In the first case brought by a survivor of domestic violence against the U.S. before an international human rights tribunal, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) found that the United States violated the human rights of Jessica Lenahan (formerly Gonzales) and her children.

Case Summary and downloadable court documents

This course explores the reasons for America's past wars and interventions. It covers the consequences of American policies, and evaluates these consequences for the U.S. and the world. History covered includes World Wars I and II, the Korean and Indochina wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis and current conflicts, including those in in Iraq and Afghanistan, and against Al Qaeda.

In recent years both scholars and policymakers have expressed a remarkable amount of interest in the concepts of social capital and civil society. A growing body of research suggests that the social networks, community norms, and associational activities signified by these concepts can have important effects on social welfare, political stability, economic development, and governmental performance. This discussion based course examines the roles played by these networks, norms, and organizations in outcomes ranging from local public goods provision and the performance of democracies to ethnic conflict and funding for terrorism.

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Harvard political scientist Stephen M. Walt for a discussion of how to think about balancing power in international politics. They also consider the role theory might play in formulating foreign policy and consider the way the world is responding to the U.S. hegemony in the aftermath of 911 and the Iraq War. (58 min)

Conversations with History host Harry Kreisler welcomes Walter Russell Mead of the Council on Foreign Relations for a discussion of the Anglo American maritime system—its origins, development, and impact on the world. The conversation touches on the unique synergy between Protestant religion and capitalism, the consolidation of Anglo American power in the process of transforming the international system, the importance of culture in international politics, and the need for a dialogue of civilizations in the 21st century. (57 minutes)

His Excellency Sung-Joo Han, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea joins host Harry Kreisler for a discussion of how domestic and international factors are shaping South Korea's foreign policy as it deals with North Korea, the United States, and international politics in a changing world. (56 min)

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes British historian Niall Ferguson for a discussion of the dynamics of money and power in international politics, the British Empire, and the U.S. role in world affairs. (56 min)

UC BerkeleyŐs Harry Kreisler continues his conversation with Die Zeit editor, Josef Joffe. In this episode, they discuss the U.S. role in the world. (33 min)

UC BerkeleyŐs Harry Kreisler talks with Die Zeit editor Josef Joffe about his formative experiences and the role of culture in international affairs. (54 min)

Military strategist Edward Luttwak joins host Harry Kreisler for a discussion of the role of strategy in international politics. (56 min)

This course is premised on the belief that emotions are a fundamental part of human nature. Accordingly, understanding emotions and incorporating emotions into our research can help us better explain variation in important political phenomena. Research on emotions and how emotions can influence decision-making has dramatically increased over the past two decades. This class aims to pick up on new findings from psychology and other disciplines and marshal this knowledge toward the most important issues of political science.

This course examines the interconnections of international politics and climate change. Beginning with an analysis of the strategic and environmental legacies of the 20th Century, it explores the politicization of the natural environment, the role of science in this process, and the gradual shifts in political concerns to incorporate "nature". Two general thrusts of climate-politics connections are pursued, namely those related to (a) conflict – focusing on threats to security due to environmental dislocations and (b) cooperation – focusing on the politics of international treaties that have contributed to emergent processes for global accord in response to evidence of climate change. The course concludes by addressing the question of: "What Next?"

This course examines the interconnections of international politics and climate change. Beginning with an analysis of the strategic and environmental legacies of the 20th Century, it explores the politicization of the natural environment, the role of science in this process, and the gradual shifts in political concerns to incorporate "nature". Two general thrusts of climate-politics connections are pursued, namely those related to (a) conflict - focusing on threats to security due to environmental dislocations and (b) cooperation - focusing on the politics of international treaties that have contributed to emergent processes for global accord in response to evidence of climate change. The course concludes by addressing the question of: "What Next?

This workshop is designed to introduce students to different perspectives on international politics in the 21st century. Students will explore how advances in information technology are changing international relations and global governance through opening new channels of communication, creating new methods of education, and new potentials for democratization. We will consider the positive and negative externalities associated with applications of such technologies. Students will be encouraged to look at alternative futures, and/or to frame solutions to problems that they define. The class will include guest lectures, discussions, and a final project and presentation.

As taught Spring Semester 2011.

This is an advanced module in the history of international political thought for MA students. It is structured in two parts. The first, comprising sessions 2-7, is concerned with an approach to the history of international theory, influential in the field, which insists on placing theorists in one of three ‘traditions’. We interrogate the integrity of these traditions, in each case, by analysing the work of at least two writers who are said to belong squarely to the tradition, or indeed to have founded it. In the second part of the module, we examine a number of ways in which international relations theorists and political theorists are turning their attention to the history of political theory or international thought in order to illuminate or evaluate some aspect of contemporary global politics. The module therefore complements and reinforces at least two others on the MA programme: it gives some historical grounding to ‘Theories and Concepts in International Relations’; and it introduces methods and perspectives in political theory that supplement those that students of ‘Justice Beyond Borders’ will become practised in.

Module Codes: M14136 (20 credits), M14137 (15 credits)

Suitable for study at: Postgraduate Level

Dr Ben Holland, School of Politics and International Relations

Ben Holland joined the staff of the School of Politics and International Relations in September 2010. He read Social and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge. After some time working for a human rights organisation in Caracas, Venezuela, he went on to complete a MSc and PhD in International Relations at the LSE. His thesis traced the history of an appellation sometimes applied to the state in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries -- that it is a 'moral person' -- and showed how this played a crucial role in the evolution of the modern international system and of its law. His research interests are in intellectual history, particularly in respect of ideas about inter-state relations, as well as contemporary international relations theory.