The purpose of this course is to think critically about how and why political institutions fail to achieve their goals or operate in a manner that they were originally intended to and the consequences of these failures. We will examine the rise of a permanent U.S. national security state; the politics of housing and polarization of inequality; a centuries-long American drug war; the politics of policing American cities; the rise of mass incarceration; and failing schools on the basis of 1) policymakers' expressed aims; 2) the goals the institutions in question were meant to serve; and 3) the human costs of failure, particularly for the most disadvantaged members of society.
The course is divided into two main parts. First, we will examine leading theories of political power as conceived by the Founders and in a modern era. This will provide a framework to assess the rise of American empire, the development of a military-industrial complex and the growth of executive power over a vast national security establishment. Second, we will examine how a legacy of racial capitalism promotes segregated housing patterns, militarized policing and punitive forms of punishment. Throughout the course, we will consider alternative trajectories and possible futures.
As backdrop for this seminar, we will be watching a season of the HBO television series The Wire, which follows police officers, drug dealers, public school educators, politicians and citizens of Baltimore. The series is meant to complement the scholarly texts that we will be reading in the latter half of the course.
Requirements & Evaluation
Participation (15%), short presentations (10%) & writing exercises (10%): Participation will be evaluated on the basis of two criteria. First, students are expected to read the assigned material before seminar and contribute to discussion regularly. Students will be penalized for more than 1 unexcused absence. Second, each student will give a 10-minute presentation based on the readings for that day and help facilitate class discussion. Presentations should discuss connections between the assigned readings, provide thoughtful critiques of the arguments, raise questions and draw connections to other readings from the course. Third, group work and in-class writing exercises are scheduled to take place on Jan 21, Jan 28, Feb 19 and March 2.
Essay Exam (30%): Students will construct 2-3 essays based on class readings and discussion. The exam is scheduled for March 4.
Research project (30%) + Discussion (5%): Students will conduct a research project diagnosing a problem of governance and envisioning an alternative. Projects will explain: 1) whether, and in what way, our current system failed, 2) what is valuable about our current configurations, and 3) what requires reform or replacement. Descriptions of topics will be due on February 9, and we will discuss research in progress on March 9 & 11. Projects will be due during finals week.
Course Material
The following reading materials and videos are required for this course:
*White Space, Black Hood. 2021. Sheryll Cashin. Penguin Random House.
*Unequal Under Law: Race in the War on Drugs. 2007. Doris Provine. University of Chicago Press.
*The Wire. HBO television series created, produced & written by David Simon. Season 3 required.
*Electronic copies of articles, book chapters, videos, etc. available on the course website