Since 9/11, many of the most controversial political debates in the US have originated foreign relations and national security. What is the proper balance of power between the president and Congress? How do we balance security and civil liberties? To what degree should international agreements constrain US policy choices? This course will examine both the legal and political answers to those questions. The course will mix a law school approach, with emphasis on reading and analyzing primary legal materials (judicial opinions, statutes, etc.), and a social science approach, with emphasis on empirical political science literature. Students will build skills in legal analysis and an understanding of the legal and political theories that shape US foreign relations and national security policy.
Course Attributes: EN S; BU IS; AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC