SS486 examines states and state building in the modern world. Whether one focuses on international relations, comparative politics, or American politics, the state remains a critical component to our understanding of political life. Cadets in this course engage a robust theoretical literature that forms the foundation for an understanding of contemporary and future state building efforts. Throughout the course, we explore major theories of state formation such as warfare, economic development, and institutions. Next, the course adopts the view of the state and investigates a critical challenge confronting civilian and military leaders - why do some states become strong and others weak? Subsequently, we adopt the view of the civil society and examine state building dynamics from the vantage of those whom the state seeks to rule. Finally, the course examines how the state building project functions around the world through a variety of regional case studies. Cadets completing this course join a small but critical set of military officers prepared to lead and advise the next state building project.
This course aims to help create "soldier statesmen" at the Company Grade level for the US Army. Subject matter experts from across the staff and faculty of the US Military Academy, US governmental agencies, and other international actors, discuss situations deployed leaders will likely face in the future, including counterinsurgency, cultural awareness, interagency dynamics, military-to-military engagement and exchange, governance and economics, and legal, moral, and ethical considerations, among others. This course helps future officers develop the basic knowledge and skills needed to become strategically adept in a complex and evolving strategic landscape. We also spend two nights and three days in a multi-ethnic US city interacting with Egyptian Copts, Muslims, Hindus, and various Christian denominations to more fully understand how groups with different beliefs can live and work together. This course is open to any interested sophomore, junior, or senior.
Lessons
30 @ 75 min (2.000 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
Three analysis papers; reflective and mentor journal, corresponding with recent graduates; group research and analysis project for the multi-ethnic city trip.
This course aims to help create "soldier statesmen" at the Company Grade level for the US Army. Subject matter experts from across the staff and faculty of the US Military Academy, US governmental agencies, and other international actors, discuss situations deployed leaders will likely face in the future, including counterinsurgency, cultural awareness, interagency dynamics, military-to-military engagement and exchange, governance and economics, and legal, moral, and ethical considerations, among others. This course helps future officers develop the basic knowledge and skills needed to become strategically adept in a complex and evolving strategic landscape. We also spend two nights and three days in a multi-ethnic US city interacting with Egyptian Copts, Muslims, Hindus, and various Christian denominations to more fully understand how groups with different beliefs can live and work together. This course is open to any interested sophomore, junior, or senior.
Lessons
40 @ 55 min (2.500 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
Three analysis papers; reflective and mentor journal, corresponding with recent graduates; group research and analysis project for the multi-ethnic city trip.
This Comparative Politics capstone seminar examines the special historical, domestic, and external security issues that non-Western states face, and then examines how such issues influence these states' formulation of their national security policies. Students explore how non-Western state regimes might use limited diplomatic, information, military, and economic means to achieve their regime goals. Students apply newly learned or previously learned IR or CP theories to analyze a non-Western state's national security strategy, and then attempt to anticipate what such states might do under current domestic and international conditions.
Lessons
40 @ 55 min (2.500 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
One oral group presentation, one individual 3000 word research paper, and a shorter preliminary paper; compensatory time provided.
This capstone seminar builds upon conceptions of security studies developed in SS483, National Security Seminar. Based on the foundation of U.S. security in the context of East-West relations and post-Cold War, this course shifts focus to the security issues of states other than the United States. Why do states form the security policies that they do? What factors influence their choices? Students analyze the defense planning process in major power countries as well as Third World countries.
Lessons
40 @ 55 min (2.500 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
One oral briefing based on a research paper and two analytical essays; compensatory time provided.
