Describes a course offered on the political economy of national security. Discusses the objective of the course as the introduction of major economic issues associated with national security. Outlines lecture topics, course readings, and class format. Evaluates course weaknesses and strengths. Includes course assignments and requirements. (RW)

How some nations are motivated by political or geo-political considerations when denouncing human rights abuses is examined. Examples from US and Russian foreign policies are discussed. (RM)

Discussed is the value of integrating the study of technology and society. Topics include political theory of spontaneous social orders, paradoxical nature of the theory in historical and in contemporary contexts, uses of spontaneous order theory with feedback technologies, and the comparison of feedback technology with two different spontaneous…

Analyzes Reagan's foreign economic policy, and presents reasons for the misinformation surrounding Reaganomics. Outlines the Reagan administration's economic goals, including a discussion of the U.S. trade deficit and attempts to remedy it. Addresses criticisms launched against Reagan's economic policy, and provides cross-country data on budget…

Traces the evolution of the National Security Council (NSC) under President Reagan. Examines the structure of the Reagan NSC and compares the structure of the Reagan NSC to that of his predecessors. Analyzes the rebuilding of the NSC in the aftermath of the Iran Contra Affair and the policy mistakes of the NSC in that affair. (RW)

Analyzes how Germans viewed defeat after the two world wars, and how these perceptions influenced subsequent political developments. Compares questions of guilt and responsibility following the two wars. Examines the growth of democracy, its defeat after World War I, and success after World War II. Discusses the influences of the occupation…

Traces U.S.-USSR relations throughout Ronald Reagan's administration. Analyzes the shifts in Reagan's policies toward the Soviet Union. Examines the reasons why Reagan changed his views on the Soviet Union, and discusses the political Right's response to Reagan's changed position. (RW)

Examines the foreign policy of the Reagan administration. Discusses the critics of the Reagan doctrine, focusing on the criticisms launched against his weapons' policies. Analyzes the policy course of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, outlining goals of the administration during the INF negotiations. Contends that Reagan's…

This 3- to 5-day currriculum unit for secondary students centers around four possible directions for U.S. foreign policy during the 1990s. Designed as a culminating exercise at the end of the year or as an introductory activity to open the semester, this unit, and the possible futures it presents, should be thought of as a vehicle for guiding…

This guide consists of four units that explore how media are transforming politics in the United States and how citizens can become more analytical of media messages to participate more fully in democracy. Each session is complete with procedural instructions, handouts, and is tied to readings pertinent to the topic. The Awareness and Analysis…

This teacher's guide corresponds to the textbook "American Political Behavior" and provides resource materials and teaching suggestions. There is a lesson plan for each lesson in the course. The textbook tries to capture the vitality and drama of politics through the use of cases that describe the political activities of typical citizens…

Because Watergate tested the strength of the U.S. constitutional system and proved that it worked, this unit could serve as a focal point for study of the U.S. Constitution. The three objectives of the document are: (1) to expand knowledge of the governance process through study of the separation of powers, the impeachment process, the right to…

This booklet examines the post-Persian Gulf War Middle East and the reconfiguration of political reality. Six chapters discuss: the Arab crisis; Iraq's invasion of Kuwait; the Arab systems of government; new political alignments; windows of opportunity; and building on the Gulf victory. An annotated reading list consisting of 22 items is attached.…

Explores the origin, meaning, and tradition of the title "First Lady." Discusses the evolving responsibilities of the role and how different women expanded the definition of the office. A list of suggested activities and research projects includes sending birthday cards to former First Ladies, and researching foreign women leaders. (MJP)

Presents a concise overview of the responsibilities, membership, structure, and requirements of the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Created in 1974, the FEC oversees the financial activities of candidates and political parties. Discusses corporate and union political action committees (PACs) as well as contribution limits and prohibitions. (MJP)