Washington Center

Spring Semester 2022

Congress in History and in Transition

Credits: 
4
Instructor: 
Day and Time: 
Tuesdays, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 4 - March 8, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 4 - April 12, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
Congress and other branches of the U.S. government were designed nearly two and a half centuries ago under circumstances and reflecting values and philosophies that bear little relationship to contemporary America. All of these institutions have evolved over time in response to changing conditions domestically and internationally; and the American electorate had undergone significant change as well, especially in the last half century. All of these developments place dramatic and consequential pressures on government, elected officials and voters alike. How are they responding and what can we anticipate, based on historical analysis, will change as a result of these unprecedented, simultaneous crises? What is the appropriate level of idealism, pragmatism and collaboration as ways to govern a diverse and divided democracy?
 
This course will focus on the performance of Congress, the American government and the electorate during a period in which four historic forces are colliding simultaneously: the coronavirus pandemic and related societal disruptions; the widespread political/social responses to systemic racism affecting policing and other public institutions and policies; the electoral season that elevates partisan anger through the campaigns across the nation; and lastly, the diminished confidence of the American people in the structure and performance of their own government.
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
**NO additional registration required.           
 
 
 
About the Instructor: Professor John Lawrence served as a senior staff person in Congress for nearly four decades, the last eight as Chief of Staff to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He also served as staff director of two committees and on personal staff. He has taught at UCDC since 2013, and at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and has lectured widely on history and contemporary American politics at Columbia, Princeton, Oberlin and other venues. Professor Lawrence holds a Ph.D. in American History from the University of California (Berkeley), and an undergraduate history degree from Oberlin College.                                                                                  
 
Course ID: 
UCDC191B01W22

A Theater of Politics & The Politics of Theater

Credits: 
4
Instructor: 
Term or Semester: 
Day and Time: 
Thursdays, 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Semester Dates: 
January 6 - April 14, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Semester Elective
Description: 

For more than a decade, this course has canvassed the Washington DC theater scene and discovered a wealth of offerings, many of them—not surprisingly—political in focus.  Which prompts the question: What should the role of an arts community be in an essentially political town? To provide escape?  Emotional engagement? A dissident voice?  What might the impact (or challenge) of presenting politically-relevant work be in DC? What's the definition and the history of "political theater" and what distinguishes it from other entertainments (if anything)?  We'll figure that out.  What stories are being told now that reflect how we view the past, understand the present, and envision the future?  We’ll have a chance to think about the role of theater as it holds up a mirror to our society, as our focus moves from examinations inward and inter-personal, toward portraits which are more broadly regional and international in scope.

Important Note:
There is a $250 fee associated with this course that covers the cost of theater tickets for the semester. UC students should contact their campus coordinator for more information. 
 
Syllabus forthcoming
Course ID: 
UCDCSEM02V22

Black Lives Matter: Race, Policy, & Democratic Governance

Credits: 
4
Instructor: 
Term or Semester: 
Day and Time: 
Thursdays, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Semester Dates: 
January 6 - April 14, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Semester Elective
Description: 

This course will examine race and ethnic politics through the lens of social movements, public policy, and democratic governance. The #BlackLivesMatter Movement was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer and engages us to utilize a human rights lens to combat racial injustice, inequality, racism, and white supremacy. We will use a human rights and democratic governance approach often used in a U.S. foreign policy context to reconceptualize our understanding of the lived experiences and quest for freedom, justice, and equality on part of African Americans, Latinx, Asian Americans, Native Americans and other groups. Given the racial and ethnic demographic shifts over the past two decades, particular attention will focus on race, representation, and racism from President Obama to President Trump with a central focus on the 2020 elections, voting rights, and the Biden Harris Administration. We will analyze democratic governance under the Trump administration, the ways in which President Trump has invoked identity politics and white nationalism in governance, and how this political context informs our understanding of representation in the Biden Administration Finally, you will learn the tactics of effective social movements/activism, civic engagement, data analysis, policy influence. There will be an applied component of this course and guest speakers will bring to life the theories and literature we read and review in class. Additionally, due to the global pandemic, this course will be taught on zoom with asynchronous learning methods for the benefit of class attentiveness and engagement; further details to be given in class. Students will leave this class smarter on the topics addressed and also equipped with the tools for effective grassroots organizing, persuasive public speaking skills, and strategic policy influence.

NOTE: This class will be taught remotely via Zoom. 

About the Instructor: Dr. Menna Demessie is currently Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the global Task Force for Meaningful Change (TFMC) for Universal Music Group. During the last decade, Dr. Demessie worked on Capitol Hill for Congresswoman Barbara Lee, as the Senior Vice President of Policy Analysis and Research at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) and as an adjunct professor at the University of California Washington Center. At CBCF, she led the foundation’s research and policy initiatives affecting African Americans and the global black community in education, criminal justice, economic opportunity, and voting rights among many others. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Dr. Demessie established the National Racial Equity Initiative for Social Justice at the CBCF in an effort to raise awareness and inform public policy on criminal justice reform and social justice issues writ large. She has spearheaded several partnerships with the White House, Congress, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and other nonprofit stakeholders to advance strategic efforts to influence and inform public policy. Prior to joining the CBCF, Dr. Demessie was one of five scholars in the United States to receive the prestigious American Political Science Congressional Fellowship. For the fellowship, she joined Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s team to work on federal unemployment legislation, antipoverty initiatives, and foreign affairs in the 112th Congress. In August 2018, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, appointed her as Secretary of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Advisory Council. As of August 2019, she has worked with her colleagues in raising $ 6.1 million dollars for socioeconomic development in Ethiopia. She was elected twice to serve on the Alumni Board for the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and is a proud Ohio native. She currently serves on the American Political Science Association Council and on Board of Trustees for her alma mater at Western Reserve Academy. She is a college basketball player and enjoys playing basketball and performing spoken word.

Course ID: 
UCDCSEM01V22

Washington Media: Fake News, Social Media, and the Reshaping of American Politics

Credits: 
4
Instructor: 
Day and Time: 
Wednesdays, 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 5 - March 9, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 5 - April 13, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
Do Twitter or Facebook threaten democracy? What is the difference between “fake news” and journalism? Should the media report what people want to know or ought to know? Does objectivity exist? 
 
This seminar examines the extraordinary changes to political communication and journalism over the past half century and the consequences for American democracy. The first year of Biden’s presidency and the aftermath of Trump’s are a great backdrop to assess the news media’s mission, goals, and biases. We will look at the media’s incentives to fuel controversy, politicians’ efforts to manipulate – or lie to -- the media, and how the digital revolution has fundamentally restructured – for better and worse -- the future of political communication. Classes will combine lecture, discussion, and exercises with an emphasis on current developments. Readings include scholarly articles, a book of your choice, and a steady diet of news and journal pieces to keep up with political developments. 
 
Students will complete a major research project on a newsworthy topic which will be written in journalistic form in addition to shorter writing and speaking assignments. All assignments are aimed at sharpening research and writing skills, with a focus on identifying target audiences and communicating with clarity. Assignments may be adjusted to meet individual campus requirements. 
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
**NO additional registration required.
 

Past Syllabus

About the Instructor: Professor Marc Sandalow is an Associate Director of the University of California Washington Program (UCDC). He is the author of three books, including “Madam Speaker,” a biography of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He has been a journalist for 30 years, including 21 years at the San Francisco Chronicle and more than a decade as the paper’s Washington Bureau Chief. He is a former columnist and contributing editor for the California Journal, and is a currently a political analyst for Hearst Argyle television stations and KCBS radio in San Francisco. Professor Sandalow has been the UCDC program since 2008.

Course ID: 
UCDC191F01W22

The U.S. Supreme Court: Conflict, Change and the Court

Credits: 
4
Instructor: 
Day and Time: 
Thursdays, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 6 - March 10, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 6 - April 14, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
Immigration. LGBT rights. Healthcare. Abortion. The death penalty. Cell phone privacy. The U.S. Supreme Court has decided cases on all of these topics in recent years, and its decisions ultimately touch the lives of all Americans. In this class we will study the Supreme Court's place in the U.S. legal system. Topics we will cover include: how a case gets to the court, the justices, the role of lawyers before the court, the purpose of oral argument, the court building and its symbolism, and media coverage of the court.
 
In addition, students will listen to the arguments in current Supreme Court cases and spend class time discussing them. In papers, students will be asked to rigorously explain why the justices likely took those cases and how they will come out based on what they hear at oral argument. This class is geared not only toward anyone who is interested in the law or government service but also toward anyone interested in working on or being informed about the biggest issues of the day.
 
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
**NO additional registration required.

About the Instructor: For the last decade Professor Jessica Gresko has been a reporter for The Associated Press, first in Miami and now in Washington. As a legal reporter, she covers court cases at all levels, both local and federal. She has been at the Supreme Court for many recent high-profile decisions including cases on gay marriage, healthcare and the death penalty. Professor Gresko earned her B.A. from Columbia University in New York and a M.S.L. (Master’s in the Study of Law) from Georgetown University Law School. She grew up in Southern California and took her first journalism class at UCLA.

Course ID: 
UCDC191I01W22

A Biden-Harris Presidency: Understanding Executive Power in Historical and Contemporary Context

Credits: 
4
Instructor: 
Day and Time: 
Thursdays, 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 6 - March 10, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 6 - April 14, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
Most of us have been inundated with elections and politics for the past year. Many Americans can name several presidents and even have opinions on “good” versus “bad” presidents. But what do they actually do and how do we measure and evaluate their performance and our expectations for their leadership? What can we expect during the next four years of a Biden/Harris administration? This course will put the modern presidency in historical and theoretical context, drawing on a variety of readings and approaches to determine which framework best explains presidential (in)action. At its core, this class is about the question of executive power in democratic government. In addition to studying and reflecting on the theme of presidential power, we will also consider the limits to this power and how presidents achieve their goals. Ultimately, we aim to understand the work of the presidency and some of the different perspectives by which we might analyze or assess presidents and their administrations, especially at a time when we transition from one administration to another.
 
Disclaimer: We will deal with real world issues of today. Our discussions will reflect these parameters and engage in some controversial topics. This is an important part of our course, and you should be prepared to understand the politics of the situation separated from your own views.
 
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
**NO additional registration required.

 

Past Syllabus

About the Instructor: I am a Ph.D. of American government and politics with specializations in the American presidency, public policy, and polarization. My research focuses on presidential governance via executive orders and how political factors influence the ability of presidents to issue their most significant orders. I have taught UCDC’s presidency seminar since Fall 2017. While earning my degree at the University of Maryland, I taught classes about public policy and Congress to students who had internships related to those fields in a format similar to the UCDC program. Outside of the classroom, I work at Community Change & Community Change Action, non-profit organizations focused on building a movement led by everyday people to create change in their communities and across the country. As the Electoral Data Manager, I work with many different teams and partner organizations to identify target audiences and track the work we are doing in communities affected by injustice.

Course ID: 
UCDC191C01W22

The Politics and Process of the U.S. Judiciary

Credits: 
4
Day and Time: 
Wednesdays, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 5 - March 9, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 5 - April 13, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
The theme of this course is that the judiciary is a political institution in the American scheme of government. This topic couldn’t be more relevant than it is now in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election as we witness courts across the country actively involved in resolving numerous and varied disputes arising from political conflicts. Our focus will be less on the substantive issues, per se (this is not a civil liberties or constitutional law course), and more on the institutional structures, personnel, and processes that affect the outcomes of court business. We will examine the organization of both state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels; the many actors who participate in courts, such as litigants, lawyers, judges, juries, and interest groups. Also, we will distinguish between civil and criminal courts to understand how and why disputes are resolved in court. By the end of the term, you will understand how the judiciary is as much a political as it is a legal institution and is a fundamental part of American politics.
 
Among the course requirements will be field assignments, so students should not schedule work hours on our seminar day.
 
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
 
**NO additional registration required.

Past Syllabus

About the Instructor: Professor Jennifer Diascro is Associate Director at the University of California Washington Program (UCDC) and a political scientist. She earned her BA in political science from the University of California, San Diego (1990) and her PhD in political science from the Ohio State University (1995). She was on the faculty at the University of Kentucky (1995-2002) and American University (2002-2010). In 2000-01, she was a Supreme Court Fellow at the US Sentencing Commission in Washington, DC. Before coming to UCDC, Professor Diascro was a senior director at the American Political Science Association (2011-2015). She's authored or coauthored peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and books, on topics related to American judicial politics, and was CO-PI on an NSF award for a workshop on success and failure in the academy.

Course ID: 
UCDC191I02W22

Research in World Politics in Interesting Times

Credits: 
4
Day and Time: 
Thursdays, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 6 - March 10, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 4 - April 12, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
This seminar is designed to help you to engage critically and think systematically about crucial questions that are global in scope and to guide you through the process of developing a significant research paper. This is not a field seminar in international relations. Lectures and readings will touch on some foundational theories and concepts in comparative and international politics but will be heavily focused on principles of social science research. The issues and problems covered during class discussions and that you read and write about will be driven by your own geographical and substantive interests. The course is also designed to help you to connect your academic pursuits with your professional development in your internships and the broader political ecosystem of Washington, DC. Through the course, we will collectively engage with some of the most crucial problems facing the world’s peoples in the 21st century while examining their causes, consequences, and potential solutions.
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
**NO additional registration required.

 

Past Syllabus

About the Instructor: Professor Michael Danielson has taught at UCDC since 2014. He is also a Research Fellow at the American University Center for Latin American and Latino Studies and has taught courses in Latin American politics at various universities in Washington, DC. His book Emigrants Get Political: Mexican Migrants Engage Their Home Towns (Oxford 2018) examines the ways in which Mexican migrants engage with and shape the politics of their home towns. He has also studied the politics of indigenous rights movements in Latin America and am co-editor of Latin America’s Multicultural Movements and the Struggle Between Communitarianism, Autonomy, and Human Rights (Oxford 2013). My current research includes projects on the climate–migration nexus, migration and refugee studies, violent democracies in Mexico and Central America, and migrant mayors. When not teaching, I work as an expert consultant on social science research methodology, migration and displacement, and Latin American politics and society. Additionally, I regularly serve as an expert witness on country conditions in Mexico and Honduras in US immigration courts. I am a political scientist by training (PhD 2013, American University) with training in comparative and international politics and hold an MA in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) and Spanish and Philosophy degrees from Santa Clara University.

Course ID: 
UCDC191E01W22

Reducing Poverty and Inequity: Lessons from International Development

Credits: 
4
Instructor: 
Day and Time: 
Tuesdays, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 4 - March 8, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 4 - April 12, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
This course introduces students to the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as agents of advocacy and socio-political, economic and cultural change. The emphasis is on a) examining ways in which the NGO sector operates at the local, national and international levels, b) understanding the range of issues NGOs promote and advocate for; c) examining the tools and strategies they use in their advocacy; and, d) assessing the impact NGOs have on the policy making process as well as the targted communities. 
 
The course is designed for students interested in questions of advocay, activism and nongovernmental interventions, all of which are central to the dynamic cultural and political landscapes where NGOs operate. Some of the NGOs we will explore focus their advocacy on promoting political rights, gender equality and minority rights, while others focus on ending poverty, violence, human trafficking, exploitative labor, health problems and environmental degradation. 
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
**NO additional registration required.
 
 
About the Instructor: Professor Loubna Skalli-Hanna is a teacher, scholar and practitioner with subject area expertise in development, gender, youth and communication. She has taught at numerous universities in Morocco and the United States, including the American University (2003-2015). She is the author, co-author and editor of numerous peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and books. As a practitioner, Professor Skalli Hana co-founded many women’s organizations and participated in the activities of a few others. She also consulted with numerous intern/national development organizations and agencies including USAID, World Learning, U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of State. Professor Skalli Hana earned her BA from Mohamed V University in Rabat (Morocco), her MA in social and cultural anthropology from Essex University (England), and her PhD in International Communication from the Pennsylvania State University.
 
Course ID: 
UCDC191E02W22

General Research: Developing Critical Writing and Thinking Skills Through Independent Research

Credits: 
4
Day and Time: 
Thursdays, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Quarter Dates: 
January 6 - March 10, 2022
Semester Dates: 
January 6 - April 14, 2022
Campus: 
UCDC
Category: 
Core Seminar
Description: 
Stephen Colbert coined the term “truthiness” to describe the tendency of people to “go with their gut” rather than facts and evidence in evaluating the world around them. We are all affected by biases that obstruct critical thinking. Challenging these biases is essential to making rational, evidence-based arguments and decisions. A  primary concern underlying public discourse and policy making about issues such as COVID-19, climate change, school testing, immigration, poverty, gun control, mass incarceration, and so many other contemporary issues is the availability, validity, reliability, and utility of evidence to support arguments on one side or another. We will spend this term developing and using the critical thinking and writing skills necessary to examine and propose solutions to real-world problems. Students will develop research projects on a topic of their choosing, preferably related to the work of their internship organization. They will work independently and in small groups, if possible, throughout the multi-stage writing process. Students of all majors and writing experience are welcome! 
 
*Requirement for ALL semester students:  
The last four weeks of this semester (March 23 to April 13) will be spent in a special topics module taught by Professor Marc Sandalow on Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m. This module will account for 15% of the core seminar final course grade. Please contact Professor Sandalow (marc.sandalow@ucdc.edu) with questions. 
**NO additional registration required.

 

Past (Remote) Syllabus

About the Instructor: Professor Jennifer Diascro is an Associate Director of the University of California Washington Program (UCDC) and a political scientist. She earned her BA in political science from the University of California, San Diego (1990) and her PhD in political science from the Ohio State University (1995). She was on the faculty at the University of Kentucky (1995-2002) and American University (2002-2010). In 2000-01, she was a Supreme Court Fellow at the US Sentencing Commission in Washington, DC. Before coming to UCDC, Professor Diascro was a senior director at the American Political Science Association (2011-2015). She's authored or coauthored peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and books, on topics related to American judicial politics, and was CO-PI on an NSF award for a workshop on success and failure in the academy.

Course ID: 
UCDC191A01W22

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