SUMMER SESSION

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POLI_SCI 377-0 : Drugs and Politics

Description

This course examines the links between illegal drugs and politics, from the politics of local communities to international public policy. The production, distribution, and consumption of illicit drugs affect politics in a myriad of ways by shaping individual behavior, local and national institutions, cultural practices, markets, and international relations. The aim of the course is to examine these links—theoretically and empirically—with a focus on North, Central, and South America.We will critically analyze the U.S.-led “war on drugs” and some of the alternatives that have been proposed.

The course is divided in three broad sections. The first provides an overview of the drugs problem; we will define the term “drug”, identify types of drugs, and briefly look at the history drug production and transportation, mostly in Central and South America, and current trends in consumption in the U.S. The second part of the course looks at specific links between drugs and politics, mostly in Latin America and the U.S. We will explore the patterns of drug-related violence and the theories that have been proposed to explain them; we will study why drug trafficking groups often operate as de facto rulers in local communities, and trace the consequences on common citizens; and we will investigate what drives participation in illicit drug markets. The third section of the course looks at policy: we start with the debate on the war on drugs, and then turn to a discussion of alternative policies. We conclude with an exploration of various effects of the war on drugs in the U.S.

This is an intensive, three-week course that will cover the same material we usually cover in a quarter-long class. You will be required to watch lecture videos every week, do three readings and/or watch documentaries, engage in group discussion, and do independent work on a case of your choosing. At the end of the course, the take-home final exam will consist of an essay that you will write building on the research you did every day on your case. There is no midterm.

All class activities are asynchronous except for two weekly meetings (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) with your assigned group. Each group will determine the time of their meeting as we usually have students in different time zones.

Additional Information:

PLEASE NOTE: The registration period for ALL summer courses is April 8, 2024 through June 16, 2024, even if the course begins later in the summer.