Elective Courses in Washington, DC

The U.C. Berkeley Washington Center

You are here > Home > Elective Courses

UC Washington Center Fall 2009 Electives

Modern Wars

Anthony Adamthwait - University of California, Berkeley - History – 100

Wednesday – Room 311A – 6:00-9:00 PM

This course looks at major conflicts from World War I to Afghanistan and Iraq. The twentieth century has been called the bloodiest of the past millennia- the century that brought genocide and ethnic cleansing, Modern wars, especially the two world wars, have profoundly reshaped nations and global society.

 Most of us cannot begin to imagine what it is like to be involved in a war. The primary question addressed in this seminar is how do individuals, families, communities and nations experience and remember conflict. The nation’s capital offers a unique setting to investigate this question. We will be reading Samuel Hynes, A Soldier’s Tale as well as specific war memoirs like All Quiet on the Western Front. We will also view excerpts from movies like The Battle of Algiers.

Congress

Bruce Cain - University of California, Berkeley - Poli Sci: 103W - CCN: 71510

Thursday – Room 318 – 6:00-9:00 PM

This course will explore the Congress-the first branch under the Constitution-and its role in our political system.  It will leverage our environment in Washington by featuring frequent guest speakers and seeking connections to current policy and political debate.  In addition to surveying the pathways of lawmaking, we will ask how Congress and its Members relate to the other branches of government, to the press, and to the public.  Topics to be examined include the corridors of power and organization of Capitol Hill, campaign finance, redistricting, lawmaking and the House and Senate rules, budget process and politics, executive oversight, judicial nominations, lobbying and influence, and policy entrepreneurialism.  Course requirements include preparation and in-class participation, two memo papers, and an open book final examination.

Behind the Bully Pulpit: The History of the Presidential Speech

Josh Gottheimer  - University of Pennsylvania - UGIS – 162 A

Thursday – Room 1104 – 7:00 – 9:30 PM

"This day will live in infamy."

"Ask not what you're country can do for you ..."

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall."

"because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.”

As history has shown, there is no bully pulpit in the world like the American presidency. Whether it was Roosevelt declaring war on the Japanese or Reagan declaring war on government bureaucracy, they, like all presidents, understood the power of their words to make history and to change it.

 This course will study the history of the presidency through their speeches. We will read and analyze remarks delivered from the podium in economic booms and busts, in times of social unrest, and even in moments of humor. By reading others and drafting our own, we will also learn the elements of an effective speech and how to craft and deliver one. A few former and current presidential speechwriters will be featured as guests throughout the semester. Course requirements include a 750-word op-ed, preparation and delivery of a 10-minute speech, writing a mid-term paper based on course materials and sitting for a final exam.

America and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: Issues in Policy and Diplomacy

Aaron David Miller - University of Michigan - UGIS 162 B

Wednesday – Room 317 – 6:00–9:00 PM

This seminar focuses on American policy towards the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is neither a comprehensive history of the conflict nor of US policy. Instead it focuses on key issues that shape and define America’s approach to the conflict, its management, and resolution. The course is very much Washington-centric, taught from the blended perspective of a practitioner but with an analytical and historical bent. It will examine a number of issues, including the US-Israeli relationship, the influence of domestic politics, the American approach to negotiations, and the process of how policy is actually made.

Ari Roth - University of Michigan - UGIS 160 A

Thursday – Room 311A – 7:00–10:00 PM        

Over the past four years, this course has canvassed the Washington theater scene and discovered a wealth of politically and socially attuned material on DC stages. Washington has, rather surprisingly, emerged as the second most vibrant theatrical city in the nation, surpassing Chicago and Los Angeles in number of performances offered, audience in attendance, and union actors appearing in Equity-contracted productions. The city now boasts some of the finest classical, flagship and culturally specific theaters in the country.  This advent of a robust theater scene planted at the seat of power has created a unique cultural profile; that of an artistic force able to speak truth to power.  Yet often times, theatrical institutions are constricted by the divided nature of the audience they play for, or the critical community that critiques them, or differing notions about the purpose of theater. What kind of portraits are emerging from area theaters in this politicized capital?  What are the practical politics within these institutions that seek to engage and entertain their patrons?

Previous Page

Home

Next Page