable cities and/or urban policy, planning, and practice.
Students who completed this course as an ISRP cannot receive credit for ENV300X.

ENV 3500. Women and the Environment

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course examines the perceived, existing, and potential links between women and the environment with an emphasis on the roles of women in environmental movements, climate change, climate justice, forest conservation, water management, disaster recovery, womenperceptions of environmental risk, and other environmental issues. Through reading, discussion, documentary films and research project, we will explore how social, economic, political and cultural systems that shape womens environmental experiences and their resistance and strategies for social change.

ENV 4800. Special Topics in Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Cat III (offered at discretion of dept/prgm). (Credits will be assigned by the instructor ranging from 1/6-1/3 unit)This course provides an opportunity for students with a solid background and interest in Environmental and Sustainability Studies to learn about a special topic in the area. Recommended background: one 2000-level Environmental and Sustainability Studies courses (or equivalent). This course may be repeated for different topics.

GOV 2314. CYBERLAW AND POLICY

Cat. II
Rapidly developing technologies for computing, information management and
communications have been quickly adopted in schools, businesses and homes.
The growth of the Internet and of e-commerce, in particular, have given rise to
an entirely new set of legal issues as the courts, Congress and international
bodies struggle to keep pace with changing technology. This course addresses the
government's role in the development of these technologies and the legal issues
that result including questions regarding privacy rights, speech and defamation,
and the application of patent and copyright law. Policy questions such as surveillance of e-mail, regulation of content, mandates on the use of filters, and
the responsibilities and liability of internet service providers are also discussed.
Additional policies studied include attempts to control Internet content and
enforce international judgments (resulting from e-commerce or cyber-crime) by
foreign states and/or international organizations. Students are expected to
integrate knowledge of technology with law, politics, economics and international
affairs.
This course will be offered in 2016-17, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2315. Privacy: Laws, Policy, Technology, and How They Fit Together

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course will begin by examining privacy in different societies, starting with Eastern Europe during the Cold War and moving west. We will look first at privacy and the threats to it from government, then privacy and the threats posed by business. We will consider various technologies (including online social networks, communication Devices, the Internet), and different regimes for protecting privacy (including law, regulation, and technology). The course is designed to develop critical thinking about the interactions between technology, policy, and the law as well as learning about the privacy tradeoffs one makes in using modern technologies. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2315. PRIVACY: HOW LAWS, POLICY, AND TECHNOLOGY FIT TOGETHER

Cat. II
This course will begin by examining privacy in different societies, starting with
Eastern Europe during the Cold War and moving west. We will look first at privacy and the threats to it from government, then privacy and the threats posed by business. We will consider various technologies (including online social networks, communication devices, the Internet), and different regimes for protecting privacy (including law, regulation, and technology). The course is designed to develop critical thinking about the interactions between technology, policy, and the law as well as learning about the privacy tradeoffs one makes in using modern technologies.
Recommended background: GOV 1310 0r GOV 2310.
This course will be offered in 2016-17, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2318. COMPARATIVE HEALTHCARE: POLICY, POLITICS, AND ADVOCACY

Cat. II The topic of healthcare and health insurance is featured in the media daily and is on the policy table at the local, state, national, and global levels. Many students encounter healthcare issues in their course work or IQPs. In this course, students will gain an introduction to healthcare policy in the United States, which will be compared with health policies across the globe. Utilizing a healthcare disparities and social justice framework, the course explores mental and physical health care policy, history, the present and the future of U.S. health care policy, and how to advocate for policies that address healthcare disparities. The impact of health policy upon individuals, groups, families, and communities is addressed as well. The role of the various levels of government in the provision of healthcare services is covered, as is the role that technology can play in the advancement of healthcare.

Students shall not receive credit for both GOV 234X and GOV 2318. Recommended background: Basic background in public policy, such as GOV 1303

GOV 2319. GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS

Cat. II
It is apparent that environmental problems have outgrown national policy
frameworks. Thus, institutions have emerged at the international and
transnational levels to coordinate collective problem solving. But governance
involves more than just the practicality of problem solving; it also involves
uncertainty, controversy, power and politics. This course will examine the ways
in which global environmental governance has been conceived: from establishing
international institutions and agreements, to less tangible ways of interacting.
We will examine themes such as scales of governance (from the United Nations
to communities), policy networks, the role of NGOs, think tanks and special
interests and the role of knowledge in global environmental debates. Students
will then use this conceptual and theoretical basis to analyze major global
environmental issues including: deforestation; biodiversity; endangered species;
and climate change. The goals of this course are to gain an understanding of the
main positions in global environmental debates; critically analyze these
positions; and gain insight into the politics of global environmental policy and
governance.

Recommended Background: GOV 1303 or GOV 1320
.
This course will be offered in 2015-16, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2320. Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). Civil Rights and Liberties examines decisions of the Supreme Court which interpret the Bill of Rights and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. These court decisions elaborate the content and meaning of our rights to speak, publish, practice religion, and be free from state interference in those activities. Privacy rights broadly, the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and due process rights for criminal suspects are also addressed. Finally, rights to be free from discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation are examined in the context of equal protection law. Students completing this course will receive credit toward the Minor in Law and Technology among the courses satisfying the requirement in legal fundamentals. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 233X. SOCIAL ACTION AND POLICY CHANGE

This course offers students an opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective advocates for social action and policy change. Policy advocates work to influence and change social policies in communities, organizations, or legislative bodies. This course will especially focus on developing methods of persuasion and how to address social problems, increase social justice, and assure access to resources, especially among individuals and groups who lack relative power in our society. Finally, the course will introduce students to and help them build the skills necessary for analyzing, developing, implementing, and assessing policy at the local, state, and national levels.

GOV 235X. INTERNTIONAL MIGRATION AND POLITICS

This course investigates the causes and effects of human movement from a political perspective. It explores many questions related to the movement of people across international borders such as: Why do people move across borders and how should local communities, national government, and international organization respond? Should countries have borders and, if so, how should they decide who is allowed entry and who should be denied entry? What types of obligations should a host country have towards immigrants and what responsibility should an immigrant have to the receiving society? Should citizenship be earned or automatic? How are women and children impacted by migration? How has immigration become a security issue in international relations? How has climate change impacted human migration? By the end of the term, students should gain critical insight into the language that fuels policy debates about migration.

Recommended background: Students are encouraged to take this course to broaden their understanding of public policies as it relates to the movement of people across international borders. This course assumes that students have a general knowledge of political science and/or public policy concepts, such as can be found in GOV 1320 Topics in International Politics; however, no specific prerequisites are required to take this course.

GOV 236X. WOMEN IN POLITICS

This  course  will  explore  the  socioeconomic,  historical,  and  political  status  of  women. Among the topics we will cover are the history of women’s rights, women’s participation in elections and specific issues concerning women such as reproductive rights, body image, the #metoo movement, women in political office and other issues concerning race, gender, class and sexuality. We will look at the relationship between men and women in politics as well as the role of family. We will ask: what is women’s equality and difference, what solutions are best for women and what constitutes a feminist approach to politics? This course is designed to introduce students to the study of gender, politics, and social justice issues in the United States and beyond.

Recommended   background: This   course   assumes   that   students   have   a   general knowledge  of  political  science  concepts,  such  as  can  be  found  in  GOV  1301  U.S. Government  and  1303  American  Public  Policy,  however,  no specific  prerequisites  are required to take this course.

GOV 3312. International Environmental Policy

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). Environmental issues present some of the major international problems and opportunities facing the world today. Worst-case scenarios envision irrevocable degradation of the earths natural systems, but virtually every analysis sees the need for major change worldwide to cope with problems such as global warming, deforestation, ozone layer depletion, loss of biodiversity, and population growth, not to mention exponential increases in conventional pollutants in newly industrialized countries. The global environment issues represent a second-generation of environmental policy in which the focus of concern has moved from national regulations to international law and institutions. In addition, the environment has emerged as a major aspect of international trade, conditioning corporate investment and accounting for some $200 billion in sales of pollution control equipment in 1991. Exploration of the genesis and implications of these phenomena is the essence of the course. Topically, the material begins with the nature of global environmental problems, drawing on literature from large-scale global modeling as well as particular analyses of the problems mentioned above. Approximately half the course focuses on international laws and institutions, including multilateral treaties (e.g., the Montreal Protocol limiting CFC use, ocean dumping, biodiversity), international institutions (UNEP, the Rio Convention, the OECD) and private initiatives (international standards organizations, ICOLP (Industry Committee for Ozone Layer Protection), etc.) In addition, US policy toward global environmental issues will be compared with that in Japan, Europe and developing countries, from which it differs significantly. Students will design and undertake term projects that address particular issues in detail in an interdisciplinary manner. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

PSY 2501. MUSIC AND MIND

How are we able to distinguish instruments, timbres and rhythms from the intertwined sonic stream presented by the world? How do we organize these elements in time to create rhythms, melodies, phrases and pieces? How do perception and memory interact to allow us navigate a musical work? We will explore these questions by considering the cognitive and perceptual processes that shape our musical experience. Topics will include event distinction, temporal perception, hierarchical organization, perceptual grouping, expertise, memory and categorization. We will illustrate these ideas in musical contexts by listening to a variety of musical works. We will consider how psychological principles are applied to music technologies, such as compression algorithms, mixing methodologies and the field of music information retrieval. We will consider experiments that focus on some of these topics to further our understanding about how we experience music.
Recommended background: Fundamentals of Music I and/or Fundamentals of Music II
Note: Students that received credit for MU202x cannot receive credit for PSY 2501. Students cannot receive credit for both MU2501 and PSY 2501. This course can count for either the HUA or the SSPS requirement, but it cannot double count for both the HUA and SSPS graduation requirements.

PSY 2502. PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY

“Mind-Body” connection may be an overused term, but in social science research, there is a growing use of physiological measures to infer psychological states, that is, to “get under the skin.” Sophisticated physiological measures are now commonly used to examine psychological processes. We will review the biological measures (e.g., sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, facial electromyography, and neuroendocrine monitoring) that can provide insight into emotional, cognitive, attitudinal, and motivational responses to psychological events, such as social rejection or helping others. The primary focus of the course is to investigate how psychophysiology can be applied to the study of social psychological phenomena, specifically (e.g., how can prejudice or related biases in attitudes be measured ‘under the skin’, social evaluation, lie detection, emotion regulation, stress of conformity, the benefits of prosocial behavior).
Recommended background: Introduction to Psychological Science (PSY 1400), Social Psychology (PSY 1402), and/or Experimental Design and Analysis (PSY 3500).

PSY 3000. PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW

How does the courtroom work and where does psychology come into play? Is it really “innocent until proven guilty”? Do people confess to crimes they never committed? How accurate are eyewitnesses? In this course, we will discuss and examine questions like these and many more. This course examines empirical research in the interface of psychology and law. We will learn about standard practices in the criminal justice system and empirical psychological research devoted to understanding these practices. As a discussion-based course, we will tackle topics such as: courtroom procedures, confessions, death penalty, deception, decision making, deliberations, eyewitnesses, expert testimony, jury selection, memory, police, and pretrial publicity. We will also explore how and when psychologists can impact legal guidelines and policies.
Recommended background: Introduction to Psychological Science (PSY 1400), Social Psychology (PSY 1402) and/or Cognitive Psychology (PSY 1401). Courses in Government and Policy Studies will also be beneficial.

PSY 340X. SURVEY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Surveys are everywhere. But good surveys based on sound social science are rare. Conducting a successful survey requires familiarity with the methods and techniques developed by psychologists and other social scientists through long experience to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and validity of survey data. This course will focus on the common mistakes of first time survey researchers and ways to avoid them. Topics covered will include alternatives to survey research, sampling, response rates, questionnaire design and implementation, question wording, pretesting, ethical issues in survey research, and communicating survey results. Special attention will be given to issues related to the use of on-line survey platforms. During the course students will be guided through the development, implementation, and analysis of a survey on a topic of their own choosing.

This course is an appropriate methodology course for psychology and other social science majors and can also be taken by students of all majors as preparation for a survey-based IQP.

Recommended background: Social Psychology (PSY1402) or Introduction to Sociology and Diversity (SOC1202) or equivalent.

SD 1510. Introduction to System Dynamics Modeling

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year). The goal of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the field of system dynamics computer simulation modeling. The course begins with the history of system dynamics and the study of why policy makers can benefit from its use. Next, students systematically examine the various types of dynamic behavior that socioeconomic systems exhibit and learn to identify and model the underlying nonlinear stock-flow-feedback loop structures that cause them. The course concludes with an examination of a set of well-known system dynamics models that have been created to address a variety of socioeconomic problems. Emphasis is placed on how the system dynamics modeling process is used to test proposed policy changes and how the implementation of model-based results can improve the behavior of socioeconomic systems.

SD 1520. SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELING

Cat. I

The purpose of this course is to prepare students to produce original system
dynamics computer simulation models of economic and social systems. Models
of this type can be used to examine the possible impacts of policy changes and
technological innovations on socioeconomic systems. The curriculum in this
course is divided into three distinct parts. First, a detailed examination of the
steps of the system dynamics modeling process: problem identification
(including data collection), feedback structure conceptualization, model
formulation, model testing and analysis, model documentation and presentation,
and policy implementation. Second, a survey of the "nuts and bolts" of
continuous simulation modeling: information and material delays, time
constants, the use of noise and numerical integration techniques, control theory
heuristics, and software details (both simulation and model presentation and
documentation software). Third, a step-by-step, in-class production of a model,
involving the construction, testing, and assembly of subsectors. Students will be
required to complete modeling assignments working in groups and take in-class
quizzes on modeling issues.
Recommended background: SD 1510, or permission of instructor.

SD 2520. Modeling Economic and Social Systems

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). The purpose of this course is to prepare students to construct original system dynamics computer simulation models of economic and social systems from real world situations. They are coached to experiment with these models to understand unintended consequences of policy and to design effective policy interventions. Such a modeling process can be used to examine the possible impacts of policy changes and technological innovations on socioeconomic systems. The curriculum in this course covers a detailed examination of the steps of the system dynamics modeling process: problem identification (including data collection and analysis), feedback structure conceptualization, model formulation, model testing and analysis, model documentation and presentation, and policy implementation, illustrated by examples from business, economy and social systems. This course together with either SSI505 or SD1510 can provide the basic background for the students to use system dynamics in their IQP/MQP projects. Students will not be granted credit for both SD 1520 and SD2520.

SD 2530. Advanced Topics in System Dynamics Modeling

This course focuses on advanced issues and topics in system dynamics computer simulation modeling. A variety of options for dealing with complexity through the development of policy models, large-scale models and the partitioning of complex problems are discussed. Topics include model building, model validation, model analysis, the use of summary statistics and sensitivity measures, and policy design. The application of system dynamics to theory building and social policy are also reviewed.

SD 3550. System Dynamics Seminar

This special topics course is conducted as a research seminar, with many sessions being reserved for student presentations. Students will read, evaluate, and report on research papers representing the latest developments in the field of system dynamics. Classical system dynamics models may also be replicated and discussed. Students will complete projects that address specific problems using the system dynamics method.

SOC 1202. Introduction to Sociology and Cultural Diversity

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year). This course encourages students to explore how a sociological toolkit may be used to examine the impetus for social and historical changes and the effect such changes have on how individuals live, work, and find their place in this world. It operates from the premise that individual lives are not just personal but social as humans we are shaped by the societies in which we live and the social forces at work within them. Major theoretical perspectives and concepts will be discussed over the course of the semester with primary emphasis on the roles that culture, dimensions of inequality and social change play in shaping individual lives. Students will also explore the influence that social institutions such as the family, religion, education, healthcare, government, economy, and environment have on how humans function within society.

SOC 1500. The Sociology of Race

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course introduces students to the sociology of race. The sociology of race examines how and why social, cultural, and historical forces combine to reproduce racism, racial discrimination, and racial inequality. What are the distinctions between race and ethnicity? What distinguishes, if at all, individual, institutional, structural, and cultural racism? What are racial formation, antiracism, pigmentocracy, and Whiteness? What role did W. E. B. Du Bois play in founding sociology in the US? Why has Du Bois and his theoretical contributions been erased from the history of sociology? What works best represent Du Boiss thoughts on the meaning of race and race relations? What is the relationship between Du Bois, the Atlanta School, and the sociology of race? To answer these questions, students will examine a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary texts and become familiar with the conceptual theories and research methods that inform the sociology of race and Du Boiss pioneering role in the field of sociology. Students will learn to think critically about the aims of the sociology of race and the theoretical means used to achieve those aims.

Soc 3500. African American Political Thought

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). This course introduces students to the oral and written discourse of African American political leaders. Ranging from the 1800s to the present, the course examines representations of African American political thought in the speeches and letters of African Americans who have held leadership positions in political organizations or who have participated in electoral politics. Students will explore the ideological foundations of the major African American political movements, examining how their goals and objectives have been informed by combinations of various political ideologies: Pan-Africanism, nationalism, feminism, radicalism, liberalism, centrism, and conservatism. What roles did African American leaders play in the Abolitionist movement? Who were the leaders of classical and modern Black nationalism? Who were the leaders of the Pan-African Congresses? What is the relationship between religiosity and African American political leadership? What are the similarities and differences between the strategies and tactics of the Abolitionist, New Negro, Civil Rights, Black Power, Black Arts, and Black Lives Matter movements? To answer these questions, students will examine a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary texts and become familiar with the conceptual theories and research methods that inform the study of African American political thought and intellectual history. Students will learn to think critically about the relationship between African American political thought, identity, and behavior.

SS 1505. Games for Understanding Complexity

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year). This course addresses the theory and practice of developing solutions to complex social and environmental problems through interaction with roleplaying games and computer simulations designed to promote learning and improve decision-making. By interacting with a selection of games and case studies, students will learn to recognize the systemic causes of complex social and environmental problems and gain experience developing and using simulations to test policies for creating sustainable futures. Special attention will be given to appropriate modeling practices and the design of simulation experiments. The course is run in a laboratory format in which students work in groups to play games, develop simulation models and present them to the class for feedback before they revise and refine their work iteratively for final evaluation.

SS 1505. Games for Understanding Complexity

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year). This course addresses the theory and practice of developing solutions to complex social and environmental problems through interaction with roleplaying games and computer simulations designed to promote learning and improve decision-making. By interacting with a selection of games and case studies, students will learn to recognize the systemic causes of complex social and environmental problems and gain experience developing and using simulations to test policies for creating sustainable futures. Special attention will be given to appropriate modeling practices and the design of simulation experiments. The course is run in a laboratory format in which students work in groups to play games, develop simulation models and present them to the class for feedback before they revise and refine their work iteratively for final evaluation.

STS 1200. Fundamentals of Global Health

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year). The focus of global health research and practice is improving the overall health and health equity of all people worldwide. In this course, we will use an interdisciplinary approach to explore the major biological, social, political, environmental and economic determinants of health. We will analyze the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable disease facing the worlds populations including study of current health systems, global health practices and priorities as well as major organization and institutional players. Class sessions will consist of lecture, intensive small group discussion, and global health case analyses. After successful completion of this course, students will be able to explain the basic principles of public health; discuss the determinants of health; describe how globalization has changed the patterns of the spread of disease and the methods needed to control disease; evaluate the complex, multi-faceted links between health, social and economic factors; and identify critical issues in the delivery of health care services, with a particular emphasis on challenges faced with regard to different cultural and economic settings.

STS 4000. Senior Seminar in Global Public Health

Cat II (offered at least every other Year). The course is designed to integrate each students educational experience and interests in Global Public Health, (e.g., core global public health courses, specializations, and experience). Through seminar discussions and writing assignments students will critically reflect on what they learned in their previous courses and project experiences. In teams, students will prepare a final capstone paper and presentation that critically engages their educational experience in global public health and anticipates how their courses and experiences will translate into their future personal and professional. The course is especially designed as the capstone seminar for Global Public Health minors, but is also open to non-minors. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.